We went to the Valley of the Gods today which had a lot of tombs built into the cliffs. We went in the tombs of three Pharaohs - Ramses III, Ramses IX, and Tawsrt.
They built tombs into the cliffs rather than pyramids so thieves wouldn't steal everything. Then they hid the entrances to the tombs.
This is what the entrances look like now for tourists.
Inside the walls were all ornately decorated and they were filled with things the pharaoh would need in the next life.
Going down the boat on a river after death to the next world. They had to pass by all the idolatrous gods.
One of the tunnels to a burial chamber.
Some covered in gold.
Pharaoh on an embalming table with the idolatrous god Anubis who ruled the underworld and decided if you got eternal life or not.
After this temple we went to an Alabaster Museum where we watched how they made the Alabaster items like bowls and vases. It was very interesting and real Alabaster items are kind if transparent where the light can shine through them.
Then we went to the Habu Temple, which was very large. This is the idolatrous god Bastet. There was one female pharaoh. The were supposed to be men but she convinced the high priests to tell the people she was the actual daughter of Ra the sun god and thus she could rule. After she died her brother who was supposed to have been pharaoh earlier had all her statues and drawing defaced and removed.
Giant carvings on the temple walls.
Inside the Habu Temple, which had two Holy of Holies, one for the pharoah and one for his wife.
Lots of massive carvings.
They added columns just so they would have more space to put carvings.
You might be able to see some of the color on these. Below are two colossal statues.
After lunch back on the ship we went for a walk on our own by the place where the ship was docked. We caught a horse and carriage ride into the town of Luxor and the driver and his wife from Holland showed us around. She had been living there for three years now and told us all about life in Egypt of today. We got back to the ship for a buffet dinner followed by a program. There was a Twirling dervish and then a belly dancer.
No comments:
Post a Comment