Of interest is to what extent the paving has been filmed on the streets of Cairo (or indeed elsewhere in Egypt). As such, there is, perhaps somewhat surprisingly (given its now very frequent occurrence, over numerous districts) very little footage, and furthermore what little there is, is all of an ‘incidental’ nature, where the filmmaker is concerned with other matters besides the paving. Indeed, appearances are at a premium, with (so far) just three instances, and furthermore are all of modern times, of 2010, 2011, and 2012. Although the footage is admirable for showing the sheer extent, essentially as a tour (something which no photograph can hope to achieve), these modern day videos are of relative limited interest, if at all, as to aiding as regards historic matters in establishing when the paving was instigated. However, this is not to mean that such footage, incidental or not, does not exist! With Cairo being a major capital, and tourist hot spot, it is likely that the paving has indeed been caught on video but people obviously do not recognise the significance of the paving. And furthermore, for purposes of determining the instigation, such instances must surely regrettably be at a premium, given that the pavings are at least of 1969, and so of the cine age, rather than with all the convenience, and more readily available, video age.

Of the three recordings (and possibly a fourth) these are from The American University in Cairo (AUC), twice, and at a sighting of a place unknown. The ‘possible fourth’ is at the Old Cataract hotel, Aswan, descibed below. The best video, by far, is the third one.

In order of chronology these are:

The first recorded instance of the Cairo tiling on film, and furthermore of a notable nature, with ex President Sadat! This thus dates the footage as 1970-1981. And furthermore, this is by far the earliest instance yet filmed, the only other instance of the AUC, of modern times, of 2010.

http://modernegypt.bibalex.org/MediaViewer.aspx?VideoID=VI_1

http://modernegypt.bibalex.org/MediaViewer.aspx?VideoID=VI_3

AUC 22 December 2010

AUC 16 March 2012

Another possible capture on film is in a scene from Death on the Nile, of 1978, at the Old Cataract hotel, Aswan. However, the scene is so short, of a fleeting glimpse, that I am unsure if the paving is detectable.

And that’s it!