Temple of Maharraqa
Temple of Al-Maharraqa is an ancient Egyptian Temple dedicated to Isis and Serapis. It was originally located in al-Maharraqa (
Only a few years after the Roman conquest of Egypt in 30 BC, the
The Serapis Isis Temple of Maharraqa
The Temple of Maharraqa was originally situated here before it was subsequently relocated in the mid-1960s due to the Aswan Dam project. It was dedicated to the ancient Egyptian gods Isis and Serapis.[5] This Roman-built Egyptian temple cannot be securely attributed to any Roman emperor's reign since it was never fully completed nor inscribed.[6] However, since it is known that temple building declined in Nubia after the rule of Augustus, the temple of Maharraqa might be datable to his reign.[7] The only part of the structure that was finished "was a court measuring 13.56 X 15.69 m, which was surrounded on three sides by columns."[8] The actual temple premises containing the sanctuary was never actually built. The temple, as well, lacks a formal pylon.
The Temple of Maharraqa features an architectural curiosity with a winding spiral staircase at a corner of the court, which led to its roof.[9] This is the only Egyptian temple in Nubia with a spiral staircase.
Church
The temple was converted to a church in the 6th century. In the mid-19th century wall paintings of Christian saints were still visible.[10][11] According to the contemporary traveller Edward William Lane the paintings on the interior of the north wall depicted "the history of the fall of man: the groups representing the different events are arranged in one line, like a procession of men and angels." He also noted many Christian inscriptions.[12]
Relocation of the Temple
Since its former location was threatened by flooding from the Nile due to the construction of the
"A little to the north of
See also
- List of ancient Egyptian sites, including sites of temples
References
- ^ Dieter Arnold, Nigel Strudwick, Sabine Gardiner, The Encyclopaedia of Ancient Egyptian Architecture, I.B. Tauris Publishers, 2003. p.85
- ^ Stephen Quirke & Jeffrey Spenser (ed.) The British Museum Book of Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson 1994. p.212
- ^ Quirke & Spenser, p.212
- ^ Quirke & Spenser, p.212
- ^ Dieter Arnold, Temples of the Last Pharaohs, Oxford University Press, 1999. p.244
- ^ Arnold, Temples of the Last Pharaohs, p.244
- ^ Arnold, Temples of the Last Pharaohs, p.244
- ^ Arnold, Strudwick, Gardiner, p.85
- ^ Arnold, Strudwick, Gardiner, p.85
- ^ Jean-Jacques Rifaud (1830): "Tableau de l'Egypte, de la Nubie et des lieux circonvoisins", p. 265
- ^ Giuseppe Forni 1859: "Viaggio nell'Egitto e nell'Alta Nubia", p. 303
- ^ Edward William Lane (2000): "Description of Egypt", p. 481
- ^ Arnold, Strudwick, Gardiner, p.86
- ^ John Baines & Jaromír Málek, Atlas of Ancient Egypt, Facts on File Publications New York, 1982. p.183
- ^ Christine Hobson, Exploring the World of the Pharaohs: A complete guide to Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson 1993 paperback, p.177
External links
- Wadi Es-Seboua: Temple of Maharraqa Archived 2020-10-09 at the Wayback Machine
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