Sanctuary

Great Temple, Abu Simbel

The statues in the sanctuary represent the four great gods of Egypt, at least according to Ramesses II. From left to right are Ptah, Amun-Re, Ramesses himself, and Re-Harakhty. Three divisions of Egypt's army were named after three of these gods (Amun, Ptah, Re). The army's fourth division was named after Seth, the fourth great god. Here Ramesses has replaced Seth with his own divine self, more plausibly so because Ramesses' father (Seti I) was himself named after Seth.

Twice each year, at the spring and autumn equinoxes (March 22 and September 22), the rising sun shoots through the temple from front to back and illuminates the sanctuary.