Ain El Muftella temple Bahriya Oasis, Egypt tours, booking
Ain El Muftella temple located in the center of Bahariya oasis in Western Desert, Egypt. In fact, Ain El Muftella temple served as the city center of El Qasr. Al Qasr is today the modern town of Bawiti in the Bahariya Oasis. Moreover, the temple built around the time of the 26th Dynasty. Though, some sections of the temple date back to the earlier in the New Kingdom. Furthermore, the temple added by both the Greeks, and later the Romans. In fact, some parts of the temple built by a high priest who named Zed-Khonsu-efankh. Moreover, he was the brother of Sheben-Khonsu. The last one was governor of the district during the reign of Ahmose II.
After the death of Khonsu, Zed-Khonsu-efankh took his brother’s role as governor. The temple center in fact consisted of four chapels. In fact, the chapels decorated and painted. Moreover, they had sunk relief like the other Egyptian temples of this period. The first chapel had two large halls. Furthermore, it had vaulted ceilings which painted with geometrical designs. Each of the halls adjoined by small storage rooms. In fact, Ain El Muftella temple was a rural temple. So, the temple served as a general purpose place of worship for for different gods. Scenes in the first hall depict Zed-Khonsu-efankh and sometimes his brother Sheben-Khonsu.
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Moreover, the scenes also depict Ahmose II who wears the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. He stands side by side and makes offerings to thirteen gods. The temple also houses another set of reliefs in the side entrance. In fact, the reliefs depict Ahmose II while stands with an ankh in his right hand. It is along side the hippopotamus goddess, Tausert, Horus and the cow goddess, Hathor. Behind them is another scene which depicts a child, several unrecognizable gods and goddesses. Moreover, the scene also depicts the goddess Ma’at with her feather. In the second chapel, there is a scene which portrays the high priest. In fact, the priest has a shaved head and worships Osiris.
Furthermore, the second chapel in Ain El Muftella temple features other scenes. In fact, the scenes show the sisters of Osiris who mourns his death. It is along with a list of the names of various deities. The wall to the right of the entrance to the second chapel also features another scene. The scene depicts an unknown priest who makes offerings to Osiris. And then, the king stands before Thoth. On the west wall, there is a mummified Osiris. The third chapel of the temple dedicated to the goddess Bes. In fact, the chapel has two entrances at either end of it. The entrances built from dole-rite and sandstone. Furthermore, one wall within this chapel devoted to a large figure of that deity.
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The fourth chapel in Ain El Muftella temple is more simple. In fact, the chapel made of brick and stone but never painted. The only notable scene in this chapel depicts Ahmose II in the presence of Khnum and Horus. Many of artifacts recovered from this temple over the years. In fact, the discoveries in the first chapel consist of a statue of the goddess Bastet. The discoveries also included a stone emblem of a head of Hathor and a statuette of an unknown king. Moreover, they also includes another statuette of Thoth and fragments of a bronze vase.
