Karnak had columns in all sorts of states of preservation. Pic. 1 is of some that have been worn away on the outside from water. Our guide indicated that when the Nile flooded the lower sections of the temple were underwater for about 3 months. As a result much damage was done. In addition, sand had filled it in. One restoration person thought running water through the temple would clean the sand out. Unfortunately they didn't understand that by flooding the foundation they also destabilized the columns and many fell down.
There is graffiti from the 1800s about 5/6th of the way up the walls in the entrance that shows where the level of sand was at that time. The temple was deeply buried.
Pic. 2 is of some with their outer decoration intact and shows some of the original colors.
Pic. 3 is of the Sacred Lake where the priests would purify themselves.
After Karnak temple we had about a half hour before we needed to leave for the airport to fly to Cairo so we made a shopping stop and then were on our way.
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