Abydos (4 Days)

Egypt Becomes the First Nation State

Around 3100 BCE, Egypt emerged as the world’s first nation state with the unification of upper and lower Egypt.  The pharaoh whose name was mostly accredited with this was Namer and he became the ruler of Egypt’s First Dynasty.  Ultimately between 3100 and 332 BCE ancient Egypt was ruled by 31 pharaonic dynasties and had 170 pharaohs, the last being Cleopatra V11.

Historians have grouped the dynasties into three main periods: the Old, the Middle and the New Kingdom. The dynasties reflect the political changes in Egypt, from the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt to other nations conquests of Egypt.

 Unification and the Emergence of Abydos

Within a unified Egypt, Abydos a village near present day Luxor, became the most significant and important religious site in ancient Egypt.  Abydos remained it pre-eminence as a religious site for nearly 3,000 years i.e. from around 3100 BC until the late Roman period until 395 AD.

History Before Our Eyes

Abydos is the site of many ancient temples, and a royal necropolis (city of the dead) called Umm el-Qa’ab.  Some Egyptologists have referred to the necropolis as the first Valley of the Kings.  Tombs and temples of rulers of the predynastic period have been found at Umm El Qa’ab including the tomb of Narmer.  Predynastic Egypt was the period of time starting at the first human settlement and ending at the First Dynasty of Egypt around 3100 BC.

What Happened at Abydos Shaped Egyptian History

Abydos blends themes of faith, historical events and more recently, archaeological discoveries into a compelling narrative about Egypt’s religious and cultural evolution.

The Pre-Dynastic and the First Dynasty of Egypt, helped spawn a nation over the next 3000 years that believed that pharaohs were the earthly incarnation of the Gods.  And that the Egyptian people’s devotion to the pharaohs would help the pharaoh transcend to the afterlife.  In this way the pharaohs could keep them safe.

For somebody wanting to know the origins of what they see and experience on their Egyptian experience, there is no better place to begin than at Abydos.

You Feel the Aura of Abydos

As you wander through the ancient and sacred site of Abydos you will feel what is referred to in a blog ‘Not So Innocence Abroad’ as “the serene spirituality of Abydos Temple”.    The site imbues you a time when the link between the here and now and a life beyond mortality existed in tandem.

The aura of Abydos is that your journey enables you to immerse yourself in the cultural and religious legacies left by the ancient Egyptians. It is before you in the beauty of the temples, shrines, wall reliefs and hieroglyphic inscriptions.  These exude the ‘serene spirituality’ of Abydos and the narrative of your guide is compelling.

Research and Excavations

Research and excavations have been undertaken over the last 100 years, and they continue to reveal new insights into ancient Egypt.  The activity that is going on in and around Abydos is a testament to what it has revealed and continues to reveal about the complex belief system that united a nation for over 3000 years.