Sacred site locatet (26^o11' N  31^o55' E) on the west bank of the Nile, 50 km south of modern Sohag. The site of Abydos, centre of cult of the god Osiris, flourished from the Predynastic Period until Christian time (c.4000 BC - AD 641). The earliest significant remains are the tombs of named rulers of Predynastic and Early Dynastic periods. The earliest temple at the site is that of the canine god Osiris-Khentyimentiu (Kom el-Sultan). An extensive settlement of the Pharaonic period and numerous graves and cenotaphs of humans and animals have also been excavated. The side is still dominated by the temples of Seti I and his son Ramesses II. The cult temple of Seti I is an L-shaped limestone building, and the iconography of its exquisite painted reliefs has been used to interpret the procedures of the religious rituals that were enected there. In one scene Ramesses II is shown reading out the names of previous kings from a papyrus roll in the presence of his father. The contents of the document are carved on the adjecent wall; this king list has made an important contribution of studies of Egyptian chronology. Behind the temple of Seti I is the Osireion, a buidling constructed of huge granite blocks which has been interpreted as a kind of cenotaph of the god Osiris. The Abydos cementeries are including the Early Dynastic necropolis now known as Umm el-Qaab. The southern end of the site incorporates both Middle and New Kingdom archeological remains; a pyramid temple, cenotaph and terraced temple of Ahmose and Ahmes-Nefertari were excavated by Charles Curelly in 1901.

1 - necropolis Umm el-Qaab
2 - Shunet el-Zebib and other Early Dynastic 'funerary enclosures'
3 - Kom el-Sultan: temple of Osiris-Khenty-Imentiu and surrounding settlement
4 - temple of Ramesses II
5 - temple of Seti I and Osireion
6 - modern village of Arabat el-Madfuna

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