For Camel Collectors

DROMEDARY CAMELS OF EGYPT

Camels are amazing creatures. I have developed a fascination for them as I have traveled back and forth to Egypt for many years on buying trips for my importing. At the 2000 millennium celebration I was in Egypt at the Pyramids for the extravaganza, the largest crowd of people I have personally been in. As we walked up the approach to the Pyramids we passed a line-up of policemen mounted on white camels, looking almost surreal in the moonlight.

Camels were first domesticated in Arabia in the 3rd millennium B.C. By the Late Bronze Age (1200 B.C.) the camel was used for transportation, bringing frankincense and myrrh, and food in Syro-Palestine. Camels are mentioned in the Bible and were used by Ishmael, first son of Abraham (Genesis 16:15). Man could travel longer distances in the desert and to more isolated areas by using camels.

Still commonly used by Bedouins in North Africa and the Middle East, they give an ¹other worldly¹ charm to a trip to Egypt They are used to pull plows, turn water wheels to irrigate fields and carry grain to market. Their hides become leather and the camel hair is made into luxury clothes loved around the world, and they provide camel meat, milk and cheese.

• Camels walk like a giraffe, moving both legs on one side in a parallel manner. this can give the rider a ¹seasick¹ journey.
• A camel¹s nose can be open and closed at will, keeping out the blowing sand.
• The eyes are protected from blowing sand and hot sun by long eyelashes and an extra set of eyelids that the camel can close yet see through.
• They are called ³ship of the desert² because they can carry heavy loads.
• Camel races are popular in the Middle East and every September in Virginia City, Nevada.
• Camel bone carvings are available in Egypt, just as they carve ivory in the Orient.
• Special cushions on their feet give them a SILENT WALK as they travel through the sand not sinking.
• If angered they can spit or kick. They may groan and bawl when they are loaded and have to rise.
• At the LaBrea Tar Pits in Los Angeles are fossils of camels formed 35,000 years ago.
• A camel can go for a week or more without taking a drink of water and during cooler months it can go for months without water.
• Such an unusual animal, we say "a horse put together by a committee".

Helen McCrea, Ancient Egyptian Collection, October 2004

	Camel Rug 47 X 35 Inches. Polyester made in Egypt $99.00
	Bone Camel 5 Inches. made in Egypt-$22.00
	Exquisite Sitting Camel Rhinestone laden camel saddle opens up to reveal box Camel 2 1/2" x 3" SITCAM $39
	Delightful Fuzzy Camel with personality 5 1/2" high Fuzzy $18 set
	Camel Stud Earrings   Gold Plated E17   $10 Rhinestone Camel Pin   CAM3 $29 Pin & Earrings     $37 set
	Gold Plated Pin with Saddle in Blue, Red, Black, or Green  CAM11    $19
	Camel Earring Gold Plated   A26    $10
	Silver Plated Rhinestone Pin   Cam7    $29
	Pin with Rhinestone Star Select Gold Plated or Pewter   Cam12    $22
	Eye Catching Silver Camel Pendant 3 3/4"   Cam1    $30
	Camel Perfume Bottle Hand blown glass from Egypt CAMBOT   set of 3    $45
	Camel Christmas Ornament hand blown in Egypt CAMORN  set of 3    $45
	Luxurious Scarf Soft and elegant Worn around the neck by Egyptian Men A wonderfully soft Shawl for Women Can also be used as a Table Cloth 38" X 80"   Camscarf - A   $36