Abydos - Osireion

Southwest of the Temple of Sethos I, its rear wall only 26ft/8m away, stands the large structure known as the Osireion, reminiscent in its majestic simplicity of Chephren's Temple at Giza. Often taken for the Tomb of Osiris, it is in reality a cenotaph of Sethos I, closely associated with the main temple. It was discovered in 1903 by Margaret A. Murray and excavated between 1911 and 1926 by the Egypt Exploration Society under the direction of E. Naville and Dr Frankfort. The building, originally covered by an artificial mound and surrounded by trees, was erected by Sethos I, but remained unfinished. Later some rooms were decorated with religious scenes and inscriptions by Merneptah. The main structure is built of white limestone and