Nilometr
The height of the flooding of the Nile has been tracked since ancient times. Nothing unusual, the existence of the inhabitants of the valley depended on the abundance of water. Egyptian priests watched the rhythm of the rising and falling of the river's waters, correlated the level variability with astronomical observations and thus a kind of calendar was created. Annual floods were associated with the melting of snow in the mountains of Ethiopia. As the priests observed, the life-giving flood wave was reaching Egypt, when the star of Sirius (Sotis) appeared above the horizon after a 70-day absence from the sky. The stroke started at approx. 15 July, and the water stood in the fields by 6-8 weeks. After the flood wave had subsided, the water remained in the canals and artificial reservoirs.
To establish, whether the outflow was sufficient to ensure a bountiful harvest, along the entire length of the Nile, Egyptian nilometers were built. Their indications were read, and the data was transferred to other parts. This was why officials knew in advance, what can they expect in a given year. They could predict, what will be the harvest, they could thus estimate the taxes (paid in kind).
This state of affairs continued throughout antiquity until the 19th century. The Nilometer on Elephantine was discovered in 1822 r. and it was used again. Arabic and Roman numerals have been preserved, but the hieroglyphs from earlier times have almost completely clashed together. From the side of the river, you can see the entrance to the Nilometer and the inscriptions made during Thotmes III, Amenhotepa III (XVIII dynastia) i Psametyka II (26 dynasty).
City and temples of Khnum
The southern part of Elephantine is occupied by the ruins of ancient Abu. There is not much left of the city. By the shore there is a block with cartouches of Ramesses III, and a little further – Relief from the Ptolemaic period. The stones on the shore mark the outline of the former Nile fortress. A massive platform and lying blocks indicate the location of the former temple of Khnum, the ram-headed god of the cataract and the lord of the floods of the Nile. The tabernacle was built during the Old Kingdom (III dynastia), but it was rebuilt many times (XVIII dynastia).
After the recent restoration works, the outlines of the interior can be seen. Today it is actually a ruin, although even at the time of Napoleon's expedition, the monuments on the island were in good condition. In the northern part you can see columns from Roman times and Greek inscriptions. From the west there is a granite gate with reliefs with Alexander IV, the underage son of Alexander III the Great. North of the temple, St. 1906 r. the necropolis of rams, of Khnum's sacred animals from the Late Period. Even further north is the restored temple of the deified governor of Elephantine named Pepinacht-Heqaib, living in the VI Dynasty.
On the eastern side of the temple of Khnum, right behind the museum, lie the ruins of the Temple of Satet, the consorts of Khnum, Lady of the Cataracts and the Sehel Islands.
The tabernacle was built during the reigns of Hatshepsut and Thotmes III, approx. 1490 r. p.n.e. on the site of many earlier buildings. German archaeologists discovered a natural hole in the rocks, which amplified the sound of the water rising during the pouring out, worshiped by the locals as the Voice of the Nile. Unfortunately, the Aswan Dam has caused, that the hole is silent. The partially restored temple has a portico with inscriptions from the 18th and 26th dynasties. The pillars with the heads of the goddess Hathor come from the time of Thotmes III. In the rear part there is a small chapel of Amun. Behind the Nubian village are the ruins of a small granite step pyramid, dated to the times of the 3rd dynasty. A German team reconstructed a Ptolemaic sanctuary from blocks from the temple of Kalabsha. The southern tip of Elephantine overlooks a series of small islands in the Nile. On the islet of Amun you can see the exclusive Club Med complex with a hotel.
South on the island of Isis (Isis) there is an even larger and newer hotel and leisure complex.
Kitchener's Island
This island is now called the Island of Plants (Geziret an Nabatat). From the Aswan quay, it is almost invisible, because they obscure Elephantine. The old term refers to its former owner, General Horatio Lord Kitchener, commanders of the Egyptian and British troops suppressing the Mahdi's Sudanese rebellion. In recognition of his merits, he received this small piece of land (750 m in length), when he actually exercised power in Egypt on behalf of Great Britain. Kitchener has turned the island into a beautiful garden, in which trees and shrubs imported from India were planted, Malaya and other corners of the world. It is now a botanical garden, which covers almost the entire area (codz. from 7.00 until sunset, summer to 17.00/ 18.00; 10 EGP). You can get to the island by felucca, by local ferry or rowing boat from Aswan or Elephantine.
West Bank – This area, otherwise known as Jarb Aswan, it is almost fully visible from the center. The eye is attracted by the hill crowned with the Mausoleum of the Muslim Sheikh-Kubbat al Haua (this name means: The Dome of the Wind). The holes in the escarpment below are the tombs of Elephantine dignitaries from the times of the Old Kingdom and the Middle Kingdom to the Roman era. A little further south, obscured by the trees and buildings of Elephantine, are the ruins of the monastery of St.. Symeona (Simon), and still further south – Aga Khan's Mausoleum.
Tombs of the mighty
The tombs of the mighty are not very popular among tourists and organizers of collective tours, a pity, because they are at your fingertips. They are easy to reach, crossing the Nile by ferry between the Corniche (near the train station) and the village of Aswan Min Jarb (6.00- 22.00, co 30 min).
Tombs of the mighty (ok. 40) discovered in the years 1889-1969. They were cleaned of sand, then inscriptions with biographical texts were found. The walls are covered with reliefs with scenes from everyday life, and long texts tell the biography of the dead.
The path from the top of the stairs to the left leads to the tomb of Sarenput I (Sirenput, Sirenpowet), one of the most beautiful and richest in the whole necropolis. Sarenput, syn Substance-Art, prince during the reign of King Amenemhat II (XII dynastia), he was the overseer of the priests in the temple of Khnum and Satet and the Guardian of the South. Remnants of external wall decorations and sandstone doorframes covered with delicate reliefs have been preserved.
After passing through it, a small courtyard opens with the entrance to the burial chamber.
To get to Pepinhta's tomb, you have to go back to the top of the stairs and head south.
On the right side there are two graves of Pepinht-Heqaib, a deity official.
Tomb of Sarenput II (Sirenput, Sirenpowet) it is probably the largest and best preserved tomb of the necropolis. Sarenput performed the same duties as his grandfather Sarenput I. He lived in the period of the greatest power of Egypt in the times of the Middle Kingdom. The vivid colors of the paintings have been preserved in the tomb. The Hypogeum consists of a vestibule with six pillars, where on the right, between the pillars, there is a stone sacrificial table in the shape of a carved cube. Further on is a narrow vaulted gallery with walls covered with white plaster, with six niches, and in each there is a painted statue of the deceased as a mummy (Osirian statues). In the next room, the ceiling is supported by four pillars, each decorated with the image of Sarenput. On some pillars you can see an auxiliary grid drawn by painters, which was supposed to help them draw characters. Apparently there was not enough time to finish the tomb. The priestly titles of Sarenput are placed on the pillars. The tomb ends with a chapel with walls decorated with colorful paintings.
Aga Khan's Mausoleum
There is a white villa in the garden on the hill right next to the marina. From there, stairs to the monumental Aga Khan Mausoleum go up, 48. Imam, the spiritual leader of the Shi'ite Ismaili sect, erected from pink granite in the years 50. 20th century In the open courtyard there is a Carrara marble mihrab and a sarcophagus, in which in 1959 r. Aga Khan III, who died two years earlier, was buried. Until the government banned collective pilgrimages, Masses of Muslim pilgrims came to his grave The mausoleum is not open to visitors.