Abu Simbel Below Qa~r lbrim the next important site is (52km) Abii. Simbel (Ar. Abu Sunbul), a corruption of the ancient name Ipsambul.
Hotel, Nefertari (2*). Airport, daily flight from Aswan. Hydrofoil, 5-hour journey from Aswan. The area is very desolate and seems to have been so since the earliest times. Nonetheless it was visited in the prehistoric period as inscriptions and carvings in the surrounding rocks testify. Much later Ramesses II had two great temples cut into the rock on the site of an earlier shrine. Southernmost is the massive *Temple of Ramesses II, dedicated to Rec-Harakhte, Amun and the deified Ramesses II. It was built by the king before his 34th regnal year on the site of a shrine to a local form of Horus. The location in the Hill of Libations was chosen with great precision so that twice a year (22 February and 22 October) the first rays of the rising sun illuminated the innermost wall of the sanctuary and the seated statues of the four gods there.
The rock-cut temple was discovered by Burckhardt in 1813 almost completely sanded up and Belzoni cleared it in 1817. When the rising waters of Lake Nasser threatened this temple, it was decided to move it to a new location. In 1964 team of West German, Italian, French and Swedish engineers under the auspices of UNESCO began the work. A coffer dam was erected and the whole temple dismantled. It was re erected inside a concrete shell 210m further inland and 65m higher. By the time the temple was reopened on 22 September 1968 the
operation had cost $40 million.

TEMPLE OFRAMESSES The fac;ade, 35m wide and 30m high, beyond a Terrace (A), is dominated by four Seated Colossi (20m high) of Ramesses II. E;ach wears the double crown and nemes headcloth and is accompanied by three smaller figures of his wives, daughters and sons, standing beside his legs. From left to right they are (a) Princess Nebtawi, Bant Anta and another unnamed, perhaps, Esenofre; (b) which is headless (upper section lying in front of the temple), Queen-mother Muttuy, Queen Nefertari and Prince Arnunhirkhopshef; there is also a Greek inscription giving an account of an expedition by mercenaries to Abu Simbel in the reign of Psamtik II (26 Dyn.); (c) two figures of Queen Nefertari and one of Prince Ramessesu; (d) Queen-mother Muttuy, Queen Nefertari and Princess Merytamun. On the sides of the thrones of the colossi flanking the entry are figures of Nile gods entwining the plants representing Upper and Lower Egypt and below are the Nine Bows, enemies of Egypt, shown as bound Asiatics and Nubians. In a niche above the entrance stands the figure of Rec-Harakhte (in rebus form). Along the summit of the fac;ade is a row of baboons.

Facade of the rock-cut Temple of Ramesses II 

At the Send of the terrace is the Hittite Marriage Stele (e) recording the marriage of Ramesses II to Princess Ma’at-Her-Neferure, daughter of the Hittite king Hattusilus II. Just beyond each end of the terrace is a small chapel. The N Chapel (NC), facing the rising sun, consists of an open court and an altar; the rock-cut S Chapel (SC) is larger. Double scene, Ramesses preceded by standards runs with hap and oar to
Amun-Rec and Mut, gives vases to Rec-Harakhte and Wert-Hekau .. (3-4) Inner Door, the king before Rec-Harakhte and Sekhmet and before Amun-Rec and Nut, he offers cloth to Amun-Rec and bouquets to Rec-Harakhte. A door bearing Ramesses II’s cartouches leads into a large rock-cut Hall (B) (16.4m by 11.6m). Supportirtg the roof are eight massive square pillars, in two rows of four. Each of these is fronted by a 9m
figure of the king in Nubian Osiride form, wearing a short kilt. Those on the N side are wearing the double crown and those on the S the
white crown of Upper Egypt. Between pillars III and IV is a stele of Ramesses II’s 34th regnal year recording the erecting of a temple of
Ptah at Memphis. Scenes on the pillars are: (I) The king offers incense to deified self, Queen Nefertari offers incense to Hathor of Abeshek, the king offers flowers to Min and incense to Isis. (II) The king offers Ma’ at to Amun-Rec and incense and libations to Ptah, bread to Sobek-Rec and flowers to Amun-Rec. (III) The king stands before Isis and receives heb-sed from Hathor, Princess Bant Anta offers sistrum
and flowers to Anuket. (IV) The king offers wine to Rec-Harakhte and stands before Amun-Rec, offers wine to ‘the noble of Hermopolis’ and libation and incense to Osiris. (V) The king offers ointment to Menhit and Ma’ at to Shu. (VI) The king offers wine to Horus of Baki (a local Nubian deity) and flowers to Mut. (VII) E face, the king offers flowers to Thoth. N face, the king offers bread to Amun-Rec and flowers to Horus of Ha (local Nubian deity). W face, the king

description of Temple of Ramesses

offers bread to Anubis and incense and a libation to Khnum. (VIII) E face, the king offers Ma’ at to Amun-Rec and flowers to Rec-Harakhte.
The ceiling of the central aisle is decorated with vultures with outstretched wings, that of the side aisles with stars. On the walls the
scenes are lively and well-carved and painted. The king followed by ka accompanied by eight sons kills Nubian and Hittite
prisoners before Amun-Rec. Upper register, offering scenes; lower register, Nubian and Syrian wars, the king attacks a Syrian fort. The king presents two rows of Nubian prisoners to Amun-Rec and two rows of Syrian prioners to Rec-Harakhte. Battle of Kadesh in four registers; upper register, advance of Ptah Division, the king in chariot; middle register, town of Kadesh, the king in chariot; lower register, chariot fight, reception of spies; below, camp and chariot, arrival of recruits with reinforcements.  The king followed by ka kills prisoners before Rec-Harakhte; accompanied by nine daughters. Beneath the reliefs is a short inscription saying that they were made by the sculptor Mery-Amun Piyay son of Khanufer. Off this hall open a number of side chambers, which must have been
used as store-rooms for the temple linen, plate and clothing. Unlike the later temple the functions of the rooms are not stated. On the side of the hall are two side chambers. In the first  the W wall  decorated with reliefs showing the king before the gods. The second room  has all its walls decorated with similar scenes. These include Hathor, Isis, Rec-Harakhte, Amun-Rec, Ptah, Khonsu and Ma’ at. Two side chambers open off the NW comer through a vestibule , embellished with offering scenes with the king offering to Thoth, Amun-Rec, the Theban Triad, Atum, Montu, Isis and Rec. The rooms and show the king before Ma’at, Wepwawet, Amun-Rec, Khnum, Ptah, Thoth and Montu. Four calves are driven before Khnum; cloth, wine, linen, ointment and vases are offered to the other deities. From the SW corner opens another vestibule leading to two more side chambers . Here again the paintings are mainly concerned with religious subjects. Lintel, the king runs with hap and oar before Amun-Rec and Mut; left jamb, offers lettuces to Min; right jamb, offers wine to Ptah; in the thickness, texts of year I.

At the entrance to the Second Hall , 10.9m by 1.0m, two sandstone sphinxes originally stood; just beyond was found a headless seated sandstone statue of Pesiur II, viceroy of Kush (all now in BM). This room has four square columns and is also decorated with religious and
offering scenes. The king offers flowers to Amun-Rec and Mut with a deified Ramesses II placed between them at later date.  The king and Queen Nefertari offer to boat of Amun-Rec. The king in front of Amun-Rec. The king receives heb-sed from Rec-Harakhte. The king and queen before boat of deified Ramesses II. The king offers lettuces to Amun-Min and Isis. The Vestibule must have been mainly for offerings as wine, fruit and flowers are shown on the walls. The king before deified self. The king receives life from Amun-Rec and deified self. The king offers wine to Horus. The king offers incense to Amun-Rec.  The king offers flowers to Ptah in kiosk.  The king on either side. Three doors open off the rear wall of the vestibule. The two side chapels are undecorated but the Sanctuary has paintings and statues of the patron gods, and in the centre an altar of Ramesses II. The king before boat of Amun-Rec and anointing Amun-Min. The king before boat of deified self and before his deified self. Niche with four