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A much neglected part of Karnak, and one frankly not easy to find, is
the Open Air Museum. It is situated just off the first courtyard and if
you are standing there, with your back to the entrance, turn left. There
are some signs to the WC (but none to the museum), go past that and you
will come to a small ticket office in front of loads of concrete benches
with Pharaonic blocks laid out on them. The ticket price is 20 LE for
adults and 10 LE for students and children.
There are many chapels that have been reconstructed here. What happened
is that in ancient times a chapel would be removed by a subsequent
pharaoh to make way for a more grandiose design of his successor. These
chapels were often cut up into blocks and then used as hard core or
rubble infill, thereby accidentally preserving them for us to enjoy when
subsequent excavation has revealed them in pylons, underneath pavements
or simply abandoned far from their original location..
This part of Karnak is always changing, as there is constant work going
on. At the moment, they are reconstructing a chapel of Amenhotep II,
shown in my photograph with reproductions of the obelisks standing on
either side of it. The chapel is determined by analysts to have been
between Tutmosis I's two obelisks in front of the Fourth Pylon.
Apparently Amenhotep II chose this location in an attempt to make use of
the obelisks' strength to hold and support the ceiling of his chapel.
Blocks of this chapel were found within the walls of the Temple of Mut.
My particular favourite is the chapel of Senusert I. Visitors that rue
the inability to visit the Tomb of Nefertari should have a look at this
chapel. It is exquisite, each hieroglyph a work of art. The attention to
detail is amazing. A scarab beetle is carefully shown with its wing case
and thorax, quite clearly accurate representations of the real thing.
Baskets have their woven patterns, but most beautiful of all are the
birds with each feather carved with love and care. Things that lose
their meanings in later times because of sloppy copying are suddenly
very understandable. A cartouche is now obviously a rope going round the
name and tied at the bottom. Each individual bead on the necklaces,
every muscle, it is all there. If I am waxing a bit lyrical it is
because this chapel is worth it. When you think it is 1,000 years older
than many of the works to be seen at Karnak today, you begin to realize
that Egypt was truly the master of carving in stone.
The chapel next to it is Amenhotep I‘s alabaster one and this also has
fine carvings, but underneath you can see the grain of the alabaster and
the sheen is wonderful.
To the front there is a very unusual wall reconstructed of Amenhotep IV
(aka Akhenaton) in the traditional role of sacrificing his enemies in
front of Amen. I find this particularly interesting as it certainly
doesn’t fit with the peace loving image he gets these days. It also
makes me wonder if these scenes were just propaganda and no enemies
actually got killed, being much more useful as slaves.
In the middle there is the Red Chapel of Hatshepsut, comprised of red
and black granite. It is a wonder of reconstruction. A lot of the blocks
are single scenes and how they have worked out what belongs where, is a
marvel. Again, reconstruction is ongoing. A piece recently located was
put in place just last year.
At the back there is a big reconstruction, which is ongoing, of Tutmosis
IV temple front. I have been there watching the team at work. Firstly
they have made a concrete version of the columns, porticos and lintels.
Then they start looking for the original stones. There is a marvelous
old man, an Egyptian, who seems to have mystical powers matching the
stones together. He showed me the line drawings he had been given, and
he goes around looking for a matching piece. Then the skeleton of
concrete is attacked with a power drill and hammer and chisel. then the
original piece put back in place. In other parts of the museum you can
see several blocks being pieced together or conservation being done on
one particular piece.
But the nicest thing of all is the quiet and peace as hardly anyone
comes here. Certainly not the big tour groups. To find a quiet spot in
Karnak is a huge accomplishment.
Originally published on
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