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The complex was named after a young boy who guided these explorers to the site which he had seen from time to time in the shifting sands.
Abu Simbel complex took around 20 years to be built, it consists of two temples, one is dedicated to Ra-Harakhty, Ptah, Amen and Ramses II himself, and the other is dedicated to the Goddess Hathor, identified with Nefertari.
Abu Simbel Temples were carved out in Ramesses II reign, in the 19th Dynasty, Ramesses II built this Temples to commemorate his victory at the battle of Kadesh as well as to threat the Nubians.
The temples were firstly excavated in 1813 and before this date, nothing was known about this complex. At the time of its discovery, it was found covered by sand up to knees, when Swiss Burckhardt found the top of the complex and asked the explorer Belzoni (Italian) to travel with him to the site, but he was unable to find an entry to the temple.
In 1817, Belzoni returned to Abu Simbel and he succeeded this time to enter the complex. |
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