Imagine, just for a moment, if we could journey back in time, navigating the vast seas of millennia to come face to face with figures shrouded in mystery, their stories etched in stone and their visages lost to the ages. Well, guess what? Today, that journey becomes a reality!
Welcome back, Egyptian Planet friends, to the most exciting article on our channel yet. Today, we’re going to breathe life into history, peeling back the layers of time itself. Buckle up as we harness the raw power of artificial intelligence to bridge a gap of thousands of years. We’re about to stare into the eyes of Pharaohs and princesses of ancient Egypt, brought back to life through a riveting fusion of history and cutting-edge technology.
So, don’t blink. You’re about to embark on a journey that defies time and space, a journey that brings history to your doorstep. Stay tuned to witness the faces that launched a thousand ships, commanded armies, and built an empire that stood, unbroken, for over 3000 years. Let’s dive in!
Ahmose I
Today we are going to unmask a face from over 3 millennia an unforgettable figure from the depths of time whose Saga is intertwined with the very soul of ancient Egypt. The Liberator the Builder the Pharaoh Ahmose the first.
And here he is, or in other words his mummy that has been preserved for over 3500 years. Today our latest artificial intelligence technology advancement or AI will try to help us see through history based on the remaining facial characteristics of the mummy of Ahmose the first crafted with cutting-edge AI technology.
This is the generated image of what Ahmose the first may have looked like. Not just a king but the very architect of the New Kingdom. Based on what we know Ahmose lived until his mid-30s.
But wait! We can also train AI to enhance the image and get an enhanced version of Ahmose. Lets try that. Her we go!
and… Bam! This is an enhanced version resulting from giving AI even more information about Ahmose.
Ahmose I wasn’t born a hero. He was thrust into a storm of chaos and despair. The Hyksos, invaders from a foreign land, held Egypt in their iron grip. But Ahmose saw beyond the darkness.
He rallied his people, waged war, and drove the oppressors out. Ahmose the 1st reclaimed Egypt, marking the genesis of the 18th Dynasty and the New Kingdom.
However, his legacy was far from merely military triumphs. He rebuilt Egypt, Brought back Thebes as political and religious capital of Egypt. He initiated grand constructions including temples and a pyramid in Abydos which is one of the oldest and most important cities of ancient Egypt, occupied from as early as 3300 BCE.
Through his eyes, we witness a tale of resilience and determination that echoes through millennia. This is the face of a leader, a warrior, and a visionary – Ahmose the 1st.
What do you think? Did the AI create a realistic image of the great Pharaoh? Let us know in the comments.
Ahmose Sitkamose
Sitkamose is a princess and then a queen who lived during the late 17th-early 18th Dynasties of Egypt which is about 3550 years ago.
As the only child of Pharaoh Kamose, she was his heir presumptive. She married Prince Ahmose who later became Pharaoh Ahmose the 1st.
She was the royal heir to her father Pharaoh Kamose. But fate had other plans. Less than a year into their marriage, Sitkamose died at age 14, leaving a young Ahmose who was 10 years old at that time to ascend the throne and mourn the loss of his wife.
In his grief, Ahmose posthumously honored her with the titles of Great Royal Wife and God’s Wife of Amoon.
Fast forward to 1881, her mummy was discovered in the Deir El-Bahari cache, mistakenly placed in the coffin of a man named Pediamun. When unwrapped in 1886, her mummy revealed a strong-built woman who, despite appearing to be in her thirties, was only 14 at her death.
And now, thanks to AI, we can gaze upon the face of Ahmose-Sitkamose, a young princess whose life was cut short, but whose story continues to captivate us.
We applied the latest AI technology to the image of her mummy to process and imagine how she looked like We put AI through multiple iterations of learning about Sitkamose and her story, time, and characteristics.
Meet Ahmose-Sitkamose, a princess from the sands of time, brought to life by cutting-edge AI. She died as a queen.
SETI I
The next Pharaoh is one of Egypt’s greatest rulers, and today, we reveal his face as he would have looked. But who was this remarkable ruler? Are you ready to meet Seti the First?
Born to Pharaoh Ramesses the 1st and Queen Sitree, Seti the First took the throne around 1290 BC or 3300 years ago. His name, meaning ‘of Set’, indicates his devotion to the god Seth. During his reign, Seti strived to re-establish order after the religious reforms of Akhenaten.
He reconquered lost territories and even challenged the powerful Hittite state. His victories were proudly recorded on the front of the temple of Amoon in Karnak. He constructed magnificent temples in Abydos and what is now known as Qurna.
Seti’s military prowess was impressive. He defeated Libyan tribesmen, quelled rebellions in Nubia, and achieved the greatest feat of his foreign policy: capturing the Syrian town of Kadesh. But, as all mortals do, Seti eventually faced death.
His tomb, discovered in 1817, remains the longest and deepest in the Valley of the Kings. It’s adorned with vibrant paintings and intricate bas-reliefs.
In 1881, his well-preserved mummy was discovered and is now housed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Thanks to AI, we can now imagine his living face, bringing us closer to the man behind the legend.
Let us ask AI to imagine How Seti the 1st looked like based on his mummy.
And there he is. Seti the 1st as we can imagine him thousands of years after his death. The AI communicated with his mummy and gave us his face.
Thutomose II
Our next Pharaoh was Buried deep in the annals of time, overshadowed by powerful figures, a Pharaoh’s face is about to be brought to life – Thutmose the 2nd.
Thutmose the 2nd, the lesser known fourth Pharaoh of Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty, from 1493 to 1479 BC or about 3500 years ago. Overshadowed by his father, Thutmose the 1st, his wife, the famous Hatshepsut, and his son, the legendary Thutmose the 3rd.
In the face of rebellions and Bedouin invasions, Thutmose the 2nd, albeit through his generals, maintained the might of Egypt. His campaigns in Nubia and the Levant have echoed down the ages as markers of his reign.
Discovered in the Deir El-Bahari Cache, the mummy of Thutmose tells a tale of a life marred by hardship and disease, showing a man who faced adversity, both in his rule and his health. Unwrapped by Gaston Maspero in 1886, Thutmose’s mummy was found disfigured by tomb robbers.
Despite the brutal disfigurements, a strong resemblance to his father, Thutmose the 1st, was evident, hinting at a royal lineage that was unmistakable.
Now, using cutting-edge AI technology, we are able to rebuild the face of Thutmose the 2nd, bringing him back to life after thousands of years.
From the dust of history, emerges the face of a Pharaoh. Thutmose the 2nd, we see you now as you were during your time. Welcome back to the world!
What do you think? Did AI successfully portray Thutmose the 2nd from his Mummy’s image?
AI Reveals True Faces of Ancient Pharaohs Mummies
Watch the video to the end for a bonus AI surprise: animated faces of the Pharaohs you have seen so far: Ahmose I, Sitkamose, Seti the First, And finally Thutmose II.
Ancient Egypt Technology: Is it a Glitch in The Matrix?
Egypt is full of mysteries. The Egyptian Oracle, Serapeum Boxes, The elongated heads of Akhenaten’s family, The Stone carved artifacts in Saqqara Tunnels, and many more. What are we looking at? Is this the work of Ancient Egyptians with wooden, stone, bronze or copper tools? These findings look out of place or out of time when put in the context of that time. But are they? Some people claim that we live in a simulated reality, and this is just a glitch in the software. Well, let’s have a closer look.
The Egyptian Oracle
An Oracle is a place or person where a god speaks or communicates messages. The concept goes way back before The Oracle from The Matrix movie. The medium or priest acting as the Oracle can give an answer to a question or a request. The Oracle of Delphi was established in Greece in the 8th century BC. The Egyptian Oracle in Siwa Oasis was a famous temple of high religious importance in the Ancient World. It was located at the Siwa Oasis, and we can see the remains of it today. It may have been built between the 6th and 8th century BC, but it may be older. Some say there was an older temple built thousands of years ago.
Siwa
Herodotus, the ancient Greek historian, mentioned that the Oracle took the image of a ram. The Oracle in the ancient world was believed to be a deity that could be asked about the future or any other important decision or matter. It was expected to actually respond by showing a sign or by speaking.
Persians Take over Egypt
In 524 BCE, The Persians conquered Egypt led by Cambyses the second, who invaded Egypt and then decided to send an army of 50,000 men to destroy the Oracle of Siwa. The army went through the desert to fulfill its goal, but it just disappeared in the desert. This army has never been found again until today. In 332 BCE, Alexander the Great defeated the Persians and expelled them from Egypt. He then consulted the famous oracle of Amun-Ra at the Siwa Oasis.
Zeus- Ammon
He was lost in the desert with his soldiers. The legend says that crows appeared in the desert and led Alexander the Great and his soldiers to Siwa Oasis. The Oracle was a place to worship Ammon, the Egyptian God. The Greeks equated Ammon to Zeus, so they called the Oracle Ammon-Zeus. The Oracle eventually pronounced Alexander to be the son of the deity Amon. The Priest of the Oracle told Alexander that he would conquer the world and that the Oracle pronounced him as the son of Ammon-Zeus.
Alexander as Pharaoh of Egypt
After the Oracle visit, he referred to himself as the son of Zeus-Ammon. From that day on, he became a legitimate Pharaoh of Egypt who liberated Egypt from the oppressing Persians. He was depicted in paintings and coins with ram horns to affirm his divinity. He went on to conquer the rest of the world. He reached as far as India. He wanted to keep going, but his soldiers were too exhausted, so he started his journey back home.
Alexander The Great on Death Bed
Alexander died on the way to Iraq. His body was submerged in honey and transported in a sarcophagus made of gold. His successor in Egypt, Ptolemy, seized the body and took it to Egypt. He was eventually buried in the city he built in Egypt: Alexandria.
Transporting the body of Alexander The Great
So, eventually, he was buried as an Egyptian Pharaoh. The Oracle declined after the fall of Egypt to the Roman and the End of Pharaonic Egypt, gradually becoming ruins that can still be seen today.
The Serapeum Boxes
With their lids on, these boxes weigh up to 70 tonnes or about 155,000 pounds. They were assumed to be burial sarcophagi for the Bull of APIS that Ancient Egyptians worshiped. The APIS bull became Osiris-Apis after death.
Serapeum Granite Box
Underground tunnels known as Lesser Vaults are attributed to Ramses the second and his son Khaemweset. Ramses ordered the building of the chambers and placement of the sarcophagi to bury the sacred bulls. Another set of tunnels known as Greater Vaults is attributed to Pharaoh Psamtik the first. Egyptian kings kept adding and expanding the tunnels. However, when Auguste Mariette discovered the Serapeum in 1850 and uncovered the Greater Vaults, he found all the lids removed except one that was intact. He used dynamite or gunpowder to make an opening in the vast stone box. To his surprise, he found nothing inside. Was this location found by ancient Egyptians and repurposed for the burial of the Apis Bull? The material used to make the sarcophagi in the Greater Vault is Granite, basalt, or diorite, even with the technology that we have today.
Writings on Granite Box
Today, only diamonds can practically be used to cut these types of stones. These are the toughest and heaviest materials to work with. Also, the accuracy and placement of these boxes are puzzles until today. The placement of these boxes in the narrow tunnels and installing them in the chambers seem impossible for the number of men who can fit inside the tunnel simultaneously. Did the Egyptians have a technology that we are not aware of? Were these boxes built and placed in a time way before Psamtik the First and Ramses the second?
Kink Psammitic I
The inscriptions on some of the boxes are poorly done. These writings do not live up to the boxes’ accuracy or quality. It seems like those kings just claimed the boxes for themselves. The boxes are made from one solid block of stone. The type of stone used is rose granite which is very hard to work on, and in some cases, they are made of diorite, which is even more challenging. The boxes are done with great precision. The angles are perfect 90 degrees, and the dimensions and internal sides are perfectly cut and perfectly parallel. It is extremely hard to imagine how this was done on these tough stones with the available tools at the time. What are these boxes? Who made them? What kind of technology or capacity did they have?
The Royal family with Elongated Heads
As a younger son of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye, Amenhotep IV, who lived between 1351and 1334 BC, was not originally the crown prince. The crown prince was his brother Thutmose. After the early death of Thutmose, Amenhotep IV became the crown prince.
Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten)
In his early depictions, prince Amenhotep IV looked more like his father, brothers, and other traditional Pharaohs. Even in his early years as king, he followed his father’s steps and worshipped the same gods. But, around 3 years after becoming a king, everything changed suddenly. He stopped worshipping the traditional gods of Egypt. He started worshipping what is interpreted as Aten or the Sun God. He suddenly started looking different in his depictions on walls and statues. He and his family suddenly became an anomaly when compared to all other Pharaohs. They had elongated skulls and abnormally shaped bodies.
Akhenaten
He started calling for a monotheistic religion. He even built a new capital for Egypt to be the center of the new religion and away from Thebes, which was the center of other Egyptian gods. He was not interested in the conquest of other lands or in wars at all. He became this mystic being looking up to the sky to worship the one god and inviting everyone to do the same. And as he came as an anomaly in ancient Egyptian history, he left, and Egyptians just went back to worshiping their traditional gods, including his son Tutankhaten. Tutankhaten means the Living image of Aten, but his name changed to Tutankhamen, meaning “Living image of Amon’’.
Elongated Head
Why did Akhenaten suddenly look so different from everyone else, including himself, at a younger age? Some Egyptologists refer to this change as a new ‘artistic’ perspective, but why would that perspective give the whole family elongated heads and weirdly looking shapes? Why did he come up with a whole new religion? Why did he put down all other gods, including Amon, who have been the core of Egyptian beliefs for thousands of years? Were Egyptians and humanity being guided to think differently? By Whom? Why don’t we see other Pharaohs or Egyptian royal families with these elongated skulls? Some wild theories attribute these strange features to Akhenaten being an alien or a hybrid alien. If you wanted to rule planet Earth at that time and pretend to be a human king, what country better than Egypt would you choose? This theory is relatively crazy and without evidence, but the strange bodily characteristics and the unique approach to ruling one of the greatest human civilizations on earth at that time raise many questions and speculations.
Akhenaten worshipping The Aten
Several claims have been made about aliens helping humans build large ancient structures like the Moai of Easter Island, Stonehenge, the Giza Pyramids, the Nazca Lines, and others, but an alien king? This is a different case, except for the claim of the alien Anunnaki race being the Gods of Ancient Sumer. What is unique in the case of Akhenaten is that we have mummies and clear evidence of his existence. Some facts remain: Akhenaten left a legacy of introducing monotheistic religion, a new style of art, and a different way of life suddenly and out of nowhere.
The Predynastic Marvels
Dynastic Ancient Egypt goes back more than 5000 years since King Narmer unified lower and upper Egypt. Ancient Egypt had 31 dynasties between 1900 BC and 30 BC. But there is an older Egypt that goes back about 8000 years or more. This is Predynastic Egypt. Predynastic Egypt is a mysterious era in Egyptian history. New discoveries are revealing more information about it every year. Egyptian civilization evolves during this period, and we can see many of the tools and artifacts of this period that reflect the evolution of civilization on the banks of the Nile River. Some findings go back to around 100,000 years, like the discoveries in Wadi Halfa, south of Egypt and in Sudan. Other tools were found to go back 700,000 years.
Stone Artefacts
Most of the findings are in southern Egypt due to the nature of climate and soil that help preserve these ancient artifacts. It is more difficult to find similar artifacts in the Delta and northern parts of Egypt due to the depositing of silt from the Nile River that buried and maybe damaged remains and artifacts. However, what is more puzzling about this period is the discovery of stone works so accurately and elegantly made that it is difficult to believe it was made by people who had stone age technology. We can see how difficult it is to cut a block of hard stone to the shape and curvature that we find in these artifacts. The relatively thin edges and machine-like finishing are different in quality and making from other artifacts we can see from the same period. These other artifacts look more fitting to the period and tools that were available.
Stone Vase
But, if they did not make these stone artifacts, who did? Did they inherit it from an earlier lost civilization? Or did they have more skills than we give them credit for. The Schist Disc is another discovery that looks to be part of a more complex tool or machine. It is made with thin round edges that look difficult to make even by today’s standards. It is made from schist, a metamorphic siltstone, a very fragile material to work with. It is carved from a single block of stone. What was this used for or part of? Who made it? Many people suggested different ideas for the possible use of this disc, like a mixing tool for mixing grains, a tool used during large gatherings, an incense holder, or a lotus flower shape vase. None of these suggestions make a lot of sense. This is a complex piece to make, and no one knows what it was used for until today.
Schist Disc
Why was it made in early dynastic or even in predynastic times? Why don’t we see similar advanced items thousands of years later when logically, technology should have evolved, and people accumulated more knowledge? This is an example from a time we don’t know much about. At least not yet.
Did we find a bug in our simulated reality?
Some people believe the world we live in is a simulation run by someone. This is becoming a strong belief by many, including well-known businessmen and visionaries like Elon Musk and acclaimed scientists and philosophers like Neil deGrasse Tyson or Nick Bostrom. Are we in an actual reality or advanced Artificial Intelligence characters in a software simulation? Are we finding ancient artifacts that do not fit the historical context because they are put there by mistake?
Digital Reality?
But why wouldn’t the simulation admin correct these errors and erase them from our memory if this is the case? Or is it left there intentionally to get us thinking? Is this a message sent to us by someone planting historical anomalies to draw our attention?
Is it possible that this history did not happen at all, and it is all part of the simulated reality injected into our minds so we can have a logical connection to our past and where we came from? But once we look closely at the details of this ‘fake’ history, we discover that the findings do not add up. The Philosopher Nick Bostrom examined the probability of our reality being a simulation. Bostrom assumes that if humans do not destroy themselves and are not destroyed by other means, they will eventually develop advanced simulation technology. Bostrom argues it is then not totally impossible that we may already be in a simulation created by someone else.
Elon Musk
How can we tell if this is a simulated reality? Maybe by paying attention to the imperfections in our environment, which can be the only hint that this is a simulated reality. The deeper we investigate physics and the deeper we investigate the history, we keep discovering these subtle imperfections. In physics, some scientists are investigating the idea of a pixilated universe. Rana Adhikari, a professor of physics at Caltech and others, thinks the space we live in may not be perfectly smooth but instead made of incredibly small discrete units. This is a prediction of Quantum gravity. Is our history another pixilated feature of our reality where the closer we study it, the fuzzier it gets? Until now, no one can clearly understand or identify what consciousness is. Many people believe that it is separate from the physical body and brain; therefore, it is possible for someone to come back to life or be resurrected after death.
Alien – Imaginary
This is what ancient Egyptians believed in. They had the concept of vital essence or the Ka. The Ka leaves the body after death. The person’s attributes or personality is called Ba. If after death, the Ka is united with the Ba to create after death entity of the person. They strongly believed that the soul or the consciousness does not end by death. It is somewhere in the system and can be restored someday to the preserved or mummified body. Today, we are still struggling to understand consciousness. It is an essential part of understanding our reality. Studying our history carefully and with an open mind can help us unravel new knowledge that may be otherwise difficult to acquire if we maintain a traditional look at the unexplained mysteries of ancient history. Whether it is a lost advanced civilization, aliens helping our ancestors, or our reality is a simulation, we do not have enough proof to consider these theories to be more than crazy ideas. But it is motivated by bizarre and mysterious findings. It could be just us underestimating the abilities of our ancestors. However, we should not become obsessed with these ideas without any solid evidence or proof, but at the same time, we should not close our minds to unexpected possibilities. If we have unexplained discoveries, hints, or suspicion that something does not add up, then Let us keep digging to learn more about our reality.
Ancient Egypt Anomalies Video
New Discovery Interpretations in Egypt that Scientists are Scared to Admit
Egypt is a country that goes back in history as one of the oldest known human civilizations.
Scientists and archaeologists are expecting to find more dazzling and surprising discoveries every year.
So many mysteries and secrets are waiting to be resolved. The more we discover the more history takes us further back with this great civilization.
Is it important for the human race to learn more about its own past? Maybe it is more important than we think. Maybe our future and survival rely on understanding the ancient origins of our civilization.
In thisarticle we will shed some light on some concerning and potentially scary findings according to new and progressive interpretations. Please let us know what you find interesting about Egypt and leave us a comment about what subject you would like to learn more about.
Giza Pyramids
Giza Pyramids
The Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx maybe much older than we know.
The Three Pyramids of Giza are known to have been built by three kings from the 4th dynasty. The Father Khufu, the son Khafre, and the grandson Menkaure. The current aging of the three pyramids according to this scenario puts them at 4500 years.
But, is it older than that? One of the most important findings that may point to the pyramid builders is the Merer’s Papyri. Merer was a supervisor of a team of workers who were responsible for transferring blocks of stones between Toorah area and Khufu’s Pyramid area. How do we know the blocks were actually used to build Khufu’s Pyramid? Well, we don’t. It was just assumed that workers transporting stone blocks at the time of Khufu were logically part of the Khufu’s pyramid building project.
We also have the incredible discovery of the city of workers right by the pyramid. It is believed to have been the home to more than 10000 workers who were generously compensated for their work on the pyramids. We do not know for sure if this was a workforce to maintain the pyramid, build and maintain temples and other monuments and artefacts around the pyramid, or for building the pyramid itself.
This is the current mainstream consensus on when and who build the great Giza pyramids. We still have a lot of mysterious and unknown pieces of the puzzle. For example, how were millions of blocks of stone moved from their source and up to their location on the pyramid?
Pyramid Stones
The weight of each block is about 2.5 tons. Some blocks of granite used for the King’s chamber were brought from Aswan quarries more than 700 kilometers away and weigh more than 80 Tonnes per block. Around 2.3 million blocks were used in Khufu’s pyramid alone. The cutting of the stones with high precision is another mystery. It does not look like the primitive tools the Egyptians had at the time could produce this clean-cut blocks of tough stones.
Inside Khufu’s Pyramid, the kings chamber was found to be free standing and vibrates at specific audio frequency. There are narrow and small ducts along the body of the pyramid leading to the chambers. The 3 pyramids themselves align with the Star group of Orion according to night sky map 10000 years ago. Is that just a coincident? No one knows. The lower chamber looks to have traces of water flowing into them.
Khufu’s Pyramid Chambers
Several researchers carried out experiments to imitate the water flow into the Subterranean chamber at the bottom of the pyramid and ended up with a structure that created pulsing audio waves when water flows into the chamber. They may have created the audio frequency required to cause the king’s chamber that is a free-standing structure to vibrate. But why? And how would this be built to be just a tomb of king Khufu? The alternative history theory claims the pyramids are much older that 4500 years.
Giza Pyramids: Energy Generators? Atlantic Related?
They go back between 9000 and 12000 years and they were energy generators or interstellar communication devices in some way. They may have been built by Egyptians who lived way before the dynastic Egyptians that we know. We do not have a clear evidence of those advanced Egyptians though. Were they trying to create energy and the pyramids are actually large energy factories? Or were they trying to generate communication waves that can be sent into space to communicate with some other civilization? Did that civilization respond as a result, and, several thousand years later have arrived and are now watching and observing our planet? No one knows for sure.
King Scorpion – Predynastic
We do know however that Egyptians had organized and established governments way before Egypt was unified by king Narmer. Was the knowledge and information about those Pre-dynastic Egyptians destroyed by war? By natural disaster? We do not know, and we do not have clear evidence to support this idea, but at the same time, it is difficult to ignore the traces of relatively advanced technologies such as the design of the pyramids chambers, the accuracy of positioning the pyramid to be aligned with true north when Egyptians did not have a compass.
It is difficult to ignore the possibility of the pyramids being used for more than just tombs. Were predynastic Egyptian people trying to start over after their civilization was wiped out somehow? Were the builders of the pyramids leaving us a message that we need to decipher before it is too late for humanity? Is someone trying to stop humanity from finding out the truth in time? Well, there is so much to explore and Only time will tell. We just hope we can find out before it is too late
The Sphinx is 240 feet or73 meters long, and 66 feet or 20 meters high. It is one of the largest ancient world sculptures. Mainstream archeologists put it in the time of king Khafre and attribute it to that Pharaoh. However, some alternate history archeologists and Egyptologists claim that the corrosion of the sculpture walls and the surrounding enclosure walls point to an older era when Egypt was exposed to a climate with heavier rainy seasons than it was 4500 years ago.
Sphinx Walls Erosion
This fringe theory suggests the Sphinx to be 9000 to 12000 years old. This is older than any of the predynastic civilizations discovered so far in Egypt. This takes us back to the potential missing link or the missing civilization that was able to build a structure this large in very early time of human civilization history. Some supporters of this theory claim that the builders of the Sphinx are survivors from the sunken Atlantis. There is no evidence so far to support the idea that there was a place or continent called Atlantis other than writings attributed to Greek philosopher Plato. The claim also suggests that the knowledge of the Atlantis people was hidden in a Hall of Records room under the Sphinx.
Atlantis
So far Atlantis is just a myth, as no scientific evidence has proven its existence let alone linking it to the building of the Sphinx. Another suggestion is that the Sphinx was built by predynastic ancient Egyptians 10000 or more years ago just as the Göbekli Tepe in Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey was built around the same time. Both structures may go back to the Neolithic period.
Another example is Tower of Jericho which is believed to have been built around 10000 years ago. It seems that Prehistoric people were capable of building megalithic structures. Dr. Hawas, the famous Egyptologist has called the prehistoric Sphinx advocates as pyramidiots. He strongly believes that the best evidence we have so far points to Khafre as the builder of the Sphinx and that the sphinx is about 4500 years old. Geologist Dr Schoch on the other hand is a strong advocate of old Sphinx theory due to geological evidence from his perspective. He Believes a major solar outburst cataclysmic event happened at the end of the ice age and caused the demise of civilizations in Egypt and in other areas around the world.
Khafre
Although the current evidence leans towards opinion of Dr. Hawas and traditional Archeology, it would be a mistake to dismiss challenging ideas that could some day open the door to discoveries beyond our wildest imagination. Only Time will tell There is no clear evidence that the Sphinx is built by Khafre and the same goes to the three Giza Pyramids. No clear writings state that these were built by those kings.
Are we looking at a big missing chunk of human history? It will take a significant discovery to scientifically prove these theories. For example, we need to find burial sites, tools, or any artefacts that tell us more about the story of that civilization. If that civilization was destroyed by some cataclysmic event, like the destruction and sinking of the Atlantis into the sea, a large meteorite, volcano, or earthquake the destroyed and buried the evidence, it is going to be hard to make this a widely accepted theory. We should continue the efforts to reveal more of the secrets of these incredible structures to learn more about how humanity came to what it is today and maybe where it is going in future.
The Palermo Stone
Palermo Stone
The Palermo Stone is the oldest finding that mentions the kings of Egypt. It has a listing of dynastic Kings from dynasty 1 to 5. It also mentions kings before the unification of Egypt who ruled two separate states: Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.
Unfortunately, only some fragments of this stone remain today. These fragments are available in different museum around the world including the museum of Palermo, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and in the Petrie Museum of Archaeology in the University College of London.
A line on the stone lists Predynastic kings of lower Egypt before the unification of Egypt. They are identified by the red crown which is a symbol of lower Egypt. Due to the damage and missing pieces, we do not have the full list. However, it is estimated that there could have been up to 120 predynastic kings. These kings had a fully functioning state.
Lower Egypt Crown
We are not sure who could have been the rulers or kings even before that. The organized and centrally controlled governments obviously go way back before the dynastic era and before Narmer unified upper and lower Egypt. The Egyptian history keeps getting deeper with each excavation.
Are there modern vehicles depicted on the walls of this Egyptian temple?
The sacred city of Abydos is one of the most ancient cities in the world. It is located south of Egypt and west of the Nile. It is one of the most important archeological sites in Egypt.
SETI I Temple in Abydos
The Temple of Seti the first, also known as the Great Temple of Abydos is in the city of Abydos. It goes back about 3300 years. It was built by Seti the first and completed by his son Ramses the second. The temple is famous for the ‘Abydos King List’ depicting a chronological listing of kings of Egypt since Narmer who unified Egypt.
But the bizarre findings were noticed on one of the gates in the temple. The drawings of what seems to be modern vehicles on the walls of the Temple of Seti the first. Traditional Egyptologists explain it to be the result of repeated writing, plastering, and chiseling by different Pharaohs over a long period of time which eventually worn out and ended up looking like this by chance.
Eroded plaster or future vision?
According to traditional Egyptology the original carving by Seti the first, red ‘He who repulses the nine [enemies of Egypt]’ that was later plastered and overridden by Ramses the second to say ‘He who protects Egypt and overthrows the foreign countries’. Over the centuries, the eroded plaster ended up looking as we see it today.
However, what seems strange is that these rewritten words are coincidently looking like modern time vehicles: A chopper or helicopter, a submarine, a tank, and a plane. Why did random accidental plastering and rewriting result in only figures that look like modern time vehicles and not like different other things. Why is it not looking like one modern vehicle, but 3 or 4? Did someone have a vision from the future and wanted to record it? Is it a case of extreme coincidence or a chilling discovery? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
Conclusion
Should we continue to discuss and try to better understand what we are observing that is coming from far far away history? Is someone trying to send us a message across time? Are these messages intended to humans with the right technology at the right time to understand the message? Or are these interpretations unnecessary exaggerations and can be explained by traditional archeology. Ancient Egypt is still a mystery after many years of excavations, discoveries, analysis, and rediscoveries. What will we discover soon? Leave a comment and Keep watching Egyptian Planet to learn more about this amazing civilization.
Egyptian Civilization
Breakfast in New Cairo: Arabiata (El Shabrawy) Review
I went to Arabiata looking for a local Egyptian breakfast experience. Arabiata used to be one of many branches El Shabrawy chain of restaurants. El Shabrawy is a family business but when the father passed away, those branches were distributed among the next generation and this branch was renamed Arabiata.
Arabiata Restaurant – Egypt
List of the Arabiata Branches I tried:
Arabiata Concord plaza New Cairo : S Teseen, First New Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypt
Arabiata: First New Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypt
Arabiata Rehab City: Food/Restaurants Court
Arabiata Airport: Airport Rd, Sheraton Al Matar, El Nozha, Cairo Governorate, Egypt
My Favorite Breakfast Items at Arabiata
Arabiata serves both Egyptian and some International cuisine. My favorites are the oriental Egyptian breakfast items on the menu. Here is my top 4 favorites:
Arabiata Foul (Fava Beans)
Arabiata Falafel
Pastrami & Roumi Cheeses Omelette
Fried Eggplant
Arabiata Restaurant serves Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner – New Cairo – Egypt
Arabiata Location
This branch is located in Rehab city in New Cairo. The location has a modern and pleasant vibe. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but I was there for breakfast… Egyptian one!
Egyptian Bread (Baladi) is freshly baked in store – Arabiata – New Cairo – Egypt
Service Quality at Arabiata
Staff were welcoming and helpful. The place was busy as it is one of the most famous breakfast places in the area. The place looked clean and inviting. Except with faulty soap dispenser in the washing room,everything else was good.
https://youtu.be/poTo6jih0SE
Egyptian Breakfast Experience at Arabiata
Ful Medames (Fava Beans)
The menu has many options and selections. The most important item on Egyptian breakfast table is Ful (or Fuol) Medames. Ful is simply slow cooked fava beans with vegetable oil added to the plate.
Ful Medames (Fava Beans) is most famous breakfast dish in Egypt- Arabiata – New Cairo – Egypt
Arabiata serves Ful in many different versions including: Sohagi Foul, Ful with lentil and peas, Alexandian Ful, Ful with ghee, Ful Tajins: ful with bastirma and eggs (called Donia Arabiata), Ful with sausage, Ful with minced beef, and more.
Arabiata Ful Medames Menu – New Cairo – Egypt
My favorites are the original recipe Arabiata Ful and Ful with tomato sauce and garlic.
Falafel at Arabiata
Arabiata Breakfast – Falafel – New Cairo – Egypt
Falafel is the other necessity on the Egyptian breakfast table. Arabiata has many varieties in the Falafel department. My favorite is Arabiata Falafel.
Arabiata Falafel (Tamiya) Menu – New Cairo – Egypt
Egg Dishes at Arabiata
If you like eggs on breakfast you can try the boiled eggs fried in butter (called farmers eggs or Beid Fallahi). Omelette with Bastirma (pastrami) is also a favorite for me.
Arabiata Eggs Menu – New Cairo – Egypt
Other Breakfast options at Arabiata
If you are looking for something different on the side, try the fried eggplants.
Eggplant and Fries – Arabiata – Rehab City – New Cairo – Egypt
Arabiata More Options Menu – New Cairo – Egypt
Breakfast Cost at Arabiata
Pricing is considered of above average range for egypt but it is still reasonably priced. I paid around 100 Egyptian pounds for Ful, Falafel, Eggs, and fried eggplants in addition to water and tea. This is around $6 (in US Dollars). This is a relatively cheap price for a fairly large breakfast.
Arabiata – Egyptian Pickles- New Cairo – Egypt
How to get there
Rehab city is a relatively closed community though and although you can find your way in, it is originally meant for its residents and their visitors. It is part of the new communities built outside old Cairo in what is know today as New Cairo.
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There are many branches across Cairo. I tried some branches in New Cairo and the one close to the airport. One Arabia branch is located in 1st settlement (still in New Cairo). I Can’t complain about quality of service over there. All the branches I tried (other than the one at Rehab) are not in a gated community like Rehab.
I tried two other branches: Arabiata at Concord plaza New Cairo. Same level of service. Arabiata Airport: Was good, just too far for me to go back on regular basis. It is good if you’re on way to or from the airport though.
New Cairo – Egypt
I checked some online reviews about Arabiata before I went, and found some angry or frustrated customer feedbacks. Some were talking about slow service, mistaken orders, or even orders with soda drinks or something spilled on their takeaway orders. I went anyway, and frankly I am happy I did.
My own experience was great, and I went again a week later. I have also tied the branch in first settlement and I am still happy with my experience in Arabiata. I do recommend it for those visiting Egypt and looking for an Egyptian Breakfast experience.
Arabiata – Rehab City – New Cairo – Egypt
Conclusion
If you are looking to try Egyptian Breakfast while in Egypt: Try Arabiata it is good and affordable.
Tea with Mint -Arabiata – New Cairo – Egypt
Top 27 Famous Egyptian Temples and Attractions in Luxor and Aswan
The two magnificent cities of Aswan and Luxor are two of the most ancient cities on earth. The different temples, tombs, and ancient sites are abundant in, around, and between the cities. Here is a quick list of some of the historical sites in Luxor and Aswan
Private Hot Air Balloon Tour of Luxor
Temple of Karnak
Luxor Temple
Temple of Deir El-Bahri (Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple)
Luxor Museum
The City and Temples of Abydos
The Temple of Seti I in Abydos
The Osireion Temple in Abydos
Medinet Habu
Tombs of the Nobles
Colossi of Memnon
Ramesseum
The Valley of The Kings
Valley of the Queens
The High Dam (El Sadd El Aali)
Nubian Museum
Aswan Museum
Nile Museum
Ferial Garden
Suhail (or Sohail) Nubian Village
Elephantine Island
The Temples of Philae
Abu Simbel Temples
Kom Ombo Temple
The Temple at Edfu
Dendera Temple – Qena
Valley Temple – Giza
Luxor City
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Luxor is a city located in upper (southern) Egypt, and it is the capital of Luxor Governorate. It has been one of Egypt’s governorates since December 7th, 2009. This was when the former president (Hosni Mubarak) announced its official separation from the Quena Governorate.
Luxor City and Luxor Temple – Egypt
The location of Luxor is 635 km south of Cairo. At this point, it is the smallest governorates currently in Egypt, spanning roughly about 5 km north to south. The population of Luxor is approximately around 506, 588, this estimate was given in 2012 within an area of roughly 417 square kilometers or 161 square miles.
Luxor is Like an Open Museum
Luxor city is located on the site where the ancient Egyptian city
of Waset was found, also known as Thebes to the Greeks. This beautiful city has been often
characterized as the “world’s greatest open-air museum.” As there are
the ruins of the ancient Egyptian temples Karnak and Luxor that stand within
the modern city of Luxor. Across the
Nile River is ancient monuments, temples, and tombs of the west bank Necropolis
included here is the famous Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens.
Luxor city – Egypt
Thebes was the city of the god Amun-Ra, and it remained the
religious capital of Egypt until the Greek period. The city’s main god was Amun; he was
worshiped along with his wife, the Goddess Mut, and their son Khonsu, who was
the God of the moon. Thebes rose to be
the principal city of Egypt. Along with
its’ rise, the local god Amon also rose in importance, and he became linked to
the sun god Ra. With this coupling was
the creation of the new ‘king of gods’ Amon-Ra.
He had his great temple located at Karnak, just north of Thebes, which
was the most important temple of Egypt right until the end of antiquity.
Luxor Has a long list of Temples and Ancient Tombs
The economy of Luxor is greatly aided by thousands of tourists from
around the world. Tourists annually come
to this area to visit the famous Egyptian temples and famous sites in this
incredible and vibrant historical area.
Find a way to tour this fantastic area that will suit your personal
preferences. There is certainly no
shortage of assorted types of tours in the Luxor area to choose from. There is so many monuments in the Luxor area,
that you could literally spend a week simply absorbing the elegance and
grandeur you will be surrounded by.
Hotel Boats in the harbor in Luxor – Egypt
You might decide to have a tour guide that will accompany you on a day trip to Luxor to explore the famous Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple Complex. This is where famous rulers of Egypt are buried, such as the legendary King Tutankhamun and Ramses II. Over centuries of pharaoh rule, the famous Karnak Temple Complex was constructed, is one of the largest religious sites on earth to date.
Private Hot Air Balloon Tour of Luxor
Balloons Over Luxor
Starting from $150 you and your party can enjoy a private 45-minute
tour by air balloon viewing the fantastic historical sights of Luxor.
Hotels in Luxor
Sonesta Hotel in Luxor, Egypt
Aracan Eatabe Luxor Hotel
Rating: 4.0
This hotel is located right in the center of town, it overlooks the
Nile River, it is truly in the heart of a fantastic part of the ancient
Egyptian world.
Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa
Rating: 5.0 Excellent
The Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa will provide you with the perfect
base from which to explore this amazing ancient culture of the Nile
Valley. It is located on the east bank,
where you will get to enjoy glorious views of the River Nile with the most
extensive waterfront on the Nile. The
ancient Temple of Karnak and the Valley of Kings are literally located right on
the doorstep of the hotel. It will
provide you with the ultimate luxury with the newly renovated resort and spa.
Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor
Rating: 4.5
The Sofitel Winter Palace was built in 1866 on the Nile banks in a
lovely tropical garden, it is undoubtedly an enjoyable experience of both
luxury and history. It has hosted
royalties and celebrities over the years.
It is unique, with an atmosphere of modern décor mixed with mythical. Situated in the center of the Luxor city,
only minutes from the Luxor Temple and the airport.
List of Top 13 Tourist Attractions in and Around Luxor
Temple of Karnak
Karnak Temple in Luxor
The Temple of Karnak was constructed in
3200 BC by the pharaoh Senusret I. It is
ranked as the largest temple complex in Egypt. It is the second-largest in the
world next to Cambodia’s Angkor Wat in ancient temple complexes.
A Blueprint of Karnak Temple – Luxor – Egypt
For over 3000 years, during the time of
ancient Egypt, this temple was under construction, this time covered the reign
of thirty different pharaohs. With such
lengthy construction, it certainly has made the architecture of the Karnak
complex very diverse.
Karnak Temple Great Pillars – Luxor – Egypt
Scarab (Sacred in Ancient Egypt)) – Karnak Temple – Luxor – Egypt
The city of Thebes is where the Temple of
Karnak was located, this area was known as a religious hub. Located in the southern part of Egypt is
known today as the city of Luxor. When
the temple was created, it was to be the dwelling for the “god of
gods,” Amun. Along with his son
(Khonsu), and his wife named Mut.
Karnak Temple – Hall of caryatids – Luxor – Egypt
The temple was designed with four separate temple complexes, each located in different precincts. There were chapels built by the temple priests that each one had separate deities they were dedicated to, and each of them possessed a sacred pool area.
statue of a Ram sphinx – Karnak Complex – Luxor – Egypt
Karnak is certainly a place that is well worth visiting twice: see it once by daylight and view the architectural details, then visit it again at night to enjoy the sound and light show.
hieroglyphs and carvings on the walls of Karnak Temple – Luxor – Egypt
Of all the monuments in the Luxor area, the Temple Complex of Karnak is certainly a very astonishing and beautiful feat. Located within its precincts are the Temple of Khons, the Great Temple of Amun, and the Festival Temple of Tuthmosis III, as well as many other buildings.
Temple of Karnak – Hieroglyphics – Luxor – Egypt
It has been built with the building activity of many successive rulers of Egypt, who added to and adorned this great national sanctuary, which came to be the most important of Egypt’s temples during the New Kingdom.
Sacred Lake at Karnak Temple that was used by priests for ritual purification washing
The monuments here are on a gigantic scale, making the tourists or visitors become reduced to ant-like proportions, as they stop to take-in these massive columns and colossal statuary. You should give yourself at least three hours to explore the entire complex.
The Temple of Khonsu that was dedicated God of the Moon – Karnak Complex – Luxor – Egypt
You can walk to Karnak from downtown along the Nile-side Corniche road, but most people take a taxi due to the heat. If you are short on time, you will have plenty of tours to choose from that can whip you around all of the highlights of Karnak. A good option is to choose a private tour of Luxor East Bank, Karnak, and the Luxor Temples. You will visit these ancient sites with an Egyptologist in this half-day tour.
Sights and Sounds Shows are conducted in the evening – Karnak Temple – Luxor – Egypt
Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple – Egypt
Ramesses II statue – Luxor Temple – Egypt
Luxor Temple presides over the modern downtown district of Luxor. It was first constructed by Amenophis III (on the site of an earlier sandstone temple). It was known as “the southern harem of Amun” and it was dedicated to Amun, his consort Mut, and their son the moon god Khonsu.
Entering Luxor Temple – Egypt
Luxor Temple – Egypt
The temple was added to and changed by many pharaohs, including Tutankhamun (who had the walls of the colonnade embellished with reliefs and destroyed the Temple of the Aten). During the Christian era, the temple went through a transformation into a church, while in the Islamic period, the Mosque of Abu el-Haggag, was dedicated to a revered holy man, and was built inside the complex grounds.
Luxor Temple with the route full of Sphinx Statues
Luxor Temple is situated on the east bank of the Nile river, the Luxor temple is south of Karnak. The construction of the Luxor Temple happened around 1400 BC. The temple was created as a dwelling for the Theban Triad of gods, Amun, his wife, and his son.
Carvings on the Walls of Luxor Temple – Egypt
Abu El-Haggag Mosque in Luxor Temple – Egypt
Every year the Opet religious festival took place here. During these celebrations, the Amun statue was moved. It was moved during a ceremony from the Temple of Karnak to the Temple of Luxor.
Luxor Temple at Night
There is also immense statues of Ramesses II
at the temple of Luxor that have made this temple very well known by many. Another very well known or famous location at
this temple is the Avenue of the Sphinx.
There is also an 80-foot high obelisk made of red granite that is also
well known here. There were actually two
obelisks, but one of them was relocated to Paris.
Temple of Deir El-Bahri (Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple)
Queen Hatshepsut Temple close to the Valley of Kings – Luxor – Egypt
This temple is located at a magnificent
location situated at the foot of sheer cliffs.
This complex is richly adorned with reliefs, statues, and
inscriptions. Queen Hatshepsut had
herself represented with the attributes of a male pharaoh (beard and short apron)
to demonstrate to the people that she possessed all the authority of a king.
Entrance to Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut – Luxor – Egypt
The mortuary temple that was designed to
house the body of Hatshepsut, one of Egypt’s female pharaohs. It is situated northeast of the modern city
of Luxor, close to the Valley of the Kings.
Temple of Hatshepsut is also known as the Djeser-Djeseru or “Holy of Holies” – Luxor – Egypt
The temple was a colonnaded structure
designed by Senemut, the royal architect of Hatshepsut that would serve for her
posthumous worship and to honor the glory of Amun. The temple is built into a cliff face that
consists of three layered terraces reaching 97ft in height. The terraces were connected by long ramps
which at one time used to be surrounded by gardens.
Queen Hatshepsut Statue – Luxor – Egypt
Hatshepsut’s temple was built in 1470 BC, which represented a departure from the typical temple design of that particular time period. The powerful sun god Amon-Ra was commemorated at Hatshepsut’s temple. Two combined other gods created this god.
Solar Cult Complex room at Queen Hatshepsut Temple – Luxor – Egypt
Excavation Site at Hatshepsut in Deir el-Bahri – Luxor – Egypt
Those two other gods were Amun “god of all gods” and Ra, the sun god, to create the more powerful god. The majority of the statues of her temples were destroyed by those that wanted to wipe out her memory.
Luxor Museum
Luxor Museum – Luxor – Egypt – Image Attribute to: Charlesdrakew at English Wikipedia [Public domain]
Luxor Museum is one of Egypt’s best museums, holding am amazing collection from the local area, which tells the story of ancient Thebes from the Old Kingdom right up to the Islamic Period. The most impressive possessions of this museum are the two Royal Mummies of Ahmose I and what is thought to be Ramses I in two rooms on the ground floor.
Luxor Museum Attributed to: Ovedc [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]
While here, you should check out the re-erected Wall of Akhenaten. There is 283 sandstone blocks that are covered with painted reliefs and originally belonged to Akhenaten’s Temple of the Sun at Karnak.
The Temples of Abydos
Ancient City of Abydos – Egypt
The mortuary temple of Seti I was located at
Abydos. Egyptologists find this temple
very important as it contains a relief that includes the Abydos King’s
List. There are some of the ancient
temples of Abydos that are under the modern town on this site. It was known to be one of the centers of
Osiris’ worship, and it has also been said that it is where Osiris’ tomb is
located. Two of the most important
monuments in Abydos will follow.
The Temple of Seti I in Abydos
Mortuary Temple of Seti I – Abydos – Egypt
Sethi I Temple – ABYDOS EGYPT
Temple of Sethy I – Hieroglyphs Writings – Abydos – Egypt
This temple is thought to be constructed
around 1280 BC, it was designed for Seti I.
It was created in the shape of an “L.” The temple of Seti I is located in the city
of Abydos. At this temple, some shrines
are dedicated to six different gods.
Seti I (The first) Temple of – Luxor City – Egypt
Ptah, the god of craftsmen and architects
Ra-Horakhty, the god of the rising sun
Ra-Horakhty, the god of the rising sun
Amun, the main god or also known as the “king of the gods.”
Horus, he was the sky god and was the son of Osiris and Isis
Isis was known as the goddess of fertility
The god of both the underworld and the afterlife was Osiris.
The Osireion Temple in Abydos
Osirion – Temple of Osiris in Abydos – Egypt
Not too far from to the Southwest is the Osireion
in Abydos. It is believed that it was intended as tomb of Osiris. This temple is
made of sandstone and white limestone, and red granite used for pillars and the
roof of the main hall and doorways.
Temple of Osiris, Abydos
Medinet Habu
Temple of Ramses the III, Medinet Habu – Luxor – Egypt
With the main attractions for the tourists being the Valley of the Kings and Temple of Deir al-Bahri, Medinet Habu can get overlooked on a West Bank trip, however this is one of Egypt’s most beautifully decorated temples, and you should make it a must see when on your West Bank trip.
Medinet Habu – Temple of Ramesses III – Luxor -Egypt
Rameses III Temple – Medinet Habu – Egypt
The complex has a small temple that was built during the 18th dynasty and was enlarged in the Late Period, and the great Temple of Ramses III, associated with a royal palace, it was surrounded with a battlement enclosure wall four meters high. The main temple was built exactly like the model of the Ramesseum and, it was dedicated to Amun just like the Ramesseum was. Some of the best reliefs on the West Bank are located here.
Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III – Egypt
External Walls of a Temple in Madinet Habu
Ramesses III constructed the temple of Medinet Habu. In the temple, some reliefs depict the arrival and defeat of the Sea Peoples. It is an impressive 690 X 1000ft, and there are over 75,000 square feet of wall reliefs in this temple. Surrounding this temple is a mud wall, and this has aided in the preservation of the temple.
The decoration on the Walls of Temple of Rameses III – Madinet Habu – Egypt
It is located on the West Bank of Luxor, the name ‘Medinet Habu’ is the Arabic name for a large temple complex, it is second only to Karnak in size and it has been better preserved.
Inside the Medinet Habu Temple – Egypt
On this site, Pharaoh’s Hatshepsut and Tutmosis III built a temple that was dedicated to Amun at this location. Both structures were enclosed by Ramesses III within a massive mud-brick wall that included workshops, storehouses, and residences.
Tombs of the Nobles
Tombs of the Nobles one West Bank of The Nile – Aswan – Egypt
If you are still interested in viewing more tombs after visiting the Valley of the Kings then you should make your way to the Tombs of the Nobles, they are not as famous, but you will actually get to view more examples of tombs and paintings that are much better preserved than those in the Valley of the Kings. There is about 400 tombs of various dignitaries, which are dated from the 6th dynasty up to the Ptolemaic era. Many of the paintings in these tombs showcase scenes from Egyptian daily life.
Some of Egypt’s most vivid and lively tomb paintings are housed within these tombs, especially in the Tomb of Sennofer, Tomb of Benia, Tomb of Menna, Tomb of Rekhmire, Tomb of Nakht, and Tomb of Khonsu. If you are really short for time then I would suggest that you opt to see the Tomb of Sennofer and Tomb of Rekhmire. Both of these tombs have wonderfully detailed paintings that are depicting scenes from the men’s daily lives, work, and family life. During the reign of Amenhotep II, Sennofer was an overseer, while Rekhmire was the pharaoh’s vizier.
Colossi of Memnon
Colossi of Memnon Aerial view. These are Two massive statues of the Amenhotep III – Luxor – Egypt
The famous gigantic statues known as the Colossi
of Memnon, stand beside the road that runs from the Valley of the Queens and Medinet
Habu towards the Nile. They are carved
from yellowish-brown sandstone that was quarried from the hills above
Edfu. These impressive statues represent
Amenophis III seated on a cube-shaped throne, they once stood guard at the
entrance of the king’s temple, that only scanty traces are left. During Roman Imperial times they were taken
for statues of Memnon, son of Eos and Tithonus, who was killed by Achilles
during the Trojan War.
Colossi of Memnon – Luxor – Egypt
Walk behind the statues and you will be able
to view the vast site (that is currently being excavated by archaeologists), in
the area where Amenophis III’s temple once stood.
Ramesseum
Ramesseum Temple – Egypt
This amazing mortuary temple was built by
Ramses II and dedicated to Amun, it is located on the edge of cultivated land,
about one-and-a-half kilometers south of Deir el-Bahri. Only about half of the original structure
survives, even-so it is still a very impressive monument. There is a colossal figure of the king inside
the First Court which is thought to have an original height of 17.5 meters and
to have weighed more than 1,000 tons.
Aerial view of Ramesseum Temple – Luxor – Egypt
The pharaoh Ramesses II took over twenty years to complete this temple. This temple has a Hypostyle hall, and at least two pylons. There were several monumental statues placed by the builders of the pharaoh in this temple. The pharaoh’s military actions are recorded by inscriptions.
Ramses the II Temple of Ramesseum in Ancient Thebes or today’s Luxor – Egypt
Next to this temple is a temple that was dedicated to his wife and mother. It, unfortunately, it was not well preserved due to damage caused by flooding of the Nile.
The Valley of The Kings
The Valley of Kings – Luxor – Egypt
The Valley of Kings – Luxor – Egypt
The Valley of Kings – Luxor – Egypt
On the west bank of the Nile, discover the
famous ‘Valley of the Kings.’ It was a
necropolis that housed many of the pharaoh’s bodies and belongings. Stretching from the reign of Thutmose I all
the way to Ramesses X or XI. There have
been 63 tombs constructed here from 1539 BC to around 1075 BC.
The Valley of Kings – Luxor – Egypt
The Valley of The Kings – The Resting Place for Many Ancient Egypt Kings
The necropolis is literally a city of the dead. One of the earliest examples of one of these is the Valley of the Kings. This was a veritable burial ground that has housed great pharaohs and noblemen of Egypt spanning a period of time over 500 years.
Workers’ town at Deir al-Medina – Close to The Valley of Kings – Luxor- Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian workers’ town – Deir al-Medina Close to the Valley of Kings – Luxor – Egypt
The Valley of the Kings – Luxor Egypt
Tomb of Queen Tiaa, from 18th dynasty. She was mother of Thutmose IV and wife of Amenhotep II.
The Valley of the Kings remains to be one of the richest sources of Ancient Egyptian history to date. This tremendous historic site is just opposite modern-day Luxor, which used to be referred to as Thebes.
Ancient Gourna Village (Kurna,Gurna,Qurnah or Qurneh) in the Valley of the Kings – Luxor – Egypt
This is the final resting place for the
kings of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties.
The wonderfully vivid wall paintings are a main attraction here. There is 63 tombs here in the valley of the
kings, that are a collection of famous names of Egyptian history, which
includes the famous boy-king Tutankhamun.
There is a rotation system in place between the tombs in order to
preserve the paintings as much as possible from damage due to the humidity.
Tomb of Thutmosis III – Valley of the Kings – Luxor – Egypt,
Colorful Writings on Walls of Tomb of Ramesses III – The Valley of Kings – Luxor -Egypt
Merneptah and Tutankhamon Tombs Directions Signs in The Valley of Kings
Tomb of Tutankhamon – Valley of the Kings – Luxor – Egypt
Howard Carter found the tomb of the young King
Tutankhamun here in the Valley of the Kings in 1922. King Tut’s tomb was located directly across
from the tomb of Ramesses IX.
Considering all the treasure that was discovered in King Tut’s tomb, it
was a minimal space, and all but one room was undecorated. Located directly across from Tutankhamun’s
tomb is KV5, where work is currently ongoing to uncover what is thought to be
by many, the last resting place of Ramesses II 150 sons.
The Valley of the Kings a Tomb – Luxor – Egypt
The most massive and most elaborate royal
tomb is that of Seti I. This tomb often
does not have access for visitors due to lack of ventilation and rock
falls.
The Valley of the Kings – Entrance to the Tomb of Ramesses IV – Egypt
The earliest-era tomb that can be visited is
the tomb of Thutmose III. The walls of
this tomb are adorned with 741 different deities, and its ceiling is covered
with stars.
The Valley of Kings – Rameses IV tomb – Luxor – Egypt
The Tomb of Ramesses VII – Colorful Painting of god Sobek – crocodile – Valley of the Kings – Luxor – Egypt
Entrance to The Valley of Kings – Luxor – Egypt
Bus Stop / Station at the Valley of Kings – Luxor – Egypt
Valley of the Queens
The Valley of the Queens – Final Resting Place for Many Ancient Egypt Queens and Princess – Luxor – Egypt
There are a known total of 80 tombs, most of which belong to the 19th and 20th dynasties. Many of the tombs here are without decoration and unfinished, appearing more like mere caves in the rocks. There is only four tombs that are open for public viewing, one of them is the tomb of Queen Nefertari, that was only reopened in 2016, this will make the trip here well worth it.
Tombs in The Valley of Queens – Luxor – Egypt
Queen Nefertari’s tomb is considered to be the finest of the West Bank’s glut of tombs. Another tomb in this group is the Tomb of Prince Amen-her-khopshef which has the best wall paintings of its chambers have well preserved colors.
The Valley of the Queens on the West side of the Nile River – Luxor – Egypt
He was a son of Ramses III, he died as a teenager. The Tomb of Khaemwaset (another son of Ramses III) and the Tomb of Queen Titi both hold some well preserved and interesting scenes. The scenes in the Titi tomb are more faded than Khaemwaset.
Valley of the Queens – Ancient Necropolis – Luxor – Egypt
The Valley of the Queens is situated on the
West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes).
There are approximately 75-80 tombs in the Valley of the Queens. This collection of tombs belong to Queens of
the 18th, 19th, and 20th Dynasties.
Some of the tombs that can be found here:
The Tomb of Queen Titi (Tomb 52) is thought to be a queen of the 20th Dynasty. In her depiction, she is seen to be adorning sidelocks that were common for Egyptian young at this period in the presence of gods Atum, Thoth, Isis, and Nephthys. The queen is shown in the next chamber, making offerings to Hathor the cow, and the last chamber the gods Osiris, Neith, Thoth, and Nephthys.
The Tomb of Amenhikhopeshef (tomb 55), he was the son of Ramesses III, scenes depict him with his father and the gods Ptah, Thoth, and others. It is thought that he as nine years old when he died. Some scenes show him being presented to different gods, including Anubis (the Jackal-headed god of the dead, by his father, Ramesses III. There was also a premature baby discovered in the tomb, it is thought it belonged to his mother, who aborted upon learning of Amenhikhopeshef’s death.
The Tomb of Nefertari (tomb 66), she was one of the wives of Ramesses II. It was known that Nefertari was his favorite, and her tomb is said to be one of the most beautiful in Egypt. Throughout the tomb, it is painted with different scenes. In most of these scenes, Nefertari, known as ‘the most beautiful of them,’ is shown in the company of gods. She is often depicted wearing a golden crown with two feathers extended from the back of a vulture, and wearing a white gossamer gown. In the side room, there is a scene where it depicts the queen worshipping the mummified body of Osiris. Close to the stairs of the burial chamber is another great scene that shows Nefertari offering some milk to the goddess Hathor.
Aswan City
Aswan – Egypt
Awan is located at about 871 km to the south of Cairo. It is also located about 241 km south of Luxor. Many of the ancient temples are also located in Aswan or in between Luxor and Aswan.
Nile River in the city of Aswan
Although Luxor has the temples that are better preserved and is the world’s largest open museum, Aswan is still a must with amazing site in and around the city.
Villages near Aswan in Egypt
Aswan Streets – Aswan – Egypt – Image Tribute to: Marc Ryckaert (MJJR) [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)]
The ancient name was Swenett, later known
as Syene after an Egyptian goddess with the same name. The city is on the Nile
River, and one of the best experiences is take a Felucca trip down the Nile
River.
Cruise Ship on River Nile – Aswan – Egypt
The High Dam (El Sadd El Aali)
Aswan High Dam – Egypt
One
of the most important structures in Egypt is in Aswan: The High dam that was
completed back in 1970. This dam caused the formation of the largest lake in
Egypt: Nasser Lake named after the former Egyptian president. This lake forced
the Egyptians to move some of the ancient temple so they won’t be submerged and
it also required relocating some villages.
Aswan High Dam – Egypt
It
is located about 14 kilometers south of Aswan. It was built with amount o
gravel and rocks equivalent to 18 times the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza
(Khufu). You can find many tours that will take you to the site as part of a
program that usually covers several monuments in the Aswan area.
Nubian Museum
Nubian Museum – Egypt – JMCC1 [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]
This museum was opened back in 1997 and
showcases Nubian historical artifacts. Nubian civilization extends back
thousands of years and was dominant in south Egypt and North of Sudan.
Nubian Museum – Egypt – Image Tribute: Fichier d’origine (3 172 × 2 134 pixels, taille du fichier : 3,61 Mio, type MIME : image/jpeg)
Aswan Museum
Aswan Museum – Egypt – Image Tribute:Olaf Tausch [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)]
Located south of Aswan city, it has many
artefacts from discoveries in Aswan areas and from Nubian civilization. Many of
the artefacts discovered in Philae temples area are exhibited here. It has Nilometer
(A meter for the Nile River) that was used
by the ancient Egyptians to measure the Nile floods.
Ancient Nilometer – Elephantine Island – Aswan -Image Tribute: Charlie Phillips [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]
Nile Museum
This museum shows the history of the Nile
and Nile projects including dams, irrigation systems, and history of countries
that share the Nile basin.
Ferial Garden
A nice park with pleasant views on the
Nile. Great place for sunset pictures.
Suhail (or Sohail) Nubian Village
Sohail Nubian Village – Aswan – Egypt -Image Tribute: Marc Ryckaert (MJJR) [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)]
This is a touristic village where visitors
are grated by locals and can tour the local architecture and culture of Nubia.
Houses are made of sand, stone, and clay painted in colorful paints. It is a
favorite stop for most tours trip in this area.
Elephantine Island
This island is abundant with ancient
monument and it is were Aswan Museum is located. It has several temples
including: Khnum Temple and Satis Temple.
Ruins of Ancient Temple in Elephantine Island in Egypt
Elephantine Island – Aswan – Egypt
The Temples of Philae
The temple of Isis – Philae – Aswan – Egypt
These impressive temples were constructed on an island located in the middle of the Nile River. Over an extended period of time, the temples were constructed by numerous pharaohs of the 30th dynasty, and they were also built by Romans and Greeks at the same site. The main temple was designed for the goddess Isis by the Egyptians.
Temple of Isis – Philae – Aswan – Egypt
Isis was the known goddess of fertility and motherhood. The Trajan’s Kiosk was built in 100 AD by the Roman Emperor Trajan, this probably served as a river entrance into the larger temple of Isis.
Temple of Philae Interior – Lake Nasser – Egypt
During the 1960s the temple and other monuments were transported to the island of Agilika by UNESCO to save them from becoming submerged in the rising waters of the Nile caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Today the original island of Philae is buried beneath Lake Nasser.
Philae Temple of Isis – Aswan – Egypt
Abu Simbel Temples
Abu Simbel – Temples of Pharaoh Ramesses II – Egypt
Thought as marvels of engineering are the
two Abu Simbel temples located on Egypt’s southern border. They were constructed between 1264 and 1244
BC by Ramesses II. These two temples were
built as a shrine not only to himself but also to Queen Nefertari, his
principal wife.
Abu Simbel Temple Interior, – Egypt
The temple that was constructed for
Ramesses is the larger of the two.
Possessing four enormous statues that stand guard at the entrance that
is depicted of his likeness. These
impressive statues are 65 feet in height, and the temple is almost 100 feet in
height. In the temple that was dedicated
to Nefertari, the goddess Hathor was worshiped.
Kom Ombo Temple
Temple of Kom Ombo – Egypt
The Kom Ombo temple has a very unique double structure. This temple was designed so that it had two sets of everything set along with a center axis point—including two sanctuaries, and two halls. It was constructed around 180 BC during the Ptolemaic reign.
Writings on Walls of Kom Ombo Temple
The southern section of the temple was designed to worship different gods than those worshiped in the northern part. A complex god was the god Sobek, who was depicted as a crocodile. This god was known to possess a fluid nature similar to the rivers of the Nile. Near this site, there have been discoveries of literally hundreds of mummies of crocodiles.
Kom Ombo temple – Cleopatra’s Bath – Egypt
Temple of Kom Ombo with Medical instruments on The walls – Egypt
The Temple of Sobek in Kom Ombo – Aswan With Cruise ships docked on the Nile – Egypt
The Temple at Edfu
The temple of Edfu was constructed from 237 BC to 57 BC, on the west bank of the Nile River. Built during the reign of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. It was actually constructed over a temple that had been built during the New Kingdom period.
Edfu Temple – The lion Head goddess Sejmet – Egypt
The Temple of Edfu, was dedicated to the falcon god Horus, it is the second largest Egyptian temple after Karnak and one of the best preserved. Ptolemy III began the construction of the temple in 237 BC, then it was completed two centuries later in 57 BC by Ptolemy XII, the father of the famous Cleopatra. There is traditional elements of Egyptian Temples of the New Kingdom, along with some Greek elements such as the house of birth (the Mammisi) in this temple.
Edfu Temple in – Egypt
In front of the temple stands the statue of
Horus (The god, Horus), was a sky god that possessed the head of a falcon, was
worshiped at this site. There have been
pyramids discovered near this site. Egyptologists are working on trying to
uncover who their original builders were.
History of Ancient Egyptian Temples
The ancient Egyptians did not use their
temples to worship in, but instead, they chose to bring offerings to the
temples to appease the gods. They also
performed many rituals and had festivals as ways of paying homage to their
various gods. Many Egyptian homes
contained small altars where the people would place offerings to please the
gods.
In Ancient Egyptian society, the temples and
the priests associated with them carried a lot of power. Besides the daily ritual practices, they were
necessary for many other reasons as well.
The temples employed many people, included amongst them were priests and
craftsmen.
Ancient temples owned farmland to feed the
many people that they employed. When
pharaoh’s returned from succeeded foreign battles with the spoils, the temples
would receive some of these. Pharaohs
would also give the temples more land or other goods to show their appreciation
or thanks to the gods for favors received.
Types of Ancient Egyptian Temples
During ancient Egyptian times, there were
two types of temples. One type of temple
was called a culture temple, and the other type was called a mortuary
temple.
The purpose of the culture temple was to
serve as a house for a main god or goddess.
The culture temples could have other gods as well, but they always
housed a main god or goddess. It was the
responsibility of the priest to attend to the gods’ statues. The priest, during his duties, would perform
ceremonies to the deity’s favor and would offer gifts and prayers. During some festivals, other Egyptians were
allowed to join in and participate in the rituals.
The mortuary temple was an essential part of
the Egyptian’s religious beliefs, as they believed in an afterlife. There was no time in preparing for a
Pharaoh’s journey into the afterlife.
The planning of their departure to the afterlife began soon after the
pharaoh came into power.
Supplies the Pharaoh would need on his or
her journey into the afterlife were collected. This was done by a select group
of people who were known as a funerary cult.
The types of temples were only constructed for pharaohs. At the beginning of ancient Egyptian times,
the mortuary temples were part of a complex that was solely devoted to the
tomb. Many of the pyramids had mortuary
tombs built beside them. These mortuary
temples were there for the pharaohs that were buried in the tombs inside the
pyramids.
Temple Structure & Appearance
The ancient Egyptian temple structure had three
meanings for the ancient Egyptian people.
First, it was thought to be the mansion where a god lived. Secondly, it was considered to represent the primeval
island that the god stood upon to create the universe. Thirdly, the ancient Egyptians viewed the
temple as a miniature representation of the universe and the heavens.
The Egypt temples were constructed mainly of
stone due to the lack of wood in Egypt.
The only other readily available building material the Egyptian people
had was mud brick, but this was known to crumble within just a few years. The temples were built to house the gods, so
they were required to last for eternity, so stone became the only viable building
material of choice.
Most of the walls of a temple were covered
with wall reliefs, which included inscriptions and images. Scenes and inscriptions of the historical
nature were often depicted in the Hypostyle Hall. These images or reliefs often depicted important
temple events and events from a pharaoh’s reign. Other carved reliefs displayed different
rituals that were conducted in specific rooms.
In many of these reliefs, it was the pharaoh that was shown to be
performing the ritual. Also displayed
through the reliefs were the images of the gods. Along with some of the myths
about the gods.
Ancient Temple Features
There was a segregated system of sanctuaries
inside of ancient Egyptian temples, these were divided by the spiritual level of
those permitted to enter them. For the
Egyptian people that had not yet reached spiritual worthiness, they were not
permitted to enter the inner chambers.
They were also some ancient Egyptian temples that had an exterior
complex that consisted of courtyards and gardens.
Enclosure Wall- this was a wall that was constructed around the temple precinct to divide it from the city, which limited access to the precinct.
Barque Shrines- these were points that were located along the processional way where the barque stopped.
Workshops- these were the areas where people constructed temple furniture and ritual objects.
Sacred Pool- this was an exclusive pool that the priests would bath in to ensure their ritual purity.
Processional Way- these were used during festivals and times of celebration when the priests would carry the god’s statue in a barque. These areas were often lined with sphinx statues that the Egyptian people considered to be guardians.
Votive Offerings- these were offerings of statues or amulets given by the people to the gods. These could also include a prayer for help or thanksgiving. It was not uncommon for the priests to remove these items from the courtyard, and they would bury them. There was one of these caches discovered at the Karnak that contained over 17, 000 pieces in it.
Hypo-style Hall- this was a covered hall that was filled with carved columns. Many of these columns had tops that looked like plants.
Courtyard- this was the area where people would place statues and votive offerings for the god.
Statues- these were images of the pharaohs or gods.
Storerooms- these are where the goods used for rituals were stored.
Barque Chamber- this was the place where the miniature boat that carried the god’s statue was stored.
Inner Sanctuary- This is the area where the priests would place the god’s statue. There was a box here where the priests would store the statue at night. An altar was located close to the box, the priests would perform rituals every day by setting the statue upon the altar every day and presenting it with offerings.
Obelisk- These were carved monuments that pharaohs would have erected near pylon entrances.
Employees of the Ancient Egyptian Temples
Egyptian Temples – A place to pay tribute to Egyptian Gods and Pharaohs.
Temple Priests
There were two types of priests; there were
full-time and lay priests. The Full-time
priests served the gods all of the time.
Lay priests would commonly serve for three months a year, which they
would usually serve one month, then take off three months before serving
again. When the Lay priests were on
their off-time working at the temple, they would have other jobs such as
scribes and doctors. All activities at
the temple were overseen by the High Priest.
Ritual purity and rituals were performed by Waab priests.
Positions of priests were maintained in
several ways. The first way would be for
a man to inherit his position from his father.
Another way to obtain a position was an appointment by the pharaoh. A man could purchase a position in the
priesthood. Priests could vote to have a
priest appointed to a higher position.
There were several things that a priest was
expected to do after obtaining his position as a priest. He would first have to be circumcised if he
was not already. It was expected that
the serving priest was celibate and lived in the temple precinct. It was forbidden for priests to wear any
items made of animal products. The
priest’s clothing was made from linen, and their shoes were made from plant
fibers.
Great political power grew overtime within
the priesthood of Amun. Part of this new
power began after the New Kingdom period.
During this time, the High Priest of Amun had obtained the ability to give
or withhold the god’s favor on the crown prince. Political power was also gained by the women
who were called God’s Wife of Amun. They
adopted their heirs from the royal family, as they had to remain celibate at
all times. Some of the religious rituals
were conducted by these women.
Other Employees of the Ancient Egyptian Temples
Slaves– these mainly consisted of foreign prisoners of war who worked in the temples.
Farmers– these people were responsible for growing and tending the food used in temple rituals.
Cleaners– they were responsible for keeping the temple and its grounds clean and tidy.
Craftsmen– they created statues, votive offerings, jewelry, clothing and other ritual objects for the temples.
Ancient Temple Rituals
Through-out most of ancient Egyptian
history, polytheistic religion was practiced, where people were free to worship
any god or goddess that they chose. Most
often, people chose multiple deities to worship. Egypt had gods and goddesses who were known
throughout the land. Others were limited
to worship in select cities or towns.
With each Egyptian town, there was a patron god and a temple dedicated
to that particular deity. The temple was
overseen by an order of high priests.
They looked after the rites and daily activities of the temples.
The daily rituals that were conducted at the
ancient Egyptian Temples had several purposes behind them. First, they were used to provide the gods
with basic items such as food and clothing.
Rituals would be performed to ensure help with things such as battle and
land fertility. The Egyptians believed
if they provided goods for the gods, this would help to ensure that they in
turn would receive protection and help from the gods. All people were allowed to celebrate during
festivals that were a type of ritual that people used. People would be allowed to ask the god
questions to show the god’s answer; the priests would move the barque.
Daily Ancient Temple Rituals
There were daily rituals that the pharaoh
and the priests would perform. Some of
the significant temples are where the pharaoh would make offerings. It was part of a priest’s daily ritual to bathe
in a sacred pool several times a day while performing daily rituals at the
temple. The inner sanctuary was entered
in the morning by the priest, who would remove the statue from its box.
The priest would then bathe the statue and
dress it in new clothing. The priest
would also apply fresh makeup to the statue and set it on the altar. Throughout the day, the priest offers three
meals to the statue while it is set out on the altar. Once the statue had finished eating, the
priest would take the remaining food and feed it to the priests.
Ancient Egyptian Festivals
A multitude of festivals took place
throughout Egypt yearly. During these
festivals, the Egyptian people could gaze upon the statues of their gods as the
priests carried them in a barque. In the
city of Thebes, the festival “the Beautiful Feast of the Valley, was
celebrated. During this particular
festival, the statue of Amun would travel from the Temple of Karnak to the
western bank of the Nile. Amun then
visited the mortuary temple of previous pharaohs on the west bank. Festival served as a way to help ensure the flooding
of the Nile and promoted the fertility of the land.
Ancient Temple Building Rituals
During specific points throughout the
construction of a temple, priests would perform rituals. The first step or ceremony was that the
priests would mark off the sacred area for the temple enclosure. The second part of the ritual would involve
the priests taking the measurements or the dimensions of the temple
building. There were foundation deposits
placed by the priests under the stones of the temple’s foundations. After the temple was built, the priest would
then consecrate and name the building.
Other Famous Ancient Egyptian Temples
Dendera Temple
Dendera Temple – Egypt
The Dendera complex spans over an area of 40,000 square meters. On this site, numerous buildings are well preserved and have been constructed during different times throughout Egyptian history. The main temple at Dendera is dedicated to the love goddess Hathor.
Dendera Temple – Painted and carved hypostyle hall – Egypt
Hieroglyphic Writings – Temple of Dendera – Qena – Egypt
Many notable artifacts have been discovered here by Egyptologists, including a particular relief. sculpture that has been said to be depicting the Dendera light. The Dendera light is believed by some people to be a type of electrical light and the Dendera zodiac.
Temple of Hathor – Dendera, Egypt
Valley Temple
This temple of the pharaoh Sahure is now
ruined. It was located on the Shore of
Abusir Lake, on the edge of the desert.
The temple had two entrances. The
temples’ main entrance was in the east, it had a landing ramp that led to an
impressive column adorned with portico.
The floor of the temple was paved with
polished basalt, and its walls consisted of red granite dado. Above, which was
limestone that was decorated with bas-relief.
The limestone ceilings of the temple were painted blue and decorated
with relief-carved golden stars—this represented the entrance into the Duat.
The alternate entrance on the south side was
accessed by a canal that led to a ramp up to another columned portico, this
contained four red granite columns. The
portico was not as deep as the main entrance was paved with limestone. It is not clear why this entrance was
built.
Ancient Egypt Refuses to Stay Buried!
Ancient Egypt seems to keep coming back to
life, such as with the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in the 1920s; then there
was that global tour of the golden masks in the 1970s, along with recent
discoveries that were found with the help of using 21st-century archaeological
techniques.
Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities has
announced discoveries during the past few years including the following:
Eight
mummies, many of which were encased in vividly painted coffins, were from the
Ptolemaic Dynasty (323-30 BC)-at the Dahshur necropolis near Giza
An
impressive stone sphinx at Kom Ombo, located at a riverside temple close to
Aswan that was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek
Located at
the Hatnub alabaster quarry in the Eastern Desert is a fairly sophisticated
4,500-year old ramp network, this could help to solve ongoing questions
regarding how the Egyptians built the pyramids.
Located at
the Saqqara archaeological site is a 4,400-year old tomb
In the
tomb at Saqqara, was discovered a 3,200-year-old chunk of sheep and goat
cheese, proving the cheese was indeed part of the ancient Egyptian diet
When in Cairo, breakfast is (maybe) still the most important meal for some people as it breaks the overnight fasting, supplies the body with sugar and provides other important nutrients to keep your energy levels high through the day. You can have this meal in many places around Cairo and enjoy the experience too!
The quote says “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a poor” is undisputed for many people (except maybe for those on Keto diet or intermittent fasting) as breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, burns calories during the day, it’s the most important meal of the day “fitter people don’t skip breakfast”. If you are a foodie, on Paleo, Keto, or whatever diet you might be on you will always find good options around Cairo. You just need to search for the right places.
However, putting all that aside, the most important factor if you are visiting Egypt, is that you need to try a real Egyptian Breakfast. It is part of the overall Egyptian experience for me whenever I am in Egypt. Let me suggest some places in Cairo for you that I have tried over the years in my several travels to Egypt
An appetizing Breakfast with Morning Coffee
If you are looking for a traditional Egyptian breakfast or other
options, most travelers will be dreaming of a nice breakfast and a good morning
coffee to have a nice day start. Wherever the place you are staying in Cairo,
good places are available but you might need to walk or ride to the nearest
breakfast place or restaurant to enjoy the best meal in town.
Breakfast in Cairo with a Nile View
Breakfast on the Nile in Cairo is available at many restaurants
If you are thinking about breakfast by the
Nile, nothing will beat the following top 10 Nile view restaurants in
breakfast:
No.
Restaurant Name
Style
Location
Prices
1
The blue
restaurant & grill
Mediterranean –
European – Italian
Garden City
$40 – $80
2
The view
Mediterranean –
European
Maadi
$20 – $50
3
L’Uliveto
Italian –
European
Down town
$30 – $60
4
Night & Day
Egyptian –
middle eastern
Inside
InterContinental hotel in down town
$15 – $25
5
Zitouni
Egyptian –
Mediterranean
Inside a hotel
at Garden City
$40 – $100
6
Omar El Khayyam
Egyptian –
Mediterranean
Inside Marriott
hotel at Saray El Gezira
$15 – $30
7
Lobby Lounge
International
Down town
$10 – $25
8
Carlo’s – Le
Pacha
Egyptian –
International
Zamalek
$10 – $20
9
ZEN Café &
Lounge
International
Inside holiday
Inn in Maadi
$5 – $25
10
Casper &
Gambini
European –
international
Zamalek
$10 – $15
Best breakfast Places in Cairo
You can find many breakfast places around Cairo with different breakfast themes
If you are an early bird (or not), you can
find a good restaurant that serves breakfast in your neighborhood, Cairo is a
large City (Cairo area is about 1500 km²) but, here is a list of the famous
touristic places:
The below map (my hand drawing map and it’s
99% accurate) shows the important neighborhoods in Greater Cairo (Cairo &
Giza): Pyramids Area – Kirdasah – Mohandeseen – Zamalek – Down Town – Maadi –
Nasr City – Heliopolis – Airport Neighborhood – New Cairo (The 5th
Settlement).
Cairo Map – Egypt
46 Spots in Egypt That Serve Amazing Breakfast
Breakfast Near the Pyramids of Giza:
If you are looking for a place to stay near
the pyramids of Giza, then you can read our article about the pyramids (Advice
on visiting Pyramids) and if you are just looking for a breakfast with a view
of the Pyramids check the below list:
Breakfast with Giza Pyramids View – Cairo – Egypt
Mena
House Hotel: this place is a hotel with a view of the
three famous pyramids, it’s the best place to stay if you were traveling to
visit the pyramids. There will be many food options inside.
El
Dar Darak pyramids Giza: this restaurant
serves Egyptian cuisine, tasty, reasonable prices, friendly polite staff and a
very clean rest rooms. Usually this place gets busy with tourists during lunch
time but you should always be able to find a table.
Pyramids
view Inn: this place is a hotel you can enjoy the
pyramids view from your room or you can just visit the restaurants inside for
breakfast, many food options.
Pyramids
Valley: this place is also a hotel and it is 150
meters away from the Great Sphinx with a lovely top roof restaurant.
Elhadaba: it is a cafe and restaurant with a great view of the great
sphinx offers oriental food but relatively for a high price but, you should try
it and enjoy the view.
Breakfast in Kirdasah:
Kirdasah is famous neighborhood because of
its handmade products like woven carpets, wall hangings, and silk dresses. It
is located near the Giza Plateau and has few places to have breakfast:
Tents Mandi
Kerdasa: this restaurant serves Egyptian
food for breakfast for a reasonable price but it is very famous with its lunch
local meals like Kebab, Kofta and Tarb and other Egyptian and Arabianfood.
Abla restaurant: this restaurant is
located in “Mansouria Road” in Kirdasah, offers affordable price, tasty
Egyptian food and nice service.
Breakfast in Mohandeseen:
Mohandeseen is a very popular
commercial area and neighborhood, relatively crowded most of the day. It has
many restaurants and food options, here is a list of the best places in the
area:
Geo
restaurant & Café: this restaurant
serves an amazing breakfast and located in the famous Lebanon square but,
“Shisha” is served inside the place so, if you have a problem with smoke or the
smell, you better find somewhere else.
My
Queen Restaurant: located in a
famous street called “Gameat Al Dewal Al Arabeya” and opens at 10:00am, offers
an amazing Egyptian breakfast but, you will eat in your car because there is no
seating area.
Tebesty: this restaurant is near Lebanon square and very famous of
its pizzas and also offers other food options for a good price.
Archers: a good restaurant located in “Damascus” street open 24
hours a day, offers good food, good for groups and perfect for families with a
good wide space
Chopsticks: enjoy Jazz music, American food and a different atmosphere.
Breakfast in Zamalek:
Zamalek – Cairo – Egypt
Zamalek is an island in the Nile. It is
crowded, full of foreign embassies, and has a lot of breakfast options because
it is famous of having foreigners and visitors renting furnished apartments for
long periods. Here is a list of some of the best places for breakfast:
Crimson
Cairo restaurant: you can enjoy
your breakfast with breath taking view of the Nile view and it opens 8:00am,
drinks also are nice and staff is professionals. This
Saraya
Gallery: this restaurant is inside Cairo Marriott
Hotel, serves French breakfast but opens 12:00 pm so, it is not an option if
you won’t have you breakfast that late.
Maison
Thomas restaurant: this is a 24
hours’ place, serves amazing Italian Pizza and many other Italian food options
and deserts.
La
Bodega – Aperitivo : Italian –
International breakfast is served here, perfect for groups but with no Nile view.
Saraya
Boat: it is a docked boat hotel. It serves
breakfast in its restaurant that opens at 8:00am and has good Egyptian food
options with the waterfront Nile view.
Breakfast in Downtown Cairo:
Downtown Cairo – Egypt
Downtown is the heart of Cairo, lots of
buildings there were originally designed by French architects so, architecture
is a historic European style. Some of downtown buildings are considered
landmarks.
Groppi: this shop was founded in 1909 by the Swiss Groppi family and
survived till 1981 when it was sold to Egyptian family Loqma. It was orginall
established as an iccream shop. You can enjoy a great Swiss style breakfast
with all its famous baked croissant and a cup of tea.
Café
Riche: this coffee shop was opened for the first time in 1908 and it
was said to be regularly visited by king Farouk “King of Egypt” who was the 10th
king from Mohamed Ali dynasty.IT was renewed as one of the landmarks of
downtown Cairo. It is located in Talaat Harb Street and serves Egyptian –
Middle Eastern food. Some of my friends told me that service there is no more
like before.
Eish
& Malh: this restaurant is located in Abdeen area
in downtown and opens at 7:00am and offers Egyptian oriental food like “Foul,
Falafel and Feteer” but, always busy specially from 7:30 to 9:30am.
Zooba: this restaurant is located in 26th July street –
Zamalek, opens 8:00am and serves the delicious traditional Egyptian plates
(eggs with besturma (or Bastirma – the famous Egyptian air dried meat), Foul
and pickles) for fair prices.
Felfela: this restaurant is located in “Bab Al Louq” downtown area
and it opens at 9:00am, it is a great place for having Egyptian food and many
menu options. It is famous for serving the best Feteer in Cairo.You can also
order a takeaway meal.
Breakfast in Maadi:
Maadi – Cairo – Egypt
Maadi area is a district south of Cairo and
at the east side of the Nile bank, and it is a home of many embassies and
international schools. Maadi original architecture style was designed by a
Canadian architects back in 1905 and this is why there are many villas with
wide gardens still seen till today. The first solar thermal power station was
built in Maadi. There are many restaurants in Maadi where you can enjoy a
delicious breakfast. Here is a list of some of the most popular ones:
Ovio
Maadi restaurant: this restaurant is
inside the Royal Maadi Hotel, Italian style and opens at 8:00am. It is very
famous with its pancakes and egg dishes Friendly staff and cozy environment.
II
Mulino: nice bakery and Italian food, this
restaurant opens at 7:00am and located in “Degla” area which is the heart of
Maadi. It gets busy from 9:00 to 11:30 am and prices are fair.
Lucille’s
restaurant: you can enjoy a typical American
breakfast; this restaurant opens at 8:00am and has professional staff, nice
background music. Burgers shouldn’t be missed in this one.
Foul
3M Attia Restaurant: wake up early and
enjoy a nice hot oriental meal near the famous “Grand Mall Maadi” and all about
Egyptian famous “Foul & Falafel” and I can tell you that this restaurant
makes the best Falafel in Cairo. This restaurant serves breakfast only from
4:30 am till 10:00 am and closes after that. Don’t be late for the most famous
and best street food in the area.
Mahraja
& ZenZen restaurant: the best Indian
food in the neighborhood, portions are not much but tasty and rich. You can
enjoy the famous Indian spices and they may offer you a free ice cream.
Villa
Caracas restaurant: this is a Lebanese
restaurant It opens at 8:00am and gets crowded around 9:30 am. Serves nice
tasty food for a relatively high prices but you will enjoy a good meal and you
can have it in open air area.
Breakfast in Nasr City:
Nasr City – Cairo – Egypt
Nasr City was built during the 1960s as an extension to Heliopolis, located at the east side of Cairo. Egyptian president “Gamal Abdel Naser” was involved personally in the design of the neighborhood and he chose its name “Nasr City” which means in Arabic “Victory city”. Nasr City is the largest district in Cairo, occupies around 250 km² (larger than Washington DC) and divided into 10 sub-districts connected all with a grid of modern roads system.
It is crowded with all forms of transportation including buses, taxis, minibuses and micro-buses. The 10th district is home to refugees and immigrants from different countries especially African countries like Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria China and Malaysia. Most restaurants in that area are catering to those nationalities who live in the neighborhood. All other districts (from 1 – 9) are crowded with commercial and shopping malls (since 1990s) with fast food restaurants and coffee shops. The following are my recommended breakfast spots that are worth trying in Nasr City:
Spectra Restaurant: this restaurant is located inside “Genena Mall” at the 4th floor, it’s an Italian restaurant serving good portions for a good price and opens 24 hours. The same franchise has other branches in Nasr City.
Sybal restaurant: this restaurant opens 9:00 am and its best menu item is pizza & burger, it’s a nice cozy place a little slow in food preparation but reasonable prices.
Panino restaurant: this restaurant opens 12:00 pm located near the famous “Abbas El Aqqad Street”. It offers American style late breakfast with large variety of sandwiches in a generous portions and relatively low price.
El Moamen restaurant: this restaurant serves Egyptian food “Foul & Falafel” at a cheap prices, opens at 7:00 am and it is located in heart of Nasr City.
Dragon restaurant: Chinese restaurant inside “Genena Mall” and also serves other Asian foods. It offers a special price for students. Good food & friendly staff.
Gambareita restaurant: this restaurant serves Egyptian seafood in the 1st district, you should not miss the fried shrimp sandwich offered there.
English Way restaurant: this restaurant is located in the 8th district, opens 8:00 am and offers Egyptian food (don’t expect to have an English breakfast there, it’s just a name!), friendly staff and good prices.
Breakfast in Heliopolis and Korba:
Baron Empain Palace in Heliopolis – Cairo – Egypt
Heliopolis was not a part of Old Cairo; it
was built in 1905 then was merged into Cairo during the British occupation
.Kerba or Korba is the oldest part of Heliopolis. Heliopolis buildings style
was originally British and we can still see that style in what is remaining of
the old buildings there Design of the Villas and Apartment buildings was
targeting specific social classes to rent and live.
Early Nineteenth Century Buildings in Heliopolis – Cairo – Egypt
Later on, other building styles were
adopted like South Asian, French and Indian, and it became an elegant place to
live in and that attracted some of te wealthiest Egyptian population till 1952
revolution. After the revolution it became the home of the educated middle
class. The following are breakfast places in Heliopolis and Korba you that I
recommend for you to try:
Trés Bon restaurant: this restaurant is located in Korba, opens 10:00 am and offers Egyptian and International food. Portions are huge, delicious and staff is friendly and polite.
Gad restaurant: this restaurant is located in Korba, opens 10:00 am and offers the famous Egyptian breakfast “Foul & Tamea (Falafel)” and you can enjoy the fresh hot baked bread made in house.
Al Manzil restaurant: this is a Lebanese restaurant It opens at 9:00 am and offers special Lebanese Pies “Fatayer” but they only have outdoor seats, so avoid in hot weather or order to go.
Peking: this restaurant is located in the heart of Heliopolis, opens 10:00 am and offers Chinese food, expensive but tasty with Chinese atmosphere.
Breakfast near Cairo International Airport:
If you need to be close to the Cairo International Airport, many breakfast Places are close by
Cairo Airport is the busiest airport in Egypt and the second busiest airport in Africa after the airport of Johannesburg Its location is considered to be part of Heliopolis and was first built during the “World War II” for military use and later in 1963 it became a civil facility. In 2013 a five stars Hotel opened in front of the main terminal by “Le Mérridien” followed by few other hotels like Sheraton and shopping centers in the same area. If you are heading to/from the airport and wish to have a great breakfast check the following restaurants:
The Garden Café: this restaurant is 5 minutes away from the Airport gates where you can enjoy a nice meal, deserts and a cup of coffee, it opens at 10:00 am and offers European food in a nice cozy environment.
Garage Egypt: A restaurant where you can have a quick bite before catching your flight. It is located on airport road and offers Egyptian food sandwiches for a fair price.
Arabiata Rehab and Airport: located also on the airport road and offers Egyptian oriental food and other Italian dishes, opens at 8:00 am and it is relatively cheap.
Breakfast in New Cairo (The 5th Settlement):
New Cairo – Egypt – A Modern City Close to Old Cairo
The New Cairo is an area covering around 25
km southern of Greater Cairo, it was established in the year 2000 by a
presidential decree and it was designed to host population of 5 million, in
2016 the Egyptian president decided to start a project to move all government
ministries to New Cairo but this project is still under construction. It is
divided into a number of settlements, but the most important and commercial one
is the 5th settlement and I will be listing the only breakfast spots
that I believe are worth trying in New Cairo
Gaby’s: this restaurant is located inside “Point 90 Mall” It opens at 8:00 am and serves Egyptian Oriental food. It is famous for its “Kofta” and “Feteer”, but it is relatively expensive.
Dunes Bar & Restaurant: located in the western Cairo Golf Resort & Spa in Katamya Dunes, opens at 7:00 am and offers Egyptian and International food. It is relatively expensive.
Qahwa Restaurant: located in “the Waterway Mall” and opens 8:00 am. It serves Egyptian, French, and Italian food. It is famous for its amazing egg-mushroom breakfast plate and serves the best waffles & crepes in Cairo.
The Edward’s: located inside the CFC (Cairo Festival City). It is one of the best breakfast places in CFC. Opens at 9:00 am, lovely interior decor and good wide view in the outdoor seats.
Conclusion
You can have a nice breakfast in many places across Cairo.
You can also try different local and international cuisines and style. I usually
like to try more than one place when I visit Egypt and settle for hotel
breakfast.
Egyptian Feteer – A favorite item on Egyptian Breakfast Menu