Yeah, I can’t believe I just wrote that, but, dear reader, be patient and I will reveal all. If you go to both the pyramids and Abu Simbel, you will agree with me.
Editor’s Note: You don’t know that! Blogger: Eh, I will take that chance. If I’m wrong, what’s going to happen?
Abu Simbel is where the four statues of Ramesses II and the temple of Nefertari were relocated to piece by piece by UNSECO in the 1960s when the Aswan Dam was built and created Lake Nasser. It is two massive rock cut temples.
Originally carved in 13th Century BC, the statues of Ramesses II flanking the entrance are 66 foot high. One of the four faces and torso was destroyed by an earthquake during his lifetime. It’s amazing that the other three statues were undamaged.
I would imagine that the stonemason who worked on the one that crumbled was put to death by Ramesses II via the method of being crushed by large boulders, while the three stone masons who did NOT have their statues crumble in the earthquake were feted by the Pharaoh.
Ramesses II’s favorite wife has her own temple, and there also smaller statues of her and her children scattered at his feet.
(By the way, there are scholars who believe that Ramesses II was the Pharaoh when Moses brought the Jews out of Egypt).
These were different, because they were created during his lifetime (he fathered 150 kids!). There are hieroglyphic carvings all around the temple, both inside and out.
The outsides of the temples are stunning, but I never expected the inside. Hieroglyphics galore, more statues, and intricate representations of Ramesses II and various Egypt gods. There are battle scenes of war with the Hittites, the Nubians, and in Libya, as well as animals carved into the rock. The interior consists of many rooms/side chambers, with the first one being the largest. It is a hypostyle hall, with eight very large pillars of Ramesses linked to the god Osiris, underscoring the everlasting life of the Pharaoh.
After wandering around inside the temple, we went back out and took more photos. Then we walked to the smaller, yet still impressive, Temple to his favorite wife, Nefertari. I don’t know how many wives Ramesses II had, but he fathered 150 children, so I’m betting he had more than one wife.
It’s actually called the temple of Hathor and Nefertari, also known as the small temple. Outside, there are two groups of large statues (33 feet high) for a total of six. Another rock cut facade, the statues of the Pharaoh are flanked by statues of the Queen. While statues of the queens are typically much smaller than of the kings (no higher than the kings’ knees), this is one temple where the queen is just as tall as the king. (I’m using “Pharaoh” and “king interchangeably here).
Inside, the hypostyle is not as large as the Large Temple, but there are six impressive pillars depicting scenes of the queen and a bunch of Egyptian gods. There are side chambers.
It’s mind-blowing to be wandering around these temples, taking pictures of hieroglyphics, carvings, reliefs, and more that are nearly 5,000 years old. And, of course, the craftsmanship it takes to carve the rock is beyond my comprehension.
I could be more descriptive, but trust me, if you are going to Egypt, make sure you to to Abu Simbel. It’s not easy to get there, as it is 706.4 miles (to be exact) from Cairo but it is definitely worth it!
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