The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2023 - Issue 33

bitetravel Through the entrance, a massive pylon depicts Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos, another Ptolemaic pharaoh, smiting foes. After the courtyard, you’ll see smaller hypostyle halls and antechambers before arriving at the Sanctuary of Horus, with a black-granite shrine dedicated by Nectanebo III, the last native ruler of An- cient Egypt. One of the antechambers has a small chapel with a beautiful version of Nut, goddess of the sky, painted across the ceiling. Inside one of the outer walls is a relief of Horus slaying Seth. In the agricultural town of Kom Ombo, the Ptolemaic Temple of Sobek and Haroeris is dedicated to the god of the Nile, repre- sented by a crocodile and an older manifestation of Horus. The temple is mirrored down a central line with two entrances and perfectly symmetrical construction, down to the twin sanctuar- ies of the two gods. Reliefs show the coronations of the Ptolema- ic pharaohs as rulers of Upper and Lower Egypt and their divine descent. Outside the temple is a chapel to Hathor containing mummified crocodiles and the legacies of the worship of Sobek. A few kilometres from the town centre, the Temple of Philae, an island-based Aswan complex, is worth visiting. Built over 2,000 years ago during the Ptolemaic Dynasty, it was the centre for worship of Isis, spread widely in the Roman Empire and Chris- tianity’s principal rival between the 3rd and 5th centuries. After a short boat ride, you’ll disembark into a collonaded courtyard leading into the temple flanked by carved pylons. Trajan’s Kiosk, attributed to the Roman emperor, features beautifully carved columns. Another water excursion by felucca on the Nile will take you to Elephantine Island, hosting the Aswan Museum with collec- tions of Nubia and ancient monuments. One of the important landmarks is the ruins of the temple of the deity Khnum, the master of Elephantine. It was built in the Middle Kingdom and rebuilt during the reign of Thutmose III in the New Kingdom. Further enhancements were made during the reign of Nakhten- abu II, and an archaeological gate was decorated at the end of Alexander IV’s rule. In Abu Simbel, Upper Egypt, the great Sun Temple epitomises the monumentalism of the new Kingdom at the time Ramses II waged colonial wars from the Beak Valley in Lebanon to the Fourth Cataract. He impressed his power and majesty on the Nubians by hewing four gigantic statues of himself from the mountainside. Hence, his unblinking stare confronted travellers as they entered Egypt from Africa. To avoid losing Abu Simbel to Lake Nasser, UNESCO organised the salvage of Nubian mon- uments in the 1960s. Excursion packages are ideal for visiting the historical beauties of Egypt while learning about key figures and events. Take in the White Desert, located 370 km southwest of Cairo, with some of the rarest landscapes and geological formations, like the green oasis with palm trees, hot springs, and dormant volcanos sur- rounded by sand and crystal mountains. The Black Desert stark- ly opposes its mono counterpart, with black powder-covered hills providing a panoramic view of the surreal landscape. Luxor - Winter Palace Hotel - Lobby - Howard Carter DIsplay Cairo - Egyptian Museum - Statue of King Djoser - Third Dynasty Egypt - Cairo - Egyptian Museum - Sarcophagii