Winter in Egypt, 2024 - A Visit to Minya, Part 6 - The Monkeys of Ashmunin and Hermopolis Magna

Following our visit to the Boundary Stela "A", we headed a few miles Northeast to the town of Ashmunin (also appearing as Ashmoun or Ashmunein). 

We passed through some interesting rural areas, then the town of Ashmunin.   It took about a half hour to cover the six or seven miles of bumpy road, maneuvering around donkey carts and sheep.

 

  

This road apparently does not get a lot of tourist traffic, so we seemed to attract a lot of attention, especially from the children.

Just beyond Ashmunin, we reached an open-air museum which houses the two large baboon statues (reconstructed in part) that represent the ancient Egyptian god, Thoth. 

 

  

 

 

The statues appear to hold some original hieroglyphic carvings.

 

Notice the two oval cartouches which appear to have been altered to eliminate a previous royal name.

After taking a few pictures with the baboons, we turned around and noticed the ruins of the ancient city of Hermopolis Magna behind us. There was only a half hour left before sunset so we didn't have time left in the day to visit the site, still the subject of continuing architectural digs. It is probably just as well since we later learned it is home to numerous snakes and scorpions.

 

As the sun set, we returned north toward Minya where we stopped for a delicious dessert at a "Pick & Go" in this modern town.

 

  

    

 

After that, we returned to the Holy Family Hotel via the west bank highway utilizing the ferry which we had observed at breakfast, to cross the river.