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(Source: le-venom)
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Temple of Dendur
Roman Period, reign of Augustus Caesar, 15 B.C.
Found in ancient Nubia, West Bank of the Nile, some 50miles from Aswan
After the Roman Empire took over Egypt they constructed many small temples for the support of the Egyptian population. In supporting their beliefs the Roman hoped to pacify Egypt easily.
This temple was build for the goddess Isis and Nubian chieftains.
Source: The Metropolitan Museum
Inside is graffiti from various French and Italian soldiers who came over with Napoleon. Some of them were real assholes and carved their names real deep and large. You have to look long and hard to find the name of the general leading that platoon though — guess he didn’t feel like he needed something to prove!
There’s a side door, with a large inscription on the lintel above it, and shows when the Temple was used as a Coptic Church.
The Temple was moved when the Aswan Dam was created, which would have put it underwater.
Oh, also, according to what I recall of the display at the Met, this was apparently set up because a boy drowned in the waters.




