Between the shrine of Rameses III and the Second Pylon stands a gate known to Egyptologists as the Bubastite Portal. It takes its name from the Delta town of Bubastis, capital city of the Dynasty 22 kings who built it.

he stones for the gate came from a quarry south of Thebes at Jabal as-Silsila and an inscription there tells that King Sheshonk I instructed his overseer of works, Horemsaf, to undertake the building project: “His Majesty gave stipulations for building a very great pylon...in order to brighten Thebes; erecting its double doors of myriads of cubits in height, in order to make a jubilee court for the house of his father, Amen-Ra, kingof the gods; and to surround it with a colonnade.” At the top of the east wall of the gate King Osorkon I receives from Amen-Ra a sword and palm branches symbolizing long life.

Below, the god Khnum offers an ankh-sign (the symbol of life), and the king is suckled by the goddess Hathor. On the west wall, Takelot II and his son, a High Priest of Amen, stand before the god. Through the Bubastite Portal to the left, on the southern end of the Second Pylon, King Sheshonk I—the Pharaoh Shishak of the Bible— commemorates his victory over Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, when Egypt attacked Solomon’s temple in Dynasty 22. The quality of carving is only fair (and best seen in mid-morning light), but the scenes have historical interest. In one, Amen-Ra stands with a sword in his hand and announces the conquest of 156 villages in Judah and Palestine. Each town is named in crenellated ovals surmounted by human heads.

 The battle is described in 2 Chronicles (12:2–3) and in 1 Kings (14:25–26): “In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem; he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house; he took away everything. He also took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made....” To the right (east), on the southern outer wall of the Hypostyle Hall, Rameses II carved military scenes in imitation of his father’s on the north side of the hall.

From" The Illustrated Guide to Luxor" by kent R.Weeks ,published by the American University in Cairo Press. Copyright © 2005 White Star S.p.a