The magnificent pyramids of Giza, hidden from prying eyes, the tombs of the Valley of the Kings are not the only monuments of civilization that once flourished on both banks of the Nile. Along with the necropolises, ancient Egyptian temples are of great interest. The names and photos of the most significant buildings we will place in this article.
But first you need to understand the concept of the temple in ancient Egypt. It was not a church in the modern sense of the word - a room that serves to gather believers and to establish contact between the soul and God. No, the temple was rather a palace. A certain God lived here, as a rich man dwells in his mansions. He had his own servants - priests. Every day, after passing the rite of purification, they dressed the statue of God, lit censers and incense in front of her, made a sacrifice according to the calendar. Only priests could enter the temple - and no one else. Sometimes God left the palace to visit one of his kin. He traveled in a boat (ark), which was towed by ordinary ships. Only then could ordinary people see their god.
The development of sacred architecture
As you know, the history of Ancient Egypt has several long periods - kingdoms. Temple architecture developed gradually. It largely depended on religious beliefs, which also underwent changes over the centuries. Unfortunately, the temples were rebuilt in accordance with the new concept, and only buildings related to the New Kingdom survived. Also well preserved memorial temples of the Ancient era. But they are dedicated to the posthumous cult of the pharaohs and are adjacent to their pyramid tombs. Here we look at the ancient Egyptian temples of the New Kingdom. This is the abode of the eternal God. Such a temple has its own concept and, accordingly, its own architecture. The "palace" of God included premises for officialdom and private, private chambers. The latter could include only selected priests who underwent a thorough cleansing (washing, hair removal, taking soda). God dwelt in a windowless interior. That is, he was hidden from the eyes of people.
Palace of God in 3000 BC e.
Five thousand years ago, ancient Egyptian temples (the photo represents the memorial shrine of Chefren) had the form of a giant parallelepiped with sloping outer walls and a cornice crowning them. It was a real royal palace with spacious internal rooms, located along the main axis. These were ceremonial halls and receptions, where God listened to requests. Further, behind the lobby and rooms for storing offerings, the chambers of the “master of the house” walked. The immediate sanctuary of God was located in the center. He was surrounded by four or six major chapels. Nearby were vestries and other premises for ritual services. The main halls were divided by large columns into two or three naves. There was no roof as such. In fact, these were courtyards with porticoes.
Ancient Egyptian Temples of the Middle Kingdom
Starting from Thutmose I and especially the female pharaoh Hatshepsut (1505-1484 BC), the layout of the shrines is changing. A characteristic feature of temples of the Middle Kingdom is the monumentality of the halls leading to the holy of holies. The contrast with the little closet is amazing. There was an exquisite ark in this room. The massive walls of ancient temples have been replaced by many sacristy and prayer houses. But the main innovation was the extraordinary wealth of paintings. They covered the columns, ceiling, walls, floor. As a typical example of the sacred architecture of that time, one can name the ancient Egyptian temples in Karnak (Amon-Ra) and in Deir al-Bahri (the sanctuary of Queen Hatshepsut). Interior and murals emphasize the function of each room. And the temple itself appears as a synthesis of space and God. The floor is the earth, the ceiling painted with stars - the sky, the capitals of the columns - flowers, you can see fabulous birds on the architrave .
Temple in 1500 BC e.
Gradually, lay believers began to join in the worship. Naturally, they were not allowed in the "holy of holies" and even in the temple. But in the planning of sacred buildings from 1500 BC, there is an innovation - one or more courtyards framed by a colonnade. Ordinary people were allowed to attend religious ceremonies. So what were the temples of the New Kingdom in ancient Egypt? Where were they located? They stretch along the entire Nile - from Abu Simbel in the upper reaches to Abydos (north of modern Luxor). Each nom (region) had its patron god (or Hypostas Amon-Ra). Therefore, the ancient Egyptian temples were named accordingly: Osiris, Hator, Isis, Khnum, Thoth, Nehbet, Horus, Sebek. Separately, we should mention the shrines of the pharaohs, who were also considered gods: Ramesses II, Seti I, Thutmose III and others.
Plan of an Ancient Egyptian New Kingdom Temple
Consider it in the classic example of the Karnak sanctuary of Amun. The temple was supposed to have access to the river. For this, a channel broke from the Nile. It ended at the temple itself with a small rectangular pier, where stood a moored ornate boat. The Egyptian gods had numerous relatives, which were visited in their "homes" for birthdays. There was a “procession road” from the embankment. It was framed by sphinxes or statues of God, appearing in the guise of a sacred animal. Pylons were facades that preceded ancient Egyptian temples. The photo shows a massive stone structure with slightly sloping walls. It repeats the character “horizon”. At dawn, the sun appeared exactly between the towers of the pylon. Its walls were richly decorated. Holes for flagpoles are still preserved. Behind the pylon was a rectangular courtyard surrounded by a wall. Along its entire perimeter were columns supporting a narrow, incomplete roof, which served as protection not from rain, but from the sun. Having passed the courtyard, a man fell into the columned hall. The round pillars supporting the roof were stylized as thickets of papyrus. At the far end of the hall was a sanctuary. A portable rook rested on a cubic stand in a small room with a low ceiling. This is where God lived.
Around the temple
The adjacent territory inside the outer walls (temenosa) was also considered a saint. There were auxiliary facilities. These could be rooms for the “gods” who arrived and for their arks. Warehouses for offerings, cult objects occupied more than one room. Finally, there were small rooms for the priests, where they went through the procedures of cleansing their bodies before entering the sanctuary. The temples of the New Kingdom of Egypt always had a sacred lake on their territory. It served to cleanse the priests. According to beliefs, the sun god Khepri rose every morning refreshed from the lake to follow the horizon. In addition to this reservoir there were also wells. Ancient Egyptian temples, the names and photos of which we gave here, had a special room on the pier - a pier for a boat. When the ark with God was carried on their shoulders by the priests from the sanctuary, they made a stop in this small chapel with two entrances.
Obelisks and Colossi
The temples of Egypt often had additional elements located behind the temenos fence. Sometimes colossi were placed in front of the sanctuary. These are giant paired statues of the pharaohs who built this or that temple. Noteworthy here are the colossi of Memnon. The sanctuary itself has not been preserved - only two statues of Amenhotep III are still standing today. If the temple was dedicated to the sun, obelisks were erected in front of its entrance - also usually in pairs.
The era of the Ptolemies and the Roman period
How amazing these ancient Egyptian temples are: how many years they served as the dwelling of the gods and did not succumb to either change or even conquest. When the Roman Empire devoured these lands in terms of religious worship, little changed. Rather, the opposite. Roman emperors began to wear cartouches with hieroglyphs, the cult of Osiris became one of the state in the empire. However, there is an interpenetration of cultures. Religious views develop, and gradually mankind comes to the veneration of one God.