Image Esna Temple EG02501jhp by Jim Henderson

 
Egypt > River Nile Cruise & Sites > Esna Temple EG02501jhp
Photographs in this gallery show daily life along the River Nile mainly from the cruises I have undertaken over the past 10 years or so. Sites that border the Nile are included although the major temples visted have their own dedicated sites such as Edfu and Kom Ombo. One of the enjoyments of the Nile cruise is the tranquility of watching 'life go by' usually characterised by the friendliness of those you pass whether boatmen or farm workers as well as seeing wild birds close at hand. The other aspect is the service on the cruiseboats from friendly crews and the chance to relax after hectic and often crowded temple visits.
Esna Temple EG02501jhp Egyptian Esna Temple Nile Roman hypostyle hall painted screens Khum Shu is a small gem deep in a hollow under the modern town building line. The hypostyle hall is all that remains of one of the latest temples to be built in Egypt by Ptolemy V1 and V111 and Roman additions with recordings of most Roman Emperors mentioned to the last recorded being Decius c AD240. For me it has some of the loveliest intact columns, with great attention of the detail and still a hint of colour from the bottom to the top of these huge floral capitals where the craftsmanship leaps off every surface. Standing in its centre it is easy to imagine being in the symbolic creation of the original papyrus marsh. It is a temple not usually visited on the standard River Nile cruise tour package but used to be accessible if berthed alongside the town with a long delay to get through old single lock system expected as it is only a short walk from the waterfront; probably not so realistic these days. Keywords: Egypt, Esna, Isna, Temple, West, Bank, River, Nile, history, archaeology, ancient, Egyptian, upright, Roman, Ptolemaic, Egyptology, Latopolis, City, Shu, rams, Neith, Heka, Geta, Ptolemy, Euergetes, 11, Septimius, Severus, Pronaos, exterior, curtain, wall, east, Pharaoh, praising, Gods, deities, Isis, Horus, Khnum, hypostyle, astronomical, ceiling, columns, hieroglyphs, hieroglyphics, carvings, reliefs, bas, colours, painted, papyrus, flowers, floral, elaborate, detailed, intact, composite, capitals, inner, sanctuary, Fuji, S2, DSLR, town, centre, buried, flooding, water, table
© Jim Henderson
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Photographer: Jim Henderson
Collection: River Nile Cruise & Sites
Filename:
Esna Temple EG02501jhp
Upload Date: 2002-10-22 12:53:23
Photo Size: 13mb 3555x5333 pixels
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Caption:

Egyptian Esna Temple Nile Roman hypostyle hall painted screens Khum

Shu is a small gem deep in a hollow under the modern town building line. The hypostyle hall is all that remains of one of the latest temples to be built in Egypt by Ptolemy V1 and V111 and Roman additions with recordings of most Roman Emperors mentioned to the last recorded being Decius c AD240. For me it has some of the loveliest intact columns, with great attention of the detail and still a hint of colour from the bottom to the top of these huge floral capitals where the craftsmanship leaps off every surface. Standing in its centre it is easy to imagine being in the symbolic creation of the original papyrus marsh. It is a temple not usually visited on the standard River Nile cruise tour package but used to be accessible if berthed alongside the town with a long delay to get through old single lock system expected as it is only a short walk from the waterfront; probably not so realistic these days.
Keywords: Egypt, Esna, Isna, Temple, West, Bank, River, Nile, history, archaeology, ancient, Egyptian, upright, Roman, Ptolemaic, Egyptology, Latopolis, City, Shu, rams, Neith, Heka, Geta, Ptolemy, Euergetes, 11, Septimius, Severus, Pronaos, exterior, curtain, wall, east, Pharaoh, praising, Gods, deities, Isis, Horus, Khnum, hypostyle, astronomical, ceiling, columns, hieroglyphs, hieroglyphics, carvings, reliefs, bas, colours, painted, papyrus, flowers, floral, elaborate, detailed, intact, composite, capitals, inner, sanctuary, Fuji, S2, DSLR, town, centre, buried, flooding, water, table