Day 11, sunday 22 april 2012.

Today's program: Abu Simbel and private tombs in Aswan.

Abu Simbel.

At 3 o'clock in the morning the alarm went off, and then to the muster point to drive from where we are in a small convoy of 18 vehicles leave towards Abu Simbel a ride of about 3 hours.

Once there, it is now become light and the sun is shining. And once again after the necessary vendors to have brushed aside, we walk to the temples, which have also been moved due to construction of the High Dam. Once there, you can only look on admiringly.
Unfortunately there is a film and fotograveer ban, which not even with tips to avoid, because there are too many tourists present, but no worries, I still have something to shoot ....

Abu Simbel is the artistic culmination of all buildings of Ramses II. The complex consists of 2 temples the main temple houses the cult of the 3 great empire gods Amon-Re and Ptah Harachte.
The small temple is dedicated to the Goddess Hathor, who is embodied by Queen Nefertari.
Ramses has very early in his government ordered the construction of the temples because in year 20 of his reign was the great temple ready with 4 statues of 22 meters.

The statues represent all Ramses II  l but the names are different. The southern statues called, son of Ramses the rulers and ruler of both countries, the northern statues called Ramses beloved of Amon and Ramses beloved of Atum.
Above the entrance is Ramses while he sacrifices to Ra.
His attributes are connected with his image the throne name of Ramses Oesermaatre.

Click on the ticket to see pictures of the Ramses II temple.

Inside the temple there are performances of sacrificial scenes and festive processions barque. But here again is a huge picture of the battle of Kadesh about the battle with the Hittites, Ramses II has delivered.
The spacious and high rockhall with 8 large Osiris statues of the king is narrower to the 2nd hypostyle, and ever lower, and the most holy in the rear is actually a cave 60 meters deep in the temple. Here are the images of the gods Amun-Re and Ptah Harachte and the king himself is here too.

The Temple stood so that the sun is 2 x per year on 20 February and 20 October all the way to the back of the temple shone. Both temples were moved in 1964 and in 1968 it completed.
The temple is cut in 1036 blocks and he is 210 meters inland and on higher ground 65 meters rebuilt.
The technical implementation of this plan was actually as big as the original construction of the temple. But the temple is geographically shifted because the sun no longer comes within the 21, but on 22 February and 22 October.

Click on the picture to see more of the Nefertari temple.

After this impressive temples we had to wait until the others were tired and we could just relax on a terrace, protected by a parasol against the now sweltering Sun It was now about 45 ° C .
After an hour, the convoy was again complete and we could take the way through the desert.

Click on the picture for a few more.

At 2 o'clock we were back in Aswan, which gave me the opportunity to visit four private tombs from the 6th and 12th dynasty. These graves are in a mountain almost directly across the Nile as seen from the hotel. Since this program is not in the normal or rather was optional, I only go there. This time the crossing of the Nile with a so-called Felucca, a kind of sailboat.

The princes, nobles and priests lived and lived in Aswan, during the 6th and the 12th dynasty. They were called "The guards of the gate to the South". Their task was to monitor the most vulnerable southern frontier of Egypt against the attacks of the inhabitants of the land Kush (Sudan). The graves were discovered in 1947 by Egyptian Egyptologist Labib Labachi.
One can reach the graves through the northern stone staircase.

When Mekhu by Pharaoh Pepi II was appointed as a border guard, he undertook many expeditions to the dark Africa. In one of his expeditions he was attacked and killed by a wild desert tribe. His son Sabni undertook a search and had the remains transferred to Aswan. Pharaoh Pepi II sent from Memphis to Aswan professional embalmers to give Mekhu a state funeral. Sabni received reinforcement troops to punish to the desert tribe. It was Pepi II, to honor his loyal border guards at the borders of Upper Egypt. In exchange Sabni gave a portion of the booty to Pepi II.
The graves are connected to the relationship of father and son emphasis. The tombs contain murals just as the soft rock was not suitable for bas-reliefs in sculpture.
They depict hunting scenes and fishing scenes. Halfway through the funereal basin stands a granite offering table.
The grave spaces are not restored.

Sirenpowet I was the governor of Aswan and the southern countries and also superintendent of the priests of Khnum and Satet under the dominion of Pharaoh Senoeseret I.
In his grave were exceptional decorations made ​​that unfortunately the ravages of time have not survived.
In the courtyard you can see on the walls and pillars pictures of himself while hunting and fishing. One sees a beautiful picture of a dog and a picture in which Sirenpowet I attend a bullfight.
On the walls in the tomb we see a scene where a trap is rolled open to catch birds. These scenes can be recognized only with difficulty. The grave of his grandson Sirenpowet II is much better preserved.

The finest and best preserved tomb of the rocky hill. He was the chief priest of the prophets of Khnum temple. In the first burial chamber are 6 pillars, where murals are of his wife and family.
In a narrow corridor are six remarkable images that the mummified prince proposals.
At the end of the hall is a chapel. In a niche is a mural who depicts his son.
He is smaller than his father while he depicted a lotus in his right hand. He pays homage to his father. On the table are bread, grapes and a duck carcasses. The colors are very beautiful.
Above left we see a unique hieroglyph that an elephant represents.
In the cartouches one sees the name of the pharaoh Amenemhat II.
Only the pharaoh was allowed to write his name in a cartouche, this right had the princes and nobles not.
On the right wall you can still clearly see the grid that the artists used to make a drawing. Afterwards, this grid than normally was removed.

Pictures of all 4 graves and more. (Click on the ticket)

Well, I can say it's still not boring an acquintance here in Egypt, every day something new and it remains impressive, exciting, fantastic, wonderful and magnificent.
The boat with a falouka was an experience in itself and fun to do.
Arriving in the Hathor Hotel, just nice refresh, then take a look at the local market. Obviously had _ _ Olette an acquintance here , where we got a cup of tea and I've found some nice shirts as a souvenir.
After an hour we continued our way under him, and because it is good liking we took place at the Isis Hotel for a bite to eat and of course drink.
At one point there was a boat dock and as we needed a boat tomorrow to visit the botanical garden and the Nubian village to sail, tied Olette a conversation with the captain, called Habibi. Apparently they both had a good feeling, because they were the business quickly agreed, and Habibi was also a participant in the network of Olet.
For this agreement to settle, he invited us for a night cruise on the Nile, also a nice thing to do.

Aswan by night (pictures).