Temple of Esna

Esna is built in the area of ancient Latopolis and is the first site of a major surviving temple south (55 km, 34 miles) of Luxor. Its Egyptian name was Iunyt or Ta-senet (from which the Coptic Sne and Arabic Isna). The temple, which now stands in the middle of the modern town, some 9 m (29 ft 6 in) below the level of the surrounding buildings, dates to Ptolemaic and Roman times and is one of the latest constructed in Egypt. it was dedicated to Khnum and several other deities, the most prominent being Neith and Heka (whose name means ‘magic’). Only the hypostyle hall has survived, but this is well preserved. The back wall is the oldest part of the building, being the façade of the old Ptolemaic temple, with reliefs of Ptolemy VI and VIII. To this the Romans added the present structures which has decoration dating all the way to the 3rd century AD. The roof of the hall is supported by tall columns with composite floral capitals of varied design, and the façade of this hypostyle is in the form of an intercolumnar screen wall similar to those of the temples of Dendarah and Edfu, which this structure probably resembled in its original complete state.

The decoration and inscriptions of Esna temple are often well executed, and some are of particular interest. The scene depicting the king netting wildfowl (representing inimical spirits) on the north wall continues ancient Egyptian themes, but other representations – such as that on a column at the rear of the hall to the right showing the king offering a laurel wreath to the gods – are of decidedly late character. Some of this temple’s texts are also of interest – including a full coverage of the sacred calendar and a pair of cryptographic hymns to Khnum, one written almost entirely with hieroglyphics of rams and the other written with crocodiles. These are inside the front corners of the hall, next to the small doors which were used by the priests to enter and exit the temple. The whole structure is extremely regular in design, its symmetry being broken only by a small engaged chamber – perhaps a taken room for the priests – on the southern side of the entrance, a feature also found at Edfu. The temple was originally linked by a ceremonial way to the Nile, where its ancient quay (with cartouches of Marcus Aurelius) may still be seen.