Ceiling of the Temple of Esna, Egypt Jul 2, 2026

Ceiling of the Temple of Esna, Egypt

At the Temple of Esna, south of Luxor, Egypt, visitors enter a vivid world devoted to Khnum, the ram-headed god believed to have moulded humanity from Nile clay. Built mainly during the Ptolemaic and Roman eras, the temple"s surviving hall is supported by 24 towering columns, each carved with intricate reliefs and ritual texts honouring various deities.

© Nick Brundle Photography/Getty Images

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