We had plenty of time to sit on Melodie’s rooftop sundeck, order drinks from the bar until sunset, and eat leisurely dinners. This was essential recovery after visiting some of the major archaeological sites along the Nile.
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| Dramatic Night at Kom Ombo |
Our first stop had been an evening tour of Kom Ombo (235 BC), a temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and falcon god Haroeris. It is the only known temple that is split along its longitudinal axis with at one time, a double entrance pylon. Mummified crocodiles add subtle interest to the interior of this Ptolemaic temple that is highly decorated with massive “papyrus” columns and medical texts, amongst other things. We were told that Cleopatra could have bathed in the waters of the temple’s deep wells, although most likely, it was priests, who used it for their ablutions. We didn’t have a guide with us for this monument so I eavesdropped. This little exercise made me appreciate that Egypt attracts travellers the world over and how professional the docent system is. Watching the sun go down over this ancient complex allowed us just a glimpse of its former grandeur.
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| Relief work on one of the massive Kom Ombo colums |
Having established the fact that Kom Ombo was on the right bank and we indeed were travelling down the Nile in the right direction (it’s an Antipodean thing!), Miss Melodie pulled into the east bank at Edfu. Egyptian myth tells us that this site was where Horus met Seth in battle to avenge his father’s death (Osiris) and regain his rightful heritage; establishing a renewal of royal authority.
The Temple of Horus has entrance pylons that are the second largest (at 36m high) in Egypt. Construction began during the Ptolemaic Dynasty in 237 BC, however it took some 180 years before it was finished. Discovered in 1860, it remains one of the best preserved of the ancient sites. The granite statues of Horus, the falcon god are a testimony to their magnificent craftsmanship as is the wooden model of Horus’ sacred barque. Carved reliefs and hieroglyphics show us that the temple had a library and a chamber where recipes for making incense and perfumes were inscribed.
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| Temple of Horus at Edfu |
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| Pink columns at Edfu |
