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site information
145 km (90m) n of Luxor
between Sohag and Qena
0700-1800 daily
£E12 entry
reachable by service
taxi from Sohag, E£2
relevant links
history
Temple of Seti I, page 2
the scorched ceiling and defaced inscriptions in the columned hall
The temple is unique in that it has not one, but seven sanctuaries to the gods -- and to Seti himself (we can't accuse the pharaohs of being humble, can we?). It is also unique in that the temple is L-shaped, instead of the simple rectangle of the other temples of this period. We don't know why the temple kinks over to the side -- perhaps structural problems with the water table or encroachment on earlier ruins.
the heads of the statues in the inner sanctuary of Seti I
From the second courtyard, there were originally seven doors leading to each of the sanctuaries, but all of the doors were sealed except for the sanctuary to Amun. The sanctuaries are consecrated to Seti, Ptah, re-Horakty, Amun, Osiris, Isis, and Horus -- the three creator gods of Memphis, Heliopolis, and Thebes, the Osirieon triad, and the king. Seti was covering all his bases, it seems. Each of the sanctuaries is decorated with beautiful reliefs of offerings, blessings by the gods, and other ritual scenes. In each, the king makes offerings to each of the gods. They would have contained golden barques of the gods. [ m o r e }
