The sun fell perpendicular to the temple of Deir el-Bahari of Queen Hatshepsut in the west of Luxor city, to illuminate the sacred compartments, on the day of the feast of the goddess of happiness, love and growth for ancient Egyptians, Hathor, according to the Egyptian Association for Tourism and Archaeological Development in Luxor.
The phenomenon of the sun falling perpendicular to the temple of Deir el-Bahari is repeated on January 6 and December 9 every year, in conjunction with the celebrations that were taking place in the temple, on the feasts of the goddess Hathor and the god Horus, Ayman Abu Zeid, head of the Egyptian Association for Tourism and Archaeological Development in Luxor, said. Those celebrations were among the major celebrations that the city of Luxor witnessed in the past, he added.
Abu Zeid added that the phenomenon is the second in importance, among the nine events where the sun falls perpendicular on temples and chapels built by the ancient Egyptians in the east and west of Luxor, which confirms the ingenuity of the ancient Egyptians and their knowledge of all the secrets and arts of architecture and astronomy.
He explained that many remarkable astronomical phenomena were observed and documented in temples and shrines in Luxor, Qena, Aswan, New Valley and Fayoum.
On the feast of Hathor, celebrations were held in Deir el-Bahari, the temple built by Queen Hatshepsut. Sun rays used to illuminate the sacred compartments of the temple on the Hathor day whom ancient Egyptians considered the goddess of love, joy and music, fertility, childbirth and dance. Several halls were set up to worship her in many Egyptian temples. A special temple was built for her in the Dendera Temple Complex in west of Qena City, near Luxor.
Photo credit: The official website of Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
