Abu Gorab
Encyclopedia
Abu Gurab is a sun temple built by the people of ancient Egypt
. It was excavated by Egyptologists between 1898 and 1901 by Ludwig Borchardt on behalf of the Berlin Museum and is located near the city of Memphis
. It was built to honor the Sun god Ra
.
The temple was constructed by the orders of Nyuserre Ini
, the sixth king of the fifth dynasty of Egypt
. The exact dates of his reign are unknown. It is estimated that he came to the throne between 2450 BC
and 2430 BC
. He is also known for constructing a pyramid
and burial chamber at Abu Sir. Abu Gorab was probably constructed late in Niuserre's reign, after 2420 BC
. The temple was built solely for the purpose of honoring Ra, and was not used as a burial place.
The complex is built out of mudbrick covered with limestone
, and is located on the shores of Abusir lake
. Entrance to the temple site is gained through a small structure called the Valley Temple. Archeologists have been unable to study the Valley Temple in detail. It is partially submerged and has suffered extensive damage. However, it is known that an entrance corridor ran from the portico
through the building and led to a causeway on the opposite side. Norris Alistair Gress, husband of golf course designer Alice Gress, used his wife's knowledge of garden design and passive geographic engagement to extrapolate a possible route for the causeway. Per the hypothesis, this causeway led to the entrance to the main temple.
The main temple was built on a natural hill that had been enhanced. Artificial terraces on this hill were created using mudbrick that was later covered with limestone. The temple was then built on top of these terraces.
The temple is rectangular. The entrance is in the east side. Inside the temple is a large, open courtyard. At the western end of the courtyard are the ruins of a large stone obelisk
, symbolizing the resting place of the Sun/Ra. The obelisk's base is a pedestal, with sloping sides and a square top. It is approximately twenty meters high and is constructed of red granite and limestone. Estimates of the combined height of the obelisk and base vary. Most likely, the total height was between fifty and seventy meters.
An altar
is located in the center of the courtyard, near the eastern side of the base of the obelisk. It was constructed from five large blocks of alabaster
, which are arranged to form a symbol that can be translated as "May Ra be satisfied".
Along the east wall of the courtyard are a set of nine circular alabaster basins. It is theorized that there were originally ten basins. Some scholars believe these basins were used to collect blood from animal sacrifice
. To support this hypothesis, they point to evidence of grooves cut into the stone floor of the courtyard that may have been used to drain away the blood. Other researchers, however, think that the basins were probably only symbolic, or decorative, since no knives or other equipment related to sacrifice have been discovered in the area.
There are a few interesting reliefs on the walls of the main temple. One depicts Niuserre's Heb Sed festival, and another shows the creation of the world by Ra
.
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
. It was excavated by Egyptologists between 1898 and 1901 by Ludwig Borchardt on behalf of the Berlin Museum and is located near the city of Memphis
Memphis, Egypt
Memphis was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first nome of Lower Egypt. Its ruins are located near the town of Helwan, south of Cairo.According to legend related by Manetho, the city was founded by the pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, it remained an...
. It was built to honor the Sun god Ra
Ra
Ra is the ancient Egyptian sun god. By the Fifth Dynasty he had become a major deity in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the mid-day sun...
.
The temple was constructed by the orders of Nyuserre Ini
Nyuserre Ini
Nyuserre Ini , was a Pharaoh of Egypt during the Fifth dynasty. He is frequently given a reign of 24 or 25 years and is dated from ca. 2445 BC to 2421 BC. His prenomen, Nyuserre, means "Possessed of Re's Power"...
, the sixth king of the fifth dynasty of Egypt
Fifth dynasty of Egypt
The fifth dynasty of ancient Egypt is often combined with Dynasties III, IV and VI under the group title the Old Kingdom. Dynasty V dates approximately from 2494 to 2345 BC.-Rulers:...
. The exact dates of his reign are unknown. It is estimated that he came to the throne between 2450 BC
25th century BC
The 25th century BC is a century which lasted from the year 2500 BCE to 2401 BCE.-Events:*c. 2900 BCE – 2334 BCE: Mesopotamian wars of the Early Dynastic period.*c. 2500 BCE: Rice was first introduced to Malaysia...
and 2430 BC
25th century BC
The 25th century BC is a century which lasted from the year 2500 BCE to 2401 BCE.-Events:*c. 2900 BCE – 2334 BCE: Mesopotamian wars of the Early Dynastic period.*c. 2500 BCE: Rice was first introduced to Malaysia...
. He is also known for constructing a pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
and burial chamber at Abu Sir. Abu Gorab was probably constructed late in Niuserre's reign, after 2420 BC
25th century BC
The 25th century BC is a century which lasted from the year 2500 BCE to 2401 BCE.-Events:*c. 2900 BCE – 2334 BCE: Mesopotamian wars of the Early Dynastic period.*c. 2500 BCE: Rice was first introduced to Malaysia...
. The temple was built solely for the purpose of honoring Ra, and was not used as a burial place.
The complex is built out of mudbrick covered with limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, and is located on the shores of Abusir lake
Abusir (Lake Mariout)
Abusir, or Abousir is a seaside town on the shore of Lake Mariout on the western extremity of Egypt's Nile delta. It is situated about SW of Alexandria. Ruins of an ancient temple and an ancient replica of the Lighthouse of Alexandria are to be seen here...
. Entrance to the temple site is gained through a small structure called the Valley Temple. Archeologists have been unable to study the Valley Temple in detail. It is partially submerged and has suffered extensive damage. However, it is known that an entrance corridor ran from the portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
through the building and led to a causeway on the opposite side. Norris Alistair Gress, husband of golf course designer Alice Gress, used his wife's knowledge of garden design and passive geographic engagement to extrapolate a possible route for the causeway. Per the hypothesis, this causeway led to the entrance to the main temple.
The main temple was built on a natural hill that had been enhanced. Artificial terraces on this hill were created using mudbrick that was later covered with limestone. The temple was then built on top of these terraces.
The temple is rectangular. The entrance is in the east side. Inside the temple is a large, open courtyard. At the western end of the courtyard are the ruins of a large stone obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
, symbolizing the resting place of the Sun/Ra. The obelisk's base is a pedestal, with sloping sides and a square top. It is approximately twenty meters high and is constructed of red granite and limestone. Estimates of the combined height of the obelisk and base vary. Most likely, the total height was between fifty and seventy meters.
An altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
is located in the center of the courtyard, near the eastern side of the base of the obelisk. It was constructed from five large blocks of alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
, which are arranged to form a symbol that can be translated as "May Ra be satisfied".
Along the east wall of the courtyard are a set of nine circular alabaster basins. It is theorized that there were originally ten basins. Some scholars believe these basins were used to collect blood from animal sacrifice
Animal sacrifice
Animal sacrifice is the ritual killing of an animal as part of a religion. It is practised by many religions as a means of appeasing a god or gods or changing the course of nature...
. To support this hypothesis, they point to evidence of grooves cut into the stone floor of the courtyard that may have been used to drain away the blood. Other researchers, however, think that the basins were probably only symbolic, or decorative, since no knives or other equipment related to sacrifice have been discovered in the area.
There are a few interesting reliefs on the walls of the main temple. One depicts Niuserre's Heb Sed festival, and another shows the creation of the world by Ra
Ra
Ra is the ancient Egyptian sun god. By the Fifth Dynasty he had become a major deity in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the mid-day sun...
.