Construction of the Temple of Khnum, the ram-headed creator god who fashioned humankind on his potter’s wheel, was begun by Ptolemy VI Philometor (180–45 BC). The Romans added the hypostyle hall, the only part of the temple that is excavated and can be visited today, with well-preserved carvings from as late as the 3rd century AD.
The Temple of Khnum today sits in a 9m-deep pit, which represents 15 centuries of desert sand and debris, accumulated since it was abandoned during the Roman period. Most of the temple, similar in size to the temples of Edfu and Dendara, is still covered by the old town of Esna. A quay connecting the temple to the Nile was built by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 161–180).
The central doorway leads into the dark, atmospheric vestibule, where the roof is supported by 18 columns with wonderfully varied floral capitals in the form of palm leaves, lotus buds and papyrus fans; some also have bunches of grapes, a distinctive Roman touch. The roof is decorated with astronomical scenes, while the pillars are covered with hieroglyphic accounts of temple rituals. Inside the front corners, beside the smaller doorways, are two hymns to Khnum. The first is a morning hymn to awaken Khnum in his shrine; the second is a wonderful ‘hymn of creation’ that acknowledges him as creator of all, even foreigners: ‘All are formed on his potter’s wheel, their speech different in every region but the lord of the wheel is their father too.’
On the walls, Roman emperors dressed as pharaohs make offerings to the local gods of Esna. The northern wall has scenes of Emperor Commodus catching fish in a papyrus thicket with the god Khnum and, next to this, presenting the temple to the god.
The back wall, to the northeast, constructed during the Ptolemaic period, features reliefs of two Ptolemaic pharaohs, Ptolemy VI Philometor and Ptolemy VIII Euergetes (170–116 BC). A number of Roman emperors, including Septimus Severus, Caracalla and Geta, added their names near the hall’s rear gateway. Outside, an underground pump struggles to move groundwater away from the structure.
The Temple of Khnum is situated about 200m from the boat landing, at the end of the tourist souq. Buy tickets at the Temple Ticket Office.
Tags: Aladin Tours Nefertiti Hotel Eman Ahmed Esna Qena The River Nile Ancient Egyptian Egito Antigo UNESCO Latapolis The Esna Temple The Temple of Khnum Khnum Upper Egypt Neith Heka triad Thutmose II Ka god
visit the temple of Esna, dedicated to this triad of Khnum and Neith, and Heka their offspring. The site was remarkable for the beauty and the magnificence of its architecture. It was built of red sandstone on the west bank of the Nile. Originally dates back to the reign of Thutmose II (1493 to 1479 BC.) the remains of Latopolis belong to the Ptolemaic and Roman eras.
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The Khnum Temple, or Temple of Esna, was dedicated to the god represented with goat's head and considered one of the oldest of Egyptian mythology, having arisen in the early Nile River. Legend has it that it regulated the waters of the Nile through annual floods that fertilized the fields with scattered clay and thus allowed agricultural practice and hence life along the river. Its name means "the modeller" and was also related to the creation of human beings, forming not only the flesh, but also its "ka" (part of the soul). It is interesting that this relationship between clay vs. creation of humans x life ... does this remind you of another famous legend of Christianity?
What we see today is only a part of the temple, which would be its hypostyle room, or hall of columns, very common at the entrance of the great temples in Ancient Egypt.
When arriving in the temple area, there is an explanatory sign in English that states that the temple dates from the Roman and Ptolemaic period, being one of the last temples built in ancient Egypt.
The explanation of the plaque is sufficient for the conventional tourist, but no one cites that the temple was built on the foundation of another, much older, supposedly from the time of King Thutmose III, (1457-1425 BCE). The truth is that even archeology could not explain some things and it is better to give explanations in half, but to be conclusive.
What secrets have been lost in the past of this temple?
Tags: Aladin Tours Nefertiti Hotel Eman Ahmed Esna Qena The River Nile Ancient Egyptian Egito Antigo UNESCO Latapolis The Esna Temple The Temple of Khnum Khnum Upper Egypt Neith Heka triad Thutmose II Ka god
Visited the temple of Esna, dedicated to this triad of Khnum and Neith, and Heka their offspring. The site was remarkable for the beauty and the magnificence of its architecture. It was built of red sandstone on the west bank of the Nile. Originally dates back to the reign of Thutmose II (1493 to 1479 BC.) the remains of Latopolis belong to the Ptolemaic and Roman eras.
Tags: Aladin Tours Nefertiti Hotel Eman Ahmed Esna Qena The River Nile Ancient Egyptian Egito Antigo UNESCO Latapolis The Esna Temple The Temple of Khnum Khnum Upper Egypt Neith Heka triad Thutmose II Ka god
Down the Nile and stop at the Ancient Temple of Esna. It is one of the later built temples. It is well worth a visit. Many of the colors are still bright with more restoration in progress. Temple is located approximately 27 feet below street level. The only bad thing is that you have to run the vendors challenge to get to the temple.
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The temple of Khnum at Esna also known as the temple of Esna, dedicated to the god Khnum, his consorts Menhit and Nebtu, their son, Heka, and the goddess Neith, was remarkable for the beauty of its site and the magnificence of its architecture. The Temple of Esna conveys a sense of the importance which the Ancient Egyptians placed upon their places of worship. All Egyptians who entered the confines of an Egyptian temple were required "to comply with the strict rules regarding ritual purity."
Tags: Aladin Tours Nefertiti Hotel Eman Ahmed Esna Qena The River Nile Ancient Egyptian Egito Antigo UNESCO Latapolis The Esna Temple The Temple of Khnum Khnum Upper Egypt Neith Heka triad Thutmose II Ka god
The roof is decorated with astronomical scenes, while the pillars are covered with hieroglyphic accounts of temple rituals.
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The ceiling of the temple may be where the greatest riddles are. Reliefs of gods, sacred animals, exotic snakes ... and even a zodiac! Well, when you talk about zodiac in Egyptology, it soon relates to the Temple of Dendera, most famous for having its signs displayed in the Louvre Museum. But the Khnum Temple also has evidence of a zodiacal representation with the signs known to this day by our Western civilization.
Tags: Aladin Tours Nefertiti Hotel Eman Ahmed ceiling teto Esna Qena The River Nile Ancient Egyptian Egito Antigo UNESCO Latapolis The Esna Temple The Temple of Khnum Khnum Upper Egypt Neith Heka triad Thutmose II Ka god zodiac