Egyptian Medicine

(All of these recipes are authentic and were taken from the Papyrus Ebers.) Found in Egypt in the 1870s, the Ebers Papyrus contains prescriptions written in hieroglyphics for over seven hundred remedies. This prescription for an asthma remedy is to be prepared as a mixture of herbs heated on a brick so that the sufferer could inhale their fumes. Georg Ebers (1837­1898) Cure for Diarrhoea: 1/8th cup figs and grapes, bread dough, pit corn, fresh Earth, onion, and elderberry. Cure for Indigestion: Crush a hog's tooth and put it inside of four sugar cakes. Eat for four days. Cure for Burns: Create a mixture of milk of a woman who has borne a male child, gum, and, ram's hair. While administering this mixture say: Thy son Horus is burnt in the desert. Is there any water there?There is no water. I have water in my mouth and a Nile between my thighs. I have come to extinguish the fire. Cure for Lesions of the Skin: After the scab has fallen off put on it: Scribe's excrement. Mix in fresh milk and apply as a poultice. Cure for Cataracts: Mix brain-of-tortoise with honey. Place on the eye and say: There is a shouting in the southern sky in darkness, There is an uproar in the northern sky, The Hall of Pillars falls into the waters. The crew of the sun god bent their oars so that the heads at his side fall into the water, Who leads hither what he finds? I lead forth what I find. I lead forth your heads. I lift up your necks. I fasten what has been cut from you in its place. I lead you forth to drive away the god of Fevers and all possible deadly arts. Herbal Remedies used by the Ancient Egyptians · Acacia (acacia nilotica)- vermifuge, eases diharea and internal bleeding, also used to treat skin diseases. · Aloe vera - worms, relieves headaches, soothes chest pains, burns, ulcers and for skin disease and allergies. · Basil (ocimum basilicum)- excellent for heart. · Balsam Apple (malus sylvestris)or Apple of Jerusalem - laxative, skin allergies, soothes headaches, gums and teeth, for asthma, liver stimulant, weak digestion. · Bayberry(Myrica cerifera) - stops diarrhea, soothes ulcers, shrinks hemorrhoids, repels flies. · Belladonna - pain reliever;camphor tree - reduces fevers, soothes gums, soothes epilepsy. · Caraway (Carum carvi; Umbelliferae)- soothes flatulence, digestive, breath freshener. · Cardamom( Eletarria cardamomum; Zingiberacae)- Used as a spice in foods,digestive, soothes flatulence. · Colchicum (Citrullus colocynthus) - also known as "Meadow Saffron", soothes rheumatism, reduces swelling. · Common Juniper tree (Juniperis phonecia; Juniperus drupacea)- digestive, soothes chest pains, soothes stomach cramps. · Cubeb pepper (Piper cubeba; Piperaceae)- urinary tract infections, larynx and throat infections, gum ulcers and infections, soothes headaches. · Dill (Anethum graveolens)- soothes flatulence, relieves dyspepsia, laxative and diuretic properties. · Fenugreek(Trigonella foenum-graecum) - respiratory disorders, cleanses the stomach, calms the liver, soothes pancreas, reduces swelling. · Frankincense(Boswellia carterii) - throat and larynx infections, stops bleeding, cuts phlegm, asthma, stops vomiting. · Garlic (Allium sativa) - gives vitality, soothes flatulence and aids digestion, mild laxative, shrinks hemorrhoids, rids body of "spirits" (note, during the building of the Pyramids, the workers were given garlic daily to give them the vitality and strength to carry on and perform well). · Henna (Lawsomia inermis) - astringent, stops diarrhea, close open wounds (and used as a dye). · Honey was widely used, a natural antibiotic and used to dress wounds and as a base for healing unguants, as was castor oil, coriander,beer and other foods. · Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra - mild laxative, expels phlegm, soothes liver, pancreas and chest and respiratory problems. · Mustard (Sinapis alba) - induces vomiting, relieves chest pains. · Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) - stops diarrhea, relives headaches, soothes gums, toothaches and backaches. · Onion (Allium cepa) - diuretic, induces perspiration, prevents colds, soothes sciatica, relieves pains and other cardiovascular problems. · Parsley (Apium petroselinum) - diuretic. · Mint (Mentha piperita) - soothes flatulence, aids digestion, stops vomiting, breath freshener. · Sandalwood (Santallum albus) - aids digestion, stops diarrhea, soothes headaches and gout (used, of course, in incense). · Sesame (Sesamum indicum)- soothes asthma. · Tamarind (Tamarindus indica)- laxative. · Thyme (Thymus/Thimbra) - pain reliever. · Tumeric (Curcumae longa) - closes open wounds (also was used to dye skin and cloth). · Poppy (papaver somniferum) - relieves insomnia, relieves headaches, anesthetic, soothes respiratory problems, deadens pain.

karnak

 

 a scene depicting the Feast of the White Hippopotamus", which is very rare. Only one other example of this ceremony is known, from a fragment of a Saite period artifact now in the Brussels Museum. Here, the king wears the red crown and holds a baton and the white club in his hands. He wears a long ribbon hanging from his left shoulder. In back of the king are the two half-heavens that accompany the scene of the "great stride". Before him are two small dancing figures surmounted by the name of a city, and above that is a hammered-out hippopotamus with a brief caption recording the "Feast of the White [Hippopotamus]. It should be noted that the red, male Sethien hippopotamus, who was an enemy of Horus, must be distinguished from the white, female hippopotamus that here is a symbol of Apet.

karnak

Within one of the chapels on its southern wall is recorded the temple foundation ceremony and the consecration of the temple with natron (salt). Here, the king buries a stake in the earth with a mallet. This scene depicts "stretching the cord between the two stakes", but unfortunately it is now missing. In the second scene, the king, wearing the atef crown, digs out a furrow using a hoe and then refills it with the contents of a bushel basket. The king also molds a brick and then offers a series of briquettes, which were often made of precious material, for the four corners of the temple. We are informed by a stela that: "My majesty ordered that the foundation ceremony should be prepared at the approach of the day of the Feast of the New Moon...In the year 24, second month of the second season, the last day (of the month), on the day of the tenth feast of Amun..."
There is a scene of the king consecrating the temple just to the east of the foundation ceremony.
Here, the king stands with a cane in his hand, encircling the temple with natron, which is stylized here in the form of a long ribbon. A small vessel contains the natron.

karnak

the famous "Botanical Room", with its representations of exotic flora and fauna encountered during Tuthmosis III's foreign military campaigns. we find birds going toward the west. Two of the birds include the lapwing (Vanellus cristatus) and the red casarca (Asarka rutila). Another bird is almost certainly an ibis, while two others are not identified. Pomegranates surmount the depictions of the birds.

On the northern corner of the east wall is an inscription that states:

"Year 25, under the majesty of the king of Upper and Lowwer Egypt, Menkheperre, forever living, plants that His Majesty has found in the land of Retenu (Syria).

Here, various plants are depicted in various stages. They include Dracunculus vulg (Arum dracunculus), a type of calenchoe, probably Calenchoe deficiens Forsk or Calenchoe aegyptiaca, probably a chrysanthemum, an Arum italicum, a Dipsacus, a flower from an iris, fruites of the Punica granatum (pomegranates), Vitis vinifera (grapevines), a female gazelle, a goose, a migrating grasshopper and a raven or crow among others.
On the west wall, various birds have been identified as probably the jackdaw (Monedula turrium), the ash-colored crane (Grus cinera), an anhinga (Plotus levaillantii), a Rock dove (colomba livia), a turtledove (turtur), a Frigate eagle or "sea-eagle" (Tachypetes aquilus), a Greek partridge (Perdrix graeca), a spiny hoplopterous or "lapwing" (Hoplopterus), a gull, and Egyptian cuckoo (Centropus aegyptus), a wild good, an ordinary plover and a white egret (Herodias alba).

Various calves and a few plants are depicted on the south wall, while on the western section of the north wall, we find Blue lotus (Nymphea caerulea), sycamore seedpods, pomegranates and perhaps a desert raven. On the right are the last lines of the text concerning the plants brought back from the "Divine Land", which reads:
"All plants that grow, all flowers that are in God's Land (which were found by) his majesty when his majesty proceeded to Upper Retenu, to subdue (all) the countrie(s), according to the command of his father, Amun, who put them beneath his sandals from (the year 1) to myriads of years.
His majesty said; 'I swear, as Ra (loves me) as my father, Amun, favors me, all these things happened in truth - I have not written fiction as that which really ahppened to my majesty. [The spirits of my majesty have caused their birth and growth to glorify his foods].
My majesty hath done this from desire to put them before my father Amun, in this great temple of Amun [Akhmenu], (as) a memorial forever and ever'."

karnak

This pair of obelisks was produced from granite on the island Sehel at Aswan under the supervision of the steward Amen-hotep. Their transport by ship and the erection of both obelisks at Karnak is shown in detail in the so-called "Hall of O" in the first portico of the temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. A relief in her Red Chapel also provides a report about the donation of these two obelisks.
The standing, northern obelisk of Hatshepsutt must be considered one of the most famous single monuments within the whole of the Karnak complex. Originally, she erected four obelisks at Karnak, but only this one remains. However, at approximately 29.56 meters tall, it is the largest standing obelisk in Egypt. Built of red granite, it weighs some 323 tons (note that various figures are given by different sources for the obelisk's height and weight). The bottom part of the obelisk has a slightly different tint than the top, because it had been walled up by her successor, Tuthmosis III.
On its base are thirty-two horizontal lines of hieroglyphs, eight lines to each side, that describe why she had constructed this obelisk. The inscription reads in part:

"I was sitting in the palace and I remembered the One who created me; my heart directed me to make for him two obelisks of electrum [a natural alloy of gold and silver], that their pyramidions might mingle with the sky amid the august pillared hall between the great pylons of [Tuthmosis I].... My Majesty began to work on them in the year 15, the second month of Winter, 1st day, continuing until Year 16, fourth month of Summer, 30th day, spending 7 months in cutting it from the mountain.... I acted for him with a straightforward heart, as a king does for any god... Let not anyone who hears this say it is boasting which I have said, but rather say, 'How like her it is, she who is truthful to her father.' The god knows it in me [namely] Amun, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands.... I am his daughter in very truth, who glorifies him."

To a significant degree, historians owe what little they know of obelisk raising from archaic sources to this inscription.
All four sides of the obelisk are carved with a central column of inscriptions and, on the upper half, eight tableaux on which the king (in Egypt, the female ruler was not termed a queen, but a king), is directed toward Amun going from the northwest corner towards the southeast corner. On the north face, the central inscription begins with Hatshepsut's titles, including the Horus, the Two Goddesses and the Golden Horus names:

"Horus 'Powerful of Kas', the Two Ladies 'Flourishing of Years', Golden Horus 'Divine of Appearances', King of Upper and Lower Egypt and Lord of the Two Lands 'Maat-Ka-Ra'. Her father Amun had established her great name 'Maat-Ka-Ra' on the Ished tree, her annals are million of years, duration and power, son of Ra 'Hatshepsut, unified with Amun', beloved of Amun-Ra, King of the Gods, as [reward for this good, enduring and excellent monument], that she had donated to him (at the occasion) of the first royal jubilee ( sed festival). May she live forever."

On the west side, after the same title, the text reads:

"Horus 'Powerful of Kas', the Two Ladies 'Flourishing of Years', Golden Horus 'Divine of Appearances', King of Upper and Lower Egypt and Lord of the Two Lands 'Maat-Ka-Ra'. She made (it) as her monument for her father Amun, Lord of the Throne of the Two Lands, erecting for him two large obelisks at the great gate [Pylon) 'Amun is Great in-Terror', wrought with very much electrum, which illuminates the Two Lands like the sun. Never was the like made on earth since the beginning. It was done for him (Amun) by the sun of Ra 'Hatshepsut, unified with Amun', may she live forever like Ra.

Hence, Hatshepsut specifies that these obelisks were intended to be erected in front of the fifth pylon. On the east facade of the obelisk, her title includes only the Horus name and she affirms that the building of these obelisks was for her father:

"Horus 'Powerful of Kas', King of Upper and Lower Egypt 'Maat-Ka-Ra', beloved of Amun-Ra. Her majesty has made the name of her father established on this enduring monument, so that the King of Upper and Lower Egypt and Lord of the Two Lands 'Aa-kheper-ka-Ra' ( Thutmosis I) will be praised by the majesty of this god, when the two great obelisks were erected by her majesty on the first time ( of her royal jubilee). The King of Gods (Amun) said: 'Your (fem.) father, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt "Aa-kheper-ka-Ra' had given the command to erect obelisks. Your (fem.) majesty will repeat the monuments. (So that) you may live forever."

The Southern facade likewise provides only Hatshepsut Horus' name as well, and reads:

"Horus 'Powerful of Kas', King of Upper and Lower Egypt 'Maat-Ka-Ra', brilliant emanation of Amun, whom he has caused to appear as king upon the throne of Horus 'Holy of Holiest' of the Great House, whom the ennead of gods have brought up to be mistress of the circuit of the sun. They have united her with life, power and joy of the heart, the First of the Livings, son of Ra 'Hatshepsut, unified with Amun', beloved of Amun-Ra, King of the Gods, may he (Hatshepsut) live forever like Ra."

The upper part of the southern obelisk, broken into pieces, is mounted on concrete blocks in the proximity of the sacred lake. The base of Hatshepsut's missing southern obelisk is not without inscriptions. Like the northern standing obelisk, there are eight lines of inscriptions carved horizontally on its four sides. The text starts with the top line of the southern facade of the base with the titles of the queen and her recounting of the erection of two great obelisks made from southern (Aswan) granite on the occasion of her first renewal (sed-festival). It reads: "Two great obelisks of enduring granite of the South, (their) summits [pyramidions] being of electrum of the best of every country."
On the west side of the base, the queen affirms that she has acted under the command and supervision of Amun, recognizing his divinity. Hatshepsut implies that she has conceived of nothing without following his laws (of proportion) because her "heart was in sia (wisdom)". She affirms that "Karnak is the horizon on earth [the first appearance], the August Ascent of the beginning, the sacred eye of the All-Lord, the place of his heart". On the north side of the base, after a long oath of faith where the queen affirms that her power over the earth is due to divine kindness and that she will descend into the amenti and exist "in eternity as an "Undying One", she specifies that these two obelisks were extracted from the mountains and erected in seven months, during the fifteenth year of her reign.
On the east side of the base, the queen recounts how, following her desire to embellish the obelisk, she measured the best electrum by the "hekat, more than the entire Two Lands had (ever) seen. The ignorant, like the wise, knoweth it".

karnak

 

 we have a contemporary description of the image of the barque .That does not seem to exaggerate the beauty of this boat, and even omits the delicate reliefs the decorate its hull and still retain some traces of the yellow paint that was used to depict the vessel's gold coating. We know from the Harris papyrus that the barque Userhat was around 68 meters long.
We see in the center of the boat the naos which contained the sacred barque of Amun, which is placed on a pedestal preceded by a staircase holding up the masts and the obelisks. Before this pedestal are three jackal headed figures and seven Nile gods who worship Amun. In the rear behind the naos the king is navigating the boat by holding the steering oar himself. The king also appears in the front of the boat, offering gifts of vegetables and purification incense.
A human-headed sphinx with a cheetah body is perched on his roost atop the wedjat eye that is apparently always to be found on the prow of the barques. Between the sphinx and the king sits an offering table. It should be noted that all of this scene has been reworked by Amenhotep III. Originally the two royal representations were smaller and traces of these earlier scenes remain on the prow, on the offering table and toward the stern on the flabellum held by the ankh.

 

There may have originally been the two smaller barques of Khonsu and Mut behind the naos, as in the barque of Seti I in the Hypostyle hall, but if so, there images have been carefully removed, whereas those of the two original kings were preserved.
The inside part of the royal boat that towed the barque of Userhat at the end of a rope is the only section of that depiction which has survived. Originally, there were sixty oarsmen that propelled it, though only those of the back section can still be seen. They are profiled on the immense cabin that is adorned with a double frieze of ovals and uraei.
Four priests are leaning with their faces turned toward the stern between the first oarsman and the standing king. Two of the priests hold censers and flabellums.
On a small kiosk situated toward the prow, the king was depicted striking down and treading upon Egypt's enemies.
On the south wing at the rear (east face) of the third pylon of Amenhotep III is inscribed a very long text of some seventy-one vertical lines, though only the lower section survives. A sample of this text reads:
"He is one who taketh thought, who maketh wise with knowledge...without his like, the good shepherd vigilant for all people...

searching bodies, knowing that which is in the heart, whose fame apprehends the (evil)...

adorning the splendid Great House of him who began him, with monuments of beauty and splendor forever"
Hence, this text apparently proclaims Amenhotep III's accomplishments and qualities.

karnak

This is the so called magic image of Amun. Here, the pharaoh is referred to as per-aa in the two cartouches, and he is making libation in the presence of a very strange image. The representation has the head of Amun, wearing a crown topped by a solar disk surmounted by two large feathers, which emerge from a goatskin bottle embraced by the extended wings of Ma'at. In turn, this depiction surmounts a pedestal crowned by a uraeus, in front of which is a lion whose chest comes up to the level of the shafts. It would seem that this "magic image of Amun" was perhaps paraded during processions. This scene then sits upon a table fronting a series of lotuses, each of which is giving birth to a new lotus framed by two buds.

karnak

 

There are only three registers that are visible today. The two lower registers begin at the western edge with acts of conquest, after which the king begins his return journey home as the scenes move toward the temple entrance, where he presents his defeated enemies to Amun. On each side of the doorway the scenes expand in height so that they take up the first two registers, and represent the "ritual massacre of the vanquished". At the east end of the southern wall is carved the narration of the Battle of Kadesh in a long text of vertical columns below a large scene in which the king and the princes are bringing a bound group of prisoners
 before Amun.

In addition to the reliefs concerning the Battle of Kadesh, there is also, on the wall protruding from the exterior southern wall of the Hypostyle hall, reliefs that depict the surrender of the fortress of Askalon. This was a city about ten miles north of Gaza and about 40 miles south of Joppa. This scene depicts the pharaoh's soldiers staving in the doors of the fortress with axes, while others scale it by means of ladders. Also, on a nearby hill, Egyptian soldiers are exterminating the fleeing enemy.

Northern Wall
This wall, divided by a doorway, depicts combat at both of its extremes, and then converge toward the center doorway with the king's victorious return to the temple of Amun.

The southern exterior wall of the Hypostyle hall  records several military campaigns of Set I into the Levant, as well as one battle with the Libyans in the west.
 we see scenes depicting the taking of the fortress of Pekanan. They begin with the king's departure from Raphia (now Rafah or Rafiah) for the desert road. This is followed by the Bedouin's ambush and scenes depicting the waterholes along the desert path. The next scene heading west depicts return of Seti I to the Egyptian boarder, followed by the offering of booty to Amun. Beyond this and next to the doorway is a scene, taking up both upper and lower registers, depicting the ritual massacre of the vanquished.
 the wall scenes on the eastern facade of the wall depict the "new version of the great chieftains of Lebanon". depicts the capture of Yamoam, followed by the binding of the vanquished. Next comes a scene showing the capturing of prisoners, followed by the offering of booty to the Theban triad.
On the western half of the northern wall, the lowest of three registers on the western end, begin by depicts an archery battle against the Kheta (Hittites), followed by the return to Egypt with Khetan captives. Further east we find the offering of booty to the gods, Amun, Sekhmet-Mut, Khonsu and Ma'at. This in turn is followed by another portrayal next to the doorway, two registers high, of the ritual massacre of the prisoners before Amun, which mirrors that on the western half of the doorway.

 

  scenes, represent  javelin combat against the Libyans. This is followed by the return to Egypt with Libyan captives, and the offering of booty to the Theban triad.
 scenes with archery combat at Kadesh, the land of Amor. Finally, above the scene depicting the ritual slaughter of the vanquished ,another scene depicting tribute that is being presented to this temple.
In this final scene of slaughter, the king wears the red crown of the North, and holds a dozen prisoners tied together by their hair. The king holds them secure with his right hand, while with his left he brandishes the white hedj club. Before him stands the god Amun, presenting the harpagon in his right hand while in his left holding the key of life and the bonds of the prisoners with the escutcheons representing the conquered towns. Amun speaks the words:
O my son of my body...
I bring to thee the chiefs of the southern countries...
(I turn) my face to the north, I work a wonder (for thee), snaring the rebels in their nests...
I turn my face to the east, I work a wonder for thee,
I bind them all for thee, gathered in thy grasp...
I turn my face to the west, I work a wonder for thee,
consuming for thee every land of Tehenu...
I turn my face to heaven, I work a wonder for thee....The gods of the horizon of heaven acclaim to thee when Ra is born every morning...
I turn my face to the earth, (I work a wonder for thee, I appoint for thee victories in every country).
on the upper register the king has removed his warrior attribute and is now clad in a triangular apron and wears upon his forehead a diadem. Here, he offers the sacred lettuce to Amun-Re, here the ithyphallic prince of Thebes, who is followed by Isis.
Below, on the lower register, the king is clad in a long linen robe and presents bouquets of lotus flowers to Amun, who walks before Ptah. These sunk reliefs were completed by Ramesses II. On the door splay, the king wears the blue war helmet and is depicted as he enters the doorway with the key of life in his left hand and his right hand extended towards Amun. This carving has been reworked on several occasions.

karnak

the king is wearing the blue helmet and a long coat. He stands before the barque of Amun, which terminates with a ram's head crowned with a disk, spraying incense. The barque is supported by a stretcher that is carried on the shoulders of three groups of five falcon-headed figures in the front and thirteen jackal-headed figures in the back. These are the spirits of Pe and Nekhen, though some Egyptologists have suggested that these are real priests wearing jackal and sparrow hawk masks, a notion that has been hotly debated. If indeed priests wore masks in some of the ceremonies, they must be clearly distinguished from the depictions in the sanctuaries where animal headed figures are "functional principles" and certainly not masked officials.

The king facing the barque of Amun

In the center of the scene, the first prophet of Amun, the king Usermaatre Setepenre, clad in a panther skin, accompanies the barque. Scholars who have studied this representation believe that the scene was first sculpted in relief, by either Seti I or Ramesses II, and then, with the exception of the naos and the king's face, was entirely re-carved in sunk relief, preserving the traces of the original scene.
Within the upper part of the naos is the ram-headed Amun. He rests upon a lotus and the mer sign, and is overshadowed by two winged Ma'ats placed on the men sign and holding the user symbols in their hands. In the middle part of this representation, Ra is also present. He his placed on the men, and is also holding the user symbol in his hand rather than the feather of Ma'at that his holds in the north naos.

 the king as an older man. He is represented in a large naos in the lower register, which encloses the entire scene. To his left is a deity wearing the disk in the lunar crescent on his head and holding all the scepters in his and except for the wadj. Before the king, Amun is seated and holding the was scepter and the palm of the years in his left hand. Amun's right hand extends to the king the hek and nekhakha scepters, which is for the renewal of the king. Behind Amun, Mut is blessing the king and holding a double palm of the years in her right hand, from which are hanging eight sed renewal festival symbols.
Above this scene in the second register we find the king sacrificing the oryx, which is placed on a table of offerings adorned with the djed pillar of Osiris and the knot of Isis, alternating with each other. The Theban triad is also present in this scene. The oryx is one of the forms of Seth capable of devouring the Eye of Horus, and there are various mythological passages concerning this beast. There are countless allusions in the Ritual of the Daily Divine Worship concerning the sacrifice of the Sethian oryx (in this instance, white), which symbolizes the last phases of the re-conquest of the Eye of Horus. Hence, this scene is all about renewal and the sacrifice of the oryx is indispensable in the ceremony of the sed festival.

the Hypostyle Hall

 a scene of bird hunting with nets. The image represents a pool in the midst of a papyrus thicket out of which seven ducks are flying. The net had been open, but on the signal given by Thoth with his scarf, they are now closed over the captured birds. This scene is interesting in that it is repeated in many private tombs, where peasants close the net under the watchful eye of their master. Here, the texts describes Thoth as the "master of the city of Eight" who presides in Hesret at the heart of the "temple of nets". This refers to the sanctuary located in Heliopolis and therefore named in memory of the place where Seth was captured in a net by Horus. Furthermore, Thoth administers the "snaring" operation and it is said that he extends his two arms like a bow in order to unfurl the strip of cloth. The text goes on to explain that Thoth has crossed the swamp filled with birds, and has set a trap so that the fowl may be offered to the gods. In fact, just beyond, the red-crowned king holds three birds in each hand that he is presenting to Amun, from who he receives all life and "enlargement of heart".

karnak

In the next series of scenes on this wall, in the upper register and clearly defined, we find the king kneeling on the sma symbol. He is flanked by Thoth, master of the city of the Eight (Heliopolis) on the left and Horus, great god, master of Mesen.t. Hence, the king is joining the Two Lands of the North and South "under his feet", and the gods are assuring him of the monarchy. The horizontal bar on which the king is kneeling always indicates a significant measurement.
In the lower register, the barque of Amun is resting in a large naos (of which only a small part of the uraei frieze of the dais can be seen). Before it sits the barques of Khonsu and Mut. All of these wall sculptures are rendered in sunk relief, with the exception of the naos of the barque.

karnak

the Race of the Apis Bull which is often associated with the king's sed festival. This well known ceremony is for the first time found mentioned on the Palermo Stone in regard to several archaic kings, and afterwards, on a cylinder of Horus Den, the fourth king of the 1st Dynasty, we have the first known testimony of the Apis race.During the inauguration of a monument, the sacred bull Hap, at times accompanied the king during his race, as in the image on the second register at this point on the wall. Some inscriptions provide that "the king gives the land four times", implying that this ritual race was made around the area of the temple, once for each direction. Here, this is a double scene that is often found on the lintels of doorways that provide access to the sanctuaries of temples. On one side the king wears the red crown and on the other side, the white crown. Clearly visible, the king on the right holds two libation vessels. Behind him the two symbols of heaven, cut in half, are crowning the symbols of the the bull.
On the far left of this same register, Usermaatre, who wears the curling locks of a crown prince is clad in a panther skin. he holds the censer in one hand while he presents "food" to Menmaatre ( Seti I), who is standing on a pedestal in a naos, as an equal of a god. Hence, Ramesses II is paying homage to his father.
On the bottom register below these scenes, a column of text behind the barques of Khonsu and Mut, inform us that Menmaatre, maa kheru, accompanied his father Amun into the splendid temple Seti-beloved-of Ptah in the house of Amun. Hence, Seti I is depicted walking behind the sacred barques, in the same direction as the gods, and he is qualified as maa kheru (vindicated), which indicates that the king "was brought up to heaven and that he has rejoined He who has created him".

karnak

 

 the king, wearing a blue war helmet, kneeling in a persea tree. He has just been directed toward the sanctuary of his father Amun, by Atum, the master of Heliopolis, and by Montu, the master of Thebes. The king holds the hek and nekhakha scepters over his shoulder with one hand. With his other hand, he prop up the symbols of the sed festival that have been extended to him by Amun, who is seated in his naos.
Behind the king stands Thoth, who announces various renewals to him and inscribes the throne name on one of the fruits that he holds up in his left hand. Above this scene, in a cartouche on the left surmounted by the symbols of Upper and Lower Egypt, is the throne name of Ramesses II Usermaatre. Here, a winged disk gives his cartouche life.

karnak temple

 coronation as king of Upper and Lower Egypt is depicted. Usermaatre, Son of Re, Ramesses (II) Meryamun is here seated on a throne and wearing the double crown representing the duality of his kingdom. In his hands he holds two, uncrossed scepters. He is flanked by two seated, female gods who grasp his shoulders. The goddess that he faces, to the east, is Nekhebet, mistress of the South. She assures him of her protection by "joining with his limbs" and of "his rejuvenation in the image of the Aten disk in heaven". Behind her, Horus of Behedet reaches over Nekhebet to present Ramesses II with the white crown set on a basket.
The goddess to the west is Wadjet, mistress of the North. Behind her, Thoth is presenting the red crown to the king, while confirming his divine origin and the righteousness of his rule over the Two Lands. The three thrones of the king and the two goddesses rests upon a single pedestal, while Thoth and Horus stand on the ground.

western facade of the third pylon

western facade of the third pylon was inscribed with five registers of scenes surmounted by a frieze of khakeru that represent the different phases of the Ritual of the Daily Divine Worship, during the reign of Seti I.
On the lower register, for example, the king breaks the clay seals, draws back the bolt, and opens the two sections of the door to heaven.

In the second register, we find the king wearing a headband, a long, pleated linen robe, and a large scarf. In his right hand, he holds a key-of-life shaped vessel, while in the left hand he grasps a bundle of tied straw, which he uses to eradicate the marks of his footprints while turning his back to the neter (god). While the text of this scene is lost to us, we may interpret its meaning from the a temple at Abydos and from the Berlin Papyrus, which in sixty-six chapters, describes the Ritual of the Daily Divine Worship.
In this type of depiction, the king is always represented as officiating in the temple reliefs, though the ritual was actually performed by the "priest on his day", for whom the name signifies pure and who is identified as the king. A statue of the neter was believed to renew the Osirian passion each night. In the morning, after having made his ablutions, the officiating priest who was now purified in mind and body would start the day's ceremony with a purification fire, which was a metaphor for the Eye of Horus. Horus was responsible for driving back the power of Seth and annihilating the enemies of the neter.
In the five vertical columns of the lower register, to the left of Amun-Re Kamutef, we find text with the title, "Chapter on Making the Fire Each Day".
After having made the fire, the priest, acting for the king, would proceed to open up the naos of the temple, which would have been sealed for the night. He would then complete the steps of the complete ritual. After the first part of the ceremony had ended, the service was repeated twice. When the priest leaves the sanctuary, he speaks the words, "I have left, with your great face behind me".
It should be noted that in this scene in the Hypostyle Hall, the ankh shaped vessel is split in half, signifying that only half of the ceremony has been completed
In the third register, we find Seti, still kneeling, but now holding a torch before Amun, who "lights with fire the first day of the year". Then in the fifth register, the kneeling king, who holds the key of life, presents a list of offerings and finally, in the fifth register, Seti I kneels before Amun, who holds a rope rolled up like the hieroglyphic h. Here, the caption reads, "he activates his fire".
These various registers refer to chapters within the Ritual of the Daily Divine Worship. Here, the second register is from the chapter on the lighting of the temple, while the third and fifth registers, respectively, or from the chapters on the New Year's Day torch, and the chapter on the extinguishing of the torch.
Next, we will skip over and examine the front edge of the antechamber attached to the front of the third pylon. These scenes continue the theme of the Daily Divine Worship. At the top of this corner block we find Amun seated on his throne. Below this, the reliefs were decorated in the name of Ramesses II using sunk relief. The next lower register depicts the king on his knees before Ptah. Here, his fist is clenched with only the little finger extended. This gesture is explained by the fact that the officiating priest always puts on a silver or gold fingerstall to anoint the sacred statue.
The priest, representing the king, after having entered the sanctuary, purifies it with incense. Next, he breaks the seal to the doors of the naos, and uncovers the face of the god while uttering the sanctioned words and making the medjet unguent offering. One must remember that the god is supposed to have undergone the dismemberment of his body during the night, just as Osiris was dismembered by Seth. The Berlin Papyrus explains the unction on the forehead with the:
"medjet paint emerges from the Eye of Horus, puts his bones back in place, rejoins his limbs, reassembles his flesh, drives off the evil influences of Seth, and, subsequently, destroys all those who are in his retinue."
The final lower scene in this section depicts the offering of the white vessel to Amun. From here, we will move over to the eastern side of the south wall, were we will see a scene at the top of the wall representing the manufacturing of the young king by Khnum on his potter's wheel. The royal infant is represented alone, whereas in the temple at Luxor he is depicted with his ka.

karnak temple

the king is kneeling, and his right leg is stretched behind him in the position known as the "silver statue", a posture that is very specific to Karnak. He bows before Re, who is seated in his naos. The king wears a headband and the atef crown, flanked by two uraei on disks, all surmounting the horns of Khnum. The king holds the hek and nekhakha scepters in his right hand. In the king's left hand, he supports the symbols of the sed festival and longevity that hand beneath the "palm of the years" that Re holds with the was in his right hand. With Re's left hand, he reaches out to the horn of the king's crown.

Behind Seti I's image we find a good example of the lion headed Sekhmet, who is here named "the great magician". She also holds, in her right hand, the "palm of the years, from which dangles some of the same symbols we find in the depiction of Re. Her left hand is raised.Amun-Re Kamutef, the prince of the Great Ennead of gods. Here, he wears an unusual headdress which is shaped tightly about his head. It is held in place by a band that extends in the back down to the pedestal. To the right, the king kneels before his Horus name supported by the ka. The king holds a basket of offerings above his head.

karnak temple

 the king is once again depicted as he stands facing the west. He bows, while offering a lotus and papyrus bouquet. In this scene, he wears a wig that is finely portrayed with lines that end in curls radiating from the crown of his head. Two long, folded ribbons drop behind him from the nape of his neck. Covering his shoulders is the user necklace, consisting of seven rows of stones such as lapis lazuli, carnelian, turquoise and a row of beads, separated by gold wire. Above the king in the second cartouche we find the jackal-headed Seth animal used to write his Seti name. It follows the name of Horus and the cartouche of Menmaatre.



 the king entering the temple. He faces the east, towards the temple sanctuaries. Here, his first action is to "Give the House to Its Masters". The "house" is of course, the temple itself, which is depicted by a sanctuary, above which the king holds an ankh in his left hand. Before him, and facing the king is Amun-Re, presiding in Ipet-sut (The Temple of Karnak), who gives him all life, stability, power and the assurance of numerous years of Atum, as Re.

The king gives the house to its masters

The figure of the king has been altered three times. The original scene depicted the bearded king standing upright with a nemes headdress revealing his ear. The next alteration had him bowing, with no beard and his ear hidden. Through the final alterations, the original ear may still be observed.


 

the king on his knees, before the persea tree. He wears the blue helmet, while holding the hek scepter over his shoulder with his right hand. In his left hand, he holds stylized fruits on which Thoth has just engraved his mystical name. Here, Thoth, with his ibis head, has written with his gnomon the name of Menmaatre and is holding a shell in his left hand. Here again, the figure of the king has been reworked at least several times. Originally, he was larger and wore a loincloth.
Above the persea tree, the anaglyph of the king is made up of symbols for Ma'at and men, crowned by the solar disk Ra, which which are suspended two crowned uraei.

The Great Hypostyle Hall at the Temple of Amun, Karnak

the king  wears the blue khepresh helmet. He is on his knees and is making offerings to Montu, who is in the heart of Thebes. The king offers three papyrus stems in his right hand and a bouquet of budding and flowering lotuses in his left. Montu, holding the was scepter with his right and and the ankh in his left, is standing..

The King makes offerings such as bread before Amun (standing) 

king kneeling, this time before Amun. Above the king is the vulture god, Nekhebet. In this scene, the king offers breads, plucked and trussed geese and a bouquet of lotus buds and flowers on a platter to Amun. In return, Amun gives him "all life, stability, strength, and all enlargement of the heart, as Ra"

The lower register is in very poor condition, but we can make out the upper part of a naos in which the sacred barque of Amun rests.

The Great Hypostyle Hall at the Temple of Amun, Karnak

Amun-Re is seated on his throne; standing behind the god is the goddess Mut, who is ordinarily enfeoffed (subservient) with him. A second enfeoffed goddess [our of whose horns the solar disk emerges] holds a [sistrum] and flowers in her right hand raised before Amun-Re; with the left hand she holds the hand of pharaoh with a scratched-out figure of enfeoffment, who is holding [the hek scepter and the nekhakha scepter] on his shoulder and is bowing as he approaches Amun-Re...
Behind the king, the god [Khonsu] is standing, disk and crescent, the enfeoffment of the prince, necklace, body clad in a girdle, the one hand holding a panegyric scepter, the other designating a notch with the gnomon. He is performing the duties of Thoth here, for whom he is the prototype."
These depictions apparently overlay earlier depictions and in fact, the great disk carved in sunk relief above the face of Seti I is from one of these earlier scenes. Legrain believed it might have surmounted the head of the rams that adorned the prow and stern of the barque of Amun.

Nile Cruise Holiday in Egypt

Nile Cruise Holiday in Egypt

Explore Luxor, Aswan and AbuSimbel from a Nile Cruise,combine history and leisure in this memorable journey.
Day 1: Luxor Nile Cruise Holiday Egyptraveluxe representative will meet and assist at Luxor airport, then transferred by private A/C vehicle to the cruise for embarkation before lunch. Dinner and overnight aboard the Nile cruise vessel in Luxor.

Day 2: Nile Cruise Holiday
After breakfast, you will be accompanied for a wonderful tour to visit East Bank of the Nile in Luxor to the Karnak and Luxor temples. Sail to Esna. Overnight in Esna.

Day 3: Nile Cruise Holiday
Sail to Edfu. Upon arrival at Edfu, you will be accompanied by your knowledgeable guide to visit Horus Temple. Sail to Kom Ombo. Dinner and overnight on board.

Day 4: Nile Cruise Holiday
Pay a visit to the High Dam in Aswan, the Unfinished Obelisk and the majestic Philae temple with a visit to the Botanical garden by felucca overnight in Aswan on board the Nile cruise ship.

Day 5: Nile Cruise Holiday
A.M Optional visit to Abu Simbel. P.M visit the botanical Garden by Felucca. Overnight aboard the Nile cruise vessel in Aswan.

Day 6: Nile Cruise Holiday
Early sail to Kom Ombo, visit the Temple shared by the two Gods Sobek and Haroeris at Kom Ombo. Sail to Edfu. Overnight aboard the Nile cruise vessel in Luxor.

Day 7: Nile Cruise Holiday
Breakfast, then you will be transferred to the West Bank of the River Nile in Luxor to the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple at El Deir EL Bahari and the Colossi Memnon. Back to the cruise for lunch. Free time on board. Dinner and overnight aboard the Nile cruise vessel in Luxor.

Day 8: Nile Cruise Holiday / Home
Breakfast, disembark from your cruise. Then you will be transferred to Luxor airport for departure.

Easter offer : 1night Wheals Valley trip from Cairo

Easter offer : 1night Wheals Valley trip from Cairo ....130 USD per person
MAGIC OF THE DESERT
Beyond the Nile Valley there is still much to see. On this comprehensive trip to Egypt we travel through the heart of the Western Desert, a vast, isolated expanse covering a total of some 2.8 million square kilometres, visiting the various Oasis towns on our route. We explore this untamed wilderness in the company of our Bedouin companions, enjoying a memorable insight into their traditions and experiencing their amazing hospitality.
ITINERARY
Day 1 )
We will pick you up in Cairo and depending on where you are staying in Cairo, give you different route options to arrive at the beautiful oasis of the Fayoum. We will enter this beautiful oasis via either A: the modern city of Crocodopolis, so-named by the ancient Greeks because of the over-abundance of crocodiles or B: the ancient Graeco-Roman city of Karanis in Kom Ashiem. After our visit we will continue our sojourn to the Wadi Rayyan to enjoy our lunch next to a refreshing lake and waterfall.
Afterwards, we will venture further into the area to the spectacular outdoor dinosaurs museum. This fascinating place filled with 35 million year old dinosaur bones takes at least 2-3 hours to walk through. The landscape is starkly beautiful and as you rarely see another person here, you can enjoy the silence and get a chance to really visualize the ancient lake that used to contain these 35 million year old creatures. Then spend the night in the desert in the Wadi Hittan, surrounded by the jagged cliffs and sleep under a blanket of brilliant stars. Little foxes here love shoes so be sure to keep them close to you when you sleep

Day 2)

For those who camped in the Wadi Hittan under the stars, next to the dinosaurs, you will be free to explore more in the morning. After breakfast drive back to Cairo.

for booking :info@egyptraveluxe.com

EXPLORE EGYPT ON A DELUXE TRIP ONLY 830 EURO

Tour Egypt 7nights /8 Days with a deluxe stay in Mina House Hotel Cairo + 4 nights Deluxe 5* Nile cruise with a special tour to Abusimbel Temples.....live the dream ....only for 830 Euro !!!!!
For Booking please e-mail:info@egyptraveluxe.com 

Itinerary

Trip Itinerary 8 Days / 7 Nights From Feb 5th To Feb 12th .

Day 1: .: Cairo

 Arrive to Cairo International Airport meet and assist by Egyptraveluxe representative to help you through the immigration formalities. then start your tour to The Egyptian Museum , enjoy the legendary treasures of the Egyptian Museum, which houses about 250.000 antique pieces including the statues, sarcophagi & the fabulous treasures of Tutankhamun, also explore the old Cairo mosques and churches and the Citadels then  Transfer to your hotel at Cairo, check-in hotel. Overnight at your hotel Mina House  in Cairo.

Day           2: . Cairo / Cairo

After breakfast you will be picked up for exploration of the vast necropolis of Sakkara containing tombs from almost every period of Egyptian history. The Step Pyramid of Zoser is the most conspicuous landmark of the necropolis, lunch at the Pyramids foot. In the afternoon, we will visit the three Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. With a 15 min camel ride at Giza Plateau  Later that evening you will be transferred to Giza train station to catch the sleeping train to Luxor dinner and Overnight on board.

Day 3 : Luxor

Breakfast on the train ,arrive Luxor will be met and assisted by our guide depart for the visit of the East Bank of Luxor, including the Luxor & Karnak temples. Then check in the Nile Cruise lunch on board then relaxe for the afternoon or you can walk through history, ride on a horse-drawn carriage, sail in a felucca, or explore the city of mysteries. Dinner & Overnight on board.


Day 4 : Luxor / Komombo
At sunrise you will be picked up for a hot air Balloon ride then Visit The West Bank, Valley of  The Kings, Colossi's of Memnon and queen Hatshepsut Temple. Sail to Esna. Overnight on Cruise .

Day 5 : Komombo/Aswan

Morning after Breakfast Visit Edfu Temple.  Sail to Komombo. Visit Komombo Temple at the afternoon sail to Aswan night on board.

Day 6 : Aswan
Early morning you pick your breakfast box and Drive to Abusimble temples visit the Magnificent temples of King Ramasses then back to Aswan Lunch on board your cruise ,enjoy the Nile.
Felucca Ride to see The Botanical Garden and Agha Khan Mausoleum (FROM THE NILE NO ENTRY). Overnight in Aswan.

Day 7 :  Abu Simbel /Cairo
After Breakfast Visit the High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple and catch the flight back to Cairo spend the night in your Hotel in Cairo .

Day 8 :Cairo 
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Cairo International airport for the final departure.

Tour Price Include :

• 2 Nights stay in Mina House Hotel in Cairo with breakfast .
• 4 Nights Stay on 5* Deluxe Nile Cruise on full board bases
• 1 Night Stay on sleeper train with dinner and breakfast .
• Entrance fees to the mentioned sights in the itinerary.
• Egyptologist tour guide during Tours.
• Private transfers in deluxe a/c van.
• Hot air Balloon trip in Luxor.
• camel ride around the pyramids.
• Mineral water during tours.

Tour Price Exclude :

• Personal Expenses.

• Gratitude's (recommended) .

wish you a happy holiday

chakra

Is this the world’s oldest known protractor?

For over a century, archaeologists have argued over the original purpose of the strange looking object shown above, which was discovered in 1906 in the tomb of the ancient Egyptian architect Kha. Now, an Italian physicist claims to have deduced the artifact's true function:She says it's the world's first known protractor.

If the strange-looking object doesn't immediately bring to mind a protractor — the flat, metal or plastic, typically half-disc drawing tool used to measure angles — don't be alarmed; since its discovery, it hasn't reminded anyone else of one, either. (Ernesto Schiaparelli, the archaeologist who first discovered the artifact, believed it to be the case for a balancing scale.)

But Amelia Sparavigna, a physicist at Turin Polytechnic in Italy, believes that the complex patterns adorning the object – long believed to serve merely as decoration — actually serve a functional purpose, as well. Sparavigna describes the patterns, pictured below, as follows:
The [inner]decoration of the object of Kha is quite complex: it has 16-fold symmetry, looking as a compass rose with 16 leaves. Outside this rose, there is a polygonal line of 18 corners, pointing outwards. They correspond to the same number of corners (pointing inwards). That is we have a [polygonal line] with 36 corners.
The sixteen petals of the inner rose pattern divide the object's circular projection into sixteenths – an important fraction featured prominently in a system of calculation commonly used by ancient Egyptians. The Egyptians also placed great significance in the number 36, which they originally associated with the 36 small groups of stars (now call decans) that they observed appearing over the nighttime horizon throughout every rotation of the earth. According to Sparavigna:
The use of 1/16 fraction, the coincidence of the number of corners with that of decans, and the fact that the decoration was engraved on the instrument of an architect, [suggest] that this object had been used as a protractor instrument with two scales, one based on Egyptian fractions, the other based on decans

However, members of the archaeological community remain skeptical. Kate Spence, a Cambridge archaeologist who specializes in ancient Egyptian architecture, cites the lack of precision of the artifact's decorative markings as proof that the Egyptians would never have used the object as a measuring instrument, stating succinctly: "When the Egyptians want to be precise, they are."


 

aliens

Here is a picture of a figure with a long neck and strange head. While not resembling some of the other aliens, he does not look entirely human.

rose of life

The Temple of Osiris at Abydos, The original flower of life (found on several pillars within "the Osireion" at abydos in Egypt) Egypt.
The "Flower of Life" can be found in all major religions of the world. It contains the patterns of creation as they emerged from the "Great Void". Everything is made from the Creator's thought.
After the creation of the Seed of Life the same vortex's motion was continued, creating the next structure known as the Egg of Life.
This structure forms the basis for music, as the distances between the spheres is identical to the distances between the tones and the half tones in music. It is also identical to the cellular structure of the third embryonic division (The first cell divides into two cells, then to four cells then to eight). Thus this same structure as it is further developed, creates the human body and all of the energy systems including the ones used to create the Merkaba. If we continue creating more and more spheres we will end up with the structure called the Flower of Life