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| Luxor The sun has set over the Nile River, and the awe that is Luxor temple is illuminated. The glowing lights cast golden hues on the temple’s immense structure. We are walking in the footsteps of the Pharaohs; the most powerful men of the Ancient Egyptian Empire walked this very path over 3,200 years ago. Luxor Temple was built by the Pharaohs as a massive monument to their many gods. The entrance to the temple is guarded by two towering enthroned statues of Ramses II, carved completely from granite. Today we have the honor of passage beyond these sixty-foot sentinels and are allowed stroll among the 47 colossal columns of ancient limestone in the Great Court of Ramses II. In ancient times only the pharaohs, who were considered gods, and the highest priests were allowed within these hallowed walls. We are surrounded by a double row of columns with lotus bud capitols; every surface is covered with hieroglyphics or carved reliefs telling stories of the ruler’s triumphs. In the western corner of this great court is a shrine built by two later Pharaohs as a tribute to specific gods Amun, the king of gods, Mut, his wife and one of the symbolic mothers of the pharaoh, and Khons, god of the moon and the son of Amun and Mut. This shrine is three limestone rooms each covered ground to ceiling with hieroglyphics and reliefs. Beyond the court of 47 columns, is a corridor of 14 additional columns, each resembling a 60-foot high celery stalk, but they are actually giant limestone papyrus columns. The walls behind them were decorated by the Pharaoh we know as King Tut, or Tutankhamun, and depict a story of celebration about the return of “multi god” worship to Thebes (Ancient Thebes is current day Luxor). Looking closely at the reliefs you can make out drummers and acrobats doing back bends. Continuing deeper into the temple lies the Court of Amenhotep III. This great court of 88 more columns is open to the stars, and there is a full moon overhead, helping to light this splendid sight by night. As we approach the south side of the court, there are eight columns going across and they are 4 deep. Everything else we have experienced is leading up to this, the entrance to the actual temple. Hand in hand like a Pharaoh and his wife, we rise up the two stairs and continue through the hall of columns into the Temple to Amun. Rulers as late as Alexander the great have added to Luxor Temple, building a shrine depicting himself as Pharaoh. Romans once stuccoed over the carvings and used this room as a cult sanctuary. The temple was built so well that no man or men could tear it down. Christians have defaced many temples, citing them as pagan, but the temples remain. Luxor Temple stands triumphant in toughest battle of all, and that is “Time”. Its magnificent carved walls and colossal statues still serve as a testament to the Egyptians ingenuity, history, and unwavering devotion to their Pharoahs and their gods. The Giza Plateau Today, I felt as though I stepped back through a window in time, as though I had shrunk and was walking through the pages of a history book. The Great Pyramid of King Cheops in Giza ascends with grandeur from the hot and sandy earth beneath our feet. The Pyramid is enormous; the sun is just rising over the edge, and blinding me to its majestic beauty. The year is 2,570 BC, the last stone weighing up to 30 tons has been set in place, limestone coats the giant stones to make the pyramid appear smooth and perfect to the beholder. The pyramid is complete and now awaits the death of the Pharaoh. The Egyptians have worked tirelessly to prepare this burial chamber in their belief that the Pharaoh, Cheops, would have eternal life and return to earth after death. The Nile River floods year after year, helping the boats carry the stones close to the building sight. Wet mud and log sleds help 100,000 men slide those blocks to the base of the Pyramid and then the rest is a mystery. The great pyramids are the only survivors of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World. There are nine pyramids at Giza. The Big three are a stunning sight, much bigger than I ever thought possible. The pyramid of Cheops, the oldest pyramid at Giza, stands over 420 feet high, and contains 2.3 million limestone blocks, each block weighing anywhere between 2 to 30 tons. There is a passage that descends under the tomb; a narrow 330-foot passage leads 90 feet below the earth’s surface. The mummified body of the pharaoh, as the son of gods, would be placed here. Appropriately set between the earth and the sky to connect the worlds of mortal and divine. The other great pyramids are for Cheop’s son Chephren and his Grandson, Mycerinus. There are also six pyramids about 60 feet high those tombs for the Pharaoh’s wives and sisters. Originally the two largest pyramids were encased in polished white limestone, glimmering in the sun’s rays. Over the years, people have stripped away the limestone for use in other buildings. The Pyramid of Chephren is the only one which has its top still covered with limestone. If it were not for the limestone looters, the pyramids may still stand today as they were in their glory over 4,570 years ago. With the limestone stripped away, the huge stones now show through as a stunning reminder of Ancient Egyptian accomplishment. |
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