Temple of Seti I (Abydos)

The Temple of Seti I is now known as the Great Temple of Abydos. In antiquity, the temple was known as "Menmaatre Happy in Abydos," and is a significant historical site in Abydos. Abydos is a significant location with its connection to kingship due to being the burial site of the proto-kings from the Pre-Dynastic period, First Dynasty kings, and the location of the Cult of Osiris.

Initially, construction started in the 13th century BC by the 19th Dynasty Pharaoh Seti I, also known as Sethos, but was not completed by the time of his death instead, construction was renovated by his son Ramesses II. The temple was built in order to commemorate and worship the earlier pharaohs of Egypt as well as the major gods of the Egyptian pantheon. Ramesses renovated the temple by changing its original design and placing inscriptions within the temple. At the Temple of Ramesses II at Abydos Ramesses states that "son arose in his father place, none of them restored the monument of him who begot him."

The Temple of Seti I was designed with a standard layout from the Ramesside period featuring a "L" shaped design constructed of limestone and sandstone possibly brought from Gebel Silsila. The temple boast many features, including the first and second courts that house hypostyle halls, chapels to Seti I and various gods, and the Osireion. The South wing houses the Gallery of the Kings, which leads to a slaughter court and four secondary rooms, which continues into the Corridor of Bulls with a stairway that exits into storage rooms, and the Hall of Barques.

The temple is also notable for the Abydos graffiti which is ancient Phoenician and Aramaic graffiti found on the temple walls. The Temple additionally contains graffito from the 21st dynasty till the Roman period then from Later periods ranging from Aramaic, Phoenician, Carian, Greek and Cypriot.