1951 Société d'Archéologie Copte Pictorial Map of Christian Egypt

This is a 1951 first edition Société d'Archéologie Copte pictorial map of Christian Egypt. This map can be seen in the context of a growing need to assert Coptic identity in the wake of rising Islamist power and pan-Arab nationalism.

Historical Context

The map coincides with a rise in Arab nationalism and socialism culminating in the 1952 overthrow of King Farouk and the establishment of the Egyptian Republic under Gamal Abdel Nasser. Although touting a 'we're all Egyptian' message, the Nasser regime allowed the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamic groups to rise to prominence, sidelining the formerly economically and politically powerful Coptic minority. Economically, the nationalization policies of the 1950s negatively impacted the upper-class Copts who had thrived in the more cosmopolitan pre-revolution era. Politically, Copts found it challenging to obtain high-level government or military positions, and sectarian tensions occasionally flared. Countermovements emerged to promote Coptic solidarity and identity.

A Closer Look

Coverage embraces Egypt from the Siwa Oasis across Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula to the Dead Sea, highlighting convents (pictorial illustrations) and bishoprics (red crosses), both inhabited and deserted. The Pyramids of Giza are unlabeled but illustrated. City 'views' mark 'agglomérations' (urban areas) at oases in the desert and Cairo. Red lines mark roads, and dashed lines detail caravan routes - some of which penetrate deep into the Lybian Desert.

Coptic Egypt

The Copts of Egypt are the largest Christian community in the Middle East and are part of the Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian denominations in the world. The Copts trace their religious roots to St. Mark, who is believed to have brought Christianity to Egypt in the 1st century AD. Coptic Christians have a distinct cultural and religious identity, using the Coptic language in liturgy, which is derived from ancient Egyptian. Historically, the Copts played a significant role in the intellectual and cultural life of Egypt, especially during the early centuries of Christianity. Despite being a religious minority in a predominantly Muslim country, the Copts have maintained their faith and traditions through centuries of changing rule, including periods of persecution and discrimination.

Publication History and Census

This map was created in 1951 for and published by the Société d'Archéologie Copte. We note 1 physical example cataloged in OCLC: Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Bonn. A second edition was published in 1954, and a third edition (a revision of the second) appeared in 1955. Both the 1954 and 1955 editions are more widely cataloged.