Friday, March 4, 2022 -
Up very early and a ride to the airport for a 30-minute flight to the Temples at Abu Simbel.
Due to the Aswan Dam the complex was relocated in its entirety in 1968. The entire site was carefully cut into large blocks (up to 30 tons, averaging 20 tons), dismantled, lifted and reassembled in a new location 200 feet higher and 200 yards back from the river.
Some of the light from the entrance makes it all the way back to the sanctuary.
Moving the temple was a marvel - and they moved all the smaller rooms - not just the main part or the temple.
The statue with the fallen head happened many centuries ago. When they relocated the temple out of the way of rising Lake Nasser they placed the pieces of the head just where they had fallen - instead of putting it back together.
Very interesting in that the Neferati statue is the same size as Ramesses II statue.
It was also relocated in the '60's to avoid the rising lake water.
Back to the airport for the 30-minute flight back to Aswan. That gives you some idea of the size of the Lake Nasser - we flew for 30 minutes over the lake.
Interestingly the dam is not concrete - it has a concrete core but is mostly rock, dirt and clay.
Cal and Virginia Ann under the stars.
A small market
