Gunboat on Nile rapids, 19th century
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Gunboat on Nile rapids, 19th century
Gunboat on Nile rapids, 19th-century artwork. This is a British gunboat being handled by ropes as it negotiates rapids or cataracts on the Nile. This is the Second Cataract of the Nile, at Wadi Halfa in what had been Ottoman Egypt. At the time of this artwork, the region was being fought over during the Mahdist War, becoming part of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, later modern-day Sudan. This cataract was submerged as Lake Nasser formed in the 1970s following the construction of the Aswan High Dam in Egypt. Artwork from the 19th volume (first period of 1897) of the French popular science weekly La Science Illustree
Science Photo Library features Science and Medical images including photos and illustrations
Media ID 6338321
© SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
1890s 1897 Africa African Annual Volume Army Ascend Ascending Boat British Empire Cataract Conflict Egypt Egyptian French Imperial La Science Illustree Louis Figuier Magazine Maritime Military Naval Navigating Navy Nile Popular Science Pull Pulling Raise Raising Rapids River Rock Rope Ropes Sailor Sailors Soldier Soldiers Sudan Sudanese Transport Transportation Warfare Weekly Gun Boat Mahdist War Military History Mono Chrome Navigate Negotiate Negotiating Nubia Nubian Second Cataract Towing Wadi Halfa
EDITORS COMMENTS
This 19th-century artwork captures a pivotal moment in history as a British gunboat maneuvers through the treacherous rapids of the Nile. The scene unfolds at the Second Cataract, located in Wadi Halfa, once part of Ottoman Egypt but fiercely contested during the Mahdist War. This conflict ultimately led to the region's incorporation into Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and later modern-day Sudan. The monochromatic illustration showcases the technological prowess of its time, depicting brave sailors skillfully navigating their vessel with ropes amidst towering rocks and rushing waters. The image offers a glimpse into the challenges faced by military forces as they sought to control strategic waterways during this era. Today, this very cataract lies submerged beneath Lake Nasser after its formation in the 1970s due to construction of Egypt's Aswan High Dam. However, this print serves as a testament to an important chapter in both African and imperial history. Originally featured in La Science Illustree, a renowned French popular science weekly publication from 1897, this artwork is now preserved by Science Photo Library. It stands as a powerful reminder of human ingenuity and determination against nature's formidable forces while shedding light on significant historical events that shaped nations and territories along one of Africa's most iconic rivers -the Nile.
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