Over the next couple of days, the "daily photo" will be featuring Abu Simbel in Nubia. The temple complex at Abu Simbel was one of the many monuments built under the reign of Ramesses II. Both of the tombs at Abu Simbel were rock-cut into a sandstone hill, and had to be moved during the UNESCO rescue operations of the 1960s to raise them above the level of the rising waters of Lake Nasser, following the construction of the Aswan High Dam.
The temple of Ramesses II is the larger of the two, and was dedicated to Ra-Horakhty, Amon Ra, the deified Ramesses, and Ptah. The temple was aligned so that twice a year the sun would illuminate the sanctuary at the very back of the temple, bathing the gods in golden sunlight. The decoration is not subtle, but the colours are beautiful, and even though the monument is so huge the interior has a feeling of intimacy. Scenes shown within the temple include the the Battle of Qadesh and the marriage of Ramesses II to the daughter of the Hittite king.
The temple of Ramesses II is the larger of the two, and was dedicated to Ra-Horakhty, Amon Ra, the deified Ramesses, and Ptah. The temple was aligned so that twice a year the sun would illuminate the sanctuary at the very back of the temple, bathing the gods in golden sunlight. The decoration is not subtle, but the colours are beautiful, and even though the monument is so huge the interior has a feeling of intimacy. Scenes shown within the temple include the the Battle of Qadesh and the marriage of Ramesses II to the daughter of the Hittite king.
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