Abu Simbel
Ramesses' relocated sanctuary
Abu Simbel is an archaeological site in southern Egypt featuring two massive rock temples carved into a mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BCE.
The temples are famous for their colossal seated statues of Ramesses and their precise alignment so that sunlight illuminates the inner sanctuary twice yearly.
In the 1960s, the entire complex was relocated to higher ground to save it from flooding caused by the Aswan High Dam—one of the largest archaeological rescue operations ever undertaken.
Ancient Egyptian ruler
- NefertariEgyptian queen, thirteenth century BCE
- colossusStatue of immense size
- cartoucheOval framing royal hieroglyphs
- HittitesAncient Anatolian civilization
treaty · dynasty · chariot · battle · coronation · reign · conquest · legacy
Protected sacred space
- rock-cutCarved into bedrock
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
- inner sanctumInnermost private place
- statuesThree-dimensional sculpted likenesses
reliefs · carvings · altar · deity · worship · sacred · priests · offerings
Ancient Nile Valley kingdom
- AswanEgyptian city and dam
- cataractsSteep falls or eye opacity
- KushAncient Nile Valley kingdom
- NileAfrica's longest river
Sudan · Nile Valley · frontier · southern · borderland · Upper Egypt · trade route
Extremely large in scale
- imposingImpressively grand in scale
- grandiosePretentiously impressive in scale
- majesticImpressively dignified and beautiful
- toweringOf imposing height
monolithic · awe-inspiring · iconic · immense · grandeur · sculptural · rock-hewn · massive
Cultural arm of UN
- salvageRecovering damaged goods
- rescueSave from harm
- engineeringDesigning functional systems scientifically
- damWater-holding barrier
flooding · dismantling · reassembly · preservation · 1960s · international · campaign · surveying
pharaoh
Ancient Egyptian ruler
- NefertariEgyptian queen, thirteenth century BCE
- colossusStatue of immense size
- cartoucheOval framing royal hieroglyphs
Hittites · treaty · dynasty · chariot · battle · coronation · reign · conquest · legacy · obelisk
sanctuary
Protected sacred space
- rock-cutCarved into bedrock
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
- inner sanctumInnermost private place
statues · reliefs · carvings · altar · deity · worship · sacred · priests · offerings · chambers
Nubia
Ancient Nile Valley kingdom
Nile · Sudan · Nile Valley · frontier · southern · borderland · Upper Egypt · trade route
colossal
Extremely large in scale
- imposingImpressively grand in scale
- grandiosePretentiously impressive in scale
- majesticImpressively dignified and beautiful
towering · monolithic · awe-inspiring · iconic · immense · grandeur · sculptural · rock-hewn · massive · spectacular
UNESCO
Cultural arm of UN
- salvageRecovering damaged goods
- rescueSave from harm
- engineeringDesigning functional systems scientifically
dam · flooding · dismantling · reassembly · preservation · 1960s · international · campaign · surveying · cutting