Egyptology

[The One]

The Great Temple of Abu Simbel, in Nubia near Egypt’s southern border, is among the most awe-inspiring monuments of Egypt. It was cut into the living rock by King Ramesses II (the Great) of the Nineteenth Dynasty, around 1264 BC. The temple is most well known for the four imposing seated colossal statues that dominate its façade. One of these collapsed because of an ancient earthquake, and its fragments can still be seen on the ground.

Colossal standing statues of the king line the main hall, leading to the sanctuary where four deities are sat: Amun Ra, Ra Horakhty, Ptah, and a deified version of Ramesses II. The temple was built with such precision that on two days a year, the 22nd of February and 22nd of October, the sun’s rays enter the temple, cross the main hall, and illuminate the innermost statues.

Another rock-cut temple to the north, known as the Small Temple, is dedicated to the goddess Hathor and Ramesses II’s Great Royal Wife, Queen Nefertari. On the façade of the Small Temple, her colossi are the same size as those of her husband, a very rare example of such display.

The two temples were moved from their original location in 1968 after the Aswan High Dam was built, as it threatened to submerge them. The relocation was completed thanks to an international effort led by UNESCO, and the temple was admitted into its list of World Heritage Sites in 1979.


The small and large temples of Abu Simbel


Statues of Ramesis II


Temple of Abu Simbel at night


The monumental statues of King Ramses II


The enemies at the feet of Ramses II


The Hypostyle Hall of the Great Temple



The sun passes to the Sanctuary of Abu Simbel



The facade of Nefertari's Temple


Temple of Nefertari at night



Statue of Queen Nefertari in front of her temple



The queen Nefertari and the goddess Hathor


Archival photo



Archival photo


Virtual tour for Abu Simbel Temple click here

[Chuckie]

Pretty amazing stuff really.

[The One]

Uncovering the story of a young king and leader who was powerful enough to re-establish a failing Egypt at the center of the ancient world.

Part 1: Treasures Rediscovered
Howard Carters discovery of Tutankhamuns tomb in 1922 made headlines across the world sparking a global frenzy for Ancient Egypt. But over the decades since the find, many of the pharaohs priceless grave goods have disappeared into museum basements and archives across Egypt. Now all 5,398 objects are being reunited for the first time since their discovery at the new Grand Egyptian Museum.

[The One]

Uncovering the story of a young king and leader who was powerful enough to re-establish a failing Egypt at the center of the ancient world.

Part 2: Golden Mask
King Tuts incredible death mask – 24lbs of pure gold – has always been the subject of debate with many scholars believing its damaged nameplate, known as a cartouche, and different colours of gold meant it was never made specifically for him. It was more likely made for his female ancestor, Nefertiti. And, until now, the evidence seems to back that theory up. New analysis of some of his many burial goods, including ‘Shabtis- miniature effigies that were meant to act as servants in the afterlife- suggest up to a quarter of all the treasures in the tomb were made for someone else.

[The One]

Uncovering the story of a young king and leader who was powerful enough to re-establish a failing Egypt at the center of the ancient world.

Part 3: Tales from the Tomb
Of all the 5,398 treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun now being assembled and forensically investigated at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, its the ones that paint a picture of Tutankhamuns family that are the most unsettling.

[The One]

This tomb was begun by King Ramesses V (c.1147–1143 BC) of the Twentieth Dynasty. Although it is uncertain whether he was ultimately buried here, it is clear that his uncle Ramesses VI (c.1143–1136 BC) enlarged the tomb and used it for his burial.

The tomb is simple in plan, essentially consisting of a series of descending corridors that lead deep underground, in a straight line to the burial chamber. The exquisitely painted sunk relief walls are very well preserved.

The tomb’s decorative programme consists of various funerary texts to help the king in his successful transition to the afterlife. The first descending passages are decorated with the Book of Gates, Book of Caverns, and Books of the Heavens, ancient Egyptian books of the afterlife. The passages beyond bear scenes from the Amduat, the Book of the Dead, and the Books of the Heavens, and scenes from the Book of the Earth adorn the burial chamber. All ceilings are decorated with astronomical scenes and texts. Some of these funerary texts are collections of spells, and others are maps of the underworld, describing the sun god’s daily nocturnal journey through it. Through them, just like the sun god, the king could achieve a glorious rebirth in the eastern horizon at dawn.


The Burial Chamber



Vulture ceiling above ramp


Corridor


North wall of the burial chamber


Ceiling, depicts Book of the Night


South wall of the burial chamber


North wall of the burial chamber


Archival Photo


sarcophagus


Corridor

[The One]

The tomb of Sety I is one of the longest, deepest, and most beautifully decorated tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Sety I (c.1294–1279 BC) was the second king of the Nineteenth Dynasty, and father of Ramesses II (the Great). His tomb, number 17 in the Valley of the Kings, is sometimes called “Belzoni’s tomb” after its discoverer.

Like the other tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the tomb of Sety I is decorated with various funerary texts, the aim of which was to ensure his successful transition to the afterlife. The tomb of Sety I was the first tomb in the Valley of the Kings to be entirely decorated. The elegant painted scenes and reliefs are of the exquisite quality that the reign of Sety I is so well known for. The funerary texts attested there are the Litany of Re, Amduat, and Book of Gates, in addition to the Book of the Divine Cow and the gorgeous astronomical scenes decorating the ceiling of his burial chamber, simulating the night sky.

Architecturally, the tomb of Sety I falls under the “joggled axis” type characteristic of his period. The first series of corridors and descending passageways terminate into the first pillared room, where, in the facing wall, but off-axis, another series of descending passageways cut into the floor of the room lead to the burial chamber. The tomb does feature a number of new and unique characteristics. Along the same axis of the first series of corridors and descending passageways, a doorway leads into a single room. This may have been intended to lead intruders to believe that this was the actual burial chamber. The tomb of Sety I is also the first tomb to possess a burial chamber with a vaulted ceiling. Perhaps most interesting of all is that the passage begins on the floor of the burial chamber, descending even further, deep into the earth. It is believed that this was intended to ritually connect the tomb of Sety I with the primeval and regenerative powers of the underworld.

In 1821, painted recreations of several rooms from the tomb of Sety I were displayed in the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly in London. This exhibition, put together by the discoverer of the tomb, Giovanni Battista Belzoni, made an ancient Egyptian tomb available to various members of the public. It captured people’s imagination, and is one of the first monuments responsible for attracting popular attention to ancient Egypt.


Corridor


The short version of the Amduat


Sety I between Osiris and Horus


Detail of the Amduat


Scene of the Book of Gates


Archival Photo

[modwiz]

I love all of the pictures/photographs.

[The One]

Its small size indicates that it was used by Tutankhamun when he was a child.

Gold foil panels illustrated by ibexes and desert plants decorate the arms of the chair. The legs are elegantly carved in the shape of lion legs ending in lion paws with claws made of ivory.

[The One]

Abu Simbel..Egypt..Part 1

Abu Simbel..Egypt..Part 2

Abu Simbel..Egypt..Part 2

[The One]

From author below

I visited this tomb in March 2023. I hope that my video will show you the beauty of this place, at least to a small extent.
"King Ramses III was the second ruler of the Twentieth Dynasty, and the last of great pharaohs on the throne. Ramses III, son of Setnakht, ruled Egypt for 31 years. Shortly before his death, there was a conspiracy to kill him by several members of his household including one of his minor wives, Queen Tiy. It was essentially an attempt to ensure her son's ascending to the throne. The trial of this conspiracy is shown upon the walls of his mortuary temple at Madint Habu. The tomb was begun by Setnakht, who then abandoned it and turned to KV14 where he was buried. Setnakht's son, Ramses III, then resumed work on KV11. James Bruce was the first European traveler to enter this tomb in 1768. He was struck by the painted figures of the two blind harpists that he called it the Tomb of the Harpists. Nowadays, the Tomb of Ramses III is considered one of the most visited tombs in the Valley of the Kings as there are many impressive reliefs and paintings to be seen on this tomb