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Sanctuary of Osiris

Abydos - Capital Cities

Not to be confused with the Osirion which was built by Pharaoh Seti I, the Sanctuary of God Osiris is known to have many reincarnations and additions over the period of Ancient Egypt. It is located within and underneath the area at Abydos known as Kom el Sultan. Excavations here are ongoing, at the time of writing.

Historians know that at least 9 Temples were erected for the God Osiris here, with the ones we know about being:

  • Temple 1: Enclosure measuring 9 meters wide by 15 meters long whose enclosure wall was made of unbaked bricks
  • Temple 2: Using one of the original Temple’s Walls, a second Temple with 3-meter-thick Walls measured 12 meters square and this Temple’s Enclosure Wall was made wider in the 2nd or 3rd Dynasty
  • Temple 3: Entirely rebuilt in Dynasty 6 by Pharaoh Pepi I as a Processional Temple with a Stone Gateway in the front and to the rear, it was sized 12 meters by 15 meters
  • Temple 4: Pharaoh Mentuhotep II added Altars and a Colonnade to Pharaoh Pepi I’s Temple during Dynasty 11
  • Temple 5: The Temple was rebuilt again by Pharaoh Mentuhotep III who added a stone walking area of 14 meters square
  • Temple 6: Pharaoh Senusret I added new Foundations in stone over the pavement of Temple 5 and the whole Temple roughly tripled that of its predecessors

Finds made on site have included a green glazed Vase from the reign of King Menes which had purple hieroglyphs, offerings in the form of Pottery Models from the reign of King Khufu, Ivory Carvings and Glazed tiles from the 1st Dynasty, as well as a Khufu Statuette in Ivory.

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