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Temples for gods and kings
Present day Luxor in Egypt is built on the Nile at the site of ancient Thebes, a city that reached its glory under New Kingdom pharaohs. It was in Thebes that the imposing temples of Karnak and Luxor were built over three thousand years ago to honor the great god Amun.
Successive pharaohs endeavored to outdo their predecessors by enlarging and embellishing these cult centers. By doing this they hoped to please the gods and enhance their own status. Over the years, the Karnak and Luxor temples grew ever more magnificent... |
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Houses of the gods
Egyptian cult temples like those at Karnak and Luxor were dedicated to gods who were served there by the pharaoh and his priests. In return, the gods gave life and order to the land of Egypt. The pharaoh of ancient Egypt was more than a head of state, he was looked upon as a
divine link between the gods and his people. |
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The principal builders in ancient Thebes included the New Kingdom pharaohs Tuthmosis III and Amenhotep III of dynasty 18, and Ramesses II of dynasty 19. Ramesses II, known as Ramesses the Great, was a prolific builder enamoured of colossal statues of himself.
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Temples of ancient Egypt were theatres in which symbolic rituals and festivals were enacted for the gods by the pharaoh and priests. |
The rise of the god Amun
Many deities were worshipped in ancient Egypt. Confusingly, these often changed or evolved over the long time span of the Egyptian civilization, or were represented in different manifestations. In New Kingdom Egypt, the god Amun became prominent as the greatest of the gods.
Regarded as a creator deity, he became assimilated with the sun god Re to become Amun-Re, and was worshipped in Thebes at the mighty temples of Karnak and Luxor.
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Temple design
Karnak and Luxor temples were built to a design that became common in New Kingdom Egypt. An entrance pylon of massive, twin towers was fronted by obelisks and statues. This led to an open peristyle court beyond which was a columned hypostyle hall. Finally came dimly lit
chambers that included the holy inner sanctum that was dedicated to the temple god and accessible only to the pharaoh and priests. |
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The head of a statue of Ramesses II and an obelisk erected by the pharaoh in front of his entrance pylon to Luxor Temple. |
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Imposing stone columns in the Hypostyle Hall at the Karnak Temple of Amun. |
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Walls and columns in the temples were decorated with carved and painted reliefs. Many show the kings interacting with gods, or their military exploits.
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As Egypt's political and economic power grew during the New Kingdom era, the pharaohs endeavored to expand existing temples. The temples of Karnak and Luxor show how the kings would often add a new entrance pylon and court in front of structures built by their predecessors.
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Karnak Temples
The ancient name for Karnak was Ipet Isut, 'The Most Select of Places'. Although a major part of the vast site is occupied by the Great Temple of Amun, temples were also built here for other Egyptian gods including Amun's consort Mut and the lunar deity Khonsu - the other
members of a triad of gods worshipped at ancient Thebes.
The Karnak Temples were progressively enlarged by many New Kingdom pharaohs who added a succession of pylons, courts and halls. Builders included Tuthmosis III (ruled 1504-1450 BCE), Amenhotep III (1386-1349 BCE) and Ramesses II (1279-1212 BCE).
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The spectacular Hypostyle Hall in the Great Temple of Amun at Karnak. It is crowded with 134 towering stone columns, some reaching 21 meters high. |
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Statue of the great god Amun at Karnak. |
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The sprawling complex of temples at Karnak is the result of generations of builders who expanded and embellished the site for their gods and pharaohs. The remains of Karnak are now the largest surviving religious complex in the world. |
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Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple was built in the heart of the ancient city of Thebes, and was connected to Karnak by a 3 kilometer processional way lined with sphinxes. Like most of the Karnak complex, Luxor Temple was also dedicated to the god Amun. Much of the temple core was built by the pharaoh
Amenhotep III and then was added to over the years by other kings including Ramesses II.
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A head of Ramesses II beside his pylon at Luxor Temple. |
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Statues of Ramesses II in his Great Court at Luxor Temple.
The Sun Court of Amenhotep III at Luxor Temple. The columns resemble papyrus bundles symbolic of the primeval marsh from which the ancient Egyptians believed creation unfolded. |
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