Temple of Soleb, Egyptian temple and archaeological site in Nubia, Sudan.
The Temple of Soleb is a religious building made of sandstone with multiple columned halls, sanctuaries, and entrances arranged in a planned layout. The structures show the typical arrangement of Egyptian temples with central spaces and decorated walls throughout.
Amenhotep III commissioned the temple around 1350 BCE, designed by Amenhotep son of Hapu, architect of the Luxor Temple. Built in five phases, it grew into the largest Egyptian temple south of Thebes. Soft sandstone and earthquakes between the 7th and 5th centuries BCE left it in ruins; blocks were reused at Gebel Barkal.
The temple's Egyptian name was mennu cha-em-maat, meaning 'fortress of Cha-em-maat', combining mennu ('fortress') with Amenhotep III's Horus name. On the hypostyle columns is a list of about 60 foreign place and people names, including Tunip, Qadesh, Byblos and Karkemish, some known from no other source.
The ruins stand on the west bank of the Nile between the second and third cataracts, about 500 km south of Aswan. The site is reached from the village of Soleb, and the excavated temple area is open ground with sand and stone blocks underfoot. Excavations by the Italian mission ran from 1957 to 1977, so expect an active archaeological zone rather than a groomed monument.
On the columns of the hypostyle hall is a list of about 60 foreign place and people names, including Tunip, Qadesh, Byblos and Karkemish, plus some names known from no other source. Two brick stamps reading "herd of rams of Nebmaatre" show that a sacred flock was once kept beside the processional avenue.
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