Temples Old and Less Old

This morning called for very early rising, because we had a long way to go: the Temple of Abydos, first stop! A three-hour drive and a desire to avoid the heat meant leaving the hotel at 5:30 at the very latest. Punctuality was critical because our driver had had to register to go across a particular road in a military area (I think; the details we re hazy) and there was a specific appointment to be made.

Desert without irrigation

Irrigated sections

On the way, we could easily see the difference a little water can make! Yes, obvious, but the patchiness made it particularly striking.

Schoolbus

Example of a cage

One of the towns we went through was having their weekly market. Pigeons, ducklings, chickens, and all sorts of other fowl were in and out of handmade cane cages. Calves, cows, donkeys, rams, kids, and all sorts of livestock options were to be had. Then there was the clothing section. And the dairy, with homemade yoghurt, labda (a type of soft cream cheese is the best description I can give), and whatever else. Our van was trying to squeeze between other loaded cars/vans/handcarts/motorcycles/pedestrians/livestock/ and general chaos. It took probably 10 minutes to traverse 100 meters. The funniest sight of that experience was a poor ram: rather large, it was hoisted over the seat of a scooter, sandwiched by the driver and the teenager holding him on. His pathetic, dark brown face with the curly horns was pathetic and hilarious all in one. Garlic was in season, and we saw all sorts of carts piled meters high in garlic.

Drive the cow home

A relatively empty garlic cart

The temple from afar

The Temple of Abydos was started by Seti I (whose tomb we had seen in the Valley of the Kings) and finished by his son Ramses II. The different artistic styles were so easy to distinguish when juxtaposed in this way: Seti’s bas-relief is very subtle and detailed. Ramses II, on the other hand, is much more brash, with deep incising work and heavy lines (although the detail is nonetheless amazing). This temple had been largely destroyed and reconstructed, but the reconstruction is done beautifully, in such a way that we can see the original forms, but so that we can still distinguish between original and reconstruction.

Wheel with linch-pin

Horse!

Outside on the pylons are engravings of Ramses II’s daughters (on the right) and sons (on the left). An attempt at likenesses is apparent, although of course a sea of faces quickly becomes same-y. 

A daughter of Ramses II

The deep incising is typical of Ramses II

We were interested to see depictions of wheels on the pylons (including, intriguingly, a detailed drawing of the linch-pins), since of course by the time of these temples (as opposed to the time of the Great Pyramids) wheels were in widespread use.

Inside the inner sanctum of Seti’s temple, there are six smaller side temples. Five of these are temples to gods and goddesses, and the sixth is to Seti himself. Intriguingly, each of the temples was from a set design: on this side, a picture of Seti welcoming (god), on that panel a picture of the god’s funeral boat with offerings, etc. Only the picture of the god was changed out. We were able to access a beautifully decorated temple that was an extension of the shrine to Amun-ra; fully-colored and rich in embellishment, it was a real delight. 

You can sort of see the scale here

We were so struck by some of the persistence of human belief and mythology surrounding religion and religious themes. Some examples are the use of wings as protection (Horus, depicted as a bird, uses his wings to protect the king’s name; in our time, angels are winged creatures who are our guardians), ablution preparatory to religious rites (sacred pools for the Egyptians, Jewish mikvahs, holy water at the entrance of a Catholic church), and the concept of consuming a god’s power (there are many depictions of gods feeding pharaohs the Ankh, a symbol of life; some Christian denominations have Holy Communion). 

As always, I was left wondering what daily life was like for the middle-class of the time. It’s amazing seeing what the 1% did with their money and time, but it would be great to understand quotidian concerns of “normal” people of the day.

Here is Seti I's work (precursor to Ramses II).
The bas-relief is much more delicate, and does not incorporate
incision of the rock

Seti I

A side shrine

This is a priest's wig. Isn't the texture marvelous?

The god of wisdom

Offerings, including bread, roast duck, and grapes

The amount of detail is stunning (see below)

closer up view of the carving

The scarab overlaid on the sun promotes long life

Again, the texture wowed me

These are ducks snared in a net, and despite the bare outlining
have an extraordinary vitality

The start of a temple where Osiris was supposedly buried.

Off to Dendara! A Ptolomeic compound (meaning late in Egyptian terms...call it 300- BC), it features the earliest extant mud brick wall, earlier structures having dissolved in the occasional flooding and rainstorms or damaged by earthquakes). The inner temple is a bit of a mystery: the artists never got around to carving the cartouches giving the names of the pharaoh involved; our guide speculated that it was because during that time period, many of the reigns were extremely short...so the artists didn’t know whom to credit! The exterior portions were finished under the auspices of Ptolomy II. The thing to remember about the Ptolomeic period is that these were foreigners who came into Egypt but worked to carry on local traditions. This ended in some rather odd hieroglyphs that are not easily understood by Egyptologists. Additional symbols were incorporated into the (readable) Egyptian hieroglyphics. Depictions of the moon — a completely new motif — were also incorporated, rather puzzlingly.

View of the ceiling; the entrance to the shrine is just below

Side shrine used in celebrations

We had the opportunity to descend into the crypts of the temple, where valuables were kept at one time. This practically involved spelunking, because the corridors were low and narrow. Even getting in required descending a wooden staircase/ladder where the first step down was a fall of 2 feet. And then up to the roof! Accessed via a staircase that winds rectangularly, there is a temple on the roof. It read “party house” because it’s an open penthouse where the priests would end a ceremonial procession. Another enclosed space purports to be the room where Osiris was buried. Bear in mind that it was built thousands of years after the start of the Osiris myth, so it seems rather spurious.

The detail of the carving is remarkable

These mysterious objects coming out of the lotus flower
are said by some to be alien light bulbs.
Not so sure I buy that explanation.

This depiction of Horus is just stunning

Vandals who defaced the monument in the name of Christianity
sharpened their knives on the walls to allow them to keep at it.

Empty cartouches, due to the rapid turnover in power during construction

The ceilings were remarkable: largely blue and white with yellow accents

the ablution pool, with the steps down

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This gate was built by Hadrian, if I recall correctly

A Coptic Christian church

This little fellow
protected children while they slept.
Or maybe gave them nightmares?

Back home for lunch (at 3 p.m.!), a swim, and then getting ready for dinner. 

We bought snacks for the kids here. Next door is a juice bar.

Our falafel stand

Street scene (Michael is at the falafel stand)

Michael and I wanted to eat “real” Egyptian food rather than “resort” food, so we forced ourselves out in a taxi to a recommended restaurant. I had the most splendid eggplant: not sure how it was cooked, but it was then stuffed with cilantro, garlic, onions (maybe) and lemon juice. It was amazing. Michael had a yoghurt salad similar to Indian raita. Then I had lamb in tomato, Michael had a veal stew and rice. Somewhere in the middle, we enjoyed freshly pressed strawberry (me) and melon (Michael) juices. After dessert (rice pudding and assorted pastries), it was time for tea and coffee. Michael ordered the somewhat chewy Turkish coffee, and I had ginger tea (which was absolutely explosive, it was so strong. Seriously yummy!).  Expensive by local standards, we ended up about $24 poorer.

Love,

Alexandra