West Bank - Hatshepsut, Medinat Habu & Carter

Last night we negotiated with a taxi driver to take us around some sights on the west bank so we were relieved and pleased when he was there at 7am as agreed!

The Memorial Temple of Hatshepsut has been chiselled out of the rock face. Hatshepsut was one of the most well know female pharaohs.  She took power at the death of her brother / husband Tuthmosis II and ruled from 1473 - 1458 BCE.  For us the wonder of this temple was the extraordinary modern looking architecture although in terms of design it  has all you would expect from a memorial temple.  The complex is entered through the great court then a large ramp leads to the two upper terraces.  The upper terrace had 24 collosal Osiris statues some of which are still standing.  

We had a fantastic visit to Ramses III magnificient memorial temple of Medinat Habu having the site to ourselves for the majority of the time. The temple sits within a fortified enclosure wall and you enter the site through the Syrian Gate.  There are images of the pharaoh smitting his enemies and showing him victorious in wars. There is one graphic scene of the scribes tallying the number of enemies killed by counting severed hands and genitals.  The decorated columns of the colonades are colourful and striking.  

Memorial / mortuary temples were places of worship to a deceased pharaoh where food and offerings were made.  In the New Kingdowm these were separate and apart from the tomb where the pharaoh was buried. 

Our last visit was to the domed mud-brick house where Howard Carter lived during his search for Tutankhamun's Tomb which has been restored and opened as a musuem in 2009. An exact replica of Tut's burial chamber was constructed on the edge of the garden in 2012.  Having been to the original site a couple of days ago we can testify to the faithfullness of the copy except with the copy you're allowed to jump into the pit and touch the sarcophagus!