Man and child rowing boat. Near Aswan, Egypt

"Aswan and Elephantine were the twin cities on Egypt's southern border. Elephantine was settled as a fortification strategically situated facing alien territory, while on the eastern bank of the Nile, Aswan served the requirements of a trading center. Separating Egypt and Nubia was the First Cataract, mostly inundated today. It was a stretch of river where sharp granite boulders lay strewn along its bed. During the annual flood the river would gather speed and create swirling eddies that caused serious obstacle to river traffic. As the river passed Elephantine, however, the confining hills drew back, the Nile waters spread into the flood plain, and the velocity diminished." [Kamil Jill, 1993: Aswan and Abu Simbel, History and Guide. The American University in Cairo Press]. 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.