Karanis (Kom Oushim) - Egyptology

El-Fayoum

The province of El-Fayoum is located about 70 Km southwest of from Cairo, easily found on the map because of the large lake (Lake Qaroun), which is close by.

This region is extremely rich in many archaeological sites, such as the old City of El-Fayoum (Crocodopolis). It is in a natural depression in the desert, linked to the River Nile by a branch called "Bahr Yousuf", whose name was probably derived from the ancient Egyptian Word "Baym", which means sea or lake. It contains a lake that was known by the Ancient Egyptians as "Mr-Wr", which means "the great sea", and in Greek it became "Moris". Today, in Arabic, it is called "Qaroun Lake".

The word Baym was most probably the origin of the word El-Fayoum. In Ancient Egypt it was called "shedt" and it was a great city during the Middle Kingdom.

Hawara Pyramid, which is considered to be in one of the most important sites of the province, was the Pyramid of King Amenemhat III who ruled during the Middle Kingdom, but unfortunately nothing is left of his huge and fabulous mortuary Temple, which was called the Labyrinth.

One of the most famous areas in El-Fayoum is Kom Mady (Narmouthis); this is because of the remains of the old Temple, which dates back to the XII Dynasty and was dedicated to the God Sobek, the Goddess Isis, and the Goddess Renen-Wetet. Actually there are several historical and archaeological sites that are scattered in different locations throughout this province such as Kom Oushim (Kranis), Um Al Athl (Bachias), Batn Ahryt (Theadelphia), Philadelphia, Qasr, Qaroun (Dionysius) and others.

Today the Oasis, with its lakes and sanctuaries, pristine desert areas (which includes fossil remains of world importance), various cultural sites, plus the rural quietude, forms an amazing and unique site of adventure, and beautiful scenery.

Karanis (Kom Oushim):

Karanis (Kom Oushim) is situated 30 Km north of the city of El-Fayoum. In old Greek documents this region was called Karanis and it contains 2 Temples in the north and another in the south, both dating back to the Ptolemaic Period, as well as some cisterns, public baths and houses etc. The Kelsey Museum houses more than 45,000 objects from Karanis, but this large figure does not include all of the finds. The University of Michigan, between 1924 and 1935, excavated this Greco-Roman site, dividing the artefacts with The Egyptian Government when the excavations were finished. Next to the two Temples there is a modern museum, which also exhibits some of the finds.

The plan of the 2 Temples is similar to the plan of all the Ancient Egyptian Temples of the New Kingdom with the same elements, the only difference is that the 2 Temples of Karanis contain offering tables (Altars) and burials for the mummies of the crocodile, which was the sacred animal symbolizing the God Sobek. Each Temple consists of a pylon and 3 small halls, then the sanctuary. To the western side, at the front of the Temple, there is an aquarium, which was dedicated to the followers of the crocodiles. They were constructed during the reign of the Emperor Nero, but restored during the reign of the Emperor Commodes. Like the southern Temple the northern one was consecrated for the cult of Sobek but also to other deities such as Amon, Serapes, Zeus, etc.

A dwelling area was discovered in Karanis, the houses built out of mud-bricks, and red bricks, with vaulted roof and stairs, gates, windows, kitchens, and stables. Some walls were painted and covered with colorful decorations.

To the east of the city there is a cemetery, which also dates back to the Ptolemaic Period. Recently a great number of artifacts were found, including: ostracas, jars, glassy vases, and coins, as well as a large number of papyrus, written in Greek, and of great value, which provide us with details about the aspects of life during that period, like trade deals, taxation documents, and civil contracts. Remains of Public Baths, built of burnt brick, were also discovered.

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Egypt Famous Greco Roman Sites - Egyptology

Here is list of the most famous greco roman sites in Egypt

• The Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa

• The Roman Amphitheater of Alexandria

• Pompey's Pillar

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Egypt Site Guide - Destinations

Egypt Site Guide

Guide to all Egypt attractions here are 75 sites listed here, with more to come in the future!

1.  Pyramids of Giza & Sphinx
2. .Memphis Museum
3. The Steps pyramids of Sakkara
4. The Pharaonic Village
5. The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities
6. The Pyramids of Giza & Sphinx
7. The Pyramids of Abu Sir
8. The Pyramids of Dashur
9. Pyramids of Meidum.The Pyramids of Meidum
10. The Pyramids of El Lisht
11. The Pyramids of Abu Rawash
12. The Pyramids of Hawara
13. The Pyramid of El Lahun

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Temple of Amada - Aswan - City Guide

Temple of Amada - Aswan

The temple is located 20 KM to the south of Wadi es-Sebua, the area had also the temple of El-Derr and the tomb of Aniba. Amada is located at 115 KM to the south of Aswan.

The temple was built at the time of the new kingdom by king Thutmosis III and Amenhotep II.

Temple of Amada

It was dedicated to the god Amon Ra, and RA Hor –Ahkty.  Additions were made later on by king Thutmoes IV and    it was renovated at the time of king Seti I.

In this temple king Thuhmosis II venerated the middle kingdom king Senusert III of the 12th dynasty, honoring the victorious campaigns that king Senusert have made in the land of Nubia

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Temples of Abu Simbel - Aswan - City Guide

Temples of Abu Simbel

The Temples of Abu Simbel are amongst the most interesting of all anicent Egyptian temples. Located close to the southern border with the Sudan, it is 280 km south of Aswan and consists of two rock-cut Temples which both date back to the reign of King Ramses II (1290-1223 BC). Unfortunately these unique Temples suffered from the raising water of Lake Nasser while the High Dam was being built. Other countries, with the help of UNESCO, assisted Egypt to help save them.

The Temples of Abu Simbel are amongst the most interesting of all anicent Egyptian temples. Located close to the southern border with the Sudan, it is 280 km south of Aswan and consists of two rock-cut Temples which both date back to the reign of King Ramses II (1290-1223 BC). Unfortunately these unique Temples suffered from the raising water of Lake Nasser while the High Dam was being built. Other countries, with the help of UNESCO, assisted Egypt to help save them.

The two Temples were cut in to many pieces, and then they were reconstructed again on a site 65m higher than the original location, and 200m back inland, to escape the rising water level. This great rescue operation began in June 1964 and finished in September 1968.

The first Temple was built by King Ramses II and is dedicated to the God Re-Hor-Akhty, Amon, Ptah, and King Ramses II as a deified King. Its façade is 35m long and 30m high.The façade has four seated colossi of the King; each one is 20m tall and represents the King seated on his throne wearing the double crown,accompanied by 3 small figures of his wives, daughters and sons flanking his legs.

Above the entrance stands the figure of Re-Hor-Akhty, while near to the summit of the façade there are number of baboons.

Inside the Temple there is a hall, supported by Osirid shaped pillars which were cut into the rock, with walls that are decorated by battle and offering scenes. There are some side rooms leading from the hall, which are also decorated with various scenes. At the far end of the Temple is the sanctuary, which contains four statues; Re-Hor-Akhty, Amon-Re, Ptah and the deified Ramses II. 

The Temple of Nefertari

The Temple of Queen Nefertari is located 120 m north of the Temple of Ramses II and was also built by Ramses II, dedicated to the Goddess Hathor and to his wife Queen Nefertari. Queen Nefertari was the principal, and the most beloved, wife of King Ramses II. It is also a rock-cut Temple with a façade of about 28 m long and 12 m high, which contains 6 standing colossi, each one being about 11m in height. Four of them represent Ramses II and the other two represent Queen Nefertari, each is accompanied by two smaller figures of their children.

The entrance leads to a square hall, which is supported by 6 Hathor-headed pillars decorated with scenes depicting the King and the Queen making offerings to different deities. 

At the end of the hall there is a doorway leading to a transverse vestibule decorated with scenes of King Ramses II making offering to Re-HorAkhty, while the Queen is presenting flowers to Khenum, Sat-tet and Anket.

The Transverse Hall leads to the Sanctuary, which contains a niche in the rear wall with a statue of Goddess Hathor, as a cow, protecting Ramses II.

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Temple of Edfu, Temple of Horus

Temple of Edfu, Temple of Horus

City of Edfu:

Edfu is located 60Km to the north of Aswan. It was the 2nd Nome of Upper Egypt and the centre of the cult of a triad of Gods, which consisted of Horus of Behdet, Hathor, and their son, Hor-Sama-Tawy. In the old Greek documents, Edfu was known as "Apollopolis Magna" because the Greeks identified Horus with their God Apollo.

Edfu was a flourishing city in Ancient Times. Today, the most important monument in the city of Edfu is the Temple of Horus, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful and preserved Temples in Egypt. The origins of the Temple probably date back to the Second Intermediate Period, but the actual Temple only dates back to Ptolemaic times. The work of construction began during the reign of Ptolemy III (about 237 BC) and was finished during the reign of Ptolemy IV. Some other additions were made by other Ptolemaic Kings, and Roman Emperor Augustus. The construction of this Temple and its additions, inscriptions, and relief's took about 180 years!

Edfu Temple consists of traditional elements of Egyptian Temples of the New Kingdom, together with a few Greek elements, such as the Mamisi, which is situated to the west of the main entrance of the Temple (Mamisi means "house of the divine birth"). It consists of an entrance, a court and chapel. The walls of the mamisi are decorated with scenes showing the story of the divine birth of Horus the child, in the presence of the Goddess Hathor, the God Khenoum and other deities who were concerned with pregnancy and birth.

The Temple has a Pylon that is considered the highest among surviving Temples in Egypt today. It is 37m high and is decorated with battle scenes, representing King Ptolemy VIII smiting his enemies before the God Horus.

Next there is an open courtyard that contains columns with floral capitals on three sides. This open court was open to the public and was known as the court of the offerings, being the place where people could give their offering to the statue of the God. 

The Hypostyle Hall is rectangular and 12 columns support its roof. On both sides of the entrance to this hall stands a statue of Horus of Behdet, in the shape of a falcon. This hall is also known as the outer Hypostyle Hall.

An entrance beyond the 1st Hypostyle Hall accesses the Inner Hypostyle Hall. 12 columns to the right support its roof, and on the left there are 2 rooms; one was used as a library that once contained a large number of manuscripts. The other was used as a storeroom or magazine for the utensils and the tools of the Temple.

There are 2 consecutive vestibules; the outer one called the "hall of the offerings", where the walls are decorated with various scenes representing the different deities and offering scenes of the different Ptolemaic Kings. The inner vestibule was called the "rest house of the Gods".

At the end of the Temple is the sanctuary, which includes a niche of grey granite where a statue of the God is supposed to be placed. In front of the dais is a pedestal for the resting of the divine boat. The sanctuary is surrounded, on the outside, by 12 rooms, where many religious scenes were depicted on their walls. Some of these rooms were used as storerooms, while the others were dedicated for different religious purposes.

One of the most remarkable elements of the Temple is the existence of a Nilometer, as well as a chapel, which was dedicated to the Goddess Nut.

On various walls of the Temple, there are many battle scenes, as well as the famous scene of the ritual of the Temple foundation.

The northern wall of the court shows the divine marriage of Hathor and Horus of Behdet, which was celebrated twice every year; once at the Dendera Temple and the second time at the Edfu Temple. The Journey of Hathor, from Dendera to Edfu and the vice versa, can also be seen on this wall.

Another scene, on the inside of the outer corridor of the western side of the Temple, depicts the legend of the conflict between Horus and Seth, the victory of Horus over his uncle, and his coronation to rule the world. 

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Temple of the Ramesseum

Temple of the Ramesseum

Temple of the Ramesseum was built by Ramses II the as a funerary Temple in 1304-1207 B.C, and it was dedicated to the God Ra. Most of the Temple is in a very bad condition nowadays, or in ruins. The entrance to the Temple once had two pylons that have now collapsed. In the first courtyard, of the Temple, there is only a colonnaded hall that has survived.

In front of the ruins of the first pylon, there once stood a colossal statue of Ramses that was more than 1000 Tons in weight and 18m high! You can still see the remains of it today.

Many other Kings have superimposed monuments in the Ramesseum such as Mernptah and Ramses III.

The Greeks identified this as the Temple of Memnonium (they associated the colossal statue in front of the Temple with their legendry hero, Memnon, the son of Aurora who's mother, Eos, was the Goddess of dawn. Also they sometimes called it "the tomb of Ozymandias", a name that might have be derived from the ancient Egypt word "User-Maat-Ra".

This huge Temple later inspired a poetic verse by Percy Bysshe Shelley: -

I met a traveller from an antique land who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read, Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed, And on the pedestal these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare the lone and level sands stretch far away.

Percy Bysshe Shelley 1792-1822

The Roman historian, Diodorus, was under the impression that the Temple was the work of the legendry King called Ozymandias, and his tomb was located in there. He even give detailed descriptions of the tomb of Ozymandias and described the inscription that was on its entrance, which says: -

" I am Ozymandias, King of Kings. If anyone would know how great I am and where I lie, let him surpass any of my works."

The Temple measures 600 feet by 220 feet. The eastern pylon of the Temple was the main entrance and was once decorated with scenes of the battle of Kadesh, but it is in ruins today! On the right wing of the pylon you will find inscriptions that represent the 118 cities that Ramses III had conquered during his military campaigns. You will also see scenes of prisoners taken to the King. On the left wing of the pylon there are scenes of the famous battle between Ramses II and the Hittites. After that you will proceed onto the first open courtyard, where you will see many damaged statues. Once there was a colossal statue of Ramses II, and at its feet, it read:

"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair"

In the great hypostyle hall there are 29 columns that are still standing, the ones in the middle are shorter than those on the sides to allow light into the Temple! Here, on the left side, you can see more scenes of the battle of Kadesh.

On the right of this hall, and outside the walls of the hypostyle hall, lies a much older Temple, built by Seti I and dedicated to the God Amon Ra. The Second courtyard is in a much better condition, than the first one, and you can see on both sides, two rows of Osiris columns, representing Ramses II. Further south there is another small hypostyle hall that once had 8 papyrus-bud columns. In here the hall of astronomy is located, where the first 12th month calendar is illustrated. This hall is decorated with scenes of offering, and scenes of the sacred boat of Amon Ra. On the western wall you will see Ramses II sitting under the tree of life, where the God Thoth and the Goddess Seshat are recording his name, in the leaves of the tree, for long life.

If you go further into the western side, there are the ruins of two vestibules that lead you to a library, linen room and the badly ruined sanctuary, which was dedicated to the God Amon Ra.

To the south of the Temple, Ramses II built a great mud break palace where he stayed during his visits to the site. To the south of this section, lies the small Temple of Mern-Ptah, the successor of Ramses II. In 1896, the great Egyptologist, William Flinders Petrie, did extensive excavations at this site.

Petrie found here a very important Stella, known as the "Israel Stella", which contained the first reference to the "Tribe of Israel". Because of this Stella, many archaeologists believe that Mern-Ptah is very likely to be the Pharaoh of the Exodus

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Temple Of Karnak, Temple of Amon-Ra

Temple Of Karnak, Temple of Amon-Ra

The Temple of Karnak is the largest Temple in the World! The complex contains a group of Temples such as the Great Temple of Amon Ra, The Temple of Khonso, The Ipt Temple, The Temple of Ptah, the Temple of Montho and the Temple of the God Osiris. A 20m high, mud brick enclosure wall, surrounded all of these buildings.

This great Temple of Amon Ra was known during the Middle Kingdom period as Ipt-Swt, which means the Selected Spot. It was also called Pr-Imn, which means the House of Amon. The name Al-Karnak in Arabic was derived from Karnak, which means fortified village, probably because the Arabs found many Temples and buildings in the area when they entered it for first time.

On your way towards the entrance you will find a ram-headed avenue of Sphinxes, which was built to protect the Temple. There are 20 rams on each side, extending from the small harbour to the 1st Pylon, which was built during the time of King Nektanebo I (30th Dynasty). As you cross this pylon, it takes you into an Open court, whose dimensions are100m long by 80m wide, built during the 22nd Dynasty, and containing rows of bud papyrus columns.

In the middle of the 1st Open court, there is a huge column, which is 21m high and has a bud papyrus capital. This part is known as the kiosk of Taharqa who ruled during the 25th Dynasty. This is the only column left from a colonnade that once had 10 columns.

On the left side of this Court there are 3 chapels, which were built by King Seti II for the "Triad of Thebes". On the right side is the Temple of Ramses III. This Temple consists of a small pylon, an open court and Hypostyle hall, leading to the sanctuary.

Horemheb built the 2nd Pylon during the 18th Dynasty, though it is now badly damaged. Ramses I, the founder of the 19th Dynasty, later completed it. Passing the 2nd Pylon, we enter the Great Hypostyle Hall, which measures 103m in length and 52m in width. It contains 134 papyrus columns; each column is about 22m in height and 3.5m in diameter. Amenhotep III built it and Ramses I, Seti I, and Ramses II decorated it, while King Seti I erected the other 122 columns in 14 rows. 

The ceiling in the centre is higher than the laterals, and it allows light into this spot, which was the processional avenue of the Triad during the festival of the Opet. The scenes of the Hypostyle Hall represent King Seti I, in front of different deities, making offerings, while the southern wall is decorated with scenes of Ramses II, making offerings to the different deities or worshipping the Triad of Thebes.

The Hypostyle Hall leads to The 3rd Pylon, which was built by Amenhotep III. It is remarkable that stones from previous periods were found incrusted in that Pylon, for example, the marble alabaster of Amenhotep I!

Crossing the 3rd Pylon, you come to an open, rectangular court, which is known as the Court of Tuthmosis I. In this court, Tuthmosis I erected 2 obelisks, as most probably this area was the main entrance of the Temple during his reign. Unfortunately, only one obelisk has survived: 19m high and around 310 tons in weight.

From the Court of Tuthmosis, we reach the 4th Pylon, which Tuthmosis I also built; beyond this is a rectangular colonnade, which he built as well. When Hatshepsut ascended to the throne she built 2 obelisks in that colonnade, the left one is still in its original position: 29.5m in height, 322 tons in weight and made of red granite! 

After the death of Queen Hatshepsut, King Tuthmoses III built a high, long wall around these 2 obelisks to hide them.

The 5th Pylon, yet again built by Tuthmosis I, is damaged and on both sides of the entrance,Tuthmosis III built two small rooms.

We are now at the 6th Pylon, which was built by Tuthmosis III. Beyond this pylon Tuthmosis III built his famous hall, which is known as the Ancestral Room. The original Sanctuary was built by Tuthmosis III, but Philip Arrhidaeus, the half brother of Alexander the Great, later rebuilt it.

The sanctuary was built of granite, and it was dedicated to the sacred boat of Amon Ra. Behind the sanctuary you will see a court, dating back to the time of the Middle Kingdom. It is a wide-open courtyard that is badly damaged now. Most probably this spot was the site of an old Temple, dating back to the time of the Middle Kingdom: the origin of the Karnak Temple. 

At the end of the Middle Kingdom Courtyard, there is another Hall known as the Akh-Mnw, or the Festival Hall of Tuthmosis III. The hall in the north of the area is called The Botanical Room. This is because the walls were decorated with scenes of plants, animals and birds, which were brought from Syria, to Egypt, by the King.

Now we shall go back through the temple until we reach the Court of Tuthmosis 1 again (between the 4th and 3rd Pylons).

Turning left, we enter a courtyard, which is in front of the 7th Pylon. In 1902, the French Egyptologist Georges Legrain (1865–1917) discovered a very precious collection of statues hidden in the ground of this court, which is now known as the Court of the Cashet. The 7th Pylon, which is badly damaged, was built by Tuthmosis III.

Crossing the 7th Pylon to the court beyond, you will see 2 statues of Ramses II and Tuthmosis III.

The 8th Pylon was built by Hatshepsut, decorated by Tuthmosis III, and restored by Seti I. The scenes on the façade of the Pylon represent Hatshepsut with different deities, and a religious scene featuring Tuthmosis III.

On the left side of the Court, between the 9th and 10th Pylons, are the remains of the Heb-Sed Shrine, which was built by Amenhotep II and decorated by Seti I.

The 9th Pylon, which was built by Horemheb, is badly damaged. A large number of bricks were found inside, which were being used as filling. They belonged to the Aton Temple, which was built by Amenhotep VI (Akhenaten) in the 18th Dynasty and destroyed by later Kings who wanted to eliminate all traces of the "heretic" King.

Finally we reach the 10th Pylon, damaged as well, and again built by King Horemheb. In front of this Pylon there are the remains of an avenue of Sphinxes, built by Horemheb, and extending to the gate of Ptolemy II in front of Mut Temple.

Before leaving the Temple of Amon Ra at Karnak you should visit the Sacred Lake, which goes back to the time of Tuthmosis III. It measures 80m in length and 40m in width. Near the Sacred Lake there is a scarab, which is considered the biggest scarab left from Ancient Egypt, dating from the reign of Amenhotep III. The Ancient Egyptians called the scarab, Khebry, and it was the symbol of the Sun God. The word itself means to create; it was thought to bring to the sun in the early morning.



While you are in Luxor, why don't you attend the marvelous Sound and Light show at the Temple of Karnak?

Listed below you will find the Sound and Light show schedule.

Please Note: An additional camera ticket of 35 EGP is required if you use your video camera at the show

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The Luxor Museum, Luxor

The Luxor Museum, Luxor

The location of the Museum:

The Luxor Museum is located on the East Bank of the River Nile in the city of Luxor in a very attractive location between Karnak Temple in the North and Luxor Temple in the South.


The building of the museumis 55 meters long and 29 meters wide. The facade of the Luxor museum was designed to face the Nile.

The description of the Luxor Museum:

The museum was opened for public for the first time in 1975. However, the Museum at the time was never to be compared to the Egyptian antiquities museum in Cairo, but with time passing by, the Egyptian supreme council of antiquities started adding more and more items and displays to the Luxor Museum to increase the number of tourists visiting the museum.

The museum has a garden that contains a number of interesting displays combining a big open air museum. There are many sculptures from the pharos era, especially the new kingdom located in the garden of the Luxor Museum.

The visitor, after viewing the displays in the garden, enters the museum through a large glass door. The main hall of the museum consists of two levels with spiral corridors linking the levels together and giving the museum a dynamic atmosphere different from other old traditional museums. These spiral corridors allow the visitors to move around easily in the museum without causing any.

When the visitor enters the first floor of the Luxor museum, he can view a magnificent collection of Egyptian sculpture including an amazing statue of the crocodile god, Sobek that was brought from his temple in Kom Ombo. There is also the remaining of the walls of the temple of Amenhotep IV that once stood high in the city of Luxor

There are also some colorful coffins in the first floor of the Luxor Museum. To the left side of the first floor, there are some remarkable statues that were found in the Luxor museum and were added to the museum in 1989

The Luxor Museum contains displays that cover a period of more than four thousand years, from prehistoric era to the Islamic era. The displays in the Museum are only chosen examples of the huge collection of antiquities that are being kept in stores.

The most important items on display in the Luxor museum include:

- There are the mud brick walls of the Temple of Akhenaton (1347 -1364 BC).

- The statue of Thutmose III was the sixth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. The statue is 90 cm long and made out of special rock formation. Thutmose is one of the greatest pharos of the time.

- The statue of Amenhotep III that was brought from Madenet Habu in the west bank of Luxor. Amenhotep III was a very important figure in ancient Egypt (1365 – 1403 BC) and he was he was raised to the rank of gods during the Ptolemaic era. His statues in the Luxor Museum is remarkable as it is 130 cm and it was made out of pure black granite

- The statue called "Oshbey", or the "answerer" in the hydrographic language. He was the one doing the cultivating work in the afterlife for the owner of the tomb. This statue goes back to the end of the 18th dynasty and it was made out of colored wood. The statue is 23 cm long and it is of a man holding an ax in his right hand a bag of seeds in his left hand.

- The cartoon mummy cover that was found in one of the tombs of the west bank of Luxor. The cover is 175 cm long and 42 cm wide. It belongs to the third intermediate period, the dynasties 21 to 24. It was made out of flax and plaster. These mummy covers were called cartonage and it was used as an outer cover of the mummy covered with funerary scenes.

- Some displays from the collection of the Tut Ankh Amun tomb in the valley of the kings in the west bank

- The royal mummies of Ahmose I and Ramsis I that were added to the museum in 2004

- The museum hosts a collection of Coptic antiquities that include a pottery white and black colored dish that was found in the 5th century AD.

- The museum display a lot of Islamic items as well like the collection of small bowls that belong to the Mamluk era going back to the 14th century AD.

- A tall Pillar of King Sesostris I. which was made out of colored limestone

- A huge head of a statue of Akhenaton wearing a double crown

- A calcite statue of Amenhotep III and the crocodile god Sobek

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- Part of a wall from the Temple of Akhenaton at Karnak.

- Collection of 26 well preserved New Kingdom sculptures found buried in a near the Luxor Temple in 1989.

- A statue of Horemheb was the last king of the 18th Dynasty with the god Atom

- A black granite statue of the famous goddess Hathour, the goddess of beauty

- A statue of the goddess Inet, the wife of the god Monto, from the reign of Amotep III

- A granite statue of The goddess Mot together with the famous god Amun, the statue goes back to the reign of Ramsis II

- A canopy head of queen Toya from the reign of Seti the first

- A wax statue of Ramsis the 11th accompanied by the god Ma'at that was discovered in 1978 in the west bank

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HOURS OF OPERATION: 

Winter: open daily 9AM-9PM

Summer: open daily 9AM-4PM, 5PM-10PM

Last ticket sold 30 minutes before closing

TICKET COST: 

General Admission: (Ticket includes both museum and ruins)

Egyptian: LE 8 (LE 4, students)

Foreign: LE 70 (LE 35, students)

Student rates available to bearers of a valid student ID from an Egyptian university or an International Student ID Card (ISIC)

LOCATION: 

Corniche el-Nil, downtown Luxor

DIRECTIONS: 

By taxi: ask for "met-haf al-luxor"

FACILITIES: 

Visitors' center, cafeteria, bookshop, library

No audio or personal guides are provided, but a catalogue of the museum collection is available for purchase in the bookstore.

The museum is wheelchair-accessible.

CONTACT INFO: 

Phone: (095) 370569

NO PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED.

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The Colossi of Memnon, Luxor

The Colossi of Memnon, Luxor

Dating from the New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, during the reign of Amenhotep III, The Colossi of Memnon is a mortuary temple located in Thebes in Egypt. The mortuary temple of the pharaoh is guarded by two statues of about 20 meters in height which saw severe damage during the earthquake that occurred in 27 BC. The temple has now been destroyed completely and all that remains is the 23 meters high statue of Amenhotep III which weighs around thousand ton. The statues even after such destruction by natural and manly action seem to be an impressive piece.

The two statues by ancient Egyptians were referred as Ruler of Rulers and later on travelers named the same as Shammy and Tammy probably meaning left and right. Today however, the two colossal statues once, are designated as el-Colossal or es-Salamat. The statues are crafted from quartzite which has been quarried either from Gebes es Silisla or Giza. The northern statue on the other hand illustrates the pharaoh with this mother while the southern one seems to be of the Pharaoh with his wife and one of his daughters.

The two statues before this were located in front of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III which was destroyed due to some reason. The two Colossi of Memnon are now made of Sandstone and each one consists of a pedestal and the crown and is about 21 meters in heights. The statue now represents the pharaoh seated on the throne wearing the royal headdress of the Nemes which has the divine cobra protecting the same. The sides of the colossi have a representation of the god Hapi of the Nile bending together the papyrus plants and the lotus. The place was famous as a resort during the roman era where many famous travelers and Romans wrote versus and poems about the massive structures and also left behind epigrams on the stones.


Visitors are believed to have visited this place from all across the place to hear the song which was granted to show that you were in favor of the gods. However Septimius Severus, a roman emperor while repairing the statues inadvertently silenced the same forever.

Theories behind the signing status at the Clossi of Memnon

The Colossi of Memnon is believed to have been so popular during the Roman period as it’s said that the statues sung. It’s probably due to the expansion of the stone phenomenon which occurred when the sun got very warm during the day time and when the same cooled off in the evening and contracted.

Another theory suggests that the reverberating wind through the cracks made the sounds. However the restoration that occurred during 199 BC led to stopping of this sound forever meaning the statues no longer sung again.

How to get to the Colossi of Memnon

The Colossi of Memnon is located about half a kilometer east of the Antiquities Inspectorate (the ticket office) on the main road to the West Bank monument area. The statues are always open and no ticket is required to visit the same.

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The Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria

The Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria in Kom El-Dekka

The Roman Amphitheatre is one of the most popular monuments located in the city of Alexandria, the second most important city in Egypt, after Cairo, the capital of the country.


While the amphitheatres were quite spread during the reign of the Romans in different countries like Greece, Italy, and Turkey over a large empire with many examples of these structures still present in many regions around Europe and the Middle East, the Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria is the only one of its type in Egypt.

The Meaning of The Word Kom El Dekka

The word Kom El Dekka, in Arabic, means the hill of rubble or the hill of the benches, and it was named that way when a famous historian, El Neweiry, passed by this area in the beginning of the 20th century.


El Neweiry saw the many piles of rubble and sand that were formed due to the digging of the Mahmoudiya Canal at the end of the 19th century, that linked Alexandria to the River Nile, and these piles looked exactly like some huge benches and he was the one who gave the area its recent famous name.

Discovering of The Roman Amphitheatre

The Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria, which is considered to be one of the most important Roman architectural achievements in Egypt, was discovered by mere coincidence in the year 1960.

When the workers went to remove a pile of dust and sand in 1960 in order to clear the land and construct a governmental building, they found some solid iron columns while digging into the ground and this made them know for certain that there is an architectural entity below the ground.

Immediately afterwards, the excavation work began in the location of Kom El Dekka and it was carried out by the Greco Roman Museum and the Polish Excavation Mission in Egypt sponsored by the University of Warsaw. Shortly afterwards, the Excavation works revealed one of the most important discoveries in Egypt in the 20th century.

The Usage of the Roman Amphitheatre in Different Periods of Time

The Roman Amphitheatre stayed in service and was used to host different artistic events like musical concerts and different sorts of events up till the 7th century.

This fact was proven due to the architectural elements present in the theatre which show that it was used during three different periods; the Roman, the Byzantine, and the Early Islamic era.

The amphitheatre was used in several purposes during its long history and passing by different periods of time. It was used as an odeum where musical shows were performed during the Roman period. The theatre, at the time, had all the elements to host perfect performance like the dome that once stood over the stage and the section of the orchestra.

On the other hand, in the Byzantine era, it was used as a conference hall where important meetings, like public assemblies and governmental summits used to take place.

The Roman Amphitheatre was most probably neglected during the early Islamic period and onwards until it was discovered during the middle of the 20th century to become one of the most marvelous historical sites of the city of Alexandria

The Description of the Amphitheatre

The Roman Amphitheatre we see today in Alexandria was constructed in the 4th century AD and it was a common feature of the Greco Roman period. Amphitheatres were special roofed theatres that were built to host music ceremonies and poet competitions during the reign of the Romans in Egypt.

The Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria is featured with its marble audiences section which is symmetrical with extended wing and could host up 600 spectators.

The audience section of the Roman Amphitheatre has a diameter of about 33 meters and it consists of 13 rows made of European white marble with the uppermost part being a portico made out of Granite columns that were brought from Aswan and some of them are still standing until today.

The thirteen rows of the Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria were numbered with Roman digits and letters to regulate the seating of the audience in different occasions.

There were also five compartments that were constructed at the top of the audience section and were used to host important figures and wealthy tradesmen during performances.

These compartments used to have ceilings with domes that were based upon large columns made of granite to protect the audience from the sun and the rain. Moreover, these domes were used to magnify the sound of the music and the chants during different performances.

Unfortunately, all these structures were destroyed during the earthquake that hit Alexandria in the 6th century AD and resulted in the damage of many important structures at the time, like the famous Pharaohs Light House that once stood in the position of the Qaitbey Fort today.

The steps and the rows of the Roman Amphitheatre are based upon a thick white limestone wall and another wall surrounds it as well. These two walls were connected together through a number of arches where the outer wall function to support the inner wall, a common feature of the Roman architecture from the 2nd to the 4th century.


In the middle of the structure, there is the section of the orchestra where the musical performances used to take place. This section is supported with two large marble columns and has some of the finest Roman mosaics on its floor.

Comparing the Roman Amphitheater with other similar structures

Contemporary researches that made some comparisons between the Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria and other similar structures that were discovered in Italy, Greece, and the Theatre of Garash in Tunisia have concluded many interesting facts.

The first fact that was proved out of these researches is that the Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria was not constructed originally to be a theatre hosting performances and artistic events

This type of theatres was usually designed in the shape of the letter "C" to allow all the spectators, sitting all around the audience section, to watch the performances from any angle.


Moreover, the small size of the structure, that used to host up to 600 people as a maximum, in comparison with the large number of inhabitants of the city of Alexandria during the Roman period proves that this structure was never constructed to be a theatre and it was rather used for meetings of important figures and officials or for private performances with a limited number of audience.

The Villa of the Birds and the Roman Baths

Situated to the North of the Roman theatre, there are large mud brick structures and these are ruins of the Roman baths that were constructed near the amphitheatre in the period from the 2nd to the 4th century AD.

Located to the East of the Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria, recent excavation missions have unearthed a Roman villa that dates back to the period of Roman Emperor, Hadrian, who ruled Egypt and a large empire during the 2nd century AD.

The archeologists who discovered this villa called it; "the Villa of the Birds" because of the marvelous mosaic floor in the main room of the structure which display many birds in different shapes.

Other mosaic ornaments in the Villa of the Birds have different geometric motifs making the villa a distinctive monument to be visited or explored in Egypt.

The Villa of the Birds is the most wonderful example of private houses built in Alexandria during the Roman period. Being finely preserved, it gives the guest a good idea of how these residences looked like centuries ago when they were first constructed.


Being under the protection of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and the American Research Center in Egypt, the Villa of the Birds is among the most important monuments that were recently discovered in Egypt.

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