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Dakke by Hector Horeau, 1841
The Temple of el Dakka
(Dakke, Dakkeh)
The Temple at el Dakka (Dakke), southern Egypt, was built in the 3rd century BC by Ptolemy IV and others. Stones from the New Kingdom, more than a thousand years earlier, were found re-used in the temple. The temple collapsed in 1908, probably the result of the first dam at Aswan. It was moved to higher ground in the 1960's and now can be found at the New Wadi es-Sebua complex along with the temple of Maharraqa.
Edited excerpt from: Travels in Nubia
by John Lewis Burckhardt
Published in 1819.
March 27th, 1813.
After an hour's journey, we
came to the ruin of a temple, one of the finest remains of
antiquity that is met with in the valley of the Nile. In the front
stands a large propylon (pylon), thirty paces in length, in the center of
which is a gate similar to that of the propylon at Edfu. Near
this gate lies a fragment of the body of a sphinx. There are
neither hieroglyphics nor figures of any kind upon the outer wall
of the propylon. In both wings are staircases leading up to the
top, similar in their construction to those at Philae. The two wings communicate with each other by a terrace
over the gate. There are numerous small chambers one above the
other from the bottom to the top in both wings.
The Temple at el Dakka (Dakke),
by David Roberts, 1838
Dakke Temple from the rear
by Prisse d'Avennes 1878.
Sixteen paces distant from the propylon is
the entrance to the pronaos, consisting of two columns, united to a
wall half their height. They have the same capitals as
the columns of the open temple at Philae, which are seen no where
else in Egypt. Denon says that they approach the Grecian style by the elegance of
their form. Upon the columns of the temple of Dakke are various
figures, among which, I particularly noticed one of a
harper.
The Temple of Dakke,
by François Chrétien Gau, 1819
Tefnut as a lion, Roman Chapel, Dakke Temple
Photograph by Roland Unger, CreativeCommons.
The pronaos is ten paces in length, and seven in
width. Its roof is formed of enormous blocks of stone, at least
fifteen feet long. A door leads from the pronaos into a narrow
room, only four paces in width, which
communicates with the adytum by a richly ornamented door. On
one side of the adytum is a small dark chamber, in which is a deep
sepulchre, with a large lion sculptured in the wall immediately
over it. On the other side is a passage
communicating with the pronaos and containing a staircase which
leads up to the top of the building.
View from inside the Temple of el Dakka (Dakke),
by François Chrétien Gau, 1819
The
adytum is about six paces square; beyond it is another room,
somewhat larger.A large block of granite lying
on the floor of this room is one of the few instances where
granite is found in the temples of Nubia. Along the bottom of the
walls are represented lotus plants in flower, to which offerings
are presented.
There are no historical sculptures in any part of this temple,
but the exterior walls, as well as all the rooms within, are
thickly covered with figures representing religious subjects. Those inside are all beautifully executed, and equal to the best
specimens which travelers admire at Hermonthis and
Philae. Indeed, I prefer the figures in the chamber behind the
adytum to any that are in the temples at those places. In no
temple of Egypt have I seen such correctness of design or
gracefulness of outline.
Horus, Dakke Temple.
Photograph by Alberto G Rovi, CreativeCommons.
Horus would appreciate, one thinks,
respectful use of a feather-duster.
The propylon and the whole of the temple
seem to have been encompassed by a brick enclosure, parts of which
still remain, and traces of the rest may be discerned under the
mounds of sand. The Greek Christians had appropriated this temple to their worship, several paintings of
saints yet remain on the walls.
I conjecture the temple of Dakke to have been built after the
plan of Philae, although upon a smaller scale, its execution
appeared to me to be still more careful than that of Philae. It
is extremely interesting from the high preservation of all its
details. Dakke is probably the ancient Pselcis, and the
small chapel at Kobban, on the eastern side of the river, is Contra-Pselcis. The temple at Korty has retained its
ancient name, Corti. The
temples of Seboua, Hassaya, and Abu Simbel, with their cities, were
consequently unknown to the itinerary of Antoninus.
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Edited excerpt from: Travels in Nubia
by John Lewis Burckhardt
Published in 1819.
Plan of Dakke Temple
by Prisse d'Avennes 1878
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