Antiquities of ancient Egypt

Antiquities of Egypt ( life in ancient egypt) The ancient Egyptian civilization lasted for three thousand years, as its ...

Antiquities of Egypt (life in ancient egypt)

The ancient Egyptian civilization lasted for three thousand years, as its kings left landmarks that sum up a huge amount of skill and knowledge in architecture and the arts, and many of their monuments still exist to this day and are in good condition, as many pyramids, temples and sphinxes still attract tourists from all over the world Thousands of years after its construction, the pyramids were also associated with the Egyptian civilization in people's minds, despite their presence in many other ancient civilizations; As the Chinese civilization and the Mayan civilization.

Pharaonic antiquities

Giza Pyramids ( maps pyramids of giza )

The three pyramids of Giza were built on a rocky plateau located on the western bank of the Nile near Giza in northern Egypt, and these pyramids were one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, in addition to being chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 AD, and the three pyramids are known by names that belong to the ruler who It was built during his reign, the first pyramids were built in the far north during the reign of King Khufu, the second king of the Fourth Dynasty, and he called it the pyramid of Khufu and it is also called the Great Pyramid, with the length of each side of its base 230 meters, and its height The real one is about 147 meters.

The middle pyramid was built for King Khafre, the fourth king of the Fourth Dynasty, and was called the pyramid of Khafre , and the length of each side of its base is about 216 meters, and its real height is 143 meters, while the southern pyramid of Menkaure was built. During the reign of King Menkaure, the fifth king of the Fourth Dynasty, the length of each side of its base is 109 meters, and its true height is about 66 meters. 

The three pyramids were subjected to looting throughout ancient and medieval times, as their precious contents are not found in the internal burials, in addition to the removal of the outer layer of white lime, which led to a decrease in their true height, with the exception of the pyramid of Khafre, which preserves a layer of white limestone in its upper part only.

sphinx (ground penetrating radar sphinx)

The Sphinx statue  is one of the oldest known archaeological

sculptures, and it is a huge statue with the body of a lion and the face of a man, located on the Giza Plateau, the location of the three most famous ancient kingdom pyramids ; The pyramid of King Khufu, the pyramid of King Khafre, the son of King Khufu, and the pyramid of King Menkaure, the grandson of King Khufu. Interpretation of the shape of the Sphinx that the king had built it to be a way to observe the pyramids and a guardian of the temples in the region, and the loss of the nose of the statue is indicated during the reign of Napoleon. 

Hatshepsut Temple

The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut  was built in 1458 BC, and is located on a slope on the western side of the city of Luxor, and this site was distinguished as a sacred place for the god Hathor, as it was used as a monastery after the introduction of the Christian religion, hence its name Deir al-Bahari, and the temple consists of three levels, and the Polish Academy of Sciences  was responsible for the restoration of these three levels, where the ruins of the Anubis Church were discovered at the northern end of the second level of the temple, and the statue of Osiris standing in front of one The columns are on the third level of the temple. 

Snefru Leaning Pyramid

The tilted pyramid of Senefru is considered the first pyramids to be built in the village of Dahshur, and is distinguished by its unique shape that was the reason for its name. It was built according to the different angles of the pyramid, as construction began at an angle of 54 to 55 degrees, and at a height of 45 meters, the angle of inclination was reduced to 43 degrees, and there are many points of view that some believe is the reason for the difference in the angle of the pyramid, including that King Senefru has realized That his pyramid began to collapse due to the decline of the angle of inclination, so he decided to reduce the angle in order to avoid its collapse, while the second belief was that the construction work had continued for a long time, and at that time the king decided to reduce the angle to reduce the amount of construction remaining and to speed up the construction process. That this reason is not accepted by many scientists.

Pyramid of Djoser

The pyramid of Djoser was discovered during Napoleon's military campaigns between 1798 AD and 1801 AD, and Djoser was the first king of the Third Dynasty, and he was the first to build stone after the construction of tombs was popularized from dry mud bricks. To the top, forming a stepped pyramid, as he started it with a square mastaba with a height of approximately six meters, in contrast to what was common in building the pyramids with a rectangular base, then Amhotep completed the building with rectangular terraces, and the reason for this was not known. at that time. 

Luxor temple

The construction of the Luxor Temple  dates back to the year 1392 BC on the eastern bank of the Nile River, and it was dedicated to the gods Mut, Khonsu and Amun, and it contains ten sections, and the entrance extends a length of 61 meters, and the temple includes many important landmarks Of the Egyptian civilization; As the court of Ramses II, the court of Amenhotep III, the Church of Mut, the Church of Khonsu, the Church of Amun, the Nativity Hall, the Sphinx, and the Roman camp, and the walls of the temple were constructed of mud bricks; This is to achieve the symbolism of the separation between the Egyptians and their gods.

Red pyramid

The Red Pyramid is considered the oldest pyramid in the world at all, and it was called the Red Pyramid due to the red layer that covered it, which appeared after the demise of the white limestone layer, and the architects built the Red Pyramid at an angle of 43 degrees, which is the same angle as the top of the tilt From the pyramid of Senefru, the pyramid consists of an entrance that contains 125 steep stairs going up and then down, in addition to a corridor of about 63 meters long that leads to two rooms with ceilings up to 12 meters high, and another room inside which is a cemetery believed to belong to Senefru. 

Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings is considered a land that was taken during the New Kingdom in Egypt to bury the kings of the Pharaohs. Ktut Ankh Amun , Seti I, Ramses II, and other priests and queens, and this valley is considered one of the most famous tombs in Egyptian civilization, and is located on the west bank of the Nile near the city of Luxor. 

The ancient pharaohs were busy leaving traces of them on the surface of the earth, but they spent a lot of time and effort creating underground shrines, where they used mummification to preserve their bodies because they believed that life would continue after death, as they bury all material tools. Such as furniture, clothes, and jewelry that they think the king will need in the next life, in addition to providing the grave with enough food and drinks to hold celebrations in the next life they believe, and they used to add sacred things for them to the grave thinking that they will help the deceased achieve eternal life.

Abu Simbel

The Abu Simbel Temple  excavated in the rocks is located on the west bank of the Nile River south of Aswan, where the temple area was surrounded by brick walls, and the temple took a place for it between the sandstone slopes and the Nile River, and two barriers were surrounded on both sides by a group. Of the falcons and statues of King Ramses, the temple was built during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II in 1257 BC, as the site was before that of the holy sites of King Hathor. 

The temple is distinguished by the entry of the sun's rays linearly inside it twice a year; On the twenty-second of February and the twenty-second of October, when the light meets the back wall of the deeper mausoleum and the statues of the four gods sitting there, and it is noteworthy that the temple became threatened with sinking upon the construction of the Aswan High Dam, which had to be dismantled and rebuilt by UNESCO and the Egyptian government between two years 1964 AD and 1966 AD at a height of 61 meters above the original site of the temple. 

Karnak

The Complex of Antiquities and Temples of Karnak is one of the largest ancient complexes that bear witness to the power of the ancient Pharaonic civilization despite the damage it suffered, and among the most important temples and monuments in the Karnak Temple complex are the following:

• Sphinx Street: The Avenue of Sphinxes is located at the entrance to the complex, surrounded on both sides by statues of the Sphinx, and there are also statues of Amun, Mut, and Khonsu outside the Karnak complex on the road leading to Luxor . 
• The Great Temple of Amun: The Great Temple of Amun is the main temple in Karnak. It has undergone many additions and improvements over the centuries as is the case for all ancient Egyptian temples. However, the basic shape currently evident in its construction dates back to Pharaoh Thutmose I, He expanded it to fit the power and majesty of the gods and the king. 
• The Kiosk of Sesostris I: The kiosk of Sesostris I  is located north of the Great Temple of Amun, and it is one of the oldest structures in the Karnak Complex, and it was built of limestone, and was built to celebrate the royal jubilee. 
• Petah Temple: Temple of Ptah  was built by King Thutmose III, has been expanded and renovated during the reign of the ruling Ethiopian Habaca and some of the Ptolemies, and begins with the entrance of the temple from the west by five consecutive gates. 
• Northern Temple: accessible to the northern temple through the Temple of Ptah, has been built north gate of the temple by King Ptolemy. 
• Montu Temple: The Temple of Montu is located inside the northern temple, and it was built by Amenhotep III, and it was expanded several times until the Ptolemaic period, and the remaining monuments of sculptures and architectural elements in the temple show the extent of the artistic skills that were present at that time. 
• Ramses II Temple: The Temple of Ramses II was built close to the eastern exit of the Great Temple of Amun, and another temple for King Ramses II is located to the north of it. 
• The East Gate: The East Gate is located to the east of the Temple of Ramses II. The gate is located in brick walls, reaching a height of about 19 meters. 
• The Holy Lake: The Sacred Lake is located to the south of the Wall of Ramses II that encircles the Temple of Amun, and is known as the pool of navigation. This is because of the salinity of its waters. 
• Khonsu Temple: The Temple of Khonsu was built by Ramses III, and it is one of the most important symbols of architecture in the New Kingdom, and is entered through a large tower, about 32 meters long. 
• The Temple of Osiris and Opet: The Temple of Osiris and Opet is located on the southwestern side of the Khonsu Temple, and it was built on a base about three meters above the ground. 
• The Temple of Mut: The Temple of Mut was built by King Amenhotep the Third, and at the entrance to the temple there are columns bearing the figures of the god Bess, and the entrance also contains inscriptions dating back to the Ptolemaic era. 
• Southern Temple Precinct: The temple was built during the reign of Horemheb, and its stones were taken from the temple of Amenhotep IV. 
• The Temple of Osiris: The temple was built by Osirk III against the eastern wall of the Karnak Antiquities Complex.

Islamic antiquities

Mosque of Amr bin Al-Aas

Bani Amr ibn Mosque Aas in 641 AD after the mystery companion Amr Ibn al - Roman rulers in Egypt in 640 AD, and the mosque was a center for the growth of the city of Fustat around and prosperity, was also used stone, wood, clay bricks to build it , and some remained monuments very old mosque - framed The doors, the mosque was demolished and restored several times throughout its history, and one of the most important leaders who restored it was Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi in 1179 CE, after his defeat of the Crusaders. 

Al Azhar mosque

Al-Azhar Mosque was founded by the Fatimid conqueror, Jawhar al-Siqali in 970 AD, when it was then a mosque that gathered the residents of the city of New Cairo, then a university was established in it in 988 AD, and it is characterized by the presence of corridors separated by marble columns topped by circular arches, in addition to the presence of the courtyard surrounded by three galleries, which was completed A fourth portico was added to it during the reign of the Caliph al-Hafiz. The mosque also contains many stucco decorations. 

Ibn Tulun Mosque

The history of the Ibn Tulun Mosque goes back to Ahmed Ibn Tulun, who was the ruler of Fustat during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Ma'mun. This mosque was used to hold Fatimid celebrations in the month of Ramadan, but it was destroyed in the twelfth century, but it was restored and reused again as a kind of school. During the reign of the Mamluks, the mosque was considered one of the symbols that express the dominance of the Samaritan culture, as it was built entirely of red bricks, and had a spiral stone minaret, and the Andalusian influence also appears in the architectural facades and window shapes, where curved windows in the form of a horseshoe were used. The reason for the Andalusian influence is due to the resettlement of Andalusian Muslims refugees in Egypt.

Other effects

Temple of Dendera boat

The temple complex of Dendera  is one of the most famous temple complexes in Egypt, and it is located 2.5 kilometers east of the Dandara region, and its area is about 40,000 square meters. Isis is born, and the community is surrounded by clay walls that separate it from the Roman stalls, in addition to a gate dating back to the reign of Emperor Trajan and Emperor Domitian leading to a large open courtyard that leads to the Temple of Hathor.

Kalabsha temple

The Temple of Kalabsha is located in the city of Aswan, and it was moved from its location to another site in Aswan in 1970 AD, and it was built from sandstone in the period from 30 BC to 14 BC during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus, and was dedicated to the Nubian sun god, in addition to that it was a model for construction in the Ptolemaic era, as it contains towers, a courtyard, a hall of columns, and three rooms that were used as shelters, and the temple was built on the remains of a small church, as it appears in the building many Of the inscriptions and decorations dating back to the period between 360 AD to 550 AD, in addition to the presence of writings dating back to the middle of the fifth century AD.

Temples of Philae Island

Philae Island  is located in the Nile River between the ancient Aswan Dam and the Aswan High Dam in southern Egypt, and the name Philae goes back to Greek origins, and the name "Pilak" is derived for the island among the Copts, meaning a remote place. The island is known locally as Qasr Anas Al Wujud, which is the name Referring to a legend in the novel A Thousand and One Nights, and on the island is a place that was attractive for the establishment of ancient temples and shrines due to its height above the level of the river's flood, extending to a length of 460 meters and a width of 150 meters, and the island was chosen as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1979.

The island of Philae gained great importance over time, as it was dedicated to the worship of the god Isis, as the temple of Isis was built during the reigns of Ptolemy II and Ptolemy III, and it was decorated during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus and Emperor Tiberius, and Emperor Hadrian established a gate west of the temple complex, and many have been discovered. From the temples before being partially submerged in the water of the Nile River; As the temple of Imhotep and the temple of Hathor, however, the decorations and paints found in the temples were damaged; Therefore, the temples were moved to the high-rise island of Agilkia, where they were rebuilt in their old form in 1980.

Fortress of Babylon

Back building fortress of Babylon  to the sixth century BC during the Persian era, was built near the slopes of the Nile nhl, was then transferred to the nearest location to the river which is its current location by the Emperor Trajan; This is due to the problems of delivering water to it, as the Romans exploited the strategic location of the fort near the Nile and used it throughout their rule in Egypt, and the fortress flourished by the Arab conquest of Egypt in the year 640 AD, as the outer walls became very high, and a trench and a port were established, in addition to the extension of a canal connecting the fort In the Red Sea, the fort was also used during the Christian period to control traffic and trade along the Nile River and the channel connecting the fort to the Red Sea, in addition to that it was a refuge for Coptic Christians who were persecuted by the Roman Christians in Alexandria.

Serapeum Temple

The ruins of the Serapeum temple were discovered for the first time in the village of Saqqara in 1850 AD by the French scientist Auguste Mariette, and the temple was dedicated to the worship of the Greek-Egyptian god Serapis  but the area was used at first As a cemetery for bulls since 1400 BC, then the main gallery and subsidiary rooms were designed by Ramses II to be a catacombs for the burial of the bulls and sacred calves of the Pharaohs, and another important Serapeum temple was built in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy the First, then he ordered the construction of the largest and most famous temples Absolutely. 

Asheran column

Pompey's Pillar is considered one of the most important tourist attractions in the city of Alexandria, as it is considered one of the largest huge stones throughout ancient times. After a revolution that took place in Alexandria during his control of Egypt, where the column was carved from a single piece of red granite in the city of Aswan, whose weight was estimated at about 285 tons, and the diameter of the base is about 2.71 meters, and the total height of the column is about 26.85 meters.

Kom al-Shuqafa cemeteries

The Catacombs of Kom Ash Shuqqafa  are the largest Roman burial sites in Egypt, located in Alexandria, and they were discovered by chance in 1900 AD, and they are considered a testament to the merger of the Greek and Pharaonic styles in construction, and the cemetery vaults consist of three levels reaching depth 35 meters, and access to it is through a circular staircase used to transport the bodies of the dead, and the catacombs were built in the second century AD as a cellar for one of the families, and for 300 years they remained in use until they developed to accommodate more than 300 bodies, and it is worth noting that the cemeteries raise fear among the visitor; Most of its walls are undecorated and devoid of decorations and drawings.

Roman Theater

The Roman Amphitheater is one of the most popular places in Alexandria, and it is located in the Kom al-Dikka neighborhood, which means "the hill of rubble." This is due to the presence of rubble that resembles huge seats in the area, and the Roman Theater in Alexandria is considered one of the most important architectural achievements of the Romans in Egypt, and it was discovered by chance in 1960 AD when steel columns were found during excavations to build a government building on the site. 

the hanging Church

The Hanging Church  is one of the oldest churches in Egypt, dating back to the second century AD, and it was called the Hanging Church due to its construction south of the Babylon Fortress, and the church is distinguished by its unique shape; It has a wooden roof in the form of Noah's ark, and entry to the church is through iron gates topped by pointed stone arches leading to a nineteenth-century façade with bell towers, and there is a narrow courtyard containing drawings from the Bible, and another small courtyard leading to a balcony It dates back to the eleventh century.