Item code: 131/EG-6
Abu Simbel temples
Year
|
2007
|
Obverse
|
Complex of Sultan
al-Ashraf Qaytbay
|
Reverse
|
Part of the facade of Abu Simbel Temple; At
the top and bottom of the note running in two bands horizontally are birds
and other shapes taken from the structure built by Ramses II in front of the
Luxor Temple of Amenophis II.
|
Size
|
138 x 69 mm
|
Watermark
|
Mask of Pharaoh King Tutankhamoun.
|
Obverse Description:
Complex of Sultan al-Ashraf Qaytbay
The funerary complex of Sultan al-Ashraf Qaytbay is an architectural complex built by Sultan al-Ashraf Qaytbay in Cairo's Northern Cemetery, completed in 1474. It is often considered one of the most beautiful and accomplished monuments of late Egyptian Mamluk architecture, and is pictured on the Egyptian one pound note.
 |
Portrait
of Qaitbay
|
Al-Ashraf Qaytbay was a mamluk purchased by Sultan al-Ashraf Barsbay (ruled 1422-1438) and served under several Mamluk sultans, the last of whom – Sultan al-Zahir Timurbugha (ruled 1467-1468) – appointed him amir al-kabir, the commander-in-chief or highest position for an amir under the sultan. Qaytbay succeeded Timurbugha as sultan at the age of 54, and ruled for nearly 29 years from 1468 to 1496, the second-longest reign of any Egyptian Mamluk sultan (after al-Nasir Muhammad).
Qaytbay's complex contained numerous buildings over a relatively vast area, enclosed by the same wall, of which one gate, Bab al-Gindi, still remains to the south of the mausoleum. Many of the original structures which once faced each other on both sides of the existing street have vanished. What remains today is the mosque, which is attached the mausoleum of Qaytbay himself, as well as a maq'ad (loggia), a smaller mosque and mausoleum for Qaytbay's sons, a hod (drinking trough for animals), and a rab' (an apartment complex where tenants paid rent). At one point it was also described to have had large gardens.
Mosque
and sultan's mausoleum
The mosque & mausoleum of the sultan forms the main building of the complex and is considered exceptional for its refined proportions and the subdued yet exquisite decorations. The mosque's entrance faces north and diverts the main road slightly eastwards around the walls of the mausoleum, possibly to enhance its visual effect. The facade features ablaq stonework and the entrance portal is enhanced by a high elaborate groin-vaulted recess with muqarnas squinches. The minaret stands above the entrance on the western side and is exquisitely carved in stone, divided into three stories with elaborately carved balconies. The eastern corner of the facade is occupied by a sabil (from which water could be dispensed to passers-by) on the ground floor and by a kuttab (school) with open arches on the top floor. Qaytbay's mausoleum projects from the eastern side of the building. The outer dome of the mausoleum demonstrates an evolution from the stone domes built earlier and nearby by Sultan Barsbay and others: it is often cited as the apogee of Mamluk dome design in Cairo due to its complex stone-carved decorative pattern, which features a central geometric star radiating from the apex of the dome and an arabesque floral design which are superimposed and enhanced by natural shadows.
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Sultan Qaytbay's mosque and mausoleum complex.
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Inside, the vestibule features another ornate groin-vault ceiling and leads to the main sanctuary hall which follows a modified layout of the classic madrasa, with two large iwans on the qibla axis and two shallow or reduced iwans to the sides. The hall is richly decorated in stone-carving, painted wooden ceilings and coloured windows. The mihrab is relatively modest but the wooden minbar is richly carved with geometric patterns and inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl.
Reverse Description:
Abu Simbel temples
The Abu
Simbel temples are two very large rock temples at Abu
Simbel. This is a village in Nubia, southern Egypt, near the border with Sudan. The temples are on the western bank of Lake Nasser, about
230 km southwest of Aswan. They are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as
the "Nubian Monuments." The temples were cut into solid rock in
side of a cliff during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th
century BC. It was a lasting monument to himself
and his queen Nefertari, to
remember his victory at the Battle of Kadesh.
 | |
|
The
Great Temple at Abu Simbel took about 20 years to build. It was completed in
the 24th year of the rule of Ramesses the Great (about 1265 BC). It was built
for the gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah, as well as
for Rameses himself, who was treated as a god. It is one the grandest and
most beautiful temples from the time of Rameses II, and one of the most
beautiful in Egypt.
The facade of the
temple has four 20 meter tall statues of the pharaoh with the double Atef crown
of Upper and Lower Egypt. The facade is 35 meters wide. Across the top is a frieze with 22
baboons. The baboons have their hands raised to welcome the rising sun at dawn. These
huge statues were carved into solid rock. All statues show Ramesses II, seated on a throne and
wearing the double
crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. The
statue on the left of the entrance was damaged in an earthquake soon after it was built. The head and
body are on the ground at the statue's feet.
Next
to the legs of the large statue, there are others no higher than the knees of
the pharaoh. These show Nefertari, Ramesses's chief wife, and queen
mother Mut-Tuy, his first two sons Amun-her-khepeshef, Ramesses, and his first six daughters Bintanath, Baketmut,
Nefertari, Meritamen, Nebettawy and Isetnofret.
Above the entrance is a bas-relief with two images of the king praising the falcon-headed Ra Harakhti. This god is holding the hieroglyph meaning user and a feather in his right hand, with Ma'at, the goddess of truth and justice, in his left. This is a really just a large puzzle with the answer being Ramesses II's throne name, User-Maat-Re. A stele on the facade records the marriage of Ramesses with a daughter of king Hattusili III, which sealed the peace between Egypt and the Hittites.
 |
| Temple at Abu simbel |
Like
most Egyptian temples it has a triangle shaped layout inside. The rooms become
smaller in size from the entrance to the sanctuary. The temple has a
complicated and unusual structure with many side chambers. The hypostyle hall (sometimes also called a pronaos)
is 18 meters long and 16.7 meters wide. It is supported by eight huge Osirid
pillars. These show Ramesses as a god, with Osiris, the god of
the Underworld. This shows the unending nature of the pharaoh. The big statues
along the left-hand wall have the white crown of Upper Egypt, while
those on the opposite side are wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt (pschent). The bas-reliefs on the
walls of the pronaos show battle scenes from Ramesses's many wars. They show
the Battle of Kadesh,
on the Orontes river, in present-day Syria,
where Ramesses fought against the Hittites. The
most famous image shows the king on his chariot shooting arrows
against his enemies, who are being taken prisoner. Other scenes show
Egyptian victories in Libya and Nubia.
From
the hypostyle hall,
one enters the second pillared hall. This has four pillars covered with
beautiful scenes of offerings to the gods. Ramesses and
Nefertari are seen with the sacred boats of Amun and
Ra-Harakhti. This hall leads to another room
which is the way in to the sanctuary. On a back wall are rock cut sculptures of
four seated figures: Ra-Horakhty, Ramesses (as a god), and the gods Amun Ra and Ptah. Ra-Horakhty, Amun Ra and Ptah were the
main gods during this time and their cult centers were at Heliopolis, Thebes and Memphis respectively.
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