Day 13, tuesday 24 april 2012.

Today's program: Valley of Colors and Karnak.

Valley of Colors.

The first part of this day was not on the program that was previously agreed.
However, as noted on day 7 of this trip, I had during a conversation between Olette and someone else picked up that there is such a thing as the "Valley of colors', as already stated this was a nickname for Malkata and that she soon wanted to take a look. This naturally attracted my curiosity so I asked if I could come along. Eventually, after some discussion between my expert tour guide and the other person, whose name was not mentioned may be due secrecy, there was no problem.
Well after a ride of about half an hour we arrived in this unexplored area.
First we visited a small Isis Temple, luckily just in time because less than 10 minutes later an American team that arrived this temple in the coming months if not years is refurbishing. Had they bin earlier, it was most likely to definitely not have been possible to take these pictures.

Pictures Isistemple and of the palace from Amenhotep III.

5 minutes away, we arrive at what was once the palace of Amenhotep III, you read that right, indeed, a palace on the western bank of the Nile (FYI this is truly exceptional). And unfortunately, this one has so far done nothing, and given the area that covers this palace, it is still a lot to dig.
Also on the other side of the road opposite the palace, is still a very interesting object, namely a large temple. Hopefully go the French, who already hold a camp here soon begin, because this site has plenty of potential, even though it looks very bad. I can say that I found intriguing here first or at least one of the first tourists to be.
Unfortunately, we could not continue here, because a little further (4 hours walk) are a number of tombs discovered of princes from the 18th dynasty, but one Zahi Hawass has banned at the time that his word was law was, that people there anyway not as a tourist but also not as Egyptologist has access, for the simple reason that he wants to take credit for this rediscovery.

Temples at Karnak.

After the above I have to visit the temples of Karnak brought, and witnessing the slightly more than 400 photos, this was more than worth it. Since I am in the fortunate circumstance of being here already in 2006, I actually thought of hmm, just walk through it and you're done. But nothing is less true, thanks to Olette I got not only the standard things for tourists to see but came also the other aspects of the temples of Karnak. Unfortunately, only the portion of the temple dedicated to the god Ptah was closed due to restoration. But then I had probably a hundred more pictures to take what is also no probleen, long live the digital age in this area.

Pictures of Karnak part 1, click on the ticket.

The construction of the Karnak temple began during the reign of King Sesosstris I from the 12th dynasty, he reigned from about 1963 to 1916 BC.
The temple is dedicated to Amun, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu. Together they form the triad of Thebes.
In the Middle Kingdom Amun was increasingly important and at the start of the New Kingdom even more.

All in all there is 2000 years built, rebuilt, and again broken down at this temple, originally was the god Montu here the main god and his temple is located on the north side of the Karnak complex. The temple was actually built alongside. The size of the whole area is 1500 by 800 square meters.
And except for the actual temple, which in the past was named-Ipet Soet , what means the most favorite place, there are many more temples and chapels in the area.
Mut also had her own temple, but which is more to the south after the 10th pylon.
Khonsu had his own temple, in the main area in the south corner.

Pictures of Karnak part 2, hypostylenhall.

Before we enter the temple, we walk through a first avenue of sphinxes. For this sphinx avenue was a dock where the barques moored of the kings, where now a wooden bridge is going over. The quay as it is today dates from the 25th dynasty. The sphinxes were posted by Pinodjem the high priest, under Pharaoh Smendes I from the 21th dynasty. The sphinxes are here ram-headed.
There is also a boat and shrine of Psammoethis Hakoris, both from the 29th dynasty.

The first pylon was built by Nectanebo from the 30th dynasty. Behind the first pylon is the first court and here is a lot to see, just behind the wall of the the first pylon is a bark chapel of Seti II, 19th dynasty.
He is dedicated to the triad and each god has his own space.

Ramses III from the 20th dynasty has also built a bark chapel which is larger outage, with 2 large statues of the king at the entrance. Inside there is a courtyard with many images of the king as Osiris.
In the back are 3 rooms for Amun, Mut and Khonsu.

Taharka (690-664) from the 25th dynasty, has in the middle of the first garden a kiosk built 1 column is still completely intact and for the rest some pieces.
The sphinxes on the right are likely to come from the sphinx avenue which you walk through at the start. Walking to the second pylon, we see 2 large statues of Ramses II standing, on the image on the left is also a daughter of Ramses II to see she is named Bentana and stands for his legs.
The second pylon was built by King Horemheb, the last king of the 18th dynasty.

The open air museum

We decide to visit the open air museum first.
In the open air museum we see all chapels, which the kings have broken down, the stones reuse. Thus the rocks of the White Chapel of Sesosstris I and the Red Chapel of Hatshepsut and the two alabaster chapels found in the third pylon of Amenhotep III. They are now back in full glory. And there are more chapels rebuilt here ao of Tuthmosis IV and Amenhotep I.

Pictures of Karnak part 3, the open air museum.

After the open air, we walk along the main outer wall towards the big hypostylenhal, built by Ramses II. In total there are 134 columns. The 12 columns in the middle are much higher than the other columns, these columns form an open papyrus flower, and are built by Amenhotep III. The columns that are lower, all have closed capitals.

The walls, between the 2nd and the 3rd pylon standing, were built by Seti I and also decorated by him.
Ramses II has decorated the outside, and here among others depicting the battle of Kadesh.
Walking through the aisle and looking up you see the remains of windows that have been there, the entire hall was formerly also covered but that is gone.

The third pylon was built by Amenhotep III, he has his pylon decorated with scenes from the Opet Festival.
And Ramses III has several columns hieroglyphics put under, which is very very easily recognizable by the depth of the hieroglyphics which only occur with Ramses III.
Subsequently, there are four obelisks built by Thutmose I and Thutmose III, unfortunately there's just 1 on his feet the one of Thutmose I. These obelisks indicate the original entrance of the temple.

Pictures of Karnak part 4, the obelisks and more.

The pylons 4 and 5 buildings of Tuthmosis I, this is the oldest part of the temple.
There were also papyrus columns and Queen Hatshepsut has also built 2 more obelisks here, one of which is broken down and the point lies at the sacred lake, the lower part is still in place and the other obelisk is still there in its entirety .

The 6th pylon and the courtyard were built by Thutmose III, he also put here 2 heraltische columns, with the emblems of Upper and Lower Egypt on it.
The lotus flower is the symbol of Upper Egypt, the part of which runs from Minya Egypt to Sudan.
The Papyrus is the symbol of Lower Egypt the part of Egypt that runs from Minya to the Mediterranean Sea.

Pictures of Karnak part 5, 6de pylon and forecourt.

Then a red granite shrine built by Philip Arridaeus from the Greco-Roman period, 332-310 BC. He has this shrine built over the shrine of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III . All other buildings around this shrine, were originally of Hatshepsut.
On the left side of the shrine is located the sanctuary of Hatshepsut. On the outside is shown that the queen gives the 2 obelisks to her divine father. Inside there are beautiful colored drawings of scenes with the queen.
For the shrine on the right is also a chapel of Alexander the Great. And left another 2 images that have been put there by Tutankhamun.

Then we come to the central courtyard, this is really the oldest section, known as Ipet-Soet. Here stood the most sacred and there are unfortunately only 3 huge stones from over.
Behind it is a temple of Thutmose III, this temple is called the feast chapel . In the hypostyle hall are beautiful colors and in one of the rooms behind are beautiful images of plants and animals.

Pictures of Karnak part 6, temple Thutmose III.

At the back is a great gate of Nectanebo I from the 30th dynasty. This port is in the wall on the east side and is almost 20 meters high.
On the way back you pass the sacred lake.

Pictures of Karnak part 7, big gate and more.

The sacred lake is filled with groundwater. On the other side are the remains of the houses of the priests. At the end of the lake now stand the sound and light show which is held in the evening.
Up front is a large square. Here we find a huge scarab of Amenhotep III that originally stood in his temple of millions of years on the west side of the Nile. Here is also the point of the second obelisk of Hatshepsut, on top of this obelisk is a picture of the coronation of Hatshepsut by Amon.

We walk through a passageway in the wall to the second leg of the temple, here we see the 7th pylon in this court is a huge cache of images and everything you can imagine what happens in the temple there was a total of approximately 17000 properties found. The cache was found in 1903 by Georges Legrain.
Unfortunately, the wooden objects are all heavily damaged by groundwater. And the bronze objects were all badly affected. The stone statues and stelae have it all made right through. The priests in the temple had always accept all the new stuff and at some point it makes the place full. Hence, they put the oldest pictures and stuff in the cache .
The 7th pyl0on was built by Thutmose III. And besides these pylon he had also an alabaster shrine.

The 8th was built by Hatsjespoet, and the 9th and 10th we owe Horemheb.

Between the 9th and 10th pylon is still a temple for the Do-Set festival of Amenhotep II. That stood there thus even before the pylons were built.

On the 10th pylon are beautiful images of animals. This pylon is in large part built with blocks of a temple of Akhenaten, not surprising since Horemheb was the one who has kept the great Amarna cleanup.

Pictures of Karnak part 8.

Pictures of Karnak part 9, Khonsu temple and more.

Here is an avenue of sphinxes which runs towards the temple of Mut and it joins the avenue, that of the Mut Temple is coming and then going on to the Luxor Temple. The Sphinxes which were standing on the avenue are all ram-headed. In the temple is also a beautiful picture of a Baboon with the name of Seti I in it.
In the back is a room the so called color room, in this room are beautiful pictures of the king and various gods in brilliant colors.

Pictures of Karnak part 10, the colorroom.

After this, I'm afraid to repeat myself again, very impressive day it was time for restaurant "sandwich Holland" where I enjoyed a delicious vegetable soup followed by a great kebab with fries, really great. Also with a nice cold beer.