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19 - Adjacent to the offering hall, a staircase situated to the west served as the passage for priests to ascend to the temple roof. Adorning the staircase's right-hand wall are depictions of ascending figures, including the king and various priests, accompanied by carvings of the goddess's shrine. This staircase provided access to the temple roof and a chapel where the goddess would sojourn overnight. There, she awaited the symbolic union with the rising sun, represented by the solar disc, marking a profound moment of celestial significance.
20 - Conversely, the staircase located to the east of the roof, adorned with scenes depicting descending figures, facilitated the return procession from the elevated sanctuary back into the temple complex. |
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21 - Atop the inner temple, two parallel sets of rooms flank its eastern and western sides, serving as chapels devoted to the themes of death and resurrection associated with Osiris. These chambers also feature depictions of the goddess Nut and various chthonic deities, adding depth to the spiritual and symbolic significance of the temple complex.
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22 - One of these chapels housed a zodiac, the original of which is now housed in the Louvre, with a copy in its place. Constructed during the late Ptolemaic period, this chapel received its ledge addition from Emperor Tiberius and was dedicated to Osiris. The zodiac itself is a meticulously carved representation of the celestial sphere, engraved onto two immense sandstone blocks and integrated into the chapel's ceiling. Within an inner circle, various constellations are depicted, each adorned with images and corresponding signs of the zodiac, such as the Ram, Taurus, Scorpio, Libra, Aquarius, and Capricorn.
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23 - Accessible via another flight of steps adorned with carved representations of various gods along its wall, the roof of the hypostyle hall served as the highest point of the temple. In antiquity, devout pilgrims would ascend to this sacred space, eagerly awaiting signs and miracles from the goddess.
24 - Gaming boards intricately carved into the stone blocks provided a means of entertainment for these faithful pilgrims as they passed the time during their vigils, fostering a sense of community and devotion amidst their spiritual endeavors.
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25 - Positioned at the far rear of the temple, directly behind the sanctuary and beneath the apotropaic lion-headed figure, there exists a rain spout fashioned in the shape of a lioness. This spout serves the practical purpose of channeling and draining rainwater from the temple's roof, ensuring the preservation of the sacred structure beneath.
26 - Adorning the exterior wall are depictions portraying the imposing figures of Cleopatra VII and her son by Julius Caesar, Caesarion. Caesarion ascended to the role of co-regent alongside his illustrious mother, Cleopatra VII, under the title Ptolemy XV, contributing to the dynasty's complex and intriguing history.
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27 - Positioned at the heart of the wall, directly behind the sanctuary, stands the imposing false door adorned with a colossal emblem of Hathor. Over the centuries, pilgrims have gradually diminished this emblem through scraping, seeking to procure a fragment of the sacred stone. It was believed that by reaching this point, they could draw closest to the divine presence of Hathor herself, imbuing the site with profound spiritual significance and reverence.
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