Rais

It's a title. It means, the boss, chief, head.

Mahmoud leads a team of 60-80 workers in Karnak Temple. 

Hi team is devoted to him because of who hes is and his relational capacity. As an exampke, he has obe mentally handicapped worker, who he protects like his own child.

I knew his father before him in the same role. And I liked him too.

But Mahmoud is like a brother to me, even though we maintain a respectful difference. He learned all about rebuilding Karnak through the reknowned François Larché, of whom we said he knew each stone by It's first name.

Mahmoud can't read hieroglyphs. I can,  and that is where our complicity is now. But it's birn out of a profound mutual respect.

I know his family well. And his profound desire iscthat we can help his daughter, Arwa, become a knowlegeable restorer of the stones and statues he knows by heart.