The Temple of Wadi al-Sabua (el-Sebua) in Nubia

The Temple of Wadi al-Sabua in Nubia by Craig Hildreth

About 140 kilometers (85 miles) south of the High Aswan Dam in ancient Nubia on the west bank of the Nile two temples were built uring the New !ing om"s 18th an 1#th D$nasties% &hen' in the 1#(0s' the High Dam was being constructe ' one of these temples that was built b$ )amesses **' an is now usuall$ referre to as the +emple of &a i al,-abua (&a i el, -ebua) but originall$ known as the .House,of,Amun.' was sal/age (in 1#(4) an mo/e to a new' ele/ate site se/eral kilometers to the northwest' while the earlier temple of Amenhotep *** was' regrettabl$' left to be burie beneath the waters of 0ake Nasser% Howe/er' fi/e stela from this temple are in the Aswan 1useum% 2oth of these temples were part free stan ing an part speos' meaning that a section of the temples were hewn from the surroun ing rock%

+he temple built b$ Amenhotep *** was e icate principall$ to the Nuibian form of the 3o Horus' an later' apparentl$ uring the time of )amesses **' to Amun% *t was amage uring the Amarna 4erio ' but later restore b$ )amesses **% +he temple that was actuall$ built on the or ers of )amesses **' utili5ing at least some 0ib$an capti/es sometime aroun his 44th $ear as king' was e icate to Amun,)e an )e, Horakht$% *t was the thir speos st$le temple that )amesses ** built in Nubia' the most famous of which is of course at Abu -imbel% +he temple sphin6,line approach in the two forecourts lea ing to the initial stairwa$ pro/i es the name of this area' which is known as the 7alle$ of the 0ions (Arabic &a i al -abua)% +he entire comple6 that procee s the rock hewn chambers was enclose within a huge brick wall o/er a meter thick on a rectangular plan measuring 85 b$ 80 meters' with buttresses on the north an south e6ternal si es%

The Avenue of Sphinxes

A raw brick p$lon gatewa$' now lost to us' that was flanke b$ a statue of )amesses ** an a human,hea e ()amesses **) sphin6 on either si e le to the first forecourt% &ithin this forecourt' a central alle$ was bor ere b$ two large' human,hea e sphin6es%

A amesses !! Headed Sphinx At the rear of this court$ar ' another thick p$lon stoo ' also belie/e to ha/e been ma e of brick' though now lost to us' that we belie/e was fronte b$ statues of )amesses **% 2e$on ' in the secon court$ar ' another alle$ le through two sphin6es on either si e with the hea s of falcons% +he$ protecte ' between their legs' statuettes of )amesses ** wearing the nemes hea ress% An inscription on their bases refers to )amesses **"s se ,festi/al' an e6presses his esire for a long life% +o the south of this is a small court$ar with an altar e icate to )e, Horakht$%

After the secon court$ar ' a stairwa$ lea s up to a high terrace of the section built in stone' that' prior to the temple"s relocation' abutte a cliff% +his part of the temple' but in stone an hewn from the cliff' is similar to the temple at 3erf Hussein' an correspon s to the t$pical tripartite cult temple' with a court' a h$post$le hall an sanctuaries% A stone p$lon measuring 94%5 meters wi e an 90 meters tall' abutte b$ four colossi of )amesses ** some si6 meters high on one meter bases' forme the faca e to the court be$on % *nterestingl$' this p$lon has no recesses for the flagstaffs that are normall$ foun in temples% +hough ba l$ worn' reliefs on the p$lon epict )amesses ** sacrificing to Amun on the south si e' an to )e,Horakht$ on the north% &hile this p$lon remains' now there is but one colossal statue of )amesses ** left on the southern si e% +his is a t$pical stri ing statue of the king with the left foo forwar % 2$ his si e stan s a small statue of a :ueen that ma$ represent his el est aughter b$ *stnofret' who later became his wife' 2ent"anta (2intanath' 2int,Anath' 2intanat)% Another statue that probabl$ stoo to the north now lies in the san % *t epicts )amesses ** with a stan ar surmounte b$ the hea of a falcon%

Another of the Colossal Statues "ith amesses Holding a Standard 2e$on ' the so calle .feast court. is almost s:uare' measuring 1#%8 b$ 90%( meters% *t is bor ere laterall$ b$ two porticoes with fi/e pillars with engage stan ing ;siris st$le statues of )amesses **% +o the south is a slaughter court that lies between the wall of the court an the enclosure wall% ;n the walls of this court are epicte one of )amesses **"s well known processions of his chil ren that inclu es 51 princes an (8 princesses' together with their names% ;ther scenes present )amesses ** before /arious eities%

At the rear of the .feast court.' a secon stairwa$ lea s up to the secon terrace running along the rock hewn part of the temple% 2e$on is another almost s:uare' twel/e pillare (so calle ) .hall of appearance.% +he bases of the pillars are cut from the li/ing rock% +he pillars on either si e of the central alle$ ha/e ;siri e statues of the pharaoh abutte to them% 7arious scenes within this chamber epict the pharaoh together with a number of go s an go esses' inclu ing -hu' Nekhbit' +efnut an Hathor% Another relief shows the go 4tah promising man$ se ,festi/als to )amesses **% After the pillare hall is a so calle trans/erse .chamber of offering. flanke b$ a room at either en ' an be$on this is the main sanctuar$ in the center flanke b$ two narrower chapels% +he center chamber is thought to be a bark chapel that once containe the sacre bark' an it is illustrate with the prow of a falcon on the northern wall an that of a ram on the southern wall' while )amesses ** makes offerings to both boats% ;ther scenes represent )amesses ** embrace b$ 1ut an Hathor' an offering foo to Amun,)e%

At the rear of the central chamber is a niche which once containe a statuar$ group consisting of Amun,)e' )amesses ** an )e,Horakht$% +he entrance to the niche was ecorate with an image of )amesses ** worshiping the go s within% *nterestingl$' howe/er' this ancient theme was change b$ the earl$ <hristians' who con/erte the temple into a church' an now shows )amesses ** offering to -t% 4eter instea %
Title Author Date Publisher Reference

Number Atlas of Ancient Egypt %omplete &emples of Ancient Egypt, &he )istory of Egyptian Architect,re, A 1&he Empire 1the "e2 3ing$om4 !rom the Eighteenth ynasty to the En$ of the &2entieth ynasty 1/80.108/ B*%* ;5for$ )istory of Ancient Egypt, &he Baines, John; Les Livres 1980 Malek, Jaromir !rance 'ilkinson, (ichar$ )* Ba$a2y, Ale5an$er +000 e "one #tate$ -#B" 0./00. 0/100.0 L%%% A/. 9:96 -#B" 0.19. 81/009.+ -B#" 1. /8660.:19.0

&hames an$ ),$son, Lt$ 7niversity of %alifornia 8ress ;5for$ 7niversity 8ress

1968

#ha2, -an &* <* )* James

+000

(amesses --

+00+ !rie$man=!airfa5