Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor, Egypt

On May 18, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Egypt15 Comments

The Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor is an extremely impressive site in Egypt and is probably the second most visited site in Egypt behind the Great Pyramids of Giza. Part of what makes it so fascinating is the sheer size of the complex as well as the length of time during which additions and modifications were being made to the complex. In addition to visiting it during the day, we also went to a sound and light show at night, which provided another unique view of the temples. In some ways, seeing it at night gave us some insight as to what it might have been like to have seen when the temples were still in use.

Ram Heads and Lion Bodies Guarding the Temples

The temple complex is made up of four main parts, although only three of them remain as the fourth was purposely destroyed. Over 30 pharaohs contributed to building elements of the Karnak Temples, but of primary note were Seti I, Ramesses II, and Hatshepsut. In fact, Hatshepsut, a powerful female pharaoh, was responsible for creating the obelisks that are on the site, which were built from single blocks of granite from quarries in Aswan. There are hieroglyphs demonstrating their devotion to the gods, especially Amun Ra, the king of the Egyptian gods.

Colorful Details Protected from the Elements

There are so many features, columns, statues, hieroglyphs, and even a pool for purifying the bodies of the pharaohs and priests, that visiting the Karnak Temple Complex is overwhelming. You could visit the temples hundreds of times and still find something new on every visit. We visited with a professional Egyptologist as a guide and he provided a wealth of information to us as we walked through the complex. He was able to point out which features were built by which pharaohs and helped us understand why it was so important to them to create such impressive structures.

Even though the temples have been flooded by the Nile River, been effected by earthquakes, and defaced by the early Christians as well as other Egyptians, the remaining details are simply staggering. To walk through a site that was so important to connect the pharaohs with their gods is truly humbling. It is hard to digest how difficult it must have been thousands of years ago to create these temples and statues on the scale that they did. With the limited tools available at the time, the talent and ingenuity of the people that built these structures, carved the statues, and painted the hieroglyphs is nothing short of amazing.

If you are planning a visit to Egypt, taking time to go to Luxor and visit the Karnak Temple Complex is something that cannot be missed. In many ways, we were even more impressed with the temples in Luxor than of the pyramids that are so often the focus of people when they visit Egypt. It is experience that you will never forget.

A Semi-Liesurely Day in Egypt

On May 9, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Egypt4 Comments

Although just as fascinating as every other day so far, today was not quite as hectic. It was partially due to the fact that our tours were broken up into two parts. More amazing temples and doing our best to absorb 5,000 years of history. Still so much more to see.

Telling a Visual Story

On July 12, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge1 Comment

Throughout time, people have written down their history through the use of symbols and artwork. The saying that a picture is worth a thousand words was probably even more true in the days before actual photographs when paintings on the walls of caves represented the lives of the people who lived in them. In today’s world with the internet, emoticons, and the overload of information, we tend to miss the forest for the trees and see life in moments and not as an eternal flow of events. Unfortunately, not enough people take the time to understand the roots of culture, the impact of events in the grand scheme of life, or to even comprehend how we’re all linked together in one way or another.

Relief Showing a Young Elgiss in Iceland

The art of telling a historical story has become an exaggerated, thrill-ride, instead of an understanding of what the past means to all of us as we venture forth into the future. All of us who travel with any kind of frequency understand that the world is interconnected in ways that doesn’t expose itself until major events occur. We will continue to look for the patterns of the world and enjoy those visual stories from the past in the places that we visit. This week’s Daily Post Photo Challenge is Collage and we chose to share some photos of that capture the stories of different cultures.