Abdeen Palace - February 2022

The final Egypt stop for us was a departure from our Ancient Egypt tour. Instead, we visited the 500 room, Abdeen Palace, in Cairo. The palace was the official residence of the former ruling monarchy and royal family of Egypt. The marble and parquet floors, gilded walls and ceilings, throne room, sunroom, furnishings, paintings and staircase offered a European perspective for Egyptian royalty. Our palace tour focused on the upstairs public rooms.

Construction on this Italian and French influenced palace started by Kedive Ismail, in 1863. The building was completed over ten years. The building is now used by the President of Egypt for government administration, state gatherings and hosting of foreign dignitaries. There are also several museums in the palace. 

Our visit to Abdeen Palace was topped off by a catered lunch in a palace dining room. This was a terrific way to end our Egypt visit and prepare for returning to the US the following day. 

Source: Wikipedia

Throne Room

A view of the ceiling of the throne room

Upper Egypt and Dendera Temple - February 2022

Our last temple visit was to Dendera Temple. Due to low Nile River water levels in Qena, we had to take a  two hour coach ride to reach this site. 

The structures at Dendera range in age from 2250 BC to 360-340 BC. The complex covers almost 9 acres. The ceiling panels were particularly striking as the colors are vibrant in many areas.

Depictions of Cleopatra VI are clear on temple walls, confirmed by her cartouche. A cartouche representing her name and title accompany the panel carvings. 

Gate of Domitian and Trajan in front of Temple of Hathor

Ceiling panel

Bes, a god protecting households, mothers, children and childbirth

Cleopatra (right) and her son Caesarion (left).
Caesarion was the last pharaoh of Egypt.

These column tops would have been covered
with gold and turquoise.

Columns of the Hypostyle Hall

Ceiling panel

Ceiling panel
Hathor in rays of sun

Kiosk of Hathor on the temple roof

Hathor

Worker cleaning panel to expose colors and detail.

Ceiling Panel

 

Upper Egypt and Into the Valley of the Kings and Queens - February 2022

Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings is on the west bank of the Nile River, near Luxor. 63 royal tombs have been discovered in this area, as well as tombs of noble families. The size of the tombs range from very small pits to a tomb with over 120 chambers. The royal tomb contents have been subject to robbers since ancient times; however, many of the intricate wall carvings and panels still remain visible. 

The valley has been subject to thunderstorms and runoff buried many of the tombs with flood debris. Thus, many of the tomb entry points were covered and unseen until exploration by archeologists. 

With tickets in hand, visitors ride an extended length electric cart to/from the ticket office to an entry point for all tomb access. This can be easily walked but, in the high heat of summer months, the cart is likely a welcome sight.

We were able to enter four royal tombs during our visit to this area, including the tomb of Tutankhamun. I understand that a ticket (about $15 USD) includes entry into three tombs that are open for the day. Entry to the tomb of Tutankhamun is an extra fee (about $20 USD). 

Baboons were considered as an embodiment of Thoth, the god 
of the moon and of wisdom and an advisor to Ra, god of the sun.

 King Tutankhamum Tomb

Al-Deir Al-Bahari Temple

We made a brief visit to the mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II, the 11th Dynasty King. This complex was very different from the others we visited during our Egypt tour. 

Lungs attached to a windpipe with lotus (Upper Egypt) and
papyrus (Lower Egypt) stems, symbolizing the connection 
between the two kingdoms.

Note gold stars on a dark blue ceiling 

Valley of the Queens

This area is also on the West Bank of the Nile River. The location was used for the tombs of the many wives of the pharaohs (about 110 tombs). Our tour visited the tomb of Queen Nefertari, also known as Nefertari (Beautiful Companion) Meritmut (Beloved of Goddess Mut). Nefertari was the principal wife of Ramses II. She was known as highly educated and for her diplomacy skills. Ramses II devotion to Queen Nefertari is perhaps demonstrated by Ramses II creating a temple for Nefertari at Abu Simbel.

This tomb was discovered in 1904 and is one of the largest in the Valley of the Queens (about 5,000 SF). This tomb had the best preserved and most beautiful wall paintings of all the tombs we visited. The panels included scenes of activities during life and afterlife ceremonies. There were several panels displaying Queen Nefertari playing board games and preparing for afterlife.

Access to this tomb has been restricted in the past to help protect the paintings from deterioration. Presently, an individual ticket to visit this tomb is about $90 USD. 

Note gold stars on the dark blue ceiling