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- Abydos -
One of the main tasks of our expedition "Egypt, December - 2013" was more detailed study of the remains of an ancient complex, which initiated the so-called "Osiris cult". It is a large territory containing the Temple Complex, built in honor of Osiris during the times of the prosperity of his cult. The Temple Complex was constructed on the foundation of more ancient structure, that extends into the depths of Millennia. This historical monument is located in 1 kilometer to the north from the Temple of Seti I in a place, known as Komm el-Sultan. The detailed information about the first visit to this area, as well as a small historical reference about it, is represented in our previous report (Egypt, April 2013).
Below is a general outline of the main archaeological sites of Abydos, taken from the book of David O`Connor "Egypt's first Pharaohs and the Cult of Osiris". Territory of Osiris is marked red.
Below are the plans, drawn by Auguste Mareitte during his archeological works in Abydos in 1869. Before entering the Enclosure Wall of the Sanctuary (5 m width), one can see the ruins of a small temple, located before it. It as a Temple of Ramses II, known as "Temple-Portal".
The building is completely destroyed. Fragments of its first layers of masonry and foundation of the columns, which once supported the architraves of the Hypostyle Hall have reached our times, being mixed with a great number of mudbrick constructions of the later periods. Fragments of limestone structures are scattered throughout the whole territory of the ancient site.
The last photo shows the entrance into the Territory of Osiris, enclosured with a mudbrick wall. This archaeological zone represents itself a complex of totally destroyed buildings of different times from the Old Kingdom up to the Late Period, united by one purpose - dedication to Osiris. These hardly guessed outlines of ancient structures are probably built on rather more ancient foundation, which goes back to the Predynastic times. The search for the "cornerstone" laid by the first architect, who has mastered the lands of Abydos, possessed the minds of the archaeologists of various times, beginning from Strabo. Large-scale excavations here were made by French Egyptologist - Auguste Mariette and, subsequently, Flinders Petrie. Archaeological missions from different countries are working here until the present day ...
Who was the first architect and owner of the territory located in the north of Abydos - the main geographical point mentioned in the Book of the Dead and the Pyramid Texts? What does the sands of Time are hiding from us, being carefully covered by the sands of Abydos? While trying to answer these questions, we are getting closer to the beginning of the Dawn of the Ancient History of Egypt, to the times of formation of the Great Egyptian Civilization, the beginning of which goes back to the reign of a man, who became a legend ... It was a great honor for the Pharaohs of the First Dynasties to be buried here, close to the sacred place of honor of Osiris - a man whose life and deeds were raised up to the skies in ancient Egyptian records that reached us only in the Stone, indestructible by the Time. The man, who raised from the dead and became the Judge of the Souls in the Afterlife. The person, in whom people sacredly believed during their lifetime, choosing their lifeway so, that never get failed before the Scales of the Sacred Court of Osiris.
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