Wheat fields, Al Fayyum, Egypt

"The agriculture of northern Africa is basically the same as that of the Near East with few modifications. The cereals, mostly wheat and barley, are harvested by sickle and scythe, lentils and chickpeas by uprooting, and sesame by cutting and shocking until the capsules open." [Vogel J., 1997: Encyclopedia of Precolonial Africa, Altamira Press]. Al Fayyum was an ancient center; noted for ruins dating to 12th dynasty (1991-1786 BC), & Greek & Coptic papyrus; today is center for cotton ginning & tanning. [The J. Paul Getty Trust: Thesaurus of Geographical Names]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was working on "The Nile" project and traveled to Africa from March 14, 1961 to March 31, 1961, visiting Egypt.