Abu Simbel became a temple dedicated to Ramses II, earning the name "The House of Ramesses, Beloved of Amun. Amazingly in the 1960's the monument was dismantled and moved over 200 feet to higher ground where it was reconstructed. This saved it from the rising waters of the Aswan Dam was built to create Lake Naser. The moving of this temple and the smaller temple that RAMSES built for his favorite Queen, the beautiful Nefertari with took four years. Completed with help from around the world, both financial and technical, the final cost was more than 40 million US dollars
Showing posts with label Ancient Egypt Temples. Show all posts
There are two great temples at Abu Simbel (Abu Sunbul, Aboo Simbul or Abo Simble), both cut into the living rock at the command of Pharaoh Rameses II (Ramesses II - ruled 1279-1213 BC). The smaller (lower right in the first picture) temple is dedicated to Hathor / Isis and was built to honor Rameses' Queen,
Nefertari's temple at Abu Simbel is the second temple in the history of ancient Egypt that was dedicated to a queen, the first one being Nefertiti's temple, built by pharaoh Akhenaton.
This temple was situated on the west bank of the Nile River in southern Egypt, it stands about twenty feet above the surface of the water, entirely cut out of the almost perpendicular rocky side of the mountain, and in complete preservation. In front of the entrance are six erect colossal figures, three on each side, placed in narrow recesses, and looking towards the river. These statues are all of the same size, stand with one foot before the other, and are accompanied by smaller figures. They measure from the ground to the knee six feet and a half, and are four figures of Pharaoh Ramesses II and two of Queen Nefertari
Hatshepsut's Temple
Hatshepsut used a number of strategies to legitimate her role as Pharaoh. In Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahri, near Luxor in the Valley of Kings, the birth and coronation of the queen is described in paintings and other works of art. From this source, experts have been able to decipher that in order to make her leadership legitimate.
Hatshepsut claimed that the god Amon-Ra had visited her mother while she was pregnant with Hatshepsut, thus making her a divine child. Through her supposed divinity it would seem the queen also had some influence over the priesthood in Egypt. This was important since the priests' support further legitimated her role as Pharaoh.Queen Hatshepsut adopted several male attributes including a fake beard, male clothing, as well as having herself illustrated and treated like a man. It can be argued that this behavior was yet another instrument practiced by the queen in her pursuit for respect. However, this is truly a "chicken and the egg" problem because we do not know whether this behavior was the reason or the effect of holding a male position in society.