Macquarie University’s Dr Gillian Smith celebrates the architectural enormity of the Ramesside period with her exploration of Abu Simbel, the Ramesseum & Luxor’s Karnak Temple Complex.

Recommended age: 16+ years

Twice a year, sunlight sweeps into the chambers of The Great Temple at Abu Simbel, illuminating the face of Ramses II and marking the beginning of the flood and growing seasons. Temples were monuments to the pharaohs and the gods, reminding all of Egypt’s wealth and prosperity. For modern visitors, these temples stand as examples of the ingenuity and scope of human endeavour.

In the fourth instalment of our Saturday Lecture Series, we explore some of these monuments’ key architectural features; how kings, such as Ramses II used them to define and portray power and – in the case of Abu Simbel – as a means to harness the sun. Following the lecture, join in the conversation with a Q&A hosted by Professor of Architecture, Restoration Australia’s Anthony Burke.