Called The Pearl of Egypt Philae was an island in the area of Aswan, in the southern portion of Upper Egypt, and it was the location of the Temple of Isis and the Kiosk of Trajan as well as a few other temples. After the construction of the Old Aswan Dam, the island was partially submerged during certain times of the year, and algae discolored the stone as well as eroded some of the reliefs. The situation became more serious after the new Aswan High Dam was built, and the island was completely submerged, thus washing away the paintings that adorned the buildings. With help from UNESCO and Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, a coffer dam was built around the island,