Temple of Esna

Temple of Esna photograph by John CampanaIf you are travelling down the Nile your boat will probably be delayed as it waits to pass though the locks at Esna (known as Iunyt or Ta-senet by the Egyptians and Latopolis by the Greeks). It is very likely that your boat will be surrounded by felucca and other small boats from which local merchants ply their wares. There are some good deals to be had if you are prepared to haggle and the atmosphere is very friendly and welcoming. If you do buy anything, your purchase will be thrown up to you so get ready to catch!

If you are travelling by land, or have time to leave your boat at Esna it is definitely worth exploring for an hour or two. Esna is a small town, best known for its weaving industry and tourist-friendly market but the main attraction is the temple of Esna.

The temple of Esna one of the smallest in ancient Egypt, partly because only the pillared hall at the front of the temple has been excavated – the rest of the temple lies underneath the buildings of the modern town. The Egyptian government have been talking about moving the temple out into the desert to preserve it but so far this is just talk. The temple was built at a lower level than the modern town and so the remains of sit rather strangely in a deep pit which you enter by descending a steep staircase.

The temple is dedicated to a number of gods, but most specifically to Khnum and his family - Neith, a goddess of hunting and weaving who was one of the most ancient gods of Egypt and was Khnum’s wife in Esna, and their son Heka (the personification of magic). Khnum was a god of the Nile with the head of a ram who was thought to form the ka of each person on his potter’s wheel. An annual festival of potters was held in the ancient town every year in his honour. However, the temple was also dedicated to Satet (a goddess of the Nile) and Menhet (a lion goddess who was also known as the wife of Khnum).

The temple dates to the Ptolemaic (Greek) period but Roman emperors also made additions to the decorations. There is evidence that there was a temple from the Middle Kingdom and perhaps older parts of the temple could still be found if it was possible to search under the modern buildings. The temple is covered with beautiful carvings depicting the pharaohs and emperors with the gods. One rather amusing scene shows the emperor Trajan dancing with the goddess Menhet. There are also numerous calendars carved into the walls of the temple and the ceiling is painted with Egyptian astrological signs and star signs from the Roman zodiac. The pillars are beautifully carved and painted and their tops are decorated with different floral designs.

There is a small entrance fee and this is quite a popular destination in Esna because the only other point of interest there is the local market.