Our final visit in the Luxor region was the Karnak Temple Complex. Taken together with its connection to the Luxor Temple, is said to be the largest in the world. It is dedicated to the King of ancient Egyptian gods, Amun. Over several thousand years, it was expanded by pharaohs Thutmoses I, Queen Hatshepsut, Amenhotep III, Ramses II, and the Ptolemys. It is generally thought that it was started during the Middle Kingdom, about 2040 BCE. Its construction continued through the centuries into the Ptolemaic era which ended 30 BCE. It is estimated that during the New Kingdom 80,000 priests worked at Karnak.
The ancient Egyptians referred to this place as “the select place,” “the origin,” etc. They believed this was the place where the world emerged from the chaotic soup that was, in effect, the Big Bang, and the creator god Atum started the work of creation. They also believed this was the place they could communicate with Amun. Egyptian mythology says that Atum and Ra merged to create the supreme Amun.
Each year the ancient Egyptians held the Opet Festival here. They’d carry statues of Amun, Mut and Khonsu in a barque to Luxor Temple, celebrating the god’s guiding the souls of pharaohs to renewed life.
It was believed Amun was a protector of pharaohs. Here, this is specifically spelled out with the ram-headed sphinxes, which can be seen guarding pharaohs under their chins.
Karnak is so iconic that a number of films and film scenes were shot here. Death on the Nile, The Spy Who Loved Me, Valley of the Kings, Poirot, an episode of The Love Boat, and more.
The interior galleries and chapels are full of heiroglyphs. There are 134 columns 65 feet high.
There’s also a number of obelisks. Historically there were hundreds around Egypt but many fell over and many more were taken to places like New York, Paris, Rome, the Vatican, and London. Today there are more obelisks in Rome than Egypt.
Egypt is without question the world’s most archeological rich region. It was one of mankind’s first civilizations, and due to the desert weather, it’s incredibly well preserved. Karnak is a pinnacle of the sites.
After Luxor, the next morning we were out the door very early to experience the Valley of the Kings and the Mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut. We left early to avoid mid-day heat – the area is known as one of the hottest places on earth. It lies in a valley to the west of Luxor.
The Valley of the Kings includes at least 65 royal tombs. They were dug into the mountainsides, and can be quite extensive. They are noted for the remarkable condition of the painted reliefs – which have never been exposed to direct sunlight.
CartoucheMa’at
The tombs are intended to help the soul of the pharaoh complete the journey from this life to the next. The walls and ceilings are completely filled with memories of his life, and after life myths and traditions all ancient Egyptians knew as essential to successfully make the transition to the next life.
Ancient Egyptians believed that their Earthly existence was merely a transitional phase. They believed that if they lived this life following the principles of ma’at, they might make it past this phase. The goddess Ma’at put forth 42 commandments by which all lived. These were more extensive than the 10 Commandments of Moses, and existed for thousands of years prior. Today, it is worth reflecting that most societies and laws still align with many of these values.
When an ancient Egyptian died, its soul awoke in the Duat. The Duat was the underworld – a place inhabited by the deities Osiris, Nekhbet, Ma’at, Anubis, and Hathor, as well as the souls of others undertaking the journey to the next life. This journey often took place on a raft. Osiris granted or denied entry to the next life. Anubis and Afu Ra helped the soul on its way. It was also a difficult realm, filled with demons and serpents who’d challenge the soul. After making it past all these challenges, the soul made it to a place where it would face judgment by Osiris. There, countless other souls waited their turn. Ordinary Egyptians hoped to ascend to the “Field of Rushes,” where they’d sow and harvest abundant crops into eternity. But the pharaoh, his spirit would unite with the Sun god Ra, ascend into the sky and take its place amongst the stars. Everyone was guided across the duat by the ram headed duat form of Ra – Afu Ra. If they made it to the other side of the duat, the deceased faced a “tribunal” over which Osiris presided. It would have to recite 42 “negative confessions,” meaning they’d say “I did not” engage in each of the 42 rules – e.g. “I have not been an evesdropper.” Then, a scale of worth is presented. This scale has on one side the ostrich feather of Ma’at. The feather of truth. On the other side is placed the heart of the deceased. The ancient Egyptians did not know Hell as Jews, Christians and Muslims know Hell. Instead, the worst would be to cease to exist at all. Once the heart was placed on the scale, if it was lighter than the feather, the soul could go to the afterlife. If not, if heavier, the soul’s heart was fed to a crocodile/hippo monster and extinguished for eternity.
Upon awakening after death, prior to journeying the duat, the soul might not know its identity. To help out, Egyptians decorated the tomb walls with scenes from its Earthly life. We visited the tomb of Ramses IX. This image is such a scene of his life. When pharaohs were crowned, they presented an image of Ma’at to the highest god Amun – assuring him that the pharoah would ensure balance and harmony.
The importance of truth and the principles of ma’at cannot be overstated.
Inside the tomb, images of Ma’at guard its entrance and appear many times over. There is a scene of Ma’at with a harpist, and one of her with the sun god Ra.
The soul would ride on a raft through the Duat. Nephthys would oversee.
Some gods would appear differently in the Duat phase. Here is Afu Ra, how the sun god Ra appears in the Duat.
We are now in the chamber where the sarcophagus is located. Along the walls are more scenes from the journey through the Duat. We see the soul being challenged by serpents. We see the representation of the journey through out the night. The goddess Nut covers the ceiling from one side to the other. She oversees the stars. Beneath her elongated body are more scenes from challenges the soul faces on its way.
From an artistic and engineering point of view, the tomb is fantastic. Here is a video!
Glimpsing the chamber was simply awesome, to use a cliche expression!
In the center lay the sarcophagus, which must weigh tons.
Our ship docked at Luxor, on the east bank of the Nile. We reluctantly left the ship and checked into a riverside hotel for the next two nights. This hotel had a really nice pool area which was perfect for relaxing on hot Egyptian afternoons!
The Luxor region is probably the most archeologically rich in the world. It contains mind blowing temple complexes like Luxor, Hatshepsut and Karnak, plus the Valley of the Kings. Add the palm treed Nile to the mix and you have a recipe for an unforgettable experience!
The city is one of the oldest in the world. In ancient times, it was known as Thebes.
Our guide Ahmed encouraged us to get some pool time in during the hottest part of the day and then head to Luxor temple for the sunset. WOW was this a perfect choice. Luxor is said to be a location where pharaohs were crowned. Alexander the Great said he was crowned here. A number of them contributed to its construction. Amenhotep III, Ramses II, Horemheb, Queen Hatshepsut, and Tutankhamen all are represented.
We were struck with something awesome before we entered the temple. There is a 2.7km long “Avenue of the Sphinxes” with literally hundreds of sphinxes connecting Luxor Temple to Karnak Temple!
We turned around to face the temple. Also, walking along the outside, you can glimpse most of it.
Once inside, there are a number of chapels dedicated to various gods and goddesses.
There are beautiful columns, which, in the late afternoon, were eye catching!
The blue Saharan sky, puffy clouds, the amber glow of the sunset. The columns. And these statues of Ramses II were, well. You decide!
The place is SO old. Of course it was used by the Egyptians. But then Romans. Then Christians. And now, Muslims. Here is some evidence of Christianity.
Once the sun set, the most incredible images came out. I just love love love the facade with the lights!
From here we could walk back to the hotel. Next morning, in the cooler temperatures, we’d head to Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple, and the Valley of the Kings.
Our Nile ship docked for the night at Edfu. The famous temple is about a kilometer from the dock, and can get very crowded. So Ahmed, our best-in-Egypt tour guide, arranged that we would arrive before opening. We took prearranged taxis and showed up first, well before dawn. Completely worth it!
Waiting for the door to be unlocked to enter Edfu Temple!
As other groups followed, many guides warmly greeted Ahmed, and told us how lucky we were to have him!
Once the doors opened, we trotted as fast as our legs could carry us to the temple.
The place was ours for a short time.
The day dawned blue and bright. We got some very good images – clear – and thankfully right then, because it wasn’t long before smoke from neighborhood cooking fires obscured the sky. For maybe 20 minutes we had Edfu pretty much to ourselves. Edfu, constructed over 180 years starting in 237 BCE, is so well preserved because it was completely filled in and covered with sand until its rediscovery in the 1860s by French archeologist Auguste Mariette. For two thousand years before construction this real estate was already a holy site for Horus worship.
Columns line an interior courtyard.
The falcon God Horus, to which this temple is dedicated, is the God of the sky, healing, kingship, and protection. Horus is a part of the most famous of all ancient Egyptian stories, and his symbolism is with us today, in the symbol for a prescription medication, Rx. Rx is a derivative of the hieroglyphic for the eye of Horus. Essentially, this is the story of the marriage, betrayal, conspiracies, incest, sexual intimidation, love, murder, reincarnation, and more, amongst the gods and goddesses Osiris, Isis, Set, Horus, and Nephthys.
Eye of Horus, synonymous with healing, morphed into the symbol for prescription, Rx.
Part of this important story is that the God of violence and chaos, Set, and Horus had a fight. Horus lost eyes. His mother Isis, Goddess of motherhood and healing, searched with Nephthys, her sister, for the the eyes and found them. Isis healed Horus’ eyes, and ever since the eye has been a sign of healing. Ancient Egyptians believed this battle happened exactly where the Temple at Edfu was constructed. All sorts of unmentionable acts occurred in this lengthy story.
More on this complex, completely bizarre, and important story later.
Our O-Dark Hundred arrival had its benefits.
I couldn’t resist acting like a Pharaoah smiting down my foe. The many walls were worth up close examination. For a fleeting time, we could explore on our own. But it wasn’t long before 1,000s of tourists turned up.
This temple astounded me in that it is a temple within a temple within a temple. Each “layer” is completely covered with exquisitely carved scenes. The work undertaken is unimaginable. There are many scenes of the barge carrying Horus on his journeys.
And in the center temple ‘layer,’ is the Horus barge itself.
Stars on a ceilingThe winged beetle is a scarab, associated with resurrection
Horus was married to Hathor. Hathor was the goddess of dance, joy, love, sexuality, and music. Her dedicated temple was at Dendera. Twice a year, ancient Egyptians engaged in festivals dedicated to this couple. A statue of Hathor would travel 106 miles up the Nile from Dendera to meet Horus at Edfu. This meeting kicked off a terrific celebration.
The Story of Osiris, Isis, Set, Nephthys and Horus
This R-rated story was fundamental to Egyptian mythology, symbolism and their lifestyle. It lays out the landscape of various ultra-important things to Egyptians, such as who rules the afterlife.
Who is Who
Osiris – Osiris, ruler of Egypt and descendant of the origin Gods, is god of agriculture, fertility, and the underworld. His role in the underworld is not a devil. He manages souls crossing the underworld to the next life. It Osiris who decides if a soul is worthy of crossing into the afterlife. Osiris is married to Isis.
Set – God of violence and chaos. Set is brother to Osiris – and a rival.
Isis – Goddess of magic, motherhood and healing. Wife of Osiris.
Horus – God of the sky, kingship, healing, protection. Son of Osiris and Isis.
Nephthys – Goddess of mourning, protector of mummies, protection, the dead, and, oddly, beer. Sister of Isis. Wife of Set.
Ma’at – Goddess of balance, harmony, order, law, morality, truth, and seasonal and cosmic rhythms. Ma’at was also a set of 42 principles by which Egyptians lived their lives.
Got all that? Time to grab a beer or a glass of wine, because this is quite a story. Many twists and turns. Put the kids in another room. This story is said to be dated to at least 2,400 BCE. It was recounted by the Greeks and the Romans. I will say this! To come up with this kind of stuff, they must have had time on their hands. And lots of ancient Egyptian beer. So, without further adieu…
Set is jealous of Osiris, the highest god. He wants to get rid of him and take his throne. Some versions say Set was furious with Osiris for having sex with Set’s wife Nephthys. So, he hatches a plan. He has a party, invites many of his friends and relatives. He builds a lockable box in the exact dimensions of Osiris. Once the party turns lively, he brings out the box and challenges everyone to see if they can fit inside. Everyone tries and nobody fits, but the last to try is Osiris, and he fits exactly – so tightly that the only way he can fit is by crossing his arms. Once inside, Set locks the box! With Osiris inside, Set manages to throw the box into the Nile, and it drifts away. Osiris drowns. And ever since, Egyptians had themselves put into sarcophaguses with their arms crossed, because this was the right way to the underworld. Set takes the throne.
With Set “in charge,” the morality, balance and peace of Maat is upended. Chaos ensues. Civil unrest erupts. The Nile floods at the wrong times. Celestial movements are off kilter. The once predictable seasons are off. Egyptians steal from and lie to each other.
Osiris is terribly grieved and recruits sister Nephthys in a search to find the body of Osiris. Legend has it that they turned into falcons, scanned everywhere, and found it (in parts) many miles upriver. They mummified him and set about various incantations to bring him back to life. He does come back. And Isis has sex with the resurrected Osiris, becoming pregnant with Horus. Osiris, however, isn’t interested in the living world anymore, and decides to become ruler of the underworld.
Pregnant Isis knows her progeny would be a threat to Set. So she hides herself in a marshy area on the Nile full of papyrus. There, after months, she gives birth to Horus. The early life of Horus was full of challenges, some versions say poison by snakebites. Isis is said to travel amongst ordinary humans in search of treatments. Many of these turned into magical spells.
As an adult, Horus challenges Set for the throne. An 80-year long, often violent, contest ensues. In most conflicts Horus wins. But the “judges,” other gods, often are favored of Set. Then the conflict turns sexual. Set wants to have sex with Osiris, who agrees if Set gives him some power. Central to this story is that Egyptians thought semen was poisonous. Set’s semen enters Horus’ body and makes him sick. OK that’s one story! Get ready for the alternative version. In this story, Horus prevents by catching Set’s semen in his hands. Then, and don’t ask me details, because I can’t find any. But Isis puts Horus’ semen on a lettuce leaf, which Set eats and becomes poisoned and pregnant instead. In more sexual violence, Set removes the eye of Horus and a testicle!
Well, Isis the healer once again comes to rescue and puts everything back together. With Horus restored, Set is finally defeated, Horus becomes ruler of Egypt, and all the gods and goddesses celebrate.
With Horus on the throne, Maat is restored. The moon returns to full brightness. Egyptians live peacefully. Seasons once again become dependable. The stars and constellations are once again recognizable.
So. I said it before and I’ll say it now! To me, this just proves how productive Egyptian agriculture had become. They had so much bounty that they were able to “hang out,” think about things, drink beer, and make up the most crazy stories ever told!
A highlight of our Egyptian experience was spending 3 days on a riverboat! It’s a laid-back, comfortable way to see some of the most important archeological sites, which are all in the river valley. Our boat took us from Aswan to Edfu and then Luxor.
The rooms were spacious! Generous beds, desks, bathroom, and deck all ours. Housekeeping did a great job keeping it clean.
Desk, bureau, TVComfortable bedsThe river glides by – especially alluring at dusk
The ship had four decks, including the rooftop deck with bar and swimming pool. On the river level, there was another bar and the restaurant. All our on board meals were included. The food was good! The lobby area was grand. Polished granite everywhere, spiral staircase, and a stained glass overhead light.
For me, the best place to be was up on the covered roof deck. There, we all found ourselves lounging at the cocktail tables, enjoying the cool Nile breezes, watching life unfold on shore.
The “ship” would dock at various points of interest along the river. In Edfu, we spent the night at the dock, and then departed very early in the morning to be the first at the ruins when they opened. At Kom Ombo, we stopped after dark for a floodlit tour of its temple. For Luxor, we arrived in the morning and checked in at a hotel before taking a minibus to the Valley of the Kings.
Up on deck, the views were ever changing. Sometimes looking down upon the neighboring boat, which might have a sphinx on its bow. Or, looking past the docks to a Coptic Christian cathedral.
Many tours of Egypt include some time on these “river ships.” They’re definitely a highlight!
Abu Simbel stands tall as one of the ancient world’s most amazing achievements. Carved into a mountain, for thousands of years it has stood as an emphatic notification to all sailing north on the Nile that this is the border of Egypt, a powerful kingdom. And, during the 66-year rule of Ramses II, 4 giant statues of him informed all comers that this was his country.
It takes a 3+ hours drive south to reach the site from Aswan. It’s close to the border with Sudan. We departed from our hotel at 4:30 a.m., with boxed breakfasts from the hotel. The drive is very flat across Sahara scab land, dusty and rocky – not full of dunes. Little did we know that whilst we were away at Abu Simbel, a dust storm would overwhelm Aswan! But it was gone when we returned. The site sits next to Lake Nasser.
Ramses II cartouche
Before I delve into the fascinating ruins themselves, I think it’s important to tell you about the amazing modern-day achievements at Abu Simbel! In the mid 1960’s, impending completion of the Aswan High Dam threatened submersion of many important ruins including Abu Simbel. This site was considered so important to world history that UNESCO orchestrated a campaign to move the entire site away from the rising waters.
Re-assembled block by block
With such a gargantuan task, a multi-country effort spared no expense to move this monument. The entire mountain, with Abu Simbel outside and inside, was carefully mapped out, precision cut, with the location of each piece recorded, moved, and then re-assembled on higher ground. Today, visitors can witness this incredible achievement up close!
Abu Simbel overwhelms in how it comes into view. Visitors arrive behind the mountain. You can’t see the face. One must walk around the mountain, because it’s on the opposite side. So I got an up close view of the reconstruction.
Then, you view the enormous lake, and then, coming around, these 66-foot high seated likenesses of Ramses II carved into the mountain overwhelm the senses!
And that is only the first image one sees. There are lovely carvings of his lovely wife Nefertari. Her tomb, in the Valley of the Kings, is probably the most magnificent of all.
The site is intended as a warning to those coming to Egypt that they are entering a superpower capable of laying waste to armies of enemies. We took images of ourselves at the entrance.
The walkway just preceding the entry door is lined with further reminders of who is dominant here. For 40+ feet prior to entry, on either side, one passes scenes of those Egypt had conquered. Hittites on one side, and Nubians on the other. From what I could see, these Nubians did not look like Egyptians typically depicted on other ruins. And they are tied up and tied together.
Inside, one is immediately in the presence of more of Ramses II. Giant statues line the first hallway.
Every single square inch of wall space inside is covered with images. Scenes of gods, goddesses and the pharaoh.
Throughout Egypt, these scenes of the many deities are common, and they’re often associated with after-life rituals. Ancient Egyptians spent their entire lives believing that this life was nothing more than a temporary state on the way to the next world. And to make that transition, they needed to adhere to the lifestyle dictated by Maat. Maat was both a goddess, and a set of principles to live by. This seemed to pervade ancient Egyptian art, which for the most part doesn’t stray out of the bounds of standards set by the priests. However, there are a few times I glimpsed examples of illustrations by artists actually showing emotion, such as terror. Or action – and that was the case at Abu Simbel.
The wall art at Abu Simbel contains more proof of Ancient Egyptian super powers. Not just of the country but of the pharaoh himself. There, I could see the Pharaoh in action slaying a terrorized enemy soldier. Or taking down many enemies with his bow and arrow whilst riding a chariot.
Ramses II stomping on his enemies and slaying an enemy soldier!
Taking down several simultaneously. No mercy!
Above, leading a brigade of chariots. Abu Simbel is a must see in Egypt!
Cabin Fever Chronicles - Getting Outdoors with Rod 