Abedjou

Photo: Steve Beikirch

The First Hall

The First (outer) Hypostyle hall at Abydos in Ancient Egypt was begun by Seti I and completed by his son Ramesses II after his death. There are two rows of twelve colums crowned with papyrus-buds. They are arranged in pairs which form seven aisles leading to seven doors to the Second hall. The wall leading into this hall originally had seven doorways opening to likewise seven processional paths which led to the seven chapels at the rear of the temple. The doorways were for some reason closed up by Ramesses II at the restructuring. The reliefs here, which all show Ramesses II, not Seti, depict Pharao offering Ma'at, the personalized principle of Order, Balance and Justice, to the gods.

(Photo: Steve Beikirch)

The Second Hall and the Seven Chapels

This hall was built by Seti I himself. The 36 lotus-bud columns are adorned with raised reliefs of finest quality. The motifs are of Seti in front of various gods, giving offerings and presenting Ma'at. There are also reliefs for Ramesses II. The ground in this hall slopes gently upward with a sudden rise just before the third row of columns, forming a broad terrace.

This Second Hall leads to the seven separate chapels dedicated to the deified Seti I, Ptah, Re-Horakhty, Amun, Wesir, Aset and Heru. On the chapel walls are depictions of rituals associated with different festivals. The chapels contained the god's barque and a stele placed in front of a false door - in all chapels except the one of Wesir, which had a real door. This door lead to a series of rooms decidated to Wesir and which were located in a row behind the chapels. As was the rule, the chapels were closed off and only the high priests of each god was allowed entry.

In the southwest wall of the second hypostyle hall, a long corridor opens to the left. This is the:

(Photo: Jon Bodsworth)

Gallery of the List.

This is a narrow stone hallway leading from the Second Hypostyle Hall to the service rooms in the south wing.

The walls here are decorated with reliefs which form a table, or register. This table, or list, of all preceding kings was ordered to be made by Seti I. He is depicted together with his son Ramesses II as a youth, giving instructions about the earlier rulers of Kemet.

The list covered every king back starting with Menes-Narmer up to and including himself and Ramesses II, making it in all 76 cartouches, according to the knowledge which existed in those days. However, the heretic Akhenaten was omitted. This table is one of the most important documents we have: it confirms and completes what has already been found. This so called 'King List' is the only really Egyptian document handed down to our day, which back up Manetho's history in the third century B.C.

Opposite the relief depicting Seti and his son, is the wellknown relief of a young Ramesses together with his father, lassoing a bull.

(Photo: Jon Bodsworth)