White Chapel

The White Chapel (also Chapelle blanche ) is the oldest surviving structure in the temple complex of Karnak in Egypt. This is a Heb- sed shrine, a station chapel of Sedfestes.

History

The chapel was built by Sesostris I in the 12th Dynasty. The original location is suspected between the 4th and 7th Pylon of Karnak Temple. At the time of the New Kingdom, the chapel was demolished because it was probably the extension of the temple of Amun in the way.

Amenhotep III. used in the construction of the third pylon of the Amun -Re Temple stones as filler. With the restoration of the 3rd pylon Henri Chevrier found the spoils almost completely back, so that the structure could be reconstructed in 1938. It can be seen in the so-called open-air museum of Karnak temple today.

The purpose of the chapel

Sesostris I built the white chapel, to celebrate his first Sedfestes. It is dedicated to the god Amun -Re.

When Opet festival drew a procession from Karnak temple to the Luxor Temple. Here, the statue of the god Amun -Re was born in the gods bark of priests. At the station chapel a break is inserted and turned off the bark on the base under the stone canopy and completed the associated rituals. Also during the Talfestes came the procession through here.

Construction

On a 1.18 meter high base, there is a 6.54 × 6.54 meter tall stand, the God Shadow roof is supported by four by four pillars. From two opposite sides lead up ramps. On the blocks of stone in the middle of the building, the gods bark was turned off.

The located on the white limestone blocks hieroglyphic inscriptions deal with the worship of Amun- Re and give interesting information for research on the organization of the 42 Egyptian provinces ( See: Gauliste of Sesostris I ). In addition mythological level of the Nile flood heights are noted, which represent the lower threshold of a still bearable surface level and therefore differ from the level heights average actually achieved. The Nilmarken mentioned come from older sources and have not been changed in later epochs of other ancient Egyptian kings in the tradition.