Street parade, Al Uqsur, Egypt

During his trip to Egypt, Elisofon visited Luxor (Al Uqsur) on the site of ancient Thebes (capital of the New Kingdom). It is noted for having ruins of many temples and burial grounds. When Thebes declined, Luxor remained the more heavily populated part of the ancient city and grew into a modern market town. [The J. P. Getty Fund: Art and Architecture Thesaurus]. The photograph depicts a parade honoring man leaving for Mecca. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for American Institute of Architects, directing the Egyptian portion of the documentary on Ancient Egypt, March 1965 and September 1965.