Editor: Nice headline nod to the Clash. Writer: Well, music did peak in the early 1980s, just as I was in college. Now, the rest of the story! Editor: Really dating yourself there eh. Writer: Well, it will be interesting if anyone caught the second pop culture allusion.
Within sight of the Aswan High Dam, the Kalabsha is the largest freestanding Nubian temple in, well, the Nubian World. It's a stunning sight, beautiful on top of the hill rising above the very northern end of Lake Nasser.
A younger temple, it was built around 30 BC during the early Roman era. A tribute to Mandulis, a Lower Nubian sun god, the temple was never finished. There are many reliefs still in good shape, some of which are below in the photo section.
When the dam was being built, the temple was moved nearly 50 km from its original location. This will be the last of the new (i.e. moved) temple sites that we will visit, as below the dam temples were made safer from the Inundation.
Editor: To clarify, "below the dam" means north of the dam. Writer: Dam right.
High Aswan Dam
Two cobras for protection. Personally,
I'm skeptical that cobras mean
protection, but I'm not an
ancient Egyptian.
A Greek-style capital at the top of a column.
Stylized cobras.
I believe this is the Egyptian god Thoth,
but I could be wrong. He is at a bar
playing darts, but I could be wrong.
Not sure who this is, but I like
the intricate carved hair.
A child, because the hair
lock on the side.
Right around the corner from Kalabasha is the small rock-cut temple of Beit el-Wali, or, as the sign says, "Wally." Leave it to Beaver reference.
Beit el-Wali was built by, you guessed it, Ramesses II, the king of temple building. So, it is much older than Kalabasha. There is a significant amount of paint still remaining in the inner part of the temple, whilst it is gone from the forecourt.
One of the more dramatic scenes is Ramesses II charging into battle with his two young sons, Donald Jr. and Eric. No wait, I'm being told that's not their names. Ah, here it is -- Amun-her-khepset and Khaemwaset (simpler names for a simpler time). Also on the walls are giraffes, monkeys, cattle, and many other animals they received from the Kushites for defeating the Nubians.
Other walls depict Ramesses II defeating enemies in Libya and Syria. Ramesses II is shown doing some real smiting of his enemies, which is fun if you are the smiter and not the smitee.
The boat to take us back to the ship.
We docked, had breakfast, and said a fond farewell to the Omar el Khayam and crew. It was time to hop on the bus, Gus, and head straight to the Aswan High Dam.
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