.jpg)
In the Courtyard of the Temples of Philae – Agilkia Island
I never quite got the picture I wanted: one that conveyed the dry heat and the magical wonder of wandering among ancient stone structures.
Every day I spent in Egypt was more amazing than the last!
It was day six – and my Nile riverboat had spent the last few days making it’s way south, up river (see: Kom Ombo Egypt). Our boat had rafting up against another one the evening before in the ancient city of Swenett, now known as Aswan. After an early breakfast, my fellow passengers and I disembarked and found a mini-bus to take us to the Marina Philae Temple, where countless simple wooden boats were waiting to take tourists the twelve kilometres further up river to the sacred Temple of Isis – also known as the Philae Temples.
Build during Egypt’s Greco-Roman Period, the complex was started in 280 BCE, during the reign of Ptolemy II, and finished by his successor, Ptolemy III Euergetes. It was built on the island of Philae, which was sacred to the Goddess Isis from early Egyptian times and was said to be one of the burial-places of Osiris. The temple is dedicated to the Gods Isis, Osiris, and Horus and the walls are covered in scenes illustrating the story of Isis bringing Osiris back to life, giving birth to Horus, and mummifying Osiris after his death.
Perhaps more amazing than the original structures, however, is that fact that the historic buildings were saved from inundation by the floodwaters resulting from Egypt’s High Dam project. A campaign launched by UNESCO in 1960 lead to an international rescue operation: between 1972 and 1980, the temples at Philae were broken up into carefully numbered sections, and were moved and re-erected in the same relative positions on the nearby island of Agilika. This relocation effort – and the original historic value of the temples themselves – is recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the “Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae”.
The temple has been called one of the gems of Upper Egypt for its carved pylons; I enjoyed the locals, the coffee, and the markets just as much!
.jpg)
Trinkets on the Foreshore
It is a short bus trip to the boat dock above the Aswan Low Dam, where souvenir sellers and boat operators wait for business.
.jpg)
Tourist Boats on the Nile
The wooden boats are simple, …
Keeping Watch
… but is is a lovely trip across the reservoir above the Aswan Low Dam …
Boats and the Island
… and around Agilkia Island.
Boats and Philae Temple Complex
From the Nile, we can see part of the temple complex – which was rebuilt at exactly the same orientation as it originally sat on the island of Philae.
Boatman
Many of the people in this region are Nubians – descendants of an ancient African civilisation dating back to at least 2500 BC.
Introduction to the Temple of Philae
An information board greets us on arrival at the temple complex.
Forecourt
The colonnaded main courtyard leading towards the First Pylon and into the Temple of Philae gives us time to appreciate its symmetry and scale. Behind the columns on the right are priests’ rooms.
The First Pylon
The temple entranceway, with its two towers and central doorway, stand an impressive 18 metres (60 feet) tall.
Frieze Relief – West Tower
The whole entry (and indeed, the whole complex) is richly engraved with stories of the Gods and rulers.
Wall Frieze
Horus in a Pschent
Horus, the falcon-headed God, features often in the wall art. Here he is wearing the combined crown of Upper and Lower Egypt.
Hathor
The columns leading up to the Second Pylon are topped with images of Hathor, the mother Goddess who created and maintained all life on earth, in her bovine animal form.
The Second Pylon
The second doorway leads into the inner sanctum of the temple.
Coptic Cross amongst the Ankhs
The temple was transformed into a Christian place of worship during the early Byzantine Empire under the Coptic Bishop Theodore (AD 379-395). (iPhone6)
‘Modern’ Graffiti
The island of Philae was rediscovered by European Egyptologists in the 1820s, and tourists soon followed.
Exiting the Temple
Outside, the sun has climbed into a cloudless sky, and temperatures are heading past the mid 30s (95°F).
Photos in the Courtyard
Visitors take each other’s pictures in the courtyard in front of Trajan’s Kiosk, named for Roman Emperor Trajan (98 to 117 AD), even though sections pre-date him. Locals call it the Pharaoh’s Bed.
Boat off the Island
Boats continue to ferry people back and forth, …
Vendors
… and locals happily pose for pictures.
Barista
I head into the shops …
Cezves : Cooking Coffee
… for a well-earned Egyptian (Turkish) coffee.
Colourful Spices and Scents
I also check out the spice market, …
Explaining the Range
… wait while the shop-keeper explains the different grades of spices and beans to another woman, …
Spice Vendor
… and then buy small bags of dried frankincense and myrrh sap to take home.
Young Boatman
Soon it is time to find our boat again, …
Buildings on the Shore
… and head back the mainland.
Every time I open my little bags of fragrant sap, I am transported straight back to the heat and the history of this temple complex in Upper Egypt.
They still smell glorious!
Until next time,
Happy Travels!
Photos: 10October2019
[…] to source international funding to rescue these two temples and the Temple Complex at Philae (see: The Sacred Temple of Isis). Between 1964 and 1968 the Abu Simbel temples were cut into 20 to 30 ton sections, moved and […]