The city of Ras El-Bar, Nile Delta region, Egypt

During his trip to Egypt, Elisofon visited the city of Ras El-Bar, located west of Damietta Nile branch. After the construction of the High Dam in 1964, the sediments carried out to the Nile Delta were significantly reduced. After the completion of the Far-askour Dam, at the end of Damietta promontory, the supply of the River Nile water to the Mediterranean has been completely cut off. Accordingly, the River Nile lost stability with Mediterranean and severe erosion was observed and recorded at Ras El-Bar since 1895. It is reported that between 1902 and 1940, the Damietta Peninsula receded about 1.8 kilometers (Mobarek, 1972). Therefore, several coastal protection projects have been implemented to reduce or eliminate the erosion. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Life magazine and traveled to Africa from January 8, 1947 to end of June 1947.