Temple of Khnum in Esna

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The major part of the original Temple of Khnum (Khnom) lies now beneath Esna's houses and a big part of its blocks where used as a construction material . The only surviving section from the temple is the Hypostyle Hall . This hall can be reached through the Nile Bank , by crossing the city's handicraft market and using a staircase (as it lies 9 meters deep) .
The temple was begun in the reigns of Ptolemy VI Philometor and Ptolemy VIlI Euergetes II , and remained in use through the Roman Period . It was dedicated to the Triad of Khnum , Neith , and Hak .
In 1840 , the temple was excavated by the Egyptian army , and was cleaned later by the Antiquities Service . It is unlikely that further excavations could be performed since these operations will require the evacuation of inhabitants from many houses and shops of the modern city .
The Hypostyle Hall has eighteen columns that support a roof decorated with astronomical scenes vultures .
On the temple's walls are depicted figures of rams and crocodiles representing Sobek and Khnum (also known as Khnom , Khonom and Khonoom) . Check and jowl are depictions of traditional scenes that represent the king dedicating the temple to god Khnum . On the columns , other scenes of presenting offerings to various Egyptian deities are gracefully and vividly drawn .
To the right , appears an interesting scene of Commodus and Khnum in a papyrus thicket and pulling on a net full of fish and game birds .