Debod, a ptolemaic temple The temple of Debod was located in From the third century after Christ the Adikhalamani’s reign. Later, various sixth century, the temple was finally In 1968 Spain received the Temple of Lower Nubia, in southern Egypt, very region remained under the control of pharaohs of the Ptolemaic dynasty abandoned. Debod as a token of gratitude for the near the first cataract and a major desert nomads, outside Rome’s erected new rooms around the aid provided in saving Abu Simbel. religious center dedicated to the sphere of influence. original nucleus, giving it the DEBOD IN MADRID Reconstructed and opened to the goddess Isis on the island of Philae. Construction of the temple was appearance it preserves to date. In response to the construction of public in 1972, the Temple of Debod is This region, bordering on the powerful started early in the second century After Egypt was annexed to the Aswan High Dam and the resulting one of the few architectural kingdom of Meroe, was disputed by before Christ by Meroitic king Roman Empire, Emperors Augustus, threat to the monuments and testimonies from ancient Egypt Egyptian and Meroitic rulers until the Adikhalamani, who built a chapel Tiberius, and possibly Adrian archeological remains of Lower Nubia, that can be seen in its entirety first century before Christ, when the dedicated to the gods Amun and Isis. completed the temple’s construction in 1960 the UNESCO launched an outside Egypt itself, and the only Roman Emperor Augustus This chapel, decorated with reliefs, is and decoration. With the closing of international campaign to rescue the one with its unique characteristics established the definitive border. one of the few places that records the sanctuaries to Isis in Philae in the endangered monuments. to be found in Spain. 11 9 7 5 3 357911 10 8 6 4 2 1 12 4 6 8 10 Reliefs from the chapel of Adikhalamani. North wall (200 - 180 B.C.) Reliefs from the chapel of Adikhalamani. South wall (200 - 180 B.C.) 1 · The god Thot purifying the Pharaoh 4 · Adikhalamani worshipping the god 6 · Adikhalamani offering a tray of food milk to Amun and the goddess Mut. 1 · The god Horus purifying the 4 · Adikhalamani offering an amulet to to the god Harpocrates and the goddess Isis. with water, before the god Imhotep. Arensnuphis and the goddess to the god Harpocrates and the 9 · Adikhalamani offering two vases of Pharaoh with water, before the god the god Min and the goddess goddess Nekhbet. 9 · Adikhalamani offering a necklace to 2 · King Adikhalamani (at the right) Tefnut. goddess Wadjet. wine to Amun and Mut. Imhotep. Nephthys. 7 · Adikhalamani offering an amulet to Osiris and Isis. consecrates the temple of 5 · Adikhalamani offering a jar of water 7 · Adikhalamani pouring water before 10 · Adikhalamani before the god 2 · King Adikhalamani offering a 5 · Adikhalamani offering a statuette the god Horus and the goddess 10 · Adikhalamani offering two vases of the god Amun. to the Pharaoh of Bigeh and the the god Khnum and the goddess Khnum-Re. breast-plate to the goddess Isis. depicting Justice to the god Re- Hathor. wine to a goddess (disappeared). 3 · Adikhalamani offering a tray goddess Anukis. Satis. 11 · Adikhalamani offering a statuette 3 · Adikhalamani offering a bread to Harakhti and the goddess Wepset. 8 · Adikhalamani offering incense and 11 · Adikhalamani offering two sistra of bread to Amun. 8 · Adikhalamani offering two jars of depicting Justice to Amun. Isis. 6 · Adikhalamani offering a tray of food libation to the god Osiris and the to Isis. Lower Upper level level 11 · Osiris Chapel 1 · Hall 12 · Terrace 2 · Chapel of Adikhalamani 11 5 3 · Inner hall 8 6 4 10 4 · Naos chapel 12 9 3 5 5 · Side chapels 2 6 6 · Crypts 7 · Uabet Room (Audiovisual) 1 7 8 · Mammisi 9 · Corridor 10 · Staircase Debod, a ptolemaic temple Debod, 1 February 1829 Champollion achieved his ultimate rules two thousand two hundred Ptolemaic dynasty and the Roman The pharaoh was the only one trained The high priest would enter the Jean François Champollion examines dream; he traveled to the country of the years ago. emperors Augustus and Tiberius built to address the gods and perform pre- Sanctuary and when the sun the inscriptions in relief. Behind him, a pharaohs to put his theories to the test. Adikhalamani ordered the building of new rooms around the small original written rituals, although in practice appeared over the horizon, he would young Nubian holds a candle. Among other places, he visited the the chapel dedicated to Amun, the chapel, adding pylons, courts, a this responsibility fell on the priests, lift the shrines containing the Amun Temple of Debod. After lying in silence main god of the Egyptian and Meroitic processional way and a landing quay or “servants of God”, the only ones and Isis’ statues. - Light, more light. Here for centuries, the names of the gods pantheons and to Isis, goddess of on the river Nile. apart from the king who had access This marked the beginning of the -- A-ta-ra-mon. Ataramon. Of course! and the ancient kings were uttered once magic, wife and sister of Osiris whose The temple was the “house of God” to the inside of the temple. complex ritual in which images were the etiopian king again in their temple. main sanctuary was in the island of for the Egyptians, the place where the In Debod, in common with other washed, perfumed, purified, clothed Today we know that the name of Philae, a few kilometers north of god physically lived. It was a holy Egyptian temples, the most important and decorated. Six years after deciphering the ancient Atarramon corresponds to the name of Debod. space, built specifically to house and rituals took place every day at The offerings of food and drink Egyptian writing system, Jean François the Meroitic King Adikhalamani, who Later, Egyptian monarchs of the protect the god. sunrise. formed an important part of the cult. Bread, wine, beer, meats and fish At midday and in the evening, other goddess Isis, these ancient cults three unadorned pylons and were placed on small altars before more simple ceremonies took place lived on until the 6th Century, when discovered that they had been the statues of the gods. They were in the adjacent chapels, where the arrival Christianity removed them mainly built by an Ethiopian king later taken away and distributed images were kept of other gods for good. The gods abandoned their called Aterramon, who must have among the priests and staff in the which lived in the temple. temples, and the signs and been the succesor to Ergamenes of temple. There were important festivities sculptured images, their meaning Dakka. The temple is dedicated to Finally, Amun was offered a small during the year, including forgotten, remained as the only Amun Re, lord of Debod and to statue of Maat, daughter of Ra, the processions and visits of the statues witnesses of a thousand year old Hathor and on a secondary level to sun god. Maat represented Order of other gods of nearby sanctuaries. religion. Isis and Osiris and was continued, and Justice and was the real food of During the first days of the new year, although not finished, by emperors the gods. the statues of the gods were taken to FINAL Augustus and Tiberius. In the Once the ceremony was over, the the terrace of the temple to be Outside the temple, Champollion undecorated sancturary rest the statues were returned to their bathed in the sun light. At other write a letter to his brother remains of a granite vessel from the shrines. The priest left the Sanctuary, times, the birth of the god child was Ptolomaic period. taking care to clean up all traces of celebrated in the mammisi. Dear brother: the ceremony, including his own In Debod, Philae and other Nubian We arrived at Debod at two o’clock in Yours affectionately, footprints. sanctuaries dedicated to the the afternoon. We passed below Jean François.