Today's program: In the footsteps of Montu and the Luxor museum.
In the footsteps of Montu.
The last day again, shame on one hand but on the other hand I have done and seen quite enough and there is a time to come and a time to go, ergo ......
The program includes a bonus of this day what I planned, and I'm thus like I above, here in the footsteps of Montu occurred.
We visit for this purpose three locations, beginning with Tod, in Armant and then go to Medamoet.
In Tod we visit a temple of Montu, in Armant, we look at all sorts of remnants of a temple of Montu plus something else because the temples are all built over each other. Unfortunately, from a distance because we were not allowed to enter the site because of the excavations and restorations that take place here.
In Medamoet Finally, we examine again the remains of a temple of Montu.
All three temples dating from the late time and are built on top of temples from the Middle Kingdom which also were dedicated Montu. During the Middle Kingdom was the kingdom god Montu and his temple at Karnak was the first who stood there the temple of Amun came there much later.
Temple of Tod.
20 km south of Luxor on the east bank, is Tod here is one of the shrines of Montu. The ancient Egyptian name was Djerty and in the Greco-Roman times the city was named Tuphium.
From the quay and the canal which connected the temple with the Nile runs a sphinx avenue to the sanctuary.
Along the procession route is also a boat shrine of Thutmose III from the 18th dynasty, this is first restored by Amenhotep II then by Seti I, Amenmesses, Ramses III and Ramses IV. He represents a small temple from the Ptolemaic and Roman periods.
The oldest remains of a mud-brick temple found in the 5th dynasty of Queen Oeserkaf.
In the beginning of the Middle Kingdom is already built, however, the big builders were here Mentuhotep I, Mentuhotep II and Sesostris I. Unfortunately, these temples have disappeared for the most part.
In 1936, is an great discovery made in the foundations that are left are of this temple. Called the treasure of Tod especially beautiful gold and silver objects also Lapis-lazulie. They were found in 4 bronze boxes under the floor of the temple from the Middle Kingdom from the 12th dynasty. One half is in the Louvre and the other half in the Museum in Cairo.
The treasure of Tod.
The monuments that still standing are from the time of the New Kingdom and later times.
The great temple that still stands was started by Ptolemeas VII, this is a hypostyle hall and a room with several rooms. The temple is built so that there is a connection with the building of Sesostris I from the Middle Kingdom. Besides the temple was still a Roman Kiosk.
Click on the ticket for the pictures.
Video-impression of the temple in Tod.
Armant (Hermontis).
Here was the main cult of the god Montu.
Located 12 km from Luxor on the West bank. In the days of ancient Egypt it was called Iuny and in the Greco-Roman period Hermontis, now called Armant.
Already in the 11th dynasty there is built under Mentuhotep II. Then there are important additions made in the 12th Dynasty and the New Empire. All this was destroyed in the late time.
A new temple was built during the reign of Nectanebo II and was continued by the Ptolemies. Cleopatra VII and her son Cesarion have a birth house built and a sacred lake.
The building remained visible until the 19th century. Then there is under the command of Mohamed Ali Pasha built a sugar factory. (where also many blocks of columns from the rear of the temple of Medinet Habu Temple of Ramses III are processed).
Two ports that are built are also found one of them was built by Antoninus Pius. Today is another part of the pylon to see the temple built by Thutmose III and blocks from the time of Cleopatra VII and the sugar factory.
Click on the picture to see more of them.
The god Montu was worshiped here as a white bull with a black headand became Boechis. This was a manifestation of the deification of the Ka (power and life) of the god Montu. Boechis was an aspect of the war. Bulls were wild and aggressive When something is elicited. A wild bull was chosen and this was the incarnation of the Boechis Montoe.When the bull was deceased, he was mummified and buried in a special cemetery Buheum. The mothers of these bulls were mummified and they were identified with Hathor, the mother of the gods. Self is she also depicted as a cow for example at the Hathor chapel in the temple of Queen Hatshepsut.
Eventually the Boechis are identified with the Apis bull (the black and white bull was worshiped in Memphis and in the Serapeum at Saqqara was buried. And that was again regarded as the incarnation of Osiris.
The last bull was buried in Boechis Buheum at Hermontis was in 340 AD. The worship of the bull in this form lasted until about 362 AD. Then it was destroyed by the rising Christianity in the Roman Empire.
The cemetery Buheum (this is Greek) Bakh (the Egyptian name) of these bulls in 1927, was found on the desert outskirts north of the city. The earliest burial dates from the time of Nectanebo II.
Also found here is the cemetery of the mothers of the bulls. Extensive cemeteries of all periods can be found here near Hermontis.
Temple at Medamoet.
Medamoet located 8 km north-east of Luxor on the east bank. In ancient times the place was known as Madoe.
In the Middle Kingdom, people here began the construction of a temple of Montu but also for his wife Raettawy a sun goddess, the feminine form of Ra, but was often depicted as a cow with the sun between its horns and Harpocrates this was Horus as a child.
Click on the picture to see more of them.
For the most part it is built by Sesostris III from the 12th dynasty.
It is also certain that Mentuhotep III has also built on the temple.
Thereafter, even the kings from the late Middle Kingdom and second intermediate period must be building on it, including Amenemhat VII Sebekhotep III from the 13th dynasty and Sebekemsaf from the 17th dynasty.
But there are still remnants found in the New Empire and the Late period. Now we see only the temple from the Greco-Roman times. Probably on the old temple was built.
The large gate was built by Tiberius, but the facade and the porch with 3 kiosks are built by Ptolemeas VII. In the southern kiosk is an image of musicians and sawyers and the dancing god Bes.
The hypostyle hall was built by Ptolemeas VII. And the large open courtyard is decorated by Antoninus Pius. But there is also a granite passage of the 18th dynasty Amenhotep II.
Behind the cathedral for the 3 holy gods there is a special shrine the sacred bull of Montu. Here is a picture of King Trajan who worships the bull ..
There are also found areas where animals were kept and storehouses. And within the walls is a sacred lake found.
Video-impression of the temple in Medamoet.
After these three yet again very interesting visits it was time to relax with a cup of tea and for others the hookah.
Enjoyed the tea, cola and a hookah.
Luxor museum.
Since we were back just in time for our trip in the footsteps of Montu, therefore I had some time left and therefore I decided to visit the museum of Luxor as a conclusion of the great tour. Luckily I had taken this decision because this museum is well worth a visit.
Click on the ticket for the pictures.
Well, well, well, it's still fun to all those Egyptian artifacts to see, wonderful and just what a pity that in the past so much has been lost in any way whatsoever.
But you also get somewhat of a dry throat, so its time for a nice cold beer in the hotel, then take a shower and for the last time to Broodje Holland for a delicious snack.
See you tomorrow.
