El Hiba Beni Suef Egypt tours, prices, booking, reviews
El Hiba Beni Suef Egypt is modern village located on the East bank of the Nile. In fact, El Hiba situated 32 km south of Beni Suef, Egypt. Moreover, it is the site of Ancient Tuedjoi. The town was an important frontier fortress on the northern limits of the Theban region. It was during Dynasty XXI and Dynasty XXII. In fact, a temple built here at that time by Shoshenq I. The town regained its military importance under the name of Ankyrononpolis. In fact, it was during the Graeco-Roman Period. Furthermore, there was habitation through the following centuries.
The mud-brick ruins of the town now sprawl up the hillside. It is from where there is a magnificent view over the surrounding plain to the Nile River. Ahmed Kamel was the first archaeologist to work at the site, publishing his results in 1901. The site then surveyed under the auspices of the Egypt Exploration Fund. It was by B Grenfell and A Hunt. They published their findings of many important Greek and demotic papyri texts in 1906. In fact, El Hiba divided into two parts, a large town mound surrounded by thick mud-brick walls. The second part is a series of cemeteries which spread around the desert and hills beyond. In fact, there are some structures which found at the site
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Moreover, there are remains of the large mud-brick enclosure walls. It is where many of bricks found and stamped with the names of Pinudjem I and Menkeperre. In fact, they were high-priests of Amun-Re at Thebes around the beginning of Dynasty XXI. The site best known for the large amount of papyri which contained. The small provincial limestone Temple of Amun located at the base of the hill. In fact, it surrounded on three sides by a mud-brick temenos wall. It is still in situ on the north and south sides. A fragment of relief from El Hiba depicts the king making offerings. The decoration completed by Sheshonq’s son, Osorkon I. In fact, the temple now ruined and overgrown with vegetation. However, standing on the hill above you can still make out the shape of the low stone walls.
In fact, it emerged from the sand, scrubby grass and small palm shoots growing around it. Within the enclosure walls, the stone-built temple measured about 36 meter by 18 meter. Moreover, it contained an entrance hall with two rows of four papyrus columns. They are one of the earliest pronaoi – and a four-pillared hall. Furthermore, there was a small offering hall and a barque shrine. It was with four small side-chambers as well as a crypt. In fact, there is a main problem of current excavators and conservators. It is the high level of the water table is the within the temple structure. It is because of the rising level of the Nile as well as the surrounding irrigated agricultural land.
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In fact, nearby banana grove planted recently. With continual wetting and drying, the unstable surface of the limestone blocks deteriorates fast. In fact, excavators fear that the future survival of the temple does not look good. It is unless a reliable method of stabilization found. The new highway from Cairo on the east side of the Nile also poses a threat to El Hiba site. it is also a vast necropolis and it was in the tombs. In fact, it is where the majority of papyri found, as well as many sarcophagi.
How to get to there:
El Hiba Beni Suef is on the east bank of the Nile and can reached via a car ferry. In fact, it is from the town of El Fashn on the west bank. Visitors at present must escorted by the tourist police. The town site and temple are a few kilometers from the ferry landing on the eastern side of the road.
