"Joy of Ra"...Niuserre's temple of the solar cult in Abu Gurab..features this lovely alabaster altar in the center of the courtyard east of what was once a magnificent obelisk (base of which is seen in other pics in this series.) The altar is constructed of five large blocks of alabaster arranged with a central disc surrounded by four carved sections representing the hierogliphic sign Htp(hotep=offering). The symbol can be translated "May Ra be satisfied."

We visited this site on a soft hazy morning;it was accessible by hiking through the lush grove of mango trees and date palms of a small village at the edge of the desert. The place is very serene and conducive to imagining what ceremonies might have been like on these grounds so long ago....Abu Gurab, Egypt

"Joy of Ra"...Niuserre's temple of the solar cult in Abu Gurab..features this lovely alabaster altar in the center of the courtyard east of what was once a magnificent obelisk (base of which is seen in other pics in this series.) The altar is constructed of five large blocks of alabaster arranged with a central disc surrounded by four carved sections representing the hierogliphic sign Htp(hotep=offering). The symbol can be translated "May Ra be satisfied."

We visited this site on a soft hazy morning;it was accessible by hiking through the lush grove of mango trees and date palms of a small village at the edge of the desert. The place is very serene and conducive to imagining what ceremonies might have been like on these grounds so long ago....Abu Gurab, Egypt