Seven Wonders of the World! Who hasn't heard of them? Many have been wiped off the face of the Earth for many centuries. However, in the 19th century, the Swiss Burckhardt found something that would undoubtedly be considered one of the true miracles by ancient authors. But they didn't even know about him. Napoleon's troops did not reach him either. This is the great temple of Nubia, the world treasure of Abu Simbel.
The Swiss Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in February 1813 began his journey to the upper Nile. Little by little Burckhardt moved inland. Already on the border with Sudan, he suddenly heard a story from representatives of local tribes. They said that not far from where they are now there is a temple complex Ebsambal. Intrigued by the interesting message, Burckhardt and his Arab guide headed for the temple of ancient Nubia.
The temple turned out to be abandoned, but still amazed by its grandeur. However, Ludwig's attention was attracted by something completely different: on the opposite bank of the Nile, scorched by the sun and dried up by winds, statues were carved in a huge stone block. Johann froze. It was a find of the century, because it is quite clear that these places have long been abandoned by people. “Rocky ridges on both banks are very close to the coast. Fereng is located on the west bank, on the east - a mountain called Ebsambal.
The word is probably Greek, the ending BAL is obviously a modification of the word POLIS. When we reached the top of the hill, I left the guide with the camels, and myself went down a very steep crevice filled with sand to look at the temple. Nowadays, not a single road leads to it … It is quite possible that the river has moved somewhat and that once there was a path along the bank along which they passed to the temple. The latter was twenty paces above the level of the river and was completely cut into the rock, in this place almost vertically. The temple is well preserved. Its façade is adorned with six huge statues,”the Swiss scientist will write in his diary when he lands on the shore next to the majestic building on March 13, 1813. Both the rock and the figures of the statues were covered with sand. However, his servant managed to find a gap through which they penetrated into the stone mass. Burckhardt lit the torch, and their gaze opened the magnificent temple of the ancient world. The walls were covered with bas-reliefs, the ceiling was propped up by huge columns with capitals in the form of a woman's head, only with cow ears. The greatness of the former power was felt in everything.
However, Ludwig's turmoil did not end there. When they left the temple on the banks of the Nile to enjoy their discovery, they saw an unprecedented sight.
Just south of the temple, where the companions had just visited, a huge face towered, and behind it two more. Their heads were covered with the crowns of the pharaohs, and the sand almost completely hid the stone colossi from human eyes. “I examined all the sights of Ebsambala and was about to go upstairs, when, fortunately, having gone a little further south, I saw the remains of what had survived not covered with sand from four huge statues carved into the rock and located about two hundred yards from the temple …
It is a pity that they are now actually buried under heaps of sand, which the wind drives and drives from the mountain. One of these statues has almost the entire head, part of the chest and arms visible on top of the sand. The statue next to her is in a more deplorable state. As far as can be judged, her head is broken and disfigured. As for the body, starting from the shoulders, it is hidden under a layer of sand. The other two statues have only their hairstyles visible … On the rocky wall, between the second and third statues, one can see the characteristic head of Osiris. I suppose that if it could be possible to clear the sand from the space under Osiris, then a vast temple would surely open up here. The huge statues we have described, in all likelihood, adorn the entrance to this temple - just like the six standing full-length statues in the neighboring temple,”Burckhardt writes in his diary, amazed by what he saw.
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His assumptions turned out to be correct. The statues indeed guarded the entrance to the temple. And just four years later, the first scientific expedition arrived in the valley, led by Belzoni. He came to collect artifacts for the British National Museum. After a few days of continuous excavations, the entrance to a huge temple was opened, "one of the most magnificent temples in the world, rich in remarkable reliefs, paintings and giant figures." But the Italian was disappointed: there were no treasures, no mummies, no sarcophagi, no jewelry. Another mysterious discovery was made by one of the tourists in 1870, Amelia Edward.
She had already reached the last hall of the temple complex - the sanctuary. And suddenly a strange flash lit up from her back, like fire, she overtook the girl. But the beam hit the figures of Ramses and the god Amun, bathing them in light for several minutes, and then the beam disappeared again. It turned out that the temple complex was built in such a way that twice a year the rising morning sun pierces its entire enfilade of temple halls with its ray and stops at the statues of the sanctuary.
Yes, indeed, what knowledge an ancient civilization had to possess that they were able to carve such a grandiose structure in a monolith! The elevation alone is 31 meters high and about 38 meters long. Amazing dimensions. Who knows how many more secrets the earth keeps, how many civilizations and cultures it reliably hides in eternal darkness …