Kharga - Temple of Hibis

Some 2.5mi/4km north of Kharga, picturesquely situated in a palm grove, is the Temple of Hibis, dedicated to Amun, which was built by Darius I (521-486 B.C.), Nectanebo II (358-341 B.C.) and some of the Ptolemies. The remains were excavated in 1909-11 by an archeological expedition from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and restored by the Egyptian Department of Antiquities. The temple, measuring 138ft/42m by 66ft/20m, is oriented from west to east. It is approached by four gateways; on the right hand side of the second gateway is a long Greek inscription (66 lines) recording a decree on the levying of taxes dated to the second year of the reign of the Emperor Galba (A.D. 69).

The temple is entered through a portico built by Nectanebo II, with reliefs of Nectanebo l and ll making offerings and performing various ritual acts, accompanied by dedicatory inscriptions. Adjoining the portico is a colonnaded court, on the rear wall of which a winged, falcon headed Horus is depicted killing the Apophis snake.