Kalabsha Temple at New Kalabsha

Kalabsha Temple

Kalabsha Temple originally built at Kalabsha (Talmis) was moved to its present location at New Kalabsha (Chellal) in 1970 together with other monuments !rom Nubia including the Kios" o! #ertassi (Kertassi)$ %lso nearby is &eit al'(ali$ )eachable by ta*i or by boat depending on the water level the sandstone edi!ice was built by the )oman +mperor ,ctavius %ugustus (-0 to 1. &C) and dedicated to the !ertility and Nubian /olar deity "nown as 0andulis (0erwel who was the Nubian counterpart o! 1orus)$ 2t was the largest !ree'standing temple o! +gyptian Nubia and the design o! Kalabsha Temple is classical !or the 3tolemaic period with pylons courtyard hypostyle hall and three room sanctuary$ 1owever the 3ylon is o!!set which creates a trape4oid in the courtyard beyond$ 2t was built on the site o! an earlier structure built by 3tolemy 25 as evidenced by a chapel$ There is also a small chapel and gate on+lephantine 2sland !rom Kalabsha and a gate built by %ugustus was given to the %gyptisches 0useum in (est &erlin$ The courtyard 6ust inside the pylon once had columns on three sides$ %t either end is a staircase that leads to the upper stories o! the pylon and a good view o! 7a"e Nassar$ ,n the right screened wall separating the courtyard !rom the hypostyle hall is an inscription !rom %urelius &esarion (about 8.9 %9) the governor o! ,mbos and +lephantine decreeing the e*pulsion o! swine !rom the town !or religious purposes$ ,n a column here is the te*t o! King Kharamadoye and is one o! the longest 0eroitic inscriptions !ound to date$ ,n an end wall is thought to be an inscription o! the :th century Nubian King /il"o who con;uered the !ierce Nubian &lemmyes$ ,ther seances on the on the screen walls include the King with 1orus and Thoth$ ,n the rear o! the vestibule are scenes depicting a 3tolemaic "ing ma"ing o!!erings to 2sis and 0andulis$ %lso %menhotep 22 who !ounded the original temple (1.:0 to 1.8: &C) upon which this one is built is ma"ing o!!ers o! wine to 0in and 0andulis$ %!ter the vestibule are three chambers the pronaos (a chamber preceding the sanctuary the naos or sanctuary where statues o! gods were located and the adyton which is the innermost or secrete shrine)$ <arious seances within these chambers show the King surrounded by the goddesses o! =pper and 7ower +gypt %mun'0in and 3tah while receiving holy water !rom Thoth and 1orus$ 2n the naos andadyton the "ing is ma"ing o!!erings to ,siris 2sis and 0andulis$ There is also a small chapel which can be reached !rom stairs in the !irst chamber which then descend !rom the roo! into the chapel set inside the wall$ %s you leave the temple be sure to note the rear wall with images o! 0andulis with his vulture !eathered cloa"$

Maps - Kalabsha

Map of Kalabsha in Aswan