186: Sety at Abydos

Part 1.

In the ancient city and necropolis of Abydos (Egyptian Abdju), pharaoh Sety I commissioned a magnificent temple. Today, this monument is one of the finest in the country, a highlight of any trip. Sety’s work is complicated, with several components and structures worthy of discussion. So, this is part one of a multi-part tour through the complex. Today, we cover:

• The history of Abydos pre-Sety I.
• The modern experience of Sety’s temple.
• The Hypostyle Halls, the unique “Seven Chapels,” and the “Osiris Complex.”
• The meaning and symbolism of the Osiris religion as Sety shows it.

In future episodes, we will discuss the Osireion, the Abydos King List, and the known Priests/Staff who managed it.

Listen on      

Details and sources:

• Date: c. 1300 BCE—1292 BCE (temple unfinished at Sety I death).
• Images: For high-quality images of Sety’s temple, see:
  • A.M. Calverley, The Temple of Sethos I at Abydos, 4 volumes, open access via Chicago University Publications.
  • Wikimedia: Category: Temple of Seti I in Abydos.
  • Flickr.com: Kairoinfo4u.
  • Flickr.com: Heidi Kontkanen.
• Music intro and interludes: Keith Zizza.
• Music interludes: Luke Chaos.
• Sistrum interludes: Tahya / Hathor Systrum.
• Texts: Kenneth Kitchen’s Ramesside Inscriptions volume 1. Hieroglyph versions at Internet Archive, English translations at Abercromby Press.
• Texts: Full texts of the temple, including transliteration and translation: Rosalie David, Temple Ritual at Abydos (2018) at Egypt Exploration Society.
• Peter Brand, Ramesses II: Egypt’s Ultimate Pharaoh, out now from Lockwood Press.