2nd Day on MS Omar El Khayam

This morning we took the tender ashore to explore Wadi El Sebou also known as the Valley of the Lions. We visited three structures. Among the most prominent structure in this archaeological complex is the 19th dynasty temple, built by Ramses II dedicated to the god Amun and Ra-Horakhty. This temple was moved 4 km when the waters of Lake Nasser rose.

Riding in the tender
Getting ashore
Ramses, as a sphinx. Notice that his crown is basically made up of two parts. One part stands for the lower kingdom and the other for the upper kingdom. Therefore, the crown represents the unification of both kingdoms.
Ramses II adoring Moot, Amun’s wife, with eternity (the pyramid). Gods are usually depicted as sitting.
On the right, Coptic graffiti depicting St.Peter so this picture can be seen as Ramses (on the left) anointing St. Peter
Ramses II offering to Ra
Looking over at Lake Nasser from the temple

The temple of Dakka was first started by the third century king Arqamani of Meroe, a kingdom south of the Egyptian one. It was dedicated to Thoth, the ancient Egyptian god of knowledge and writing. It was further built up during the reigns of Ptolemy IV and VIII and the Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius.

Cartouche meaning pharaoh
Goddess Sekhmet
God of Nile watering tree of Nubia
Walking to the Temple of Al-Maharraqa

Temple of Al Maharraqa is an ancient Roman temple, dedicated to Isis and Serapis, which was never completed. It used to stand on the southern border of the Roman empire at the time of emperor Augustus, and was moved in 1961 as the Aswan dam was built.

Inside the courtyard
Other structures in the area
A nice view of Lake Nasser, as we make our way back to the ship.

One of the largest man-made lakes in the world, Lake Nasser is approximately 310 miles in length, 1550 mi.² in size and in some places can reach the depth of 600 feet. The lake was created in the 1960s when the world famous high dam was built. It is name for a Gamel Abdel Nasser, president of Egypt from 1956 to 1970.

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