Exploring Jordan and Egypt

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Tuesday, 1 March 2022 - Visited the Dendera Temple complex north of Luxor seeing the Roman-era Gate of Trajan, the grand Temple of Hathor with its impressive hypostyle hall and zodiac ceiling, explored detailed hieroglyphs and pillar art, then took a short Nile cruise toward Luxor and enjoyed both day and night tours of Luxor Temple with its monumental statues, obelisks, and illuminated patterns at sunset.

egypt2022 — First the Dendera Temple complex - this is the northern entrance gate into the complex, the Gate of Domitian and Trajan two Roman rulers.

egypt2022 — Looking to the underside of the gate showing the decorations of birds in the sky and the artwork on the sides.

egypt2022 — There are several ruins in the complex - this is a Roman temple called a mammisi - or a smaller temple typically in front of a much larger one. This temple was dedicated to Hathor. Built by Augustus after his conquest of Egypt in 31 BC.

egypt2022 — The real reason we are here - the Temple of Hathor.

The temple was begun in 350 BC - the great hall was built in the Roman period 50 BC or so. Hathor was one of the more popular goddesses - the sky goddess.

egypt2022 — The entrance into the great hypostyle hall added by the Romans in 80 BC. There are 24 columns each bearing the head of Hathor facing the four directions.

egypt2022 — The ceiling is simply spectacular - covered in soot from people living in the temple, the British created a way to remove the soot while preserving the original colors of the artwork underneath.

egypt2022 — Detail of the birds and hieroglyphics on the ceiling.

The vulture motif on temple ceilings - depict Nekhbet, the protector of Upper Egypt (in the southern part of the country) and the pharaoh. The serpents are a reference to Wadjet, goddess of Lower Egypt. Together, they show the unification of Egypt.

egypt2022 — The pillars of the great hall.

egypt2022 — You have to look up as you walk the great hall - after awhile your neck will hurt - but they are so beautiful.

egypt2022 — This part of the ceiling is in one corner of the temple. Note the dark section which is still covered in soot.

The sky goddess Nut frames this part of the ceiling, swallowing the sun at twilight and giving birth to it in the morning. You can also see signs of the zodiac, including Taurus the Bull and Sagittarius the Archer

egypt2022 — More of the pretty blue ceiling.

egypt2022 — We liked the snakes with legs and arms.

egypt2022 — The gods and a boat - probably a trip to the next world.

egypt2022 — The walls are beautiful as well - Christians broke off many of the figures when they used the temple as their church.

egypt2022 — The entrance to the second hall - or Small Hypostyle Hall

egypt2022 — The second hall pillars are not as colorful as the great hall, but still impressive.

egypt2022 — Wall art

egypt2022 — Art in the deeper part of the temple.

egypt2022 — We took stairs to the top of the temple and were outside. The highest parapets were off limits. There are several courtyards with figures.

egypt2022 — The exterior walls are decorated over every inch.

egypt2022 — Figures in the rock follow the stairs up.

egypt2022 — Art on the rock in the tunnels of the temple

egypt2022 — The goddess Isis - goddess of the moon - and represents life and magic.

egypt2022 — The artwork in the innermost room - the sanctuary

egypt2022 — Here the light comes in from the outside in one of the hallways which is cool.

egypt2022 — Looks like Isis again. She was very popular.

egypt2022 — The sanctuary.

egypt2022 — On the way out - one last picture of the great hall pillars. Early Christians defaced the image of Hathor on the pillars.

egypt2022 — The Dendera complex is surrounded by a mud brick wall encircling about 10 acres.

egypt2022 — The Dendra Temple complex north gate - as we exit.

A very beautiful temple which we will remember.

egypt2022 — On the boat headed back south to Luxor.

The Nile is very wide - like the Mississippi - but the SS Sphinx would follow a channel which would bring us near swampy areas. Cal was lucky when this happened as birds were fishing in the low water. Here a Blue Heron.

egypt2022 — Another Heron

egypt2022 — A Little Egret - which is a small heron.

egypt2022 — Sugar Cane in the field - many fields of sugar cane. The guide said that growing sugar cane uses too much water, so the government is trying to move the farmers from planting cane to sugar beets.

egypt2022 — Back in Luxor for tours through the Luxor Temple. Visit is plural because the tour group offered a private nighttime tour. Cal went on the day tour and the night tour.

The entrance to Luxor Temple in the setting sun. Constructed around 1400 BC. The Luxor Temple was built with sandstone from the Gebel el-Silsila area, which we will pass on the Nile in several days.

egypt2022 — Two massive seated statues of Ramesses II guard the huge gateway and are flanked by four standing statues of the king.

The obelisk is in the foreground.

egypt2022 — Ramesses II

egypt2022 — Two 80 foot pink granite obelisk built by Ramesses once stood before the gateway but today only one remains the other stands in La Place De La Concorde in Paris. Four sacred baboons are carved on the pedestal and the names of Ramesses appear on each side of the obelisks.

egypt2022 — Sun setting on Ramesses II and the Luxor Temple.

egypt2022 — The great Court of Ramesses II is 188 feet long and 168 feet wide. Seventy-four papyrus columns, with bud capitals surround it and in the northwest corner of the court there is a shrine to Thutmose III, while in the southern part of the court there are a number of standing colossi of Ramesses II.

egypt2022 — Setting sun on a pillar.

egypt2022 — The Colonnade of Amenhotep III has seven pairs of 52 foot high open-flower papyrus columns, which still support their huge architrave blocks.

egypt2022 — Ramesses II in the Court of Ramesses II

egypt2022 — Akhenaton and Partial Sculpture of his Wife Nefertiti. He ruled Egypt for 17 years with his wife Nefertiti. He made radical changes such as abolishing the priesthood.

egypt2022 — The Court of Amenhotep III columns.

egypt2022 — The Court of Amenhotep III columns.

egypt2022 — Detail of a figure in the Court of Amenhotep III.

egypt2022 — During the Christian era, the temple's hypostyle hall was converted into a Christian church, and the remains of another Coptic church can be seen to the west.

This is the niche where the altar was located.

egypt2022 — Blocks apparently reused and then covered in plaster - as without the plaster the figures are upside down.

egypt2022 — The entrance to the Sanctuary.

egypt2022 — Alexander the Great, on the right, inside one of the chambers of the Sanctuary.

egypt2022 — Court of Amenhotep III in the setting sunlight.

egypt2022 — Colonnade of Amenhotep III from the south in the late sunlight.

egypt2022 — The statues of Ramesses II in the setting sun.

egypt2022 — Virginia Ann signed up for the evening "private" tour through Luxor Temple. Cal had been there before during the day tour, so, he launched out to take pictures and separated from the group.

Virginia Ann searches for Cal in the lights of Luxor Temple.

egypt2022 — The front of Luxor Temple at night. You can see the 4 standing and 2 sitting Ramesses II statues.

The temple was built by Amenhotep III (1390-52 BC) but completed by Tutankhamun (1336-27 BC) and Horemheb (1323-1295 BC) and then added to by Ramesses II (1279-13 BC). Toward the rear is a granite shrine dedicated to Alexander the Great (332-305 BC).

egypt2022 — Sphinx lined the 1.7 mile road from Luxor Temple to Karnak Temple. Today there are only a few of the sphinx left.

egypt2022 — Ramesses II outside the entry to Luxor Temple.

egypt2022 — Front of Luxor Temple in the lights.

The granite used to make obelisks was quarried in southern Egypt near the ancient city of Swenett (the modern town of Aswan). We would visit the quarry and see the unfinished obelisk.

egypt2022 — Ramesses II Court - note the statues are all left leg forward - this was a sign to denote strength.

egypt2022 — Hieroglyphics on a column in Colonnade Hall of Amenhotep III.

egypt2022 — Colonnade Hall of Amenhotep III

egypt2022 — The Court of Amonhotep III measures 148 feet long and 184 feet wide, with double rows of papyrus columns on three sides. The northern end, which we see, was originally the entrance to the temple.

egypt2022 — Sanctuary room in the inner part of the temple.

egypt2022 — Court of Amonhotep III - nice at night - there were few tourists - not exactly "private" but not so many people.

egypt2022 — Small columns from Amenhotep III Court and the larger columns of the Colonnade Hall in the lights.

egypt2022 — Ramesses II stepping out of the pillars in Ramesses II Court.

egypt2022 — Sitting Ramesses II in Ramesses II Court.

egypt2022 — As Cal scrambled he traveled to the west side of Luxor Temple - one of several gates into the temple.

egypt2022 — The front of Luxor Temple.

egypt2022 — Last shot of the Luxor Temple - obelisk and Ramesses II in the lights.

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