20th November 2013
A LITTLE GEM ON THE WEST BANK
CHAPEL OF THOTH (THOTH TEMPLE) (QASR EL-AGIZ) - IBIS
MEDINET HABU
By
Lynda Roberts
A delightful piece written my my sister Lynda Roberts (A member of the RAMSES Egyptology Society in England
On a recent trip to Luxor with my friend Barbara we stayed with my brother Bernard who lives on the West Bank. We had a very enjoyable week visiting lesser known sites, eating with locals at their homes and using local transport. In this way we were able to avoid most of the ‘hassle’, relax and enjoy new experiences.
One of the sites we visited was the small Ptolomaic Chapel of Thoth-Ibis or The Temple of Qasr el Aguz as it is also known. It is situated about 200m to the south-west of the temple of Medinet Habu, between Medinet Habu and the remains of the sacred lake which belonged to the temple of Amenhotep III at Malqata. It is a short walk past the coach park and The Desert Rose Café where we enjoyed many a nice cup of coffee with Mamoud
One of the sites we visited was the small Ptolomaic Chapel of Thoth-Ibis or The Temple of Qasr el Aguz as it is also known. It is situated about 200m to the south-west of the temple of Medinet Habu, between Medinet Habu and the remains of the sacred lake which belonged to the temple of Amenhotep III at Malqata. It is a short walk past the coach park and The Desert Rose Café where we enjoyed many a nice cup of coffee with Mamoud
Arial photo by Cau Brualla At Mamoud’s Cafe
I digress, back to the Chapel. If you go to the ‘Old’ ticket office they will tell you it is closed but just take yourself along there and the very nice gafir will be most accommodating. He is one of those rare things, someone that leaves you alone, so he is worth a generous tip.
The Chapel or Temple dates from Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II and is composed of three successive oblong rooms, two of which are decorated, The room of the offerings and The Sanctuary. The room of the offerings is only partially decorated and the majority of the scenes are simply painted.
The actual purpose of this building is unsure but it was once thought to be an oracular building. The identity of the god is Thoth but the name of Djeme also appears to be connected. In the sanctuary there is a depiction of Amun of Djeme.
The actual purpose of this building is unsure but it was once thought to be an oracular building. The identity of the god is Thoth but the name of Djeme also appears to be connected. In the sanctuary there is a depiction of Amun of Djeme.
Notice the figure on the right making the offering. He has two pairs of arms. On close inspection it appears the painting has been altered as the crown is also vaguely visible in a different position.
Offering rituals before the seated statue of Thoth.
In the decorations of this monument it is Ptolemy VIII (c. 182BC–116BC), who is portrayed.
Four of his predecessors (Ptolemy II to V, great-great-grandfather to father) also appear, but as deified kings.
The names Thoth and Djehuty (image below) relate to the same god. Thoth is the Greek name for Djehuty. The temple is dedicated to Thoth-ibis, a special form of Thoth referred to in the liturgies of the cult of Djeme. Two other variants are:
Thoth and Djehuty
Dje-hr-(pa)-hb (Image to the left) Djehuty-Horus, (the) ibis
Djhwty-stm (Image to the left) Djehuty-Setem, the setem or
sem-priest.
sem-priest.
He also carries the usual epithets of Lord of Khmun (Hermopolis) and Lord of the Divine Words. In the temple the god is always represented with a human body and the head of an ibis, sometimes crowned with the lunar disk, sometimes with a crown similar to the atef crown. The major difference is that that this variation does not cover the top of head, but rests on it, and usually resting on the horns of a ram
The Principal Goddess depicted with Thoth is Nehemauait. She wears on her head an architectural sistrum which allows us to differentiate her from Mut and Hathor. While in the royal scenes, it is Queen Cleopatra who accompanies Ptolemy and plays the role of a goddess.
There is a lot more information available on this temple but we do not have room for it all here.
After a strenuous morning it was back to Habu and light refreshments at Mahmoud’s again before a little bit of retail therapy at Caravanserai, back of Habu, where they sell wonderful locally made souvenirs.
