Abydos

Abydos is an archaeological necropolis in Sohag Governorate, Egypt, with several temples and royal tombs from different eras of pharaonic times. The temple of Seti I displays colored reliefs and seven parallel chapels, while the Osirion structure further back contains deep columned halls built from massive granite blocks.

Early settlements formed here during the prehistoric Naqada period around 4000 BC, and the location later became the burial site for the first kings of unified Egypt. During the Middle Kingdom, pharaohs built new sanctuaries for Osiris, and Seti I constructed his grand temple in the 13th century BC.

Pilgrims came here believing Osiris was buried at this location, and many left stelae to show their connection to the god of the dead. Visitors today still see remains of these votive stones along the processional ways leading to the temple precinct.

The site lies about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Luxor in a dry desert landscape, reached via the road along the Nile's west bank. Morning hours offer cooler weather and softer light for visiting the temples and underground chambers.

A hidden room behind the main temple holds the Abydos King List, a carved stone chronicle of 76 ruler names that Seti I and his son Ramses II honored. This list helped scholars decode the sequence of pharaohs and fill gaps in Egyptian history.