The House of Millions of Years

Egypt | Anno 2010

 

 

It's seven in the morning. The temperature is still bearable. That's why people are working all over the fields, long before the sweltering sun is high in the sky. Manually, they harvest wheat and sugar cane. No machines are involved. They tie sugar cane sticks together before cutting, making them easier to transport. This is how it has been on the fertile banks of the Nile for thousands of years.

Our expectations are high. Visiting royal tombs and temples may be a regular feature in Egypt, but what Abydos has to offer is of another dimension. For thousands of years it was an important place of pilgrimage. Making the pilgrimage to Abydos, or better yet, being buried there, was every Egyptian's dream. If you couldn't afford that, you would have had a stela erected if you had the means for it. And in your own tomb you had an image painted of your boat trip to Abydos, even though it hadn't taken place.

Visiting royal tombs and temples may be a regular feature in Egypt, but what Abydos has to offer is of another dimension

There would not be much to experience in Abydos today, were it not for the pharaoh Seti I having a temple built there. Without exaggeration, it has become one of the most beautiful temples of ancient Egypt. Not so much because of its monumental character, but because of its stunning interior that has survived the millennia largely intact. To the extent that you don't feel as if you're visiting the remnants of past greatness, but rather seem to experience something of that age-old spirituality. The fact that Abydos is located north of Luxor, far from the hectic tourism that overruns the Nile valley between Luxor and Aswan, only makes the place more attractive.

They have not forgotten the murderous attack on visitors to the Hatshepsut temple in 1997

On the comfortable asphalt road, Nasr maintains a high speed with his Toyota HiAce van, usually ninety to one hundred per hour. As if minutes matter when you're heading for a temple for eternity. However, he cannot keep up the pace for long. About every ten minutes a police checkpoint pops up and we are forced to slalom between the crush barriers at almost walking pace. Although there are not many tourists to be seen here, the government is still vigilant. They have not forgotten the murderous attack on visitors to the Hatshepsut temple in 1997.

So by Egyptian standards this is a very young temple, a mere two thousand years old

Temple complex of Dendera

Near Qina, on the other side of the Nile, emerges the temple complex of Dendera, that other gem that is on our program today. Nasr drops us off at the parking lot. Together with guide Mustafa we walk along the wide boulevard towards the imposing building.

The centrepiece of this site is the Temple of Hathor, also one of the best preserved structures in ancient Egypt. Hathor was popular all over the country, her statues can be found everywhere. But Dendera was her home base, this was the pre-eminent cult place of this sky goddess. Already about 2,500 BCE she was worshiped here, archaeological research shows. Yet this temple was not built until the first century BCE.

Hathor was the mother goddess, the goddess of love and sexuality, the protectress of birth and regeneration, the patroness of music, dance and joy

So by Egyptian standards this is a very young temple, a mere two thousand years old. Work did not begin until 54 BCE. In Western Europe, Julius Caesar was at that time fully engaged in subjugating Gaul. That puts this Hathor temple at the very end of a civilization that lasted well over three thousand years. In a sense it is the swan song of the Egyptian pharaohs – at least insofar as you can still call the Ptolemies Egyptians. In fact, these were Greeks who had come to power in the wake of Alexander the Great.

In ancient Egypt, Hathor was one of the most important goddesses and also one of the most versatile. Her gaze swept the four cardinal directions, controlling every facet of life. She was the mother goddess, the goddess of love and sexuality, the protectress of birth and regeneration, the patroness of music, dance and joy. Pharaohs called themselves the representatives of the gods on earth. They therefore saw Hathor as their symbolic mother. They often had themselves depicted on a temple relief as an adolescent who was suckled by Hathor and thus filled with life force.

 

Hathor

Bes

In the earliest times, the fertility goddess was sometimes depicted as a cow. The later images of Hathor still bear the traces of this. Sometimes her ears are excessively elongated so that they resemble the ears of a cow. That is not very flattering for a distinguished lady, but it is part of her status as a mother goddess. Much more beautiful are the reliefs where she is depicted as a slender woman with the horns of a cow. All the more so since a sun disk was always depicted between those horns. That reminds us of her divine lineage. After all, Hathor was the daughter of the sun god Ra.

Bes was a popular god, a popular protector, devoid of all pretence, and in any case an odd duck among the other gods

Approaching the main gate of Domitian and Trajan, Mustafa casually draws our attention to a strange, almost life-sized figure. It is a full-length portrait of the god Bes, with his dwarf-like figure, his luxuriant beard and his chubby cheeks that give him something cheerful. This was a popular god and protector, devoid of all pretence, and in any case an odd duck among the other gods. If you look at the images of the Egyptian pantheon, you will invariably see Bes depicted frontally, while the more prominent gods are only depicted in profile.

It is no coincidence that we find Bes fulfilling a prominent role here. He watches over sexuality and birth. He uses his magical powers against illness and danger. But he also asserts himself as a god of joy and dance – hence the chubby cheeks. All that makes him a perfect ally to Hathor.

The Hathor Temple was one of the last convulsions of the Ptolemies. They lacked the time and resources to add pylons and a monumental courtyard

Temple of Hathor

In the distance rises the impressive facade of the Hathor Temple. In the distance, indeed, because although we are inside the walled temple complex, the temple itself is still almost a hundred metres away from us, that's how big the complex is. The temple grounds are a staggering four hectares.

In comparison, the main Roman gate looks rather poor. Actually, there should have been a pylon here, an imposing entrance gate with two high towers, as we saw at the temples in Edfu and Philae. The facades would then be decorated with heroic scenes in sunken relief showing the heroic pharaoh crushing enemies of the Egyptian Empire. But there is no such gate. The Hathor Temple was one of the last convulsions of the Ptolemies. They lacked the time and resources to add pylons and a monumental courtyard.

Hathor's partner was Horus. The son of Osiris and Isis, Horus was of high birth, as his parents were the most famous couple in the Egyptian pantheon. The image of Horus is well known to any visitor to Egypt. He is invariably presented as a falcon, or as a man with a falcon's head. After all, Horus embodies the sky he crosses as a falcon. The sun is his right eye, the moon his left.

Mammisi or birthplaces were typical of the temples of the Ptolemies

Sunken reliefs on the outer wall of the mammisi

Together Horus and Hathor had a son Ihy. The mammisi reminds us of this, the building we now see to our right, perpendicular to the promenade. Such birthplaces were typical of the temples of the Ptolemies. Every year the birth of this child of the gods was celebrated here with great pomp.

 

Trajan offers sceptres to Hathor and Ihy

Trajan offers a barque to Hathor and Ihy

In his hands Trajan holds offerings for Hathor who is suckling her adolescent son Ihy, as well as for the divine couple Horus and Hathor

Trajan offers a menat to Hathor and Ihy

Trajan offers a sun disk to Horus and Hathor

Even the Romans were inspired by that cult. This is abundantly clear from the sunken reliefs on the outer walls of the mammisi. Emperor Trajan shows off several times, dressed as an Egyptian pharaoh. In his hands he holds offerings for Hathor who is suckling her adolescent son Ihy, as well as for the divine couple Horus and Hathor. The Roman emperors deprived the Egyptians of their independence, but not their religion. Indeed, they were eager to accept the same tribute as the earlier pharaohs.

Like Hathor, Horus also had his favourite cult spot. It was located in Edfu, about 175 kilometres upstream along the Nile. They really loved each other, so an annual visit was part of the tradition. There were many celebrations involved.

Three sailboats pulled the boat with the sacred barque against the current of the Nile from Dendera to Edfu

The highlight was the departure itself. The statue of the goddess was then taken from the sanctuary, anointed, clothed and decorated in preparation for the long journey. She was carried out of the temple by high priests on a sacred barque. Via the sacred procession road – the promenade on which we now stand – the procession moved to the bank of the Nile where a stately ship awaited the party.

The common people were allowed to watch the procession, but they did not get to see Hathor herself. A shrine hid her from unauthorized gazes. But people could pray and make wishes to the goddess. It even happened that the deity answered a question through subtle movements of the sacred barque, assisted by the priests who carried the barque and in return received a small allowance.

Three sailboats pulled the boat with the sacred barque against the current of the Nile from Dendera to Edfu. The wind was always blowing from the north which was a nice bonus on this long journey south. Once there, the Festival of the Beautiful Reunion could begin, the annual reunion between Horus and Hathor. After a few days, the return began. Now the ship was allowed to drift with the current, while rowing increased the speed. Hathor's arrival in Dendera was good news for the locals for more than one reason, as it was a sign that the annual flooding of the Nile was imminent.

This room is unparalleled in Egypt, as it is largely intact, including the ceiling. And that is nothing short of astonishing

Hypostyle Hall

We continue our way on the former processional road to the main temple. Even from this distance, you are immediately impressed by the imposing building, 35 m wide and 12.5 m high. That feeling is intensified as we enter the hypostyle hall, one of those impressive colonnades that seem to be one of the trademarks of the ancient Egyptians. The Great Hypostyle Hall they built in Karnak, a huge hall with 134 columns, each 15 m high, became world famous. In comparison, what we see here is rather modest. Only eighteen columns, no higher than 12.5 m. Yet this room is unparalleled in Egypt, as it is largely intact, including the ceiling. And that is nothing short of astonishing.

Where the architectural heritage of ancient Egypt has so far only been presented to us in dull sand colours, here colour splashes from the walls and ceilings. It is not surprising that turquoise plays the leading role in this. Lady of Turquoise and Blue Goddess were just a few of the many pet names the Egyptians used to invoke their fertility goddess.

There are intriguing representations of the cobra goddess Wadjet with the lion's head, resting on her curled serpent's tail, the huge wings perky spread open

Hathor with blue striped vulture crown

Cobra goddess Wadjet with her wings spread open

Not a square centimetre has been left untouched. A thousand and one sunken reliefs adorn the columns and walls. It is a jumble of symbols and hieroglyphs, sometimes recognizable, but most of the time we can't make head or tail of it. Yet some scenes immediately intrigue, such as that of the cobra goddess Wadjet with the lion's head, resting on her curled serpent's tail, the huge wings perky spread open.

Where the architectural heritage of ancient Egypt has so far only been presented to us in dull sand colours, here colour splashes from the walls and ceilings

Hypostyle Hall

Much attention is also paid to the almost life-sized scenes in which the divine couple Hathor and Horus play a prominent role, together with their son Ihy. A classic scene is the one with the ruling pharaoh presenting his offerings to the divine triad. In this case, that pharaoh turns out to be Claudius, the fourth Roman emperor. This can be deduced from his cartouche, the oval figure with hieroglyphs that enable experts to identify the person involved.

No one was able to translate the strange names of the Roman emperors into the ancient hieroglyphic script

However, not all cartouches are completed. This is usually attributed to the political instability at the time of the Ptolemies. Those were hectic times. Often it was not clear how long the reigning pharaoh would last. So, out of prudence, the sculptors postponed filling in the cartouches as long as possible.

But Mustafa sheds a different light on the problem. He calls this temple of Hathor one of the last convulsions of ancient Egypt. An unparalleled culture of nearly three thousand years came to an end. But the decline had set in much earlier. At that time you hardly found craftsmen or artists worthy of the name. No one was able to translate the strange names of the Roman emperors into the ancient hieroglyphic script. Hence the empty cartridges, as simple as it is.

Her unflattering cow’s ears refer to fertility. Her blue striped vulture crown expresses her connection to the sky. We can easily recognize a womb in the shape of her face

Column with Hathoric capital

Hathoric capital with sistrum

The pinnacle of the columns, literally and figuratively, are the magnificent capitals with the face of Hathor on each of the four sides, probably three to four metres high. As a universal goddess, she naturally directs her gaze to the four cardinal points. Her unflattering cow’s ears refer to fertility. Her blue striped vulture crown expresses her connection to the sky, because high in the sky a vulture feels at home. We can easily recognize a womb in the shape of her face, again drawing our attention to the importance of fertility. Just a shame that overzealous Coptic Christians found it necessary to damage her face beyond recognition.

 

Colourful bas-reliefs

Sistrum with a representation of Hathor suckling Ihy

At the very top of the Hathoric columns is another square structure. It represents a sistrum, a ritual musical instrument that produces a rustling sound. It was widely believed that Hathor was pleased with that sound, although she never really showed it. But the sistrum is not complete. The plates that normally produce the rustling sound are not present. Instead, the sculptor has depicted Hathor suckling her teenage son Ihy. Not surprisingly, as Ihy means the sistrum player.

The bas-reliefs of the ceiling are simply breathtaking in their colourful diversity and their meticulous visual language

Bas-reliefs on the ceiling

 

Eventually, our gaze ends up on the bas-reliefs of the ceiling, which are simply breathtaking in their colourful diversity and their meticulous visual language. At least on the west side, because the eastern half of the ceiling is still hidden under a thick layer of black soot. Scaffolding is all over the room, work is still being done, but it will take a while before the ceiling is cleaned. If we want to admire the ceiling in all its grandeur, we will have to come back in a few years.

 

We see Osiris seated on a throne as he sails on a celestial barque. You can recognize him by the atef, a white crown with ostrich feathers on both sides

Four Ogdoad (primordial deities)

Nephthys, Osiris, Isis and Maat

We marvel at so much beauty. Passionately, Mustafa takes us to the most beautiful scenes. We see Osiris seated on a throne as he sails on a celestial barque. You can recognize him by the atef, a white crown with ostrich feathers on both sides. Such a crown may only be worn by Osiris. In front of him sits Isis, his divine wife. She shows him an anch, a cross of life. Behind him sits Nephthys, his sister-in-law, the goddess of the underworld. The goddess Maat is also present. That is very reassuring, because she ensures order and stability. She's standing at the bow of the ship.

On the left three human figures with the head of a jackal are kneeling, on the right three with a falcon's head. Those are the souls of Nechen and Pe. They represent the mythological kings, the princes who ruled ancient Egypt before the very first pharaohs appeared. They were known to walk beside the pharaoh during certain feasts to protect him. Although they were ghosts and therefore invisible, the awareness of their presence gave people a reassuring feeling. The same goes for the eight creatures on the far left of the scene, some with frog heads. Together they form the Ogdoad, the eight primordial gods who ruled the cosmos before the world was created.

The barque appears to float on a starry sky. This in turn is supported by four female figures

We didn't notice it right away, but the barque appears to float on a starry sky. This in turn is supported by four female figures, the goddesses of the four cardinal points. Actually, this barque does not sail over the water, but through the air. As humans travel the Nile, so gods travel the Milky Way. The caption makes it clear that Osiris arrived in the eye of the moon on the fifteenth day of the month, that means at full moon. Basically, the scene shows us how Osiris embodies the full moon.

 

The ancient Egyptians associated the healing process of the eye of Horus with the dark moon becoming bright again, in other words with the waxing of the moon

Horus, Hathor, Nephthys, Horus, Isis and Osiris

Full moon with the eye of Horus and the god Thoth

Even stranger we find the scene with a procession of gods ascending a staircase. They seem to be heading for a large, round disk with a huge eye. It doesn't take much imagination to recognize the full moon in that disc again. The fourteen steps of the stairway represent the fourteen days it takes for the waxing moon to reach its fullness. Each of those days is associated with a particular deity. Most of those fourteen gods are noble strangers to us, but if we look closely, we recognize a few. Down on the third step we find Horus. Higher up we see successively Hathor, Nephthys, Horus again, and then neatly in the middle of the stairs Isis and Osiris.

Then there's that eye that stares at us so mysteriously. One of the most famous myths of ancient Egypt, according to Mustafa, tells us of the struggle to the death between Horus and his uncle Seth. A symbolic battle between Good and Evil, as it were. Horus, of course, turned the fight in his favour, but not without losing his left eye. Fortunately there was Thoth, the god who, among other things, mastered knowledge and magic. He managed to heal the eye.

The ancient Egyptians associated the healing process of the eye of Horus with the dark moon becoming bright again, in other words with the waxing of the moon. So that's what's depicted here – the ascending staircase, the fourteen-day period, the full moon, the healed left eye. And last but not least, the man who watches the event on the far right with satisfaction. For this human figure with the head of an ibis is none other than Thoth.

Ihy is depicted as a falcon, wearing the typical crown with a sun disk and the tail wings of a falcon

Horus with sun disk

Ihy as a falcon

Not without difficulty we descend into the underground crypt. It is carved into a block of limestone under the south wall. Not a coincidence, because the hard rock enabled the sculptors to give their bas-reliefs even more detail than on the walls and columns of sandstone. We can see this with our own eyes when we come across a bas-relief of Ihy, the son of Horus and Hathor. Ihy is depicted as a falcon, wearing the typical crown with a sun disk and the tail wings of a falcon. No beautiful colours here, but the gossamer depiction of his plumage more than makes up for it.

The showpiece is without a doubt the precious menat, an instrument that can be called both a rattle and a necklace

Menat

In the past, ritual objects and images were kept in this crypt, which were only shown to the public during festivities. What we see on the walls are bas-reliefs of such objects. The showpiece is without a doubt the precious menat, an instrument that can be called both a rattle and a necklace. With the heavy handle in your hand, you could make the plates of the shield rustle, a sound we know gave Hathor a lot of pleasure. But you might as well wear this menat over your shoulders like a necklace, with the handle on your back as a counterbalance. Four little Hathoric columns would then adorn your chest, along with the rustling semicircular shield and a representation of the divine barque with a sun disk on board. If you were to wear this jewel, nothing bad could ever happen to you.

 

Hathor

Three little columns with Hathoric capitals

Every year in July, on the eve of the new year, this crypt was very busy. For then the ba of Hathor was brought up, the golden image representing her soul. Priests carried her upstairs with great solemnity. In the footsteps of Mustafa we follow that route. The staircase slopes only slightly, forming an elongated spiral around a square hall – an allusion to the spiral dive of falcons during courtship. Pictures on the walls tell us what such an ancient procession looked like.

The staircase forms an elongated spiral around a square hall – an allusion to the spiral dive of falcons during courtship

Stairs to the chapel on the roof

Corridor to the chapel on the roof

We end up on the roof of the temple at an open chapel with beautiful Hathoric columns. It was there that the ba, along with statues of other gods, would await the new dawn. A cloth was draped over the architraves, hiding the idols from view. The next day, on New Year's Day, that cloth would be removed at the right time. Sunbeams would illuminate the golden statue in all its brilliance. A symbolic union between Hathor and the sun would be established, the goddess of fertility would see her vital energy renewed for yet another year.

Sunbeams would illuminate the golden statue in all its brilliance. A symbolic union between Hathor and the sun would be established

Open chapel on the roof with Hathoric colums

Hathor

A long straight staircase takes us down again. Our visit would come to an end if Mustafa didn't still have a curiosity for us to see. A little intrigued, we follow him to the back of the temple. As usual, the sandstone outer walls are decorated with monumental reliefs. Matter of reminding us of the divine descent of the pharaohs. But what strikes us most are the gargoyles in the shape of a lion's head. Apparently enough rain fell here to anticipate the drainage of water.

Cleopatra VII Philopator is depicted in the company of her adolescent son Ptolemy XV, better known to us as Caesarion, the only biological son of Julius Caesar

Outer wall with gargoyles in the shape of a lion’s head

Cleopatra VII and Caesarion

But that's not what Mustafa is about. The sunken relief that he wants to show us on the southern outer wall represents none other than pharaoh Cleopatra VII Philopator, the Cleopatra we know well enough from pseudohistorical films. Here she is depicted in the company of her adolescent son Ptolemy XV, better known to us as Caesarion, the only biological son of Julius Caesar. What we see here is a political statement, that much is clear. Legitimizing her illegitimate son as Egypt's next pharaoh, that's what Cleopatra was aiming for.

For those were turbulent times in Egypt. Rebellion was commonplace, the people murmured incessantly. Not unjustly, by the way, given the prevailing poverty of the people and the profligacy of the Ptolemies. Even Cleopatra's great-uncle was once dragged from his palace by an angry mob and murdered in the street. Palace revolutions took place one after another.

So Cleopatra needed allies. Mighty allies, if possible. So she turned her gaze to the Romans, more precisely to Julius Caesar. He gladly accepted her advances. Partly because of her charm, as legend has it, but mainly to gain control of Egypt. Because Rome regularly struggled with food shortages and Egypt was the main supplier of grain to the empire.

Even Cleopatra's great-uncle was once dragged from his palace by an angry mob and murdered in the street

From that short-lived relationship came Caesarion. The boy was barely three when his father was murdered by conspirators in Rome. Starting a new relationship with Mark Antony could save me, Cleopatra must have thought. But that, too, turned out to be a fiasco. Hunted by Octavian, later emperor Augustus, Mark Antony committed suicide. Cleopatra herself saw no way out but to follow his example. With a venomous snake, allegedly.

Wisely, Caesarion fled to India. At least he tried. For Octavian had the seventeen-year-old boy tracked down and murdered. Thus the last pharaoh died. Like a ripe fruit, Egypt fell into the lap of the Romans. The rich province was completely sucked out.

 

Like a ripe fruit, Egypt fell into the lap of the Romans. The rich province was completely sucked out

The ancient monuments, nobody cared about that anymore. In the temple of Hathor the desert sand was given free rein. Local families moved in and lit their fires. Resulting in a black layer of soot on the ceiling.

 

* * *

 

On the way to Abydos we cross the Nile in Nag Hammadi. Our idea that people would not work on the land in the sweltering midday heat turns out to be a western simplification. Work is indeed underway. Sugarcane-loaded train carriages wait to be coupled to a locomotive. The narrow tracks of the sugar cane trains are omnipresent.

More than forty-five centuries – from 4,000 BCE to 600 CE – the funeral processions flocked to the local necropolis

Abydos today

Under the 1st and 2nd Dynasties, at the very beginning of the Egyptian nation, Abydos was the capital of the empire, Mustafa explains. Anyone who could afford it wanted to be buried here. Every pharaoh had at least one cenotaph here. More than forty-five centuries – from 4,000 BCE to 600 CE – the funeral processions flocked to the local necropolis.

The reason for that popularity was obvious – in Abydos rested the head of Osiris. Mustafa takes the opportunity to explain once more the myth of Osiris, arguably the most important of all ancient Egyptian myths.

Osiris was the god who ruled the earth in the earliest times. He was a good god, for he taught mankind how to work the land, among other things, and that made him very popular. But his half-brother Seth couldn't stomach that popularity. Out of envy, he started a conspiracy. He invited Osiris to a party and had him killed. To make sure no one would ever hear from Osiris again, he had the body cut into fifteen pieces and scattered all over the country.

Unwearyingly, she tracked down all the body parts and pieced his body back together little by little

But Isis, Osiris' sister, was not to be unsettled so quickly. Unwearyingly, she tracked down all the body parts and little by little pieced his body back together. Together with her sister Nephthys, goddess of the underworld, she even briefly brought her dead brother back to life. Just long enough to conceive a son by her named Horus. In time, the fifteen places where Isis recovered a body part from Osiris would become places of devotion. This was especially true of Abydos and Philae, where she discovered the head and heart of Osiris respectively.

Of course Horus was furious when he learned the ins and outs of the matter afterwards. Grimly he hunted down his uncle Seth to avenge his father's cowardly murder. It was a relentless battle, for we know that Horus even lost his left eye. But in the end it was Seth who bit the dust.

Temples like these were supposed to create the perception that kingship was an institution for eternity

Abydos – Temple of Seti I or House of Millions of Years

Bizarre as it may be, to the ancient Egyptians this myth was very comforting. For it confirmed that there was life after death and that in the realm of the dead there was a righteous ruler. So it simply came down to living an exemplary life to be sure of your place in the afterlife.

Moreover, in the battle between Good and Evil, the latter had tasted defeat. Pharaohs therefore liked to call themselves the incarnation of Horus on earth, the man who brought order and stability. On the other hand, deceased pharaohs wanted to be identified with Osiris, the man who guaranteed a just world order in the realm of the dead. That Horus had been conceived incestuously between brother and sister had not gone unnoticed either. Quite a few pharaohs saw this as a license to keep the succession to the throne within the family. Relations between siblings or between cousins were no exception at the pharaonic court.

Meanwhile, police checkpoints keep looming ahead of us, one after the other. Until we approach the border between Qina and Sohag provinces. Abydos is not far now, at most ten kilometres. Yet, for reasons that are unclear, we are accompanied by a police escort. A moment later it disappears as suddenly as it appeared.

The myth of Osiris and Isis confirmed that there was life after death and that in the realm of the dead there was a righteous ruler

Abydos – Temple of Seti I

It is a small disappointment when we see the temple of Seti I for the first time from the parking lot. Seen from this distance, it looks like an example of minimalist architecture, a neoclassical building one would expect to find in the administrative district of a nineteenth-century capital. But we will have to adjust that first impression quickly. For the bas-reliefs that we will see in this sanctuary are among the best the ancient Egyptians left us. Yet the temple attracts relatively few visitors. Even Mustafa humbly confesses that he hasn't been here in six, maybe eight years.

If you plot the history of ancient Egypt on a timeline, you'll find Seti I roughly in the middle. When he came to power, the three great pyramids of Giza had been there for twelve hundred years, while it was still more than twelve hundred years before Cleopatra would appear on the scene. That the ancient Egyptian civilization managed to survive for a staggering three thousand years is beyond comprehension.

But apparently that wasn't enough. For what Seti I had built here is a House of Millions of Years, a temple complex where the cults of the pharaoh and of the gods were inextricably linked. The intent was clear. Temples like these were supposed to create the perception that kingship was an institution for eternity and that these monarchs would rule Upper and Lower Egypt for millions of years.

It is no coincidence that Seti attached great importance to this. Because his pedigree was a problem. After all, he came from a family of generals, everyone knew that. His father had made a career at court, had become the pharaoh's protégé and thus became king. Nothing divine about it. Showing off his good relationship with the gods by erecting a huge temple therefore was of vital importance to Seti.

If you plot the history of ancient Egypt on a timeline, you'll find Seti I roughly in the middle

A stately, gently sloping staircase takes us to the level of the first forecourt, or to the level of the quay, to be precise, because the water used to flow here from a small canal that was directly connected to the Nile. After all, the Festival of the Beautiful Reunion was not the monopoly of Hathor and Horus. Isis also took a few weeks off each year to visit Osiris. When she arrived in Abydos from faraway Philae – after travelling more than four hundred kilometres on the Nile – she was able to sail her boat right in front of the temple.

By 1279 BCE, when Seti I died prematurely in his early forties, his temple was unfinished. It was his son, young Ramesses II, who would get the job done. In person, he led the funeral procession from the capital Pi-Ramesses in the Nile Delta to the necropolis of Thebe, stopping at Abydos on the way. There he solemnly declared that he would finish his father's temple. A promise he kept in full, albeit that in one move he also had a temple erected for himself.

Meanwhile, we have entered the huge temple complex, 56 m wide, 157 m deep. Two open courtyards now stretch before us, each with its own imposing entrance gate, erected by the young Ramesses II. Unfortunately, in the course of time, the immense buildings have largely disappeared, including the side walls. Originally, these pylons reached all the way to the sky, an ancient commemorative text assures us.

 

We see the tall stature of Ramesses II meters high on the side of a pillar, with his long false beard, his white crown and the small cobra over his forehead

A few dozen meters further rises the front facade, a portico with fairly austere, square Osiris columns, decorated with bas-reliefs of the gods and goddesses who are worshiped here. Of course Ramesses II should not be missing in this high company. We see his tall stature meters high on the side of a pillar, with his long false beard, his white crown and the small cobra in a protective position over his forehead.

 

The first Hypostyle Hall with papyrus-bundle columns

The first Hypostyle Hall also dates from Ramesses. Two rows of twelve impressive pillars each support the roof. These are called papyrus-bundle columns, at the height of the capitals we recognize the folded leaves of the papyrus plant. Bas-reliefs adorn the columns and walls, but they are not as beautiful as those of Dendera. True to his own nature, Ramesses did not fail to have himself portrayed several times, one time slaughtering a handful of Asians, another time serenely making a handful of offerings.

 

Second Hypostyle Hall

Second Hypostyle Hall – Side wall with bas-reliefs

It is immediately clear that the second Hypostyle Hall was built under Seti. The quality of the bas-reliefs is significantly better. Even after 33 centuries, the vibrant colours are barely affected.

Seti presents a tray with a lion and a pillar on it

Horus, Isis, Osiris and Seti with a djed pillar as an offering

One of the most beautiful scenes shows us Seti presenting Osiris an offering. The god from the realm of the dead sits on a shrine, his wife Isis and son Horus stand behind him, both holding an anch, the symbol of life. On his head Osiris wears the atef, the crown that only he is allowed to wear. In his hands he holds his typical attributes, the crook and the flail, being the staff used by shepherds to protect the sheep and the rod used to thresh grain in the fields. Seti, for his part, presents a tray with a lion and a pillar on it. A bizarre gift, you might think. But this isn't just any pillar, this is a djed. And the lion clasping that pillar in a protective position is the goddess Sekhmet.

There is nothing more precious than stability and durability when you are a pharaoh and hope to remain so for a long time

Isis and Osiris

Seti with a djed-pillar as an offering

What Seti offers to Osiris in this scene is more or less the most precious thing a pharaoh can imagine. Because the djed symbolizes stability and durability. Nothing else is more precious when you are a pharaoh and hope to remain so for a long time. Although we cannot help but feel that this desire for stability hides a strong aversion to any form of change. As long as everything stayed the same, the Egyptian elite was happy. Many cultures underwent more profound changes in roughly three hundred years than the Egyptians underwent in three thousand years.

The Egyptians were convinced that the spinal column is the organ where a man produces his sperm cells

Horus, Osiris and Seti with crook and sceptre

But that's only part of the story. The djed was also seen as the backbone of Osiris, one of his body parts that had been scattered all over Egypt by evil Seth. In this way, Seti also offers Osiris the symbol of fertility. Because the Egyptians were convinced that the spinal column is the organ where a man produces his sperm cells.

The high priests must have been delighted when Seti announced the construction of the House of Millions of Years

Three scenes with Seti

We continue our exploration through the colonnade. Drawing all the visitor's attention to the holiest, that's the basic concept of classical ancient Egyptian temples like this one. In perfect symmetry, the open courtyards, the colonnades, the sacrificial hall and the sanctuary lie one behind the other along a central axis. If you follow this straight line, you will automatically end up in the sanctuary. Meanwhile, the sloping floor, the ever lower ceilings and the ever narrower gates force your gaze irresistibly to the most sacred.

In fact, we are dealing here with seven temples in one building

Horus with sun disk and Amun crown

Young Ramesses II with protective uraeus above the forehead

Of course, Seti – the traditionalist par excellence – also had that concept applied, but not without giving it a very special interpretation. Not one, but seven parallel axes lead the visitor through the colonnades, each to a separate sanctuary. In fact, we are dealing here with seven temples in one building. This immediately explains why the facade had to be so wide.

It is an enchanting sight, those seven chapels of the gods side by side, the limestone walls decorated from floor to ceiling with multicoloured bas-reliefs of the highest technical and artistic quality

One of the niches between the chapels of the gods

It is an enchanting sight, those seven chapels of the gods side by side, the limestone walls decorated from floor to ceiling with multicoloured bas-reliefs of the highest technical and artistic quality, soberly lit by contemporary lighting.

With an obviousness that no longer surprises us, Seti has appropriated one of the chapels of the gods. Seti is at home among the gods, that is the message that is conveyed over and over again. A man who equates himself with God, many religions call that blasphemy. Or at least presumptuous. But the pharaohs got away with it effortlessly.

There are smaller, man-sized niches between the entrances to the seven chapels of the gods, which have been given a yellowish glow by the artificial light

Niche

Wepwawet and Seti

On the far right we see the chapels of the gods Osiris, Isis and Horus. Together they form the local divine triad, the three gods who have their home base here in Abydos. So it should come as no surprise that we find this trio here. Surprising, on the other hand, is the fact that Ptah, Ra and Amun were also assigned a chapel in this temple, with that of the chief god Amun neatly in the middle. These are no longer local gods, they are the national divine triad. This trio was revered throughout Egypt, from the Delta in the north to Nubia in the south. The land even owes its name to Ptah, because Egypt means House of the Spirit of Ptah.

The fact that he involved these three national gods in his project illustrates once again how cunning Seti was. Because just half a century ago, innovation had turned the whole country upside down. The instigator of all that misery had been Akhenaten, one of Seti's predecessors. As if it were nothing, Akhenaten had abolished the traditional polytheism. Even Amun, the supreme god who ruled Egypt for over a thousand years, was set aside. Henceforth only one god would be worshipped, namely the sun god Aten. If Akhenaten really wanted to upset the high priests, then this was the right way to do so. For centuries, Amun had not only been their livelihood but also their life insurance policy. It cannot be ruled out that this was Akhenaten's explicit intention – to break the power of the high priests once and for all.

 

Seti standing before the god Ptah

Hieroglyphs

But even a pharaoh dies at some point. So did Akhenaten. When Tutankhaten succeeded his father at the age of nine, the high priests saw the opportunity to make tabula rasa. They soon managed to convince the very young pharaoh that all this fuss with Aten was to be left behind. Amun is the true supreme god, everyone knows that. Amun was restored in function, Tutankhaten took the name Tutankhamun. The chief priests heaved a sigh of relief.

If Akhenaten really wanted to upset the high priests, then this was the right way to do so

Half a century later, the high priests must have been delighted when Seti announced the construction of the House of Millions of Years. Especially when it turned out that Amun, Ra and Ptah would be given such a prominent place. The old pantheon shone like never before, the high priests regained their privileges, everything fell back into place. Seti could call himself lucky, because with the construction of this temple he killed two birds with one stone – his divine descent was legitimized and the high priests stood behind him as one man.

There are smaller, man-sized niches between the entrances to the seven chapels of the gods, which have been given a yellowish glow by the artificial light. We don't know exactly what their function was. There may have once been statues there. Or they were used to store sacred scrolls describing the rites performed in the shrines. That would explain why we don't see any decorations at the bottom of the walls. Otherwise, the stack of scrolls might obscure the sacred images.

 

Seti solemnly kneels before Ptah while Ra meticulously writes down the name and jubilee years of the pharaoh on the leaves of a sacred tree

There are all the more decorations on the walls between the niches, sometimes more than life size. For example, there is a scene in which Seti solemnly kneels before Ptah on the occasion of an anniversary. Ptah sits dignified on his throne, the blue cap on his head, to learn of Seti's jubilee years. Behind Seti is a falcon-headed god. We spontaneously associate him with Horus, but in this case that's wrong. This is the god Ra. He meticulously writes down the name and jubilee years of the pharaoh on the leaves of a sacred tree. Only then Seti can be sure that, until the end of time, everyone will know how stable his reign was.

 

Niche

Seti on Isis’ lap

Very beautiful is the bas-relief where Isis hugs an adolescent on her lap. Lovingly she looks at the young boy, lifts his chin slightly with the left hand and places her right hand in a motherly gesture to protect the back of his head. “You are my son, you came from me,” she says according to the hieroglyphs, “I nursed you to become Ruler of the Two Lands.”

But it's not her son Horus who sits on Isis's lap, it is Seti, like a cuckoo in the nest. For the occasion, the young pharaoh has donned a finely pleated apron, a richly decorated collar, a golden cap crown and above the forehead a uraeus, a small cobra that stands up protectively. The crook in his right hand symbolizes his rule. His feet rest on a bench with the symbol of the union of Upper and Lower Egypt. Indeed, he is the Ruler of the Two Lands.

And it only gets more beautiful, it turns out, as we explore the seven chapels of the gods one by one. Again and again they overwhelm us, the multicoloured bas-reliefs that have lost none of their vitality. From top to bottom they fill the walls with scenes in which gods play the leading role and Seti does his utmost to please them. The colours still look as lifelike as they did three thousand years ago, except for a few scratches. Apparently local families have also moved in here for a while, because the ceilings are covered by a black layer of soot.

The most stunning representation is without a doubt the gold-coloured bas-relief depicting the barque of Amun

Divine barque of Amun

It is mainly temple rituals that are presented here, such as opening the shrine, praising the gods, offering the sacrifices, cleaning the cult image, dressing, anointing and making up the image, closing the shrine. The most stunning representation is without a doubt the gold-coloured bas-relief depicting the barque of Amun. This room probably once housed a portable barque that carried an image of the deity during festival processions. That it is the barque of Amun is apparent from the ram's heads with a sun disk. They emerge from lotus flowers and adorn the bow of the barque. The shrine is in the middle of the barque, but of course we don't see anything of the cult statue. Instead, the white linen cloth is shown, which obscured the image from the sight of unauthorized persons.

The Osiris shrine is a temple within the temple, with its own colonnades and its own chapels

Entrance of the Osiris shrine

In the rear wall of the chapel is a false door, a stone door that is actually not a passage. At least not for mere mortals like us. But Amun himself uses this passage as he pleases to enter or leave his sanctuary. Such false doors mark the transition from this life to the life on the other side, in other words to the hereafter.

This false door is missing in none of the seven chapels. But there is one exception to this rule. And that is the chapel of Osiris. It doesn't have a false door, it has an opening in the back that you can walk through to a very special shrine, right behind the seven shrines. We discover a temple within the temple, with its own colonnades and its own chapels. This is the most holy place for the worship of Osiris, here the god of the realm of the dead is the centre of attention. His wife Isis and his son Horus also have their chapel here.

This is the place that still gives the House of Millions of Years such a special appearance after more than three thousand years. The largely intact decorations, the enclosed, empty spaces, the apparent isolation from the outside world seem to give the shrine something spiritual. For the first time, we don't feel like we're strolling through an ancient ruin. There are few places where you are immersed so deeply in the atmosphere of ancient Egypt.

For the first time, we don't feel like we're strolling through an ancient ruin. There are few places where you are immersed so deeply in the atmosphere of ancient Egypt

Entrance of the Osiris shrine

The Osiris shrine, Stargate to higher dimensions?

For some, this experience can be very intense, it turns out. Osiris' mysteries appeal to the imagination, that much is clear. Dressed in a white robe, with eyes closed and arms stretched out to the sides, two ladies let their esoteric chants resound throughout the ancient space. A man lies on the floor on his back, eyes closed, hands on his stomach, a burning incense stick stuck in a gap between two tiles. Be careful not to trip over that, it flashes through our minds.

 

 

A Stargate, that's what specialized websites call this. A place where the Universal – read Divine – Forces and the Earthly Energy meet as if through a wafer-thin curtain, a place that is a visible reminder of a time long gone when man still recognized this spiritual connection. If you are receptive to that philosophy, here you will experience how the Light and the Shadow affect your life and how you can rise above it thanks to the Divine Spark. That clearly is not for the likes of us.

 

Osiris shrine – Chapel of Seti and Thoth

It does not prevent us from fully enjoying the finest that ancient Egyptian bas-reliefs have to offer, even richer in detail, more vivid in colour than all the foregoing. The fact that Seti allows himself to be fully identified with Osiris does not really surprise us, however presumptuous it may seem.

 

Taking the dignity of both Osiris and Amun, Seti receives from Thoth the anch, the symbol of life

Thoth, the god with the ibis head, should not be missing here. In one of the chapels we see him with a broad gesture offering the pharaoh the anch, the symbol of life. Seti himself holds a crook and a flail in his hands, while his chin is covered with a long white beard and a cobra rises menacingly on his forehead. There's nothing wrong with that, those are the attributes of a pharaoh. But by donning a white robe and crossing his arms in front of his chest, Seti expressly assumes the Osiris pose. Moreover, by placing the double crown of feathers on his head, together with the ram's horn and the sun disk, he even assumes the dignity of the supreme god Amun.

Elsewhere we see how a jackal-headed god is also involved in the tribute. Wepwawet is the name of this god, it is a close colleague of Anubis, that other god who is invariably dressed with the head of a jackal. On closer inspection, Wepwawet does even better than Thoth. As if they were meccano pieces, he just riveted two anch symbols together. They seem to form a jet that blows the breath of life right into Seti's mouth.

 

Seti as the supreme god Amun, with the double crown of feathers, the ram's horn and the sun disk

Wepwawet blows the breath of life into Seti's mouth

Wepwawet riveted two anch symbols together. They seem to form a jet that blows the breath of life right into Seti's mouth

"I come to you and offer you life and supremacy," Wepwawet says to Seti according to the hieroglyphics, "May you be young like Horus as king. May your name endure through all that you have achieved. As long as heaven is, you will you exist.” Swollen words, but one way or another they are true. We can't deny it. More than three thousand years after his death, Seti still enjoys our full attention.

 

In a somewhat strange way, Horus offers him three symbolic gifts – the anch, the djed and the heb sed

In the chapel that bears his name, it is, of course, Horus who sets the tone. The falcon god sits dignified on his throne. In front of him stands a submissive Seti, a golden cap crown on his head, both hands resting on a small altar. In a somewhat strange way, Horus offers him three symbolic gifts. First the anch and the djed, which represent life and stability as we already know. In addition, there is the heb sed. This symbol refers to the Festival of the Tail, a great celebration that every pharaoh enjoyed once he sat on the throne for thirty years. When building the temple, Seti apparently assumed that he would easily sit on the throne for thirty years. That's stretching the truth quite a bit, because in the end his reign only lasted fourteen or fifteen years. He would not even see his own temple completed.

 

Seti erects a djed with the help of Isis

Less striking, but no less important, is the scene where Seti erects a pillar with the help of Isis. This is not just any pillar, this is the djed, symbol of stability. Durability and stability must have been obsessions for this pharaoh. The erection of the djed should remind us of the spectacular feat that Osiris and Isis accomplished – the resurrection from the dead. Reason enough for the ancient Egyptians for an annual festival.

Incense smokes from the bowl that Seti offers to the god of the underworld

Seti with a bowl with incense before Osiris and Isis

The bas-reliefs depicting Osiris and Isis – the real stars of this temple – are simply stunning. Even after three thousand years they have lost little or nothing of expressiveness. Neck collars and breastplates are cut into the limestone with gossamer detail. The subdued colourfulness adds to the glamour of the scene.

Incense smokes from the bowl that Seti offers to the god of the underworld. He sits on his throne, with the attributes of the pharaoh in his hand and the typical atef on his head. Behind him stands Isis, the left hand resting on his shoulder. Her headdress is the same as Hathor's – vulture crown, sun disk, cow's horns.

 

The bas-reliefs depicting Osiris and Isis – the real stars of this temple – are simply stunning

“My eldest son, my firstborn, I am your father who created your beauty,” Osiris says to Seti. “I have brought you forth that you may do what pleases me.” It couldn't be clearer, Seti descends from Osiris, these hieroglyphs confirm this message unequivocally.

 

Divine barque of Osiris

And then there is the bas-relief depicting the divine barque of Osiris. Like Amun's, it is made almost entirely of gold. Amidships we recognize the shrine in which the cult image is hidden from our unauthorized gaze by a white linen cloth. We see a kind of blue beehive on a pole protruding above the shrine, with a head on it. Egyptologists suspect that this was a reliquary in which the head of Osiris was carried. For Abydos was the place where evil Seth hid Osiris' head after he killed his brother. The same motif is repeated on the bow of the barque – a head with a blue wig on a gilded pole.

But wait a minute. Seventy-six pharaohs in three rows of thirty-eight cartouches? There must be something wrong

The Osiris shrine built behind the seven chapels posed a problem for the architect. Where was he supposed to put the utility room that was normally behind the shrine? He decided to build it against the left side of the temple so that the floor plan of the House of Millions of Years shows the unusual shape of a capital L. Here, among other things, cult statues, barques and processional necessities were kept. In a Catholic Church we would call it the sacristy.

 

Abydos King’s List

Not particularly interesting, were it not for the fact that you will find the world-famous King's List in the service corridor. Seti I has listed his 76 predecessors here in chronological order in three rows of 38 cartouches each. A godsend for Egyptologists, because in one fell swoop they were presented with a timeline of two thousand years of pharaohship.

Still, with Seti you have to be careful. As for his predecessors, the guy was quite picky. For example, in this list you will search in vain for the Hyksos. Mustafa does not hide his enthusiasm about this form of censorship. He calls the Hyksos a bunch of fallen migrants. For a long time they lived among the Egyptians and then gradually seized power from within. Even three thousand years later, Mustafa can still get furious about it.

Heretics such as Akhenaten and Tutankhamun do not deserve a place in the King's List either, according to Seti. That is their punishment for setting aside Amun and the many other traditional gods. And Hatshepsut is not mentioned here either. Imagine a woman who, instead of acting as regency for her underage son, places the royal crown on her own head and sets aside the rightful heir to the throne. Seti must have hated it.

But wait a minute. Seventy-six pharaohs in three rows of thirty-eight cartouches? Three times thirty-eight is one hundred and fourteen, not seventy-six. There must be something wrong. Indeed, Mustafa grins, the bottom row contains only Seti's own cartouches. You cannot catch this pharaoh in false modesty.

Heretics such as Akhenaten and Tutankhamun do not deserve a place in the King's List either, according to Seti. And the usurpator Hatshepsut is not mentioned either

The most famous myth of ancient Egypt is also discussed, in a very explicit imagery. As we know, Isis managed to put together Osiris' cut-up body piece by piece. With erect phallus, her brother now lies here on his deathbed. For a brief moment Isis manages to bring him back to life, just long enough to alight on his phallus in the form of a sparrowhawk and absorb the divine sperm cells.

 

Osiris on his deathbed with erect phallus

In the form of a sparrowhawk Isis alights on Osiris’ phallus to absorb the divine sperm cells

Horus watches the divine conception. He seems to approve the event with a gesture of blessing. Strange, because Horus is exactly the person being conceived here. At least that's what we were thinking. In reality, this scene is a metaphor for the divine conception of Ramesses II, the son and successor of Seti I. Seti must have been obsessed by the urge to anchor his son's place in history as well. With success, by the way.

As soon as we leave the coolness of the sanctuary, the heat falls on our shoulders like a heavy cloak. We had almost forgotten how hot it can be here. Mustafa estimates the outside temperature to be closer to 40 degrees than to 30.

Right behind the temple we come across the Osireion. It is not a pretty picture, this filthy pool full of poisonous green water from which a few granite blocks rise. The lots of litter, the rusty stairs down, the useless water pump and water hoses… they don't appeal to us.

It is not a pretty picture, this filthy pool full of poisonous green water from which a few granite blocks rise. And that's a shame

Osireion

And that's a shame. For here we look down upon one of the most remarkable constructions of ancient Egypt. You will not find such a structure anywhere else. In fact, it's so unique that people don't even know what it was used for. It was not discovered until 1902. All this time it was completely hidden under the sand. Uncovering the monument was not an easy task. At the back we can still see the gravel that was brought up, supported by walls to prevent it from rolling back into the pit.

For a long time, Egyptologists thought that this was a cenotaph for Seti I. An empty grave, because the pharaoh was indeed buried in the famous Valley of the Kings, among his colleagues. Otherwise, doubts might arise about the divine descent of this son of a general.

Today it is more likely that the Osireion was a temple. The ten granite pillars that stand out to us must once have supported a vaulted roof. Together they formed a central hall around which a massive limestone wall was built. So far not so special, apart from the fact that we are talking about an underground structure.

Ten granite columns weighing 55 tons each, hauling all the way from faraway Aswan over a distance of more than three hundred kilometres is not something you just do

What is odd is the rectangular moat carved around the main hall. Measurements show that it must be ten to fifteen metres deep. In addition, the hall is located just above the groundwater level. So the canal was filled with water up to the temple floor, and the vaulted hall was, in effect, an artificial island. Nowadays the floor is even completely submerged by water that has long lost its purity.

What was going on here at that time? During the excavation, were the engineers surprised by the presence of groundwater thirteen metres below ground level? Or was it exactly their intention to create an underground water paradise? What was the point of that? And how did they manage to build underwater if modern archaeologists never managed to pump out all the water?

In any case, the building cannot have been unimportant. Ten granite columns weighing 55 tons each, hauling all the way here from faraway Aswan over a distance of more than three hundred kilometres is not something you just do.

 

Temple of Ramesses II

Mustafa tears us free from our musings. In the distance, the Temple of Ramesses II awaits us. It's a short walk through the desert sands. We are allowed to go there under armed escort.

The temple Ramesses had built here had the same purpose as his father's — a tribute to Osiris. A different model indeed, but reportedly at least as expensive in its implementation. Yet this complex is much less appealing to us. The roof has completely disappeared, the walls are barely two to three metres high. The magic of the intimate atmosphere we felt in Seti's temple is broken.

 

Temple of Ramesses II

More importantly, the quality of the bas-reliefs also is inferior to that of Seti's temple. Yet it remains an overwhelming experience. What visitors used to see on the inner walls of the Hypostyle Hall was a festive procession in which the relic of Osiris – his head – was carried along. Nowadays we don't see much of that anymore, because only the bas-reliefs at the bottom of the walls are still intact. Yet we are amazed at how well these colours have held up in the open air, permanently exposed to the merciless sun.

The lower part of the walls in the first Hypostyle Hall is decorated with an almost endless procession of Nile gods

Nile gods

The lower part of the walls in the first Hypostyle Hall is decorated with an almost endless procession of Nile gods. Each of them represents an Egyptian city or district. An emblem on the head indicates where they come from. Kneeling, they offer the gods their sacrifices in the form of food and pitchers of wine and water. On closer inspection, they are androgynous figures, essentially masculine in appearance, but with the breasts of a woman, emphasizing their fertility.

An adolescent quenches his thirst from a cow's udder. That young man turns out to be Ramesses II, the cow is a manifestation of the goddess Hathor

Nile goddess Dendera (on the right)

Young Ramesses II quenches his thirst from a cow’s udder

The image of the ambiguous god that Dendera represents is quite intact. The deity has blue skin, of course, for Dendera is the city of Hathor, the Blue Goddess and the Lady of Turquoise as we remember. In the right hand he/she holds a tray with bread, ducks, grapes, pomegranates, figs and lotus flowers.

Surprising to our eyes – but not to those of the ancient Egyptians – is the scene in which an adolescent quenches his thirst from a cow's udder. That young man turns out to be Ramesses II, he has the attributes of the pharaoh in his left hand. The milk he takes is of divine origin, for this cow is a manifestation of the goddess Hathor. Elsewhere, Ramesses' father Seti is also present. We see him sitting stately on his throne as his barque carries him along.

 

Hittite prisoners of war after the Battle of Kadesh

A long line of prisoners of war, hands cuffed behind their backs, chained together with ropes around the neck, foreshadows what awaits us on the outer walls. This is the less peaceful part of the temple. The scenes on the western outer walls in particular are unusually lively.

The story that Ramesses II has to tell here was very special to him. His ambition was beyond measure. He would rule Egypt for 67 years. Gradually he would become one of the greatest pharaohs of ancient Egypt, building fabulous monuments such as Abu Simbel and the Great Hypostyle Hall of Karnak.

But in his fifth year of reign he had a problem. The two world powers of that time, the Egyptians and the Hittites from the area we now call Türkiye, had long been at odds with each other. Neither managed to deliver a decisive blow to the other. To gain world domination once and for all, Ramses set out to defeat the Hittites for good. In present-day Syria, near Kadesh on the bank of the Orontes River, both forces engaged in a decisive battle in 1274 BCE.

Ramesses II didn't need Twitter to fool the outside world

An estimated 5,000 chariots were thrown into battle by the two armies. Still, the battle ended inconclusively. It was even close to the Hittites getting hold of Ramesses himself. He barely escaped. So the Egyptian army went through the eye of the needle, but that didn't stop Ramesses from framing the battle as a victory once he got home. And that's precisely what we're looking at now – military propaganda on the outer walls of the temple, so that everyone can take note of the alleged victory. Three thousand years later, even the first Egyptologists would still be misled. Ramesses II didn't need Twitter to fool the outside world.

 

Enemy chariots are attacking the Egyptian ranks. Aboard the chariots, bearded warriors spring into action as their horses rear up wildly

As soothing is the depiction of processions on the inner walls, so disturbing are the war scenes on the outer walls. Enemy chariots are attacking the Egyptian ranks. Aboard the chariots, bearded warriors spring into action as their horses rear up wildly. There are three of them in each chariot. This means we are looking at enemy soldiers. Egyptian chariots usually rode out with only two people, a charioteer and a warrior. Presumably these are not Hittite fighters, but some of their Asian allies, Syrians for example.

 

 

More than satisfied, we retrace our steps and take one last look at the House of Millions of Years. From this distance, its silhouette makes little impression, but in the meantime we know better. There are few places where ancient Egypt is so tangible. Whether Seti's achievements will last forever, we are not sure. But he comes pretty close.

Top

Jaak Palmans

© 2022 | Version 2022-08-04 15:00