A map of Nubia and the Arabian Desert shows the gold mines, quarries and Nile fortresses that surrounded Ramesses II's temples at Abu Simbel.
This map accompanies the article on the temples of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel, written by David Rull Ribó (Autonomous University of Barcelona) and published in issue 22 of National Geographic History.
It shows the Nile valley from the area of Abydos, Dendera and Thebes south to Napata, with Kush (Nubia) to the south, the Libyan Desert to the west, the Arabian Desert to the east and the Red Sea. The river is marked with its five cataracts. The key distinguishes four kinds of features: cities and temples, cataracts, fortresses, and mines and quarries. The pharaohs exploited the mines and quarries in Nubia and the Arabian Desert, and they were linked to the fortresses lining the Nile.
Zooming in reveals the place names: Abu Simbel on the west bank, temples such as Amada, Derr and Wadi as-Subua, fortresses such as Buhen, Semna, Uronarti and Kumma, and the mining routes of Wadi Allaqi and Wadi Hammamat. A small locator map shows which part of the region has been enlarged.
According to the article, this was a frontier region, rich in resources and a militarily sensitive corridor. There, Ramesses II's monuments served both as places of worship and as political markers.
Published in National Geographic no. 22, 2026-10
