Abedjou

Ancient Abedjou, located some 50 km from Sohaq in Upper Egypt, famous for the temple of Seti I and the Osireion, began its career as the most important cult center in ancient Egypt already in the Predynastic days, thus its period of importance stretches over three millennia. It is in this area tombs of a number of significant Early Dynastic rulers of Egypt were excavated and it is here popularity as a royal burial ground remain from Early Dynasties into the Late Period, featuring names as Aha, Djer, Narmer, Mentuhotep, Ramesses II and Amasis. The large area has given us a wide variety of finds ranging from small vase fragments over vast numbers of stelae to whole temples showing vital activity from the 1st Dynasty throughout and including the Late Period. It thus covers several different archaeological sites.

The town and an early temple to Kentamentiu, dated to around 3150 BC, later dedicated to Osiris, was the goal of yearly pilgrimages from all over the country, for it was here the celebration of the mythical death and rebirth of Osiris, king of the dead, took place. Its fundamental importance for the religioius life of ancient Egypt drew citizens from all walks of life, wether noble or pauper. Going to Abedjou, and even being buried at Abedjou, was an insurance of eternal life.

One person who deserves to be mentioned in this context is Dorothy Eady, called Omm Sety by all who knew and loved her. It is largely thanks to her that reconstructions of the Temple of Sety was begun in the 60´s.

The area of Abydos. Image copyright National Geographic Society but freely downloadble.

The Predynastic-Early Dynastic Period
Excavations at Abydos in the 1970´s showed that the Early Dynastic-Old Kingdom settlement here covered some 5.6 hectares if not more. There are signs of a massive mudbrick enclosure from the Early Dynastic Period in the southern part of the area, which may have surrounded a temple or even a palace.

It is believed that the area was well situated both for agriculture and for trade in the Predynastic and Early Dynastic Period. Population was probably more dense in the northern area than in the southern and the foundation of the town of Abedjou is dated to Naqada III. Probably it attracted scattered villages in the area by its relative security and employment opportunites. From the Early Dynastic Period and throughout the first six dynasties the town developed and expanded, and the early temple to KhentiAmentiu shows traces of several rebuildings.

More on the Predynastic-Early Dynastic Period

The Old Kingdom
This period is represented at Abedjou by chapels and tombs, among them the tomb of Weni, governor of Upper Egypt in the Sixth Dynasty. Finds at Kom el-Sultan of both housing and an industrial area with a faience workshop, compete with kiln, the earliest found in Egypt are also dated from this period and into the First Intermediate. The houses were mudbrick and consisted of 7-10 small rooms and courtyards. A narrow street was also found.

The Middle Kingdom
During the Middle Kingdom, in the 11th dynasty, Wesir (Gr: Osiris) was introduced here as Wesir-Khentamentiy, 'Foremost of the Westerners' and 'Lord of Abedjou', probably for political reasons, taking the place of the former deity Khentamentiy. This place became the great cult center of Wesir, he was believed to be buried here and his 'tomb' (the 'Osireion') attracted large masses of pilgrims. The other cult center lay in Djedu (Gr: Busiris), but as opposed to Abedjou, nothing remains there of the temple buildings.

It is possible that Abedjou was played up as a religious center by the kings of the 11th Dynasty in an effort to shift the foucs away from Heliopolis and the suncult there. The 'Democratisation of the Afterlife' which began towards the end of the First Intermediate, made Abedjou the center for the worship of Wesir (Osiris). At this period the tomb of Djer was thought to be the tomb of Wesir. From this period onwards Abedjou stayed the main center of religious celebrations throughout Egypt and many people from other parts of the country set up steale and built small chapels here in the hope of being close to the god in the Afterlife. It also became the fashion to be buried at Abedjou, of which a vast cemetery bears witness. The annually Wesir Passion Plays began to be celebrated already in the 12th Dynasty and continued into the Christian era. At this time it seems also to have been common to make posthumous 'pilgrimages' there, in order to partake in the Festival of Wesir. Numerous tombs and cenotaphs ('offering chapels') were erected, and though thousands of steale, offering tables and statues were plundered, much has also been excavated from these monuments, and have provided good knowledge and insight into the cult of Wesir and the lives of high-ranking individuals in the Middle Kingdom.

The New Kingdom
saw notorious royal persons like Ahmose I, Ahmose Nefertari, Seti I and Ramesses II leave their marks here with temples and cenotaphs. Under Akhenaten´s short rule (1372-1354 BC) the cult of Wesir temporarily lost in importance but in the 19th Dynasty, Seti I and his son Ramesses II began to restore Abedjou to its former glory. The most impressive of these buildings is the Temple of Seti I, dedicated to himself and a line of deities; Osiris, Isis, Ptah-Sokar, Re-Horakhty, Horus and Nefertem. Also the Temple of Ramesses II, which he built after Seti´s death, bear witness of great artistic acheivements and of the renewed strength of the cult of Osiris. It seems Abedjou still remained the goal for pilgrimage and celebrations by kings and commoners alike during this period.

In the Third Intermediate and Late Period
the importance remains. Many viziers and high officials are buried here. One vizier Nespamedu was in Assyrian texts even called the 'king of Tanis'. In the 26th Dynasty, evidently some structures dependent on royal patronage had lapsed into decay as the emphasis as a cult center probably has moved to Akhmim but Ahmose II (Amasis) undertook a complete programme of restoration, though he himself was buried at Sais.

Animal burials from the Late Period, of dog or jackal, ibis and falcon have been found here from this period, once again pointing at the vast stretch of time during which Abedjou functioned as a sacred burial ground.