Abydos - Temple of Sethos I - Chapels

The colors of the reliefs in this chapel are excellently preserved. Sethos is depicted offering sacrifices to Amun in his various forms and burning incense before the sacred barques of Amun (decorated with rams' heads), Khons and Mut (decorated with the heads of these deities), which stand in a shrine. On the false door are inscriptions dating from the Greek period. Niche to the right: the King sacrifices to Mut (left), anoints Amun (rear) and offers incense to Khons (right).

The King before the falcon headed Horus, Isis and Horus's barque.

Sethos appears before Isis, who is frequently accompanied by her son, the falcon headed Horus, and the goddess's barque. Niche to the right: the King before Osiris, Horus and Isis.

The King before the various forms of Osiris, who is frequently accompanied by Isis or othe deities. On the right hand wall (above) he sacrifices to the sacred barque of Isis; on the left hand wall (above) he offers incense to the reliquary of Osiris and Abydos, which stands under a canopy with five images of deities borne on poles in front of it. To right and left of the entrance the King is depicted before th dog-headed Wepwawet. Niche to the right: the King before Osiris, Isis and Nut.

A door in the Chapel of Osiris leads into a series of rooms dedicated to the special cult of Osiris. The first is a hall, the roof of which was supported on ten columns without capitals. To the right of this are three chapels with fine colored reliefs, dedicated respectively (from left to right) to Isis, the King revered as Osiris and Horus. Behind the chapels is another room (not accessible). To the left of the hall is a small room with four columns, on the east wall of which are four niches containing reliefs. Adjoining are three small chapels, largely destroyed.

The Chapel of Ptah is partly destroyed. On the side walls the King is shown worshipping Ptah. Niche to the right of the chapel: Sethos before Sakhmet (left), Ptah (rear) and Re-Harakhty (right.)

The reliefs depict the King before Re-Harakhty, Atum, the goddess Eusos of Heliopolis and Hathor. Niche to the right: the King before Harakhty, to whom he presents an image of Maat (left), Amun-Re (rear) and Mut (right).

Left hand wall, lower row (left to right): three falcon headed and three dog headed gods bear the King into the chapel, preceded by a priest (with the side lock of youth and a panther skin) offering incense; the King seated on a throne at a banquet, with his guardian spirit behind him and the ibis headed god Thoth in front of him; the gifts offered by the King are detailed in a long list presented to the god. Left hand wall, upper row: the priest before nine gods (in three rows); the King between Thoth and Nekhbet (on the right) and Horus and Buto (on the left), who bestow blessings on him; Thoth and the priest making offerings to the sacred barque, which has heads of the King on the bow and stern and stands in a shrine crowned with serpents (the priest in front of the King has been effaced). Right hand wall, lower row (left to right): the King, his guardian spirit and the priest, as on the opposite wall; the King seated between Nekhbet and Buto on a throne which is supported by the hieroglyph for "union", around which Thoth and Horus twine papyrus and lotus, the emblems of Lower and Upper Egypt (symbolizing the unification of the two parts of the country under one king); Seshet inscribes the King's name for eternity; the priest in the presence of nine gods. Right hand wall, upper row: the priest and Thoth in front of the (defaced) image of the King, while six dog headed and falcon headed gods bring him vases; Month and Atum conduct the King to the temple, followed by Isis. As in all the other chapels except that of Osiris, the rear wall was occupied by two false doors, the rounded pediments of which (only partly preserved) were richly ornamented. Between the two doors is a plant on which a serpent lies. Niche to the right of the chapel: Thoth holds the hieroglyph for "life" to the King's nostrils (left); the priest of the dead offering incense to the King (rear); Thoth and the King seated opposite one another (right).