Buhen

Buhen was an ancient Egyptian fortress and settlement below the second Nilkataraktes in Upper Egypt ( Nubia historical landscape ), near today's border with Sudan. The city was mainly used in the Middle and New Kingdom and had an area of ​​215 × 460 m. It was located on the west side of the Nile across from Wadi Halfa.

History

Already in the Old Kingdom was here an Egyptian settlement, which was probably a trading post. The settlement was located a bit north along the shore and was surrounded by about 120 × 950 -meter wall. Part of the land was protected by a wall 65 meters away, facing 18 semi-circular wall towers. Where crowds seal with names of rulers of the Old Kingdom. The actual fortress was built in the period of the Middle Kingdom as one of several Egyptian border fortresses in Nubia, I probably under the reign of King Sesostris around the year 1950 BC The fort was burned down in the Hyksos period and in the 18th dynasty rebuilt.

Architecture

The fort can be divided into three construction phases. Inside there was the 150 × 170 m large fortress of Sesostris I, with 5 m thick walls and 11 m high corner bastions especially strong with rectangular towers. In the west wall there were two river gates and a monumental gatehouse. The outer moat wall was arranged cloverleaf-shaped with semi-circular, at the corners, wall towers equipped. In the northeast corner was the seat of the commander and possibly a temple.

The inner fortress was surrounded by an outer 712 m long bund of Sesostris I with his back to the river. She was 4 m thick, had 32/2 round towers and had an irregular course. Before the end of the 12th dynasty a reinforced outer surrounding wall was built, which enclosed all four sides. This had numerous square towers, alternating with larger corner and intermediate bastions. On the north, south and west wall there was monumental gate buildings, of which the latter fortress-like ( Barbican ) and was a double kennel owned.

Between the inner fortress and the north wall are the remains of the existing brick North Temple of Isis were from the time of Ahmose. The farm was surrounded on three sides by stone pillar halls, behind which was two wide rooms ( appearance and offering table room ) and a sanctuary with two flanking rooms. Within the fortress of the Middle Kingdom of the stone Südtempel of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III standing. , Which was dedicated to Horus of booing. The temple has been a good example of a temple with the Thutmosidenzeit next to Amada. Individual displaced blocks were found in Faras.

Importance

This fort was the northernmost of a chain of forts that served to secure the border with the Ethiopians. The fort and settlement existed even during the New Kingdom, especially as the temple was expanded.

Today's state

The ruins of booing today are flooded by Lake Nasser. The Horus Temple of the fortress was rebuilt off and on in the museum garden of the National Museum of Sudan in Khartoum.

152005
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