1940 Road Map of Egypt
DESCRIPTION
A fascinating intersection of cartography and aviation history, this detailed map of Egypt served not only motorists and tourists but also pilots navigating the country during an era when roads, railways, canals, and ancient monuments were among the most important aids to aerial navigation.
Produced during the Second World War era, the map identifies not only highways and transportation networks but also aerodromes and landing grounds for aeroplanes, reflecting Egypt's strategic importance as a crossroads linking Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Before the widespread adoption of modern radio navigation and instrument flight procedures, aviators frequently relied upon visible ground features to maintain their course, making detailed maps such as this an essential practical tool.
Printed in both French and English, the map provides an exceptionally thorough depiction of Egypt's roads, railways, tracks, canals, settlements, and airfields. Dense transportation networks radiate outward from Cairo and Alexandria, while detailed inset maps focus on the Suez Canal, the Cairo region, and the Nile Valley. The map also identifies many of Egypt's most celebrated ancient monuments, including the Pyramids at Giza, temples, and archaeological sites that had long attracted international travelers and served as recognizable landmarks for those navigating from the air.
Egypt in the Age of Aviation
Particularly noteworthy is the map's careful plotting of aerodromes and landing grounds throughout the country. During the North African Campaign and the broader wartime period, Egypt occupied a position of immense strategic significance, serving as a vital transportation and supply hub centered on the Suez Canal. The map captures this moment when modern aviation was rapidly expanding but still depended heavily upon visual navigation and geographic familiarity.
The Egyptian Touring Association
The distinctive winged emblem in the upper right belongs to the Egyptian Touring Association (ETA), one of the country's leading tourism and motoring organizations during the first half of the twentieth century. Combining aviation imagery with Egyptian symbolism, the logo reflects an era when Egypt sought to promote itself as both an ancient civilization and a modern destination connected by automobiles, railways, and air travel. Beyond its practical function, the map preserves a snapshot of Egypt on the eve of profound political change, when the monarchy, British influence, and the colonial order that shaped much of the region were rapidly approaching their end.
CONDITION
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