#karnak temple complex

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Detail from an ancient Egyptian relief carving, likely in the Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor

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L U X O R

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karnak by Marta Vieira Pereira

[imperium-romanum]

Egypt opens restored goddess temple in Luxor's Karnak complex

The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities opened Opet Temple for the first time for visitors on

Ministry of Antiquities opened Opet Temple for the first time for visitors on Friday after its recent restoration at Karnak Temple Complex on the Nile River’s east bank in Upper Egypt’s monument-rich province of Luxor.

Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anany and Tourism Minister Rania al-Mashat inaugurated the temple in a ceremony witnessed by Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, and a number of Egyptian parliamentarians, celebrities and public figures, as well as foreign diplomats.

“The temple was first built during the New Kingdom under the reign of the 18th Dynasty and was completed in the Late Period and the Ptolemaic Period, a few centuries BC,” said Mostafa al-Saghir, director-general of Karnak temples in Luxor.

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The Karnak Temple Complex, Egypt.

[autodidact-adventures]

Architecture (Part 6): The Temple of Karnak

The Karnak Temple Complex was built at Thebes, on the Nile's east bank.  It was the cult centre of Amun (chief of the gods), so it was the religious focus of Egypt during the New Kingdom.  This may have influenced the choice of the the Theban west bank for the Valley of the Kings.

Karnak was the largest religious complex the ancient world.  Various pharaohs added to it over a long period, from the Middle Kingdom to the Ptolemaic Dynasty.  The most major construction period was during the 18th Dynasty (first dynasty of the New Kingdom).

During the Amarna Period (1570-1314 BC), the capital was moved to Middle Egypt, a new religion worshipping only Amun-Ra was enforced, and the power of the priests was reduced.  But when Akhenaten (18th Dynasty) died, these changed were reversed, and Karnak began flourishing again.  Temples increased in size & grandeur, and also became less accessible to the general population.

By now, temples had surpassed pyramids as the focus of monumental work programs (and the pharaohs were being buried in rock-cut tombs, rather than pyramids).  Karnak housed the sacred triad of Amun, Mut (mother goddess of Thebes) and Khonsu (god of the moon).

Within the enclosure wall was the main temple, a sacred lake, other temples, housing, educational centres, and various other buildings. The temple complex was thus a religious & social focus for the city of Thebes.

Aerial view of Karnak.

Virtual aerial view of Karnak.

There were six pylons, and “a first courtyard large enough to withstand the encroachment of a smaller temple on the south”.  The Precint of Amun-Re has the largest-known hypostyle hall.

Precint of Amun-Re diagram.  After the “Great Court” is the hypostyle hall.

The complex was built mostly with limestone and sandstone.  Granite and quartzite were used for the obelisks and statues.

Behind the first pylon & on its right, you can see the remains of a mud ramp which was used in the construction & decoration of the complex.  The ramp was raised for the construction of the pylon, and then gradually demolished as artists decorated the stone, working their way downwards.

An avenue of criosphinxes leads to the temple entrance, providing a symbolic escort to those entering the temple, and also allowing a transition to the spiritual realm.  The criosphinxes (ram-headed lions, manifestations of Amun) hold pharaohs protected between their paws.

Column capitals imitating natural plant forms (lotus, palm and papyrus) were used throughout monumental architecture.  Their form may have been derived from archaic reed-built shrines.  They were carved from stone, and highly-decorated with carved & painted hieroglyphic texts, ritual images, and natural motifs.

The Great Hypostyle Hall has 134 columns supporting a roof made of huge stone slabs.  It was built during Ramesses II's reign.  A central aisle of tall, papyriform columns is flanked by shorter, lotus-form columns.  The roof above the papyrus columns is raised higher, and the taller wall sections have windows.

Diagram of the original hall.

The hall today.

An obelisk is a monolithic square stone pillar, ending in a point. They were often made of granite, and could weigh up to 350 tonnes. Obelisks were transported to the temple, and decorated once placed in their position.  The best 18th-Dynasty obelisks had inlaid gold hieroglyphs honouring Ra.

An obelisk at Karnak.

The Temple of Khonsu followed the New Kingdom design for cult temples.  The floor-level rises in a series of steps, while the ceiling lowers, until the sanctuary is reached.  This creates a sense of intimacy, which reflects the fact that only the priest & pharaoh were allowed into the sanctuary.

Temple of Khonsu.

Architectural diagram of the Temple of Khonsu.

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Great Hypostyle Hall

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Obelisk in Karnak - Sacred Sites, Egypt