Diplomat Foreign Desk
Cairo: DD, The sun aligned on the statue of Ramses II in Aswan’s Abu Simbel Temple on Saturday morning in a rare astronomical phenomenon that occurs biannually — on 22 October and 22 February.
In statements to MENA, Director General of the General Department of Egyptian, Greek and Roman Antiquities in Aswan governorate Fahmy el Amin said that the phenomenon began at 6:20 am and lasted for 20 minutes.
Folklore troupes performed songs and dances wearing traditional costumes during a celebration that took place the night before and extended towards the sun rise of the solar alignment day.
On 22 October, the phenomenon occurs on the occasion of the anniversary of the birth of King Ramses II, and the second on 22 February to mark his coronation as king of Egypt, adding a royal and historical aspect to the event.
During the solar alignment, the sun’s rays enter the temple’s sanctum to light three of four statues which belong to King Ramses II and the deities Amun-Re and Re-Hur-Akhty, leaving the God of Darkness Ptah in shadow to symbolize his connection to the underworld.
The main temple at Abu Simbel, which Ramses ordered to be built near the border of Nubia and Upper Egypt, was dedicated to two sun gods, Amen-Re and Re-Horakhte.
Standing 100 feet (33 meters) tall, the temple was carved into an already-standing sandstone mountain on the banks of the Nile. (Agency, Egypt State Information Service)DD
