Entrance ticket to Medinet Habu Temple. MEDINET HABU This is one of the best preserved and most impressive temples on the Theban west bank.The location used to be called"Djamet" and was thought to be the burial place of the first primeval gods, the "Ogdoad" A view of the complex at Medinet Habu from a hot air balloon. Medinet Habu was the administrative centre of western Thebes during Ramesses III`s reign and for some time afterwards. When the workmen constructing the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings went on strike, they went to Medinet Habu to demand payment. During troubled times the local people sought shelter within the walls of the complex. the area became covered by the Coptic town, Djeme, during the Christian era, when one of the courts was used as a church. The complex is made up of the temple of Ramesses III and an adjacent palace, chapels of the Divine Adoratrices, and a small temple. The whole complex is surrounded by a massive defensive wall.In Ramesses III`s reign there was a quay where boats could moor, that had come from the Nile and canals that linked the site. A view of the entrance area and the High Gate at Medinet Habu from a hot air balloon. Photo showing the entrance area of the complex at Medinet Habu, including the sacred well. The main entrance is the High Gate, or "Migdol", which was designed in the style of an Asiatic fortress. There are several windows incorporate into it from which the king could make appearances. The walls of this gateway are decorated with scenes showing the king trampling on Egypt`s enemies. There is also a large depiction of the god, Ptah, to which people who did not have access to the temple, could say prayers to, which would be transmitted to the god, Amun, inside. The "High Gate" or "Migdol" at Medinet Habu.Copyright of Diane Day. The Migdol from the courtyard at Medinet Habu. Copyright of Diane Day. There was a royal harem in the upper rooms of the gate house. There are scenes here of the king enjoying the company of young women. It is possible that it was here that the unsuccessful assassination attempt against Ramesses III, by one of his minor wives occurred. Inside the complex on the left hand side stands the mortuary chapels of the god`s wives of Amun of the 25th and 26th dynasties, Ameneerdis I, Shepenwepet II and Nitokert. Beneath the chapels were their tombs. That of Amenerdis has wonderful decoration and is quite well preserved. The chapel consists of a forecourt, offering table, an inner mortuary chapel and the hidden crypt. Inscribed upon the lintels above the chapel entrances is the "Appeal to the Living", asking visitors and passers by to recite the offering formula for the Divine Adoratrices (an ancient prayer to provide sustenance in the afterlife). Saite Chapels of the Divine Adoratrices of Amun in the Medinet Habu Complex. Offering table showing different types of offerings to be left as sustenance for the deceased. Wall decoration in the Burial Chapel of the Divine Adoratrice Amenerdis at Medinet Habu. Founded by Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis I, the small temple of Amun stands to the right of the entrance. the names of Queen Hatshepsut were replaced with the names of her predecessors, Tuthmosis I and II. The temple was incorporated into the temple complex of Ramesses III and it`s entrance was replaced by King Shabaka of Nubia`s pylon. The pylon was later usurped by Taharqa, Shabaka`s nephew. During the 26th dynasty a small gateway was built, which was usurped by Nectanebo I, the 29th dynasty king. The inner colonnade was developed, as well as a large gateway and stone-faced pylon during the Ptolemaic period. The Roman emperor, Antoninus Pius, began a columned portico and court but these were never completed. The Main Temple The main temple was known as "The Temple of User-Maat-Re Meriamun (Ramesses III`s throne name) United With Eternity in the Possession of Amun in Western Thebes". The front part of the temple is very well preserved, the pylons being some of the most imposing of any Egyptian temple. Again scenes showing the king killing captured enemies in front of the gods are to be seen here. The king is seen wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt (northern) on the Northern Pylon and on the Southern Pylon he is shown wearing the dual crown, which includes the white crown of Upper Egypt as well. Other scenes depict battles and victories of Egypt against the Sea Peoples and Libyans that occurred during Ramesses III`s reign. The pylon at Medinet Habu. Another view of the pylon at Medinet Habu. Courtesy of Lin Hensby at Immortal Egypt at:-http://www.geocities.com/lin_hensby/Index.html A scene of the King killing his enemies in front of the gods, on the pylon of the Main Temple at Medinet Habu.Courtesy of BEEFY`S EGYPT PAGE at:- http://www.wkyo.freeserve.co.uk/travels/egypt/egypt.html The first court shows similar scenes, one where soldiers count hands and phalluses of the dead enemies. On the north side were large statues of Ramesses III as Osiris. On the south side was a columned portico incorporating "the window of appearances", where the king stood or sat during festivals and various ceremonies. View of the 1st Court At Medinet Habu. The second court contained large Osiride statues which were destroyed by the Coptic church and some of the relief scenes were painted over during this period. These scenes are in quite good condition though now, showing rituals of the fertility god, Min, and a procession of the king`s children on the rear portico wall. A view of the second court at Medinet Habu. Another view of the 2nd court at Medinet Habu. Copyright of Diane Day. Some of the beautifully decorated columns in the hypostyle hall at Medinet Habu. Courtesy of BEEFY`S EGYPT PAGE at:- http://www.wkyo.freeserve.co.uk/travels/egypt/egypt.html Inside the Portico at the back of the 2nd court are some examples of the original paint that still remains in good condition. Entrance to the 2nd Court Portico. Columns inside the Portico of the 2nd court still retain much of their original colour. Examples of the colourful decoration that still remains in the portico of the 2nd court. The rear part of the temple is not in such a perfect state. There were three hypostyle halls which had a series of chapels for different deities. There was a suite dedicated to the cult of Ptah-Sokar-Osiris and also a solar court. There are also shrines to the Theban triad, Amun, Mut and Khonsu, at the back of which is a false door, which the spirit of the dead king could pass through to enter the monument. A number of concealed rooms are to be found here too, which possibly contained important temple treasures during the times of its use. Around the main temple are the remains of different buildings such as storerooms and magazines, houses, offices, workshops etc.. Chapel of Ptah at Medinet Habu. Wall relief in the Chapel of Ptah at Medinet Habu. A view of the temple and it`s buildings at Medinet Habu taken from a hot air balloon. THE ROYAL PALACE To the south of the main temple is the royal palace. It was originally a two storey building, although only the lower parts remain today. It is thought that it was used by Ramesses III to live in during his visits to the temple and was also believed to act as a spiritual house for his spirit to visit in the afterlife. The palace was equipped with a false door to facilitate this. The palace was connected to the first court of the main temple by doorways and the "windows of appearances". The Palace at Medinet Habu. Courtesy of Lin Hensby at Immortal Egypt at:-http://www.geocities.com/lin_hensby/Index.html Statues of Amenhotep III are reused here by Rameses III in the temple. Photograph showing coloured decoration on one of the blocks in the palace area. Courtesy of Mats Arvendal at ARVENDAL STUDIOS at http://www.arvendalstudios.com All content on this page unless otherwise specified © Diane Day 2001-2004