The Story of Abydos: The 'Sanctuary' to Which the Ancient Egyptians Pilgrimage

Abydos: The Ancient Egyptian Sacred Site

Pilgrimage is the act of traveling to a sacred site to perform specific rituals. This was a common practice in many ancient cultures where people believed that visiting holy places and performing the associated rites would bring blessings, spiritual cleansing and connection with the gods

Abydos in Ancient Egypt

In ancient Egypt Abydos in modern day Sohag Governorate was closely associated with the cult of Osiris. Visiting Abydos was believed to guarantee a safe passage to the afterlife. The rituals included processions and offerings. Abydos was the central place for Egyptian pilgrims who wanted to be buried near Osiris’s tomb in Abydos. Even those who could not afford to be buried there would place plaques with their names, titles and prayers to the god.

History
Abydos is described by the “World Heritage Site” as a pilgrimage city for the pharaohs and is part of Egypt’s tentative list for World Heritage status. The site has been sacred since the First Dynasty of Egypt. The archaeological complex includes the remains of a city, Queen Tetisheri’s pyramid, a mortuary temple, sarcophagi and a mastaba temple. Royal tombs were also found in Umm el-Qa’ab.

Location and History
Abydos is known as “Abdju” in hieroglyphics and is located in Upper Egypt, near the city of Ballina in Sohag Governorate. This ancient city which dates back to pre-dynastic times was a major religious centre for Osiris, the god of the afterlife. Abydos became a major site for the pharaohs with the establishment of the First Dynasty, housing the royal tombs of the first and second dynasties in Umm el-Qa’ab.

Archaeological Finds
According to the British Encyclopedia the Umm el-Qa’ab tombs are a treasure trove of intact pottery, royal insignia, ivory labels and the names of many pre-dynastic kings. The inscriptions show that Egyptian writing was already advanced very early. Large mudbrick enclosures found near the desert edge are believed to be the funerary sites of the kings of the first and second dynasties. A series of wooden boats covered with whitewashed mudbrick was also found, showing the importance of funerary rituals at that time.

Pilgrimage Practice and Development
Pilgrimage to Abydos started in the Early Dynastic Period and grew in importance over the centuries, especially during the Middle Kingdom (2055 - 1650 BCE) and the New Kingdom (1550 - 1069 BCE). This pilgrimage reflected the changes in the religious beliefs and the growing importance of Osiris worship who gradually became the chief god of the afterlife and resurrection according to UNESCO.

Rituals and Processions
The pilgrimage was a sacred spiritual journey full of religious rituals and symbols. Pilgrims came from all over Egypt to Abydos either on foot or by boat along the Nile. The main pilgrimage season was from the 8th day of the first month of the flood season to the 26th of the same month.

pilgrims joined in symbolic funeral processions reenacting Osiris’s death and resurrection. These processions started at the Karnak Temple in Thebes and ended at Abydos. Upon arrival they offered sacrifices to Osiris – food drink and animal offerings. These offerings to gain his favour and eternal life in the afterlife. They also inscribed their names and prayers on stone plaques or left them in the temple

Symbolic Reenactments
Rituals included reenacting the Osiris myth pilgrims joined in scenes depicting his death by his brother Set and his resurrection by Isis – the cycle of life,death and resurrection. Abydos sites included the Osireion and Seti I Temple

Abydos as the Gateway to the Afterlife
The ancient Egyptians saw Abydos as the gateway to the afterlife and Osiris buried there could bring resurrection and eternal life. Funeral rituals were to appease Osiris and give hope to the deceased for the afterlife.

Temple Construction and Religious Significance
In the Old Kingdom the guardian of the necropolis was the jackal-headed god Khenti-Amentiu. By the 5th Dynasty Osiris worship had spread and Abydos became a major centre for this god. The Temple of Seti I in Abydos dates back to the 19th Dynasty. It is famous for its beautiful wall carvings and has a relief of Seti I and his son Ramses II offering sacrifices.

Architectural Wonders
The Temple of Seti I was built in an L-shape unlike the usual rectangular temple design. It was built of limestone with sandstone used occasionally. It was completed after Seti I’s death during Ramses II’s reign. Behind it is a smaller temple called the Osireion made of red granite. This subterranean vaulted hall has a central platform with ten identical columns surrounded by a water channel the primordial waters of creation. It’s an architectural marvel of the ancient Egyptians’ engineering skills

Cultural and Religious Significance

Excavations in Abydos have unearthed many artifacts and show the city’s long history and its role as a religious centre. The tomb of King Ger in Umm el-Qa’ab and the 2014 discovery of the tomb of Senebkay, a previously unknown Pharaoh, prove Abydos was an important burial site and part of the bigger Egyptian story.

comparison with Other Ancient Pilgrimage Practices
Similar pilgrimage practices were found in other ancient civilisations. In Babylon Nippur was a major religious centre where people went to the temple of Enlil. Ur with its temple to the goddess Nanna was another important pilgrimage site in Sumerian civilisation In ancient Greece Delphi with its temple to Apollo was famous for its oracles and Pythian Games. In ancient Rome pilgrimages to sites like the Temple of Vesta Jupiter and Demeter were common as were pilgrimages to sacred sites like the Temple of Baal in Baalbek