Abydos

Another of Egypt’s tentative sites that blows many listed sites out of the water. Abydos was a very important city and is ancient even for ancient Egypt. It was buried under sand until about the 1800s, which means that it is very well preserved. In particular, it is known for having preserved colorful paintings on the inside of the Temple of Seti I.

It and Dendara, another tentative list site, can easily be combined on a (long) day trip from Luxor. Both are worth visiting.

Abydos is a gem on the tentative list (since 2003). Together with Heliopolis, Hermopolis and Amarna, the site was one of the most important religious centres in pharaonic Egypt. It was a place of worship, pilgrimage and served as a burial place over millennia. The main attraction is the temple of Seti I (father of Ramses II) and the adjacent Osireion, a rather mysterious underground cenotaph for the Egyptian god of fertility and resurrection. 

Abydos lies in the modern Egyptian Governorate of Sohag and can be reached by plane (three times per week from Cairo, boat (cruise ships used to come in pre-Corona times), car from either Cairo (about six hours) or Luxor (about three hours). The entire archaeological site is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (entrance was 80 Pounds at the time of our visit). If you want to get a good overview of the area you need to a full day at least. Abydos itself offers accommodations in a hotel not far from the archaeological site; otherwise you can choose from a couple of hotels in Sohag. One of the moored Nile ships now functions as a very attractive alternative both for sleeping and food.

The day we visited (in late May 2021) the site was totally deserted. I believe we were the only visitors. And it was hot - it’s important you take water with you. From the modern visitors centre (washrooms available) you step out into an open square that offers …

I visited this tentative WHS and it is incredibly interesting as are all the ancient Egyptian sites. It is one of the oldest cities in Egypt and a must visit necropolis for the Egyptology enthusiasts. The King List was the highlight of my visit.