Famine Stela

The Famine Stela on Sehel Island was carved in the Ptolemaic period, although its text tells a story set much earlier in the reign of King Djoser. The inscription describes a seven-year famine and Djoser’s appeal to Khnum. It is therefore a later religious-historical composition, not a Third Dynasty inscription carved during Djoser’s lifetime. Visitor planning: Treat this as part of the parent-site visit rather than a separate trip. Famine Stela is recorded in the Sehel Island area of Aswan. This attraction forms part of Sehel Island. Parent-site context: Discover Sehel Island, a treasure trove of ancient Egyptian history and stunning landscapes in Aswan, Egypt. Sehel Island near the First Cataract is an important archaeological and cultural landscape with hundreds of rock inscriptions and reliefs from different periods of Egyptian history. The island is especially known for inscriptions connected with officials, expeditions and local cults, as well as the much later Ptolemaic Famine Stela. Earlier copy overstated an Old Kingdom role as a major cult center of Ra and a gateway to the afterlife. Plan roughly 15 to 40 minutes for the visit. The recorded recommended transport mode is boat plus local transfer. The current record indicates that admission or an arranged ticket is required; confirm the current terms before visiting.