The Last Pagan Temple in Egypt

[@2MuchPurple]

Egypt in Ptolemaic times must have been a fascinating place. Alexandria, the lighthouse, and all the temples would have been something to see!

[@robbillington1982]

More wonderful that the Pharos lived until the 15th century as had most of the Roman forum !

[@chompachangas]

Dude, yeah definitely. Assassin's Creed did a wonderful job recreating that world, at least in part.

[@AS-np3yq]

XD, 90% slaves.

[@neon-kitty]

@@chompachangas Assassin's Creed's recreation of Alexandria is unfortunately very lacking. (And its depiction of Cleopatra VII is downright laughable.)

[@chompachangas]

@@neon-kitty You could make your own, then lol

[@michaelwhite9513]

I was a pre-teen when the Aswan Damn was build. I remember reading about how many artifacts were going to be underwater. I was fascinated by ancient Egypt and Rome as a kid and had read ALL the books they had for young adults about Rome and Egypt.

[@HunterShows]

The Egyptians don't deserve Egypt.

[@tuxerware]

Amazing, remarkable that the Temple survived mostly intact thru the centuries

[@happy_camper]

Love this content. Always learning something new. Thank you for your work!

[@brianmckeever5280]

Kool! I was in Egypt last year and that was one of my favorite stops. You provided some insight that our Egyptologist did not, thank you! I thought the graffiti from the different epochs was very interesting. I really hate to see all the defacing of the fabulous carvings that was done. Glad they weren't more thorough! Fun to imagine that area in all its glory.

[@cherylwood5202]

I didn't realize there was so much history in this spot. Thank you for a very informative video.

[@davidmajer3652]

Thank you for sharing, it is second best thing after being there.

[@melizen2]

Thank you!

[@xmaniac99]

Stultus est got me roflmao, we need to know when you publish your next book because I can’t wait to buy it

[@scenicroutestothepast]

Next year!

[@dougdunedainownerofthedoom2205]

The internet tells a beautiful and melancholy story about the end of this temple. Imagine a grand place like this inhabited by a tiny family of true believers for hundreds of years as their ancient world slowly crumbled down around them.

[@Wyattinous]

I'm honestly amazed how much pre-abrahamic/polytheistic imagery and iconography still exists in Egypt. I would have imagined some pious ruler would have sought to scrub the walls of any God and convert the Temples into a Church or Mosque. We're lucky to have as much still in tact as we do in the present age. Thank you for another educational deep dive ❤🏛️ Edit: 4:03 I'm overjoyed to know trolling is as deep in our DNA as it is now 😂 Leaving your name on things as well, reminds me of the graffiti left in a Church by a visiting Viking.

[@obsidianjane4413]

The scale of the endeavor and the harshness of the environment usually put an end to such attempts. The video doesn't really do justice to how big these places are. You still see vandalism where it was convenient to hack away at some the more offending carvings. But by the time of Christian or Muslim zealots, the Egyptian gods were long dead and forgotten and not a threat to the new beliefs.

[@obsidianjane4413]

@0:15 "I'll go on that damn tour, but I'm not changing out of my pajamas!"

[@larsrons7937]

You continue to impress me with interesting new sites you explore. Thank you for sharing with us. And best wishes on your honeymoon.

[@loganater45]

Thank you. Fantastic video.

[@matthewcole4753]

The Temple of Dendur shares columns in a style like these, also saved during the construction of the Aswan dams.

[@JaneAustenAteMyCat]

Perfect timing. I'm currently listening to '24 Hours in Ancient Egypt'. It's not the first time I've heard it, but I just love becoming absorbed, albeit briefly, in a completely different world. Another great video. You have a wonderful way of describing what we are seeing.

[@MannyEspinola-q4t]

Thank you for this video

[@timeflysintheshop]

Why do you think the wall and columns have the dark color down low? Maybe they were stained by nile floods before the dam was built and they were relocated?

[@scenicroutestothepast]

I believe so - the temple was seasonally flooded for 70 years

[@TheOtto3663]

Hi Garret, While looking at this video I notice what appears to be water marks from water incursion. Looking at the outside of the main temple, and on the smaller structures lining either side, you can see a line about a meter or so above the ground with a black/dark looking water line. It kind of looks like it may be burnt, but the line below the discoloration is too distinctive for burning. Then on the same structure the stone seems to be darker below a certain point very high up onto the exterior wall with the line looking like it's about near the top of the central opening. Did these temples get flooded at some point? Thanks for making great historical content I really enjoy.

[@scenicroutestothepast]

Yes - thanks to the Aswan Low Dam, Philae was seasonally flooded for 70 years.

[@kidmohair8151]

sidebar: the Temples of Philae were featured in the one of the 6 episodes BBC series "Egypt". (a series worth watching)

[@raffriff42]

4:18 amazed to see the Sanctuary survived the vandalism that seems to have systematically obliterated every god's face in the outer courts. Was it walled up for protection in troubled times?

[@AS-np3yq]

They defaced the statues and pictures because they wanted to kill the image. Thats why so often the nose is broken. They believed that the spirit of the depicted lived there. "They" where the Aegiptians themself.

[@baystated]

Why do some of the giant figures on the pylons look defaced while other figures look untouched?

[@Nakaska]

0:53 and 1:18 These vertical grooves on the stones remind me a lot of a similar feature often found on the stone portals and walls of medieval churches in central Europe, it is believed they are a result of striking a fire with a steel object (as if you were using flint and steel) during celebrations. I wonder if these have similar origin, given that they are also found in a temple.

[@obsidianjane4413]

No this was just vandalism. At most it would be ritualized vandalism, where people would take turns striking at the offending structures.

[@Nakaska]

@obsidianjane4413 do you have a source for that or you're just guessing?

[@obsidianjane4413]

@@Nakaska Starting with Theodosius there was a systematic effort by the state and church to "destroy" pagan sites. I suggest the chronicals of Eusebius of Caesarea.

[@PublicRecordsGeek]

I'd like to know more about the damages to some of the reliefs - the ones on the outside look like they're so carefully and evenly done I wonder if they were reconstruction via plaster or some grout and repainted (which later fell back out with repeated thermal cycles) or if they were simply defaced to disarm the magic protecting them in their own era

[@oldmanfigs]

Fine Corinthian columns!

[@philippcniklas]

Btw: Inside Trajans Kiosk are dozens of graffiti from the victorian era (carved by semi-professional local carvers for the wealthy visitors), as well as one that looked like it's from antiquity or at least the middle-ages. It shows a rider on his horse, drawn sword held high - maybe carved by a bored guard? Who knows ...

[@hotmultimedia]

gold

[@clivebaxter6354]

Went in 94, nobody else there

[@JeremyAlan-m8h]

I thought only the Protoss built pylons... learn something new every day.

[@chompachangas]

I can get down with Inanna, Ishtar, Isis, Athena and Minerva. For sure. Hail Astarte, Queen of Heaven.

[@AS-np3yq]

Thats justs masks for devils. Do not do this. They take over your imagination, feelings and send you thoughts. If you have conversation just ask if they love jesus christ. Or mention Mary the mother of god. Then they show their real nature..

[@zpxlng]

Ptolemy the Ptwelfth

[@KillDozer44]

All Hail Sagan

[@HellenicJohn]

Heart breaking how Chritianity forcibly destroyed the old religions.

[@ecurewitz]

Agree

[@renanschimuneck9369]

Cry more. Christus Vincit, Christus Regnat, Christus Imperat

[@jacobortega3424]

Yeah cuz Islam didn’t destroy and wouldn’t have destroyed them lololol

[@qboxer]

Vicisti, Galilaee. Christus regnat.

[@peter_de_Jong817]

​@@jacobortega3424 wHaT aBOuT IsLAm

[@gulshan-i8j]

a humble request to anyone who finds such beautiful temples buried in sand. plz keep it secret and let it be preserved by sand to protect it from defacing

[@TonyRoberts-t5z]

Claptrap will return to rule. Egept.ok

[@antony5430]

christianity is just like the borg of startrek voyager.😊

[@AS-np3yq]

Nope, they where the federation. Islam is the borg.