On Saturday, sun’s alignment with the face of King Ramses II at the Abu Simbel Temple was obscured due to heavy clouds and weather fluctuations that enveloped the city since morning. Despite the weather conditions, more than 4,000 visitors, including foreign and Egyptian tourists, gathered at the temple before sunrise, hoping to witness the astronomical event.
The solar alignment phenomenon at Abu Simbel occurs on February 22 and October 22 each year. These dates are believed to mark the birthday of King Ramses II and the day of his coronation on the throne. The phenomenon begins at sunrise and lasts for 20 minutes, during which sunlight penetrates the temple’s entrance and travels along a 60-meter corridor to reach the Holy of Holies, illuminating the face of King Ramses II and his statues.
While the sunlight falls on the statues of the deities Amun Ra and Ra Horakhty, it does not illuminate the statue of Ptah, the god of the afterlife. This design reflects the ancient Egyptians’ belief that sunlight should not fall on the underworld. The ancient Egyptians designed the temple to prevent sunlight from reaching the fourth statue, embodying their understanding of astronomy and architecture.
The discovery of the solar alignment phenomenon dates back to the winter of 1874 when British writer Amelia Edwards and her accompanying team observed it while staying near the temple. Edwards noted that sunlight entered the Holy of Holies on specific days, extending deep into the sanctuary. She recorded her observations in her book published in 1899 titled A Thousand Miles Up the Nile.
Dr. Fahmy Mahmoud El-Amin, the General Director of the General Administration of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman Antiquities in Aswan, confirmed that the number of visitors to the temple reached over 4,000. “The unique event reflects Egypt’s civilized image and its ancient Pharaonic history,” he stated, according to Youm7.
The event was part of the activities of the Aswan International Festival for Culture and Arts, organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture represented by the General Authority for Cultural Palaces. The celebration of the Sun Alignment Festival began a week prior, starting from the city of Aswan with the participation of 26 international and local artistic troupes. The festivities then moved to Abu Simbel, where concluding performances were held at the temple square and in the city market, allowing citizens and foreign visitors to follow the events in conjunction with the solar alignment phenomenon.
Dr. Ahmed Massoud, head of The Abu Simbel Antiquities Area, stated that the solar alignment phenomenon this year coincided with the beginning of an exceptional tourist season and a revival of tourism in Abu Simbel.
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
Author
