There is a lot of vandalism and graffiti in evidence throughout the Philae Temple Complex. Historical vandalism and graffiti, perhaps, but vandalism and graffiti nonetheless — Greek vandalism/graffiti. Roman vandalism/graffiti. Crusader vandalism/graffiti. French vandalism/graffiti. English vandalism/graffiti. It’s a wonder that Banksy never made it here for a graffiti spree. Here is some particularly egregious Crusader vandalism:
Defaced bas relief
And an example of Crusader graffiti:
Coptic Cross
Some additional French graffiti, including apparent Napoleonic geocaching coordinates for somewhere south of Tobruk, Libya:
30°16’22″N 24°03’45″E
Fortunately, much Ancient Egyptian treasures here remain untouched. Here is today’s Philae Temple Complex photo gallery/slide show:
The columns pictured above feature the Egyptian goddess Hathor. Her likeness adorns the columns at the Mimmisi temple at Philae. This temple commemorates the birth of Harpocrates (the child interation of Horus). Now for today’s Fun Photo Friday of Philae favorites:
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: So, these two ankhs and a Coptic cross walk into a temple in Egypt and…. Oh. You’ve heard it. Never mind. How about this one? A Knight Templar and a disfigured bas relief of the Egyptian godHorus walk into…. Oh. You’ve heard that one as well?
No. You’re not seeing things. And these symbols are not contemporaneous to the temples. Indeed, these particular symbols date back to the Crusader Invasions of Egypt in mid-12th century. It would be during this time that depictions of many Egyptian gods would be defaced as blasphemous by Christian invaders. But the Crusaders were not the only invaders of Egypt. Even well before then came the Romans, and before that the Greeks. Hence the term Ptolemaic Kingdom, in which Alexander the Great‘s favorite general, Ptolemy I Soter, proclaimed himself the Pharoah of Egypt and established the Ptolemaic Kingdon. His dynasty would be Ancient Egypt’s last, beginning in 305 BC and lasting until the death of the last Ptolemaic Pharoah, Cleopatra VII, in 30 BC. Didn’t know Cleopatra was Greek? Well, her full name was Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, which translates from Greek to “Goddess Who Loves Her Father”.
Temple hieroglyphics
Some of this history I alredy knew, particularly about the origins of the Ptolemaic Kingdom Cleopatra’s Greek ancestry, but a lot I did not. Did I mention that our guide Mohamad Salah was fantastic? This chap really knows his stuff. I will forever be grateful for having met him and for his guidance throughout this Nile cruise. Thank you, Luxor and Aswan Travel. You supplied us with a real gem when you consigned us to his care. Now for today’s photo gallery/slide show:
Decisions — Murder in Paradise
The Globe — Murder in Luxury
R. Doug Wicker — Author 