Soleb Temple & Pyramid Field (Amenhotep III)
Soleb · Solib · Temple of Amenhotep III at Soleb · Soleb jebel pyramids
New Kingdom (18th Dynasty) to Napatan·Egyptian / Kushite·🇸🇩 Northern State, Soleb — west bank Nile south of 3rd Cataract, upstream of Sedeinga, Sudan
About
About Soleb Temple & Pyramid Field (Amenhotep III)
Largest Egyptian temple in Nubia (Amenhotep III, c. 1400 BCE) at Soleb with adjacent Napatan small pyramid cemetery (>30 pyramids 5–12 m base) forming Nile arc with Sedeinga and Sesebi. Temple dedicated to Amun and the king's deified self, avenue of ram-sphinxes, hypostyle with palm columns, scenes of Festival of the White Hippopotamus. Cemetery of viceregal officials with pyramid superstructures, some with pyramidions now in Khartoum Museum. Excavated by Michela Schiff Giorgini 1957–77. Links Egyptian imperial architecture directly to Napatan pyramid reuse.
Why it mattersLargest Egyptian temple in Sudan; proves large-scale appropriation of temple-pyramid pairing replicated at Jebel Barkal.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Dedication — Amenhotep III self-deification extent
- 02Why pyramids placed west of Egyptian temple
Theories
- 01Napatan kings deliberately reused viceregal elite cemetery to legitimize dynasty
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 1400 BCE (Amenhotep III) / pyramids 750–300 BCE
- Period
- New Kingdom (18th Dynasty) to Napatan
- Culture
- Egyptian / Kushite
- Builders
- Amenhotep III viceregal workforce then Napatan reuse
- Purpose
- Temple to Amun and royal cult + pyramid cemetery
- Abandoned
- c. 300 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 1820s (Cailliaud) / excavated 1957 Schiff Giorgini
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 1400 BCE (Amenhotep III) / pyramids 750–300 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1293 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
20.4333° N · 30.3333° E · 210 m · 3 mapped features
Soleb Temple
temple80m Amenhotep III Amun temple
20.4333° N · 30.3333° ENapatan pyramid cluster west
pyramid30 small pyramids 5–12 m
20.4328° N · 30.3310° ERam-sphinx avenue
avenueAvenue of criosphinxes to temple pylon
20.4336° N · 30.3340° E
Gallery