Abu Simbel – Ramesses the Great’s Monument to His Own Vanity
Located at the second cataract of the Nile river, in the southernmost tier of Egypt where the land of the northerners gives way to that of the dark skinned Nubians. It is here that the Pharaoh Ramsses II, known as “The Great”, undertook the construction of one of the most monumental works of temple building in the annals of history, directly in the sandstone cliffs of the Nile… it was and still is one of the great works built to a man’s own vanity!
During the 20th century the creation of the Aswan Dam by a nationalistic Egyptian government presented the first threat ever to the sites in its history, rising water levels threatening to submerge it. Archaeologists raced to save this great monument from the flooding of a massive reservoir and they were successful. Today the site is just as impressive as it ever was!
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Driving Through the Desert
To get to Abu Simbel you must travel by military road. To use the road you must receive permission from the military, thus you should do so by booking a bus in advance or through a tour company that tuns excursions to the site. The military road leads to the temple itself and an airport that can be used for commercial flights if you would rather fly to-and back from Cairo, although it can be rather pricey. Continuing south you will find the Sudanese border.
At once point we pulled over to the side of the road to stretch and had the chance to observe to desolate nature of this part of Egypt.
It was so warm that in the distance you could even see a mirage (first time seeing one for me!).
Abu Simbel
When you arrive at the site, there is a parking lot with a restoration and market behind the temple itself and from here you will be able to walk to its front. You will also find several hotels.
It may be hard to believe but these temples were once all but forgotten to the world. By the 6th century BC, the sand already covered the statues of the main temple up to their knees. In 1813, when Swiss orientalist Johann Ludwig Burckhardt (the same guy that rediscovered Petra!!!) came upon the temple but could not enter it due to the sand. Burckhardt talked about his discovery with Italian explorer Giovanni Belzoni, who entered the complex in 1817 upon his second try. For more info on the discovery check out Edward William Lane‘s Description of Egypt.
While walking in you can see the immense reservoir called Lake Nasser created by the construction of the Aswan High Dam.
The temple had to be moved 65 metres higher and 200 metres from the former riverbank to its current location. As such the former location on a former escarpment was completely submerged as you can see from this image below
Abu Simbel Sun Festival
I did not realize this but at the time of my visit I was but a few days always from the Abu Simbel Sun Festival, something I was I could have attended.
The temple remains in total darkness all through the year with a sole two exception, in which this above mentioned sun festival is held. The days are February 22, which corresponds to the anniversary of his ascension to the throne of Egypt and on October 22nd, which is his birthday! One these days natural light streams into the inner sanctums of the complex and illuminating his and Ra – the sun god’s statue.
Sounds and Light Show
Near Nasser Lake, in front of the complex, you will find a stage for the evening sound and light show! It may be worth your wile if you are staying at one of the nearby hotels.
The Small Temple (Nefertari)
Lets start with the smaller temple of the two temple, that of Nefetari. The primary wife of Ramsesse the Great. She was his favourite and “whose sake the very sun doth shine.”. Sounds like horny Ramesses could be quite the charmer when he wanted to!
The main portal to the tomb has her represented next to her husband. Nefertari is not to be confused with the much despised Nefertiti.This well educated woman is nerveless one of the best known queens in Egyptian history.
Like at the Great temple the Pharaoh also dedicates his temples to the gods. As such Nefertari’s shares the spotlight with the cow goddess Hathor! Hathor is represented by a cow and is the god of women, the sky, fertility and love. She is represented in the column reliefs below.
On the left side of the main atrium you will find the queen sitting down on a chair. From the look of things she was a beautiful Egyptian woman by any standards!
Like all Egyptian temples, you will find the Holy of Holy’s in the back room. This is the shrine of the godess Hathor.
Great Temple (Ramesses II)
Welcome to Abu Simbel’s main temple, as you can see the kings temple overshadows his wife’s by quite a bit! If you though pairing her with Hathor was kind of crazy guess who who he pairs with himself…
The answer is Amun-Ra the sun god of course! Just to top it off the official name for the temple is “Temple of Ramesses, beloved by Amun“. Mind you this is the guy who fathered 102 children with many different mistresses – Im sure his ego was huge.
Note to Self: Why would anyone name a condom brand after this guy, I though the point of birth control was to prevent the babies… Clearly my boy Ramesses was all about the babies!
Completed in 1244 BC (yes, that’s 1244 B.C!!!) his temple complex came about as an attempt to consolidates Ramesses’ gains over the gold rich land of Nubia, it was in fact a way to project soft power and Egyptionize the Nubians.
The outer hall of the temple is filled with statues guarding the tomb. The 8 pillar-statues are that of a deified Rameses II in the shape of Osiris, serving as pillars (the arms crossed indicates that it is a funerary temple!).
Inside you will find detailed reliefs displaying the emperors might in foreign conquests.
Pay attention while in this temple, there are many fine details just waiting to be capture by your eye.
The hypostyle hall and its side chambers seem to put particular emphases on Ramsesse military campaigns in both Syria and Nubia.
Bltwo you will find carvings of defeated slaves being led away. On the left you have Nubians from the Sudan and on the right Assyrians/Hittites from Syria.You can tell that they are slaves by the rope bounding their necks. The Nubians have been given stereotypical African features as well as hair and the same can be said for the Hittites.
Much of the the hall is given to a great work of propaganda telling the visitor of the Battle of Kadesh (often spelled Qadesh in history books), on the Orontes river in Syriaf ought against the Hittites. Ironically the battle was most likely a draw or a light victory but has been depicted by the Pharaoh as a great victory.
The most famous relief depicts the king on his chariot shooting arrows against his fleeing enemies, who are then being taken prisoner. Basically these paintings/ carvings are the action shots of the ancient world.
Other scenes show Egyptian victories in Libya and Nubia as well as his cortege of bound slaves as mentioned above.
At the back of the complex you will find the holy of holies where the light shines twice a year. This is the most important room in the temple.
It can be interpreted as follows: When the scarab roll the sun, God Ra will deliver its first rays on the statue of the god Amon-Ra the greatest of all gods and the statue of Ramses the god king of Egypt and the statue of Ra Hourakhty, God of heaven and sun, and the rays leave the god Ptah in the darkness, to announce the start of the harvest season and the sitting of king god Ramses on the throne. (link)
The four seated statues are that of Ra-Horakhty, Ptah, Amun and Ramesses. A king among the gods themselves.
