Karnak
The Karnak temple are the largest temple complex of Karnak in Egypt, a village about 2.5 kilometers north of Luxor and right on the eastern bank of the Nile. The oldest architectural remains of the temple are still visible today date from the 12th dynasty under Sesostris I. Until the Roman imperial period was extended and rebuilt the temple again and again.
The temple stands together with the Luxor Temple and the Theban necropolis on the World Heritage list of UNESCO since 1979.
- 4.3.1 Temple of Courage
- 4.3.2 A Temple
- 4.3.3 Temple C
- 4.3.4 Temple of Kamutef
The temples
Outstanding among the ruins of the temple of Amun -Re, with its total of ten pylons, the largest of which is approximately 113 meters wide and about 15 feet thick and has a planned height of about 45 meters. The total area of the temple is approximately 30 hectares (530, 515, 530 and 610 meters per side). In addition to the pylons is the great portico, which was begun by Horemheb and completes I. and Ramses II under Seti, particularly impressive.
The temple complex consists of three walled areas, the District of Amun ( ancient Egyptian Ipet - sut, "place of the election" ), the district of the Month ( 150 × 156 meters, total area 2.34 acres ) and the District of courage (405, 275, 295 and 250 meters on a side, total area approximately 9.2 hectares). In addition to these three major temple precincts there is the Aton temple, the Gem -pa - Aten, which was built by Akhenaten in the sixth year of his reign at Karnak.
In ancient times, linking an avenue that was lined on both sides by 365 sphinxes, the temple of Amun with the 2.5 km distant Luxor Temple. This road ended on 10 pylon of the temple.
The purpose of the temple complex
According to the survey Amun- res of Thebes to the local god, and later to the Kingdom of God, the ruler of the early Middle Kingdom began with the construction of a temple, which was expanded over thousands of years to the present temple complex where the Amun priesthood exercised the daily Temple service. Also for the wife of Amun, the goddess Mut, and their son Khonsu for temples were built, together they formed the triad of Thebes. In addition to these three gods was also the god Month, in the 11th Dynasty was the chief god of Thebes, consecrated a temple.
In the ancient Egyptian belief system is the principle of the cosmological order, this principle is referred to as a mate. Since the Maat is not a steady state and can be thrown by the people out of balance, it is important to maintain this condition, to keep chaos and destruction of the world. An Egyptian temple presents a model of the world represents a top of the duties of the king was therefore to maintain the balance of Maat, this happened in the most sacred area of the temple. In the temple sacred rites (sacrificial performances, prayers and chants ) by the king or the high priest representing him were carried out.
Architectural History
The earliest evidence of a cult of Amun in Thebes dating back to the Middle Kingdom. It is an octagonal column Antef II, which today is located in the Luxor Museum. The oldest architectural remains are still visible today date from the time of Sesostris I. In the New Kingdom there was lively construction activity and the temple soon reached enormous proportions. Also in the late - and Greek -Roman period was still built at the temple.
Districts of the Temple of Karnak
District of Amun
The largest area of the system is the district of Amun. It is home to the great temple of Amun -Re, the Temple of Khonsu, the barque shrine of Ramses III. , A temple of Ipet, and a small sanctuary of Ptah and the Temple of Amenhotep II
Temple of Amun -Re
→ Main article: Temple of Amun-Ra ( Karnak )
The temple of Amun -Re, also called national temple, is the largest Egyptian temple with a total of ten pylons. It is not a temple in the classic sense, but a collection of various religious buildings built together. Where several temples parts were demolished and their building materials were reused in other parts. Only the center of the temple, from today until the fourth pylon Oh -menu, as particularly sacred area remained untouched.
Among the most important areas of the temple is one of the great hypostyle hall ( hypostyle ), began to build the Horemheb between the second and third pylon and was later under Seti I and Ramses II completed. Covering an area of 103 meters length and 53 meters in width once stood 134 papyrus columns that supported the wooden roof of the hypostyle hall. In the nave of the hall, the columns were up to 22.5 meters high.
Even the oh -menu or the festival temple of Thutmosis III. is to say, it bears the name of the ancient Egyptian people cheper -Ra - ah -menu: "Magnificent monuments is people cheper - Ra" (. Thutmose III) or " Exalted is the memory of the people cheper - Ra". In addition to this name is also the name of millions of years to find the house, which suggests that the temple was dedicated to the cult of the king in his manifestation of Amun -Re.
The architecturally striking Festhalle is often called due to the arrangement of their columns as the marquee. The higher cash compartment consists of two rows of columns, each with ten columns and is surrounded by lower aisles with a total of 32 columns. The access to the Ah -menu there is the so-called King of Karnak list with the names of 61 kings. The Oh -menu located on the east- west axis of the temple, in the structural arrangement but also the North-South axis is taken into account. In the back of the sanctuaries are for the gods Sokar ( south ) and Amun- Re ( north ). In addition to the festival temple of Thutmosis III. is the Kiosk of Taharqa.
During the restoration of the third pylon of the temple built by Amenhotep III. , Construction material of the White Chapel Red Chapel and the alabaster chapel was discovered. North of Amun -Re Temple, the White Chapel of Sesostris I, the oldest preserved building of the plant and the Alabaster Chapel of wiedergefundenem building material was reconstructed in the 20th century. Beginning of the 21st century, the Red Chapel of Hatshepsut was built here again. The third pylon was originally about 98 feet long and about 14 meters wide. Since he is now heavily damaged, only about a quarter of its original height of about 35 meters is obtained.
White Chapel
→ Main article: White Chapel
The White Chapel (also Chapelle blanche ) was built in the 12th Dynasty by Sesostris I of white limestone. It is the oldest surviving building in the temple complex. On a 1.18 meter high base, there is a 6.54 × 6.54 meter tall stand, whose roof is supported by four by four pillars. The White Chapel was built as barqueshrine and thus served as the station chapel for the gods bark at various festivities. The White Chapel stood as the Red Chapel and the alabaster chapel in the area between the third and seventh pylon. The chapel was rebuilt in the open-air museum of Karnak.
Red Chapel
→ Main article: Red Orchestra ( Karnak )
The Red Chapel was built by Queen Hatshepsut in the eighteenth dynasty. Originally, the chapel stood in the area between the third and seventh pylon. Later, the as -built barqueshrine, chapel of Tuthmosis III. demolished. Amenhotep III. could use the blocks as a filler for the third pylon. Restoration work 319 blocks of black granite and red quartzite of the chapel came to light. From this material, the Red Chapel was rebuilt in the Open Air Museum of the temple complex.
The sculptures of the Red Orchestra show the coronation of Hatshepsut, offering scenes and Theban festivals such as the Opet Festival. The chapel thus also houses the oldest representation of this festival.
Alabaster Chapel
The in the 18th Dynasty as barqueshrine of Thutmose IV built alabaster chapel probably stood as the Red and White chapel in the area between the third and seventh pylon.
Temple of Ramses III.
In the yard behind the first pylon is located on the right side of the temple of Ramses III. He is still preserved almost complete and in very good condition. Behind a pylon with two upstream colossal figures is the Festhof, lined on the sides of eight pillars statue. Following the court follows a small hall with four pillars statue. This is followed by the Hypostyle concludes with two by four pillars. Behind the Hypostl are three sanctuaries, the gods Amun -Re, courage and Khonsu consecrated. What is striking is the similarity with the temple C of the parent district.
Sacred Lake
The holy lake has a size of 120 × 77 meters and is situated south of the central temple building. This lake has no leads, he is fed only by groundwater. Beside the lake was a small roofed enclosure geese, which is connected via a walkway to the lake. The geese were the sacred animals of Amun. In addition, the priest withdrawals, the water for washing the idols out of the lake.
Temple of Opet
The temple of Opet was built by the Ptolemaic period Ptolemy VIII. By lying in a kiosk with four pillars rise you get through the gate of the first pylon in the first courtyard. In the first courtyard, another kiosk is also with four columns. The second farm is higher, so will probably be shown the primeval mound. In the rear part of the temple there is an underground tomb of Osiris and a crypt, took place here the metamorphosis of the god Amun -Re, who dies as Osiris, then enters the body of the Ipet - weret - groove and is reborn as a god Khonsu.
Temple of Khonsu
→ Main article: Temple of Khonsu ( Karnak )
The Temple of Khonsu is located on the southern border in the district of Amun, he is about 80 meters long and 30 meters wide. The temple is the Temple of Luxor directly opposite. During the 20th Dynasty the temple under Pharaoh Ramses III was. built and later by Ramses IV, Ramses XI. and Herihor completed. Behind the great entrance pylon is a large hypostyle hall with 28 columns. This is followed by a hypostyle hall with eight large pillars and finally the center, the so-called Hall of bark.
Temple of Ptah
The temple of Ptah, located on the north wall of the Amunbezirkes and was originally surrounded by a wall. With the construction of the Great Wall to the Amunbezirk the forecourt was trimmed to the temple in its size. Ptolemy III. built the small pylon of the temple, in this there are various interiors. In front of the pylon is a small kiosk. The rest of the temple was already under Thutmose III. built. All parts of the temple were built of stone are intact.
Temple of Amenhotep II
Behind the tenth pylon is located on the east side of the temple of Amenhotep II A ramp leads to the entrance area, the forms an open pillared hall. Behind the main hall was a square hypostyle connects. North and south of the hypostyle hall there are other small spaces. Recent studies have shown that not Amenhotep II had built the temple in its present form, but that the temple of Seti I. from building materials of a demolished building of Amenhotep II was built.
District of the Month
To the north, next to the large area of the Amun -Re is a 151 x 155 m large area with the temple district of the Month. The enclosure comes from the time Nectanebo I. The actual temple was built by Amenhotep III. built. Next to the temple of the Month is still a temple of Maat, a temple of Harpare, built by Taharqa and the treasure house located outside the perimeter of Thutmose I. The Temple of Montu opens in the direction of about five kilometers away Month place of worship al - Madamud from the temple entrance leads an avenue of sphinxes with human -headed sphinxes on both sides 30 each to a, now no longer associated with the water quay.
District of courage
Approximately 350 m south of Amun -Re Temple is an area of approximately 250 x 350 meters, comprises the district of courage. He was joined by an avenue of sphinxes, with 66 sphinxes, with the temple of Amun -Re. Next to the temple of courage, which is surrounded on three sides by a holy lake, are still remains of an ABC Ramses II for " Chonspachrod " a temple of Ramses III. and outside the wall of the Kamuteftempel. 1840, the temples were demolished for the most part and used as building material for a factory.
Temple of Courage
The entrance pylon of courage temple was built by Seti II. Before the pylon were two pillared shade roofs, built by Taharqa. In the yard behind the first pylon is a portico formed by double-sided columns on its central axis. Through the gate in the second pylon was reached in the Festhof, here the portico is continued on both sides by five pillars. In two courts once stood statues of the goddess Sekhmet seat. Behind the Festhof one came to the Hypostyle whose ceiling was originally supported by eight pillars. Behind the hypostyle the barqueshrine connects. The barqueshrine was surrounded by several side rooms. By barqueshrine was reached in the pronaos, an entrance to the sanctuary. The sanctuary of the temple consists of three cult statue niches. Against the back wall of the temple built Ptolemy II a counterpunch. The temple was largely demolished in 1840.
A Temple
A temple is located east of the Temple of Mut, the right of the main gate directly behind the enclosure. The temple was built by Dieter Arnold A by Ramses II, IV by Paul Barguet by Thutmose. , The first of the three pylons built of Nilschlammziegeln. Two statues found there bear the name of Ramses II but were probably usurped. In the second pylon blocks of stone from the 18th to the 22nd Dynasty were re-used. The third pylon of Ramses II again to you, the decorations come from his time. Even with the importance of the temple, there are different views. After Daumas is consecrated ( the child Khonsu ) is a barqueshrine Chonspachrod, according to Arnold is a birthplace for Chonspachrod. The few surviving paintings and reliefs can unfortunately no accurate determination.
Temple C
Called West of the Holy Lake, also Ischeru or Ascheru, is the so-called Temple of Ramses III C.. let the, Amun, Mut and Khonsu consecrated, build temples in the 20th Dynasty. Two monumental statues of Rameses III. originally lined the entrance on the first pylon of the temple. Im behind the first pylon located, Festhof were each on the right and left eight statues. A ramp was reached at the end of the festival hall in a small portico for hypostyle, whose ceiling was supported by four columns. On both sides of the hypostyle hall three storage rooms were ever created. Through the Hypostyle you onto an entrance hall, which was followed by the three connected sanctuaries. The temple is badly damaged, Ramses III. but could easily be identified as the builder due to the Papyrus Harris I.
Temple of Kamutef
Built through Hatshepsut Kamuteftempel is north-east immediately before the walled temple district of courage, on the 330 meter long avenue of sphinxes with both sides 66 sphinxes. The Stone Temple House is approximately 38.5 × 48.5 meters tall. The temple house was surrounded by a brick wall that opened into a pylon for Sphingenallee. Thurmosis III. later tried all references to the original builder of to destroy, but can recognize the reliefs that Hatshepsut was responsible for the attachment.
Gem -pa - Aten
→ Main article: Gem -pa - Aten ( Karnak )
East of Amun- district was a sanctuary Aton ( ancient Egyptian Gm - p3 - JTN, " is found the Aton " ), which was probably built by Akhenaten in year 6 of his government. The Atontempel was approximately 130 x 200 meters in size, to the time he was bigger than the Temple of Amun. Akhenaten ordered the closure of the other temples at Karnak and brought the sun god Aten as the sole god. After the latest under Horemheb again the original ratios were prepared, the other temples of Karnak were reopened and the Gem -pa - Aten completely demolished. Tens of thousands of talatat blocks were reused in the construction of Horemheb and his successors. These blocks were mainly used for the pylons 2, 9 and 10. In the museum of Luxor a few hundred of these blocks have been restored and put back together.