Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel A temple complex on the west bank of theNile, above WADI HALFA in NUBIA, modern Sudan, erectedby RAMESES II (r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.) early in his reign. Thestructures on the site honor the state gods of Egypt and thedeified Ramesses II. During the construction of the temples
and after their dedication, Abu Simbel employed vastnumbers of priests and workers. Some records indicate
4 Abgig

that an earthquake in the region damaged the temples shortly after they were opened, and SETAU, the viceroy of Nubia, conducted repairs to restore the complex to its original splendor. Between 1964 and 1968, the temples of Abu Simbel, endangered because of the Aswan Dam, were
relocated to a more elevated position on the Nile. This remarkable feat was a worldwide effort, costing some $40 million, much of the funds being raised by international donations, sponsored by UNESCO and member states.
A gateway leads to the forecourt and terrace of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel, presenting a unique rockcut
facade and four seated colossi of Ramesses II, each around 65 feet in height. Smaller figures of Ramesses II’s
favorite queen, NEFERTARI, and elder sons, as well as his mother, Queen TUYA, are depicted standing beside the legs of the colossi. A niche above the temple entry displays
the god RÉ as a falcon and baboons saluting the rising sun, as certain species of these animals do in nature.
At the north end of the terrace there is a covered court that depicts Ramesses II worshiping the sun also. A large number of stelae are part of this court, including the Marriage Stela, which announces the arrival of a Hittite bride.

As the temple recedes, the scale of the inner rooms
becomes progressively smaller, and the level of the floor
rises. These architectural convention, common in most
Egyptian temples, focus the structural axis toward the
sanctuary, where the god resides. The first pillared hall,
however, is on a grand scale, with eight Osiride statues of
Ramesses forming roof support or pillars. The walls are
covered with battle scenes commemorating Ramesses II’s
military prowess, including the slaughter of captives and
the Battle of KADESH. A second hall has four large pillars
and presents religious scenes of offerings. Side rooms are
attached for cultic storage areas, and the entire suite leads
to the sanctuary. Within this chamber an ALTAR is still evident
as well as four statues, seated against the back wall
and representing the deities RÉ-HARNAKHTE, AMUN-RÉ,
PTAH, and the deified Ramesses II.

The original temple was designed to allow the sunlight
appearing on the eastern bank of the Nile to penetrate
the halls and sanctuary on two days each year. The
seated figures on the rear wall were illuminated on these
days as the sun’s rays moved like a laser beam through
the rooms. The reconstructed temple, completed in 1968,
provides the same penetration of the sun, but the original
Abu Simbel 5

The mortuary temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel, moved to higher ground when the Aswan Dam flooded the original site.
(Courtesy Steve Beikirch.)
day upon which the phenomenon occurs could not be
duplicated. The sun enters the temple two days short of
the original.
Beyond the Great Temple at Abu Simbel lies a small
chapel dedicated to the god THOTH and, beyond that, a
temple to HATHOR. This temple glorifies Queen NEFERTARI
Merymut, Ramesses II’s favorite consort. At the entrance
to the temple, she is depicted between two standing
colossi of the pharaoh. Nefertari Merymut is also presented
on the walls of an interior pillared hall. The goddess
Hathor is shown in the temple’s shrine area.
Suggested Readings: Hawass, Zahi, and Farouk Hosni.
The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II and the Temples of
the Rising Sun. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press,
2001; Siliotti, Alberto. Abu Simbel and the Nubian Temples.
Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 2001;
Williams, Bruce. Excavations Between Abu Simbel and the
Sudan Frontier, Part Seven: 25th Dynasty and Napatan
Remains at Qustul Cemeteries W and V. Chicago: Oriental
Institute, 1990.

Source: Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt

Check Availability