Great and Small Temples of Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel - Great Temple of Ramesses II (left) and Small Temple of Nefertari (right)

The Great and Small Temples in Abu Simbel are massive rock-cut temples built by Ramesses II during the New Kingdom. They were originally built in Nubia next to the Second Cataract, but since the construction of the Aswan High Dam, they have been moved to their present location. They were built both to show Egypt’s influence over rich Nubia and to show Ramesses II as a god. Today they are preserved as a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Nubian Monuments.”

Background

Ramesses II

Ramesses II was one of the greatest pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. He ruled for 67 years and spent much of the time trying to secure the borders of the kingdom. During his reign, Ramesses II embarked on an extensive building program throughout the country. Although his capital was in the Nile Delta, he did not neglect the southern border at Nubia, a land very important to the Egyptians because it was a source of gold and many other precious trade goods. He therefore built several grand temples there in order to impress upon the Nubians Egypt’s might and Egyptianize the people of Nubia.[1][2] The most famous temples are the rock-cut temples in Meha, now called Abu Simbel, at the Second Nile Cataract, the border between Lower Nubia and Upper Nubia.[2] There are two temples, the Great Temple – dedicated to Ramesses II himself – and the smaller but no less impressive Small Temple – dedicated to his beloved chief wife Queen Nefertari.

The Great Temple

Dedication

The Great Temple at Abu Simbel was dedicated to three gods: Amun, Re-Horakhty and Ptah. The Great Temple was also dedicated to Ramesses II as a deified king. The Great Temple is meant to be Ramesses II’s “Mansion of Millions of Years Hewn in the Rock” as the First King’s Cupbearer Ashahebsed said. Inside the temple, statues of Ramesses II are presented alongside statues of the gods, showing the fact that he is one of them, and indeed, he is even shown as presenting offerings to himself.[1]

Architecture

Both temples are rock-cut temples. The edifices are hewn into huge sandstone mounds that were already at the site. Despite the fact that the temples were carved into the sandstone mounds rather than built, they are similar in design to all Egyptian temples. For example, the façades of the Great and Small temples are carved to represent pylons – the monumental trapezoidal gates representative of the Egyptian hieroglyph for horizon characteristic of all Egyptian temples.[1][3] The multiple halls and rooms required for storing temple offerings are also present, carved deep into the sandstone mound.

Entrance

Great Temple Colossi

Four colossi depicting Ramesses II as a god flank the entrance to the temple. Ramesses II is depicted as seated, wearing the royal kilt, wearing the nemes-headdress and either the crown of Lower Egypt (the Northern two) or the combined crown of Lower and Upper Egypt (the Southern two). Graffiti on the legs of the colossi from soldiers on campaigns that span from the Greco-Roman period to the British suppression of uprisings in Sudan present an interesting picture of the people who passed that way. Next to Ramesses II’s legs are eleven other, much smaller figures of family members, including his wife, Nefertari; his mother, Queen Tuya; and some of his children. Since scale in Egyptian art was meant to show relative importance, it is clear that Ramesses II is the main focus of the temple.[1]

Ra Horakhty

In Egyptian temples, Gods were typically depicted as exiting from their shrines. Above the entrance to the Great Temple at Abu Simbel Great Temple, Ra-Horakhty is depicted striding forward out of the sandstone mound.[1] This statue represents the king’s name “User-Ma’at-Re” because the Ra-Horakhty is shown carrying a user staff and a feather of Ma’at and with sun disk of Re on his head.[2]

Floorplan

The Great Pillared Hall

As you go through the entrance, you enter a corridor decorated with Ramesses II presenting offerings to the god Re-Horakhty and the goddess Weret-Hekau. At the end of the corridor is the Great Pillared Hall. This hall contains eight pillars holding up the ceiling. Statues depicting the Ramesses II as Osiris are carved into the columns flanking the central aisle.[2]

Sanctuary

The sanctuary contains four statues representing the four gods the temple is dedicated to – Ptah, Amun-Re, Ramesses II and Re-Horakhty. Each god is the patron god of a different powerful city of Ancient Egypt: Ptah was worshipped in Memphis, Amun-Re is associated with Thebes, Ramesses II would represent his own capital of Pi Ramesses in the delta and Re-Horakhty was the patron god of Heliopolis.[2]

The Great Temple of Abu Simbel was built so that at certain times of the year, the sun shines directly through the temple into the sanctuary. Like most Egyptian temples, it is roughly on an East-West axis. However, it is slightly off this axis in order to accommodate for this phenomenon. For about twenty minutes every February 22 and October 22, the sun shined through the temple to light up the statues of the gods in the sanctuaries. Some people suggest that these dates correspond to the birth and coronation of Ramesses II.[1][2]

The Small Temple

Dedication

The Small Temple at Abu Simbel was dedicated to the goddess Hathor of Ibshek, the ancient name for an area in present-day Sudan more commonly called Faras (although it is now submerged under Lake Nasser).[4] The Small Temple at Abu Simbel was also dedicated to Queen Nefertari, the principle wife of Ramesses II and a deified queen.

Architecture and Decoration

Entrance

Small Temple Colossi

At the Small Temple in Abu Simbel, six standing statues of Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari flank the entrance – there are four of Ramesses II and two of Queen Nefertari. The statues of Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari are the same size. This is, in fact, the first time that the King and the Queen are represented at the same scale.[5] Since scale was so important for representing status in Egyptian art, it can be concluded that Ramesses II held his chief wife, Nefertari, in very high esteem, and she probably wielded quite a lot of power.[1][5] Around their legs, smaller statues of their children are shown. Unlike the colossi at the Great Temple, each statue is recessed in its own niche, making it look as if Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari are coming out of the rock.[1]

Floorplan

The Square Hall

Unlike the Great Temple, the Small Temple has one pillared hall called the square hall that contains six columns supporting the ceiling. Each column is topped with a depiction of Hathor. The dedication of the temple to Queen Nefertari by Ramesses II is written on the ceiling of the square hall.[2]

The Sanctuary

The sanctuary contains a statue of Hathor in the form of a cow. The statue surrounds a smaller one of Ramesses II, showing that Ramesses II is under her protection.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Verner, Miroslav. Temple of the Word: Sanctuaries, Cults and Mysteries of Ancient Egypt. (Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 2013).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hawass, Zahi. The Mysteries of Abu Simbel. (Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 2000).
  3. ↑ Ikram, Selima. Ancient Egypt: An Introduction. (Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 2011).
  4. ↑ https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/articles/f/faras_sudan.aspx
  5. 1 2 Zecchi, Marco. Abu Simbel: Aswan and the Nubian Temples. (Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 2004).

External links

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