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Karnak

The largest temple complex ever built, added to by 30 pharaohs.

A commercial building on the northwestern corner of the junction of Washington (Illinois Route 169) and First Streets in downtown Karnak, Illinois, United States.
A commercial building on the northwestern corner of the junction of Washington (Illinois Route 169) and First Streets in downtown Karnak, Illinois, United States. · Nyttend · Public domain
The first trace of the avenue (at Luxor)…The first trace of the avenue (at Luxor) was found in 1949 when Egyptian archaeologist Mohammed Zakaria Ghoneim discovered eight statues near the Luxo
Hieroglyphs from the great obelisk of Ka…Hieroglyphs from the great obelisk of Karnak, transcribed by Ippolito Rosellini in 1828 The first European description of the Karnak temple complex wa
In this article
  1. 1Overview
  2. 2Name
  3. 3Layout and Principal Precincts
    1. Precinct of Mut
    2. Theban Setting and Later Memorials
  4. 4Precinct of Mut
  5. 5Avenue of Sphinxes
  6. 6History of Construction and Development
  7. 7European Knowledge and Documentation
  8. 8Associated Temples: Ramesseum and Luxor
  9. 9Modern Research and Digital Resources
  10. 10Key dates
  11. 11Frequently asked questions
  12. 12Knowledge graph

Overview

Karnak is the temple complex near Luxor in Egypt, comprising a vast mix of temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings 1Karnak — wiki · Wikipedia ↗. The area around it was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut, "The Most Selected of Places", and served as the main place of worship of the 18th Dynastic Theban Triad, with the god Amun as its head 1. The original name of the temple was Ipet-isut, meaning "The Most Select of Places" 1. It is part of the monumental city of Thebes, and in 1979 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the rest of the city 1.

The complex is a vast open site and includes the Karnak Open Air Museum 2Karnak — sec2 · Wikipedia ↗. There also are a few smaller temples and sanctuaries connecting the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Amun-Re, and the Luxor Temple 2. The Precinct of Mut is an Ancient Egyptian temple compound located in the present city of Luxor (ancient Thebes), on the east bank of the Nile in South Karnak 3Karnak — mut · Reference ↗. The compound is one of the four key ancient temples that creates the Karnak Temple Complex 3. The Precinct of Amun-Re is the largest of the precincts of the temple complex, and is dedicated to Amun-Re, the chief deity of the Theban Triad 4Karnak — sec6 · Wikipedia ↗.

The key difference between Karnak and most of the other temples and sites in Egypt is the length of time over which it was developed and used 2. The history of the Karnak complex is largely the history of Thebes and its changing role in the culture 5Karnak — sec4 · Wikipedia ↗. Major construction work in the Precinct of Amun-Re took place during the Eighteenth Dynasty, when Thebes became the capital of the unified Ancient Egypt 5.

Karnak gets its name from the nearby, and partly surrounded, modern village of El-Karnak, 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) north of Luxor 1. The complex's modern name "Karnak" comes from the nearby village of el-Karnak, which means "fortified village" 1. Karnak ("Carnac") as a village name, and name of the complex, is first attested in 1668, when two capuchin missionary brothers, Protais and Charles Fr 6Karnak — sec5 · Wikipedia ↗.

The first European description of the Karnak temple complex was by an unknown Venetian in 1589 and is housed in the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze, although his account gives no name for the complex 6. The first drawing of Karnak is found in Paul Lucas' travel account of 1704 6. Hieroglyphs from the great obelisk of Karnak were transcribed by Ippolito Rosellini in 1828 6. Thebes' exact placement was unknown in medieval Europe, though both Herodotus and Strabo give the exact location of Thebes and how long up the Nile one must travel to reach it 6.

The first trace of the avenue at Luxor was found in 1949 when Egyptian archaeologist Mohammed Zakaria Ghoneim discovered eight statues near the Luxor Temple, with 17 more statues uncovered from 1958 to 1961 and 55 unearthed from 1961 to 1964 all within a perimeter of 250 meters 7Karnak — sphinxes · Reference ↗. The original 1,057 statues are along the way, and they are divided into three shapes: the first shape is a lion's body with a ram's head erected on an area of approximately 1,000 feet between the Karnak temple and the Precinct of Mut during the reign of the ruler of the New Kingdom Tutankhamun 7.

The term Karnak is often understood as referring to the Precinct of Amun-Re alone, since this is the only part most visitors see 2. The sandstone for this temple, including all of the columns, was transported from Gebel Silsila 100 miles (161 km) south on the Nile river 4. The Precinct of Mut lies approximately 325 m (355 yd) south of the precinct of the god Amun 3, and six hundred black granite statues were found in the courtyard to her temple 8Karnak — sec8 · Wikipedia ↗. That temple has been ravaged, many portions having been used in other structures 8.

The city of Thebes does not appear to have been of great significance before the Eleventh Dynasty, and previous temple building there would have been relatively small, with shrines dedicated to the early deities of Thebes, the Earth goddess Mut and Montu 5. The Ramesseum is the memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, originally called the House of millions of years of Usermaatra-setepenra that unites with Thebes-the-city in the domain of Amun 9Karnak — ramesseum · Reference ↗. Ramesses II modified, usurped, or constructed many buildings from the ground up, and the most splendid of these, in accordance with New Kingdom royal burial practices, would have been his memorial temple: a place of worship dedicated to pharaoh, god on earth, where his memory would have been kept alive after his death 9.

Luxor Temple was one of the two primary temples on the east bank, the other being Karnak 10Karnak — temple · Reference ↗. Unlike the other temples in Thebes, Luxor temple is not dedicated to a cult god or a deified version of the pharaoh in death 10. Georges Daressy reported in 1893 that at Luxor the road is buried and couldn't be excavated because it lay below the groundwater level, whereas at Karnak nearly a kilometer of it is visible 7.

Several European authors of the 15th and 16th centuries who visited only Lower Egypt and published their travel accounts, such as Joos van Ghistele and André Thévet, put Thebes in or close to Memphis 6. In 2009 UCLA launched a website dedicated to virtual reality digital reconstructions of the Karnak complex and other resources 11Karnak — sec3 · Wikipedia ↗.

1. Name

The name Karnak is first attested in 1668 when two capuchin missionary brothers, Protais and Charles François d'Orléans, travelled through the area6. The designation "Carnac" served both as a village name and as the name of the complex6. The term Karnak often is understood as being the Precinct of Amun-Re only, because this is the only part most visitors see2.

The first drawing of Karnak is found in Paul Lucas' travel account of 1704, ( Voyage du Sieur Paul Lucas au Levant )6. A photograph of the temple complex was taken in 1914 by Cornell University Library6. In 2009 UCLA launched a website dedicated to virtual reality digital reconstructions of the Karnak complex and other resources11.

The complex's modern name derives from the nearby village of el-Karnak, whose name means "fortified village"1. The village lies 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) north of Luxor1. The original name of the temple was Ipet-isut, meaning "The Most Select of Places"1.

The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut ("The Most Selected of Places") and the main place of worship of the 18th Dynastic Theban Triad, with the god Amun as its head1. The Precinct of Amun-Re is the largest of the precincts of the temple complex and is dedicated to Amun-Re, the chief deity of the Theban Triad4. The sandstone for this temple, including all of the columns, was transported from Gebel Silsila 100 miles (161 km) south on the Nile river4.

The first European description of the Karnak temple complex was by an unknown Venetian in 1589 and is housed in the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze, although his account gives no name for the complex6. Thebes' exact placement was unknown in medieval Europe, though both Herodotus and Strabo give the exact location of Thebes and how long up the Nile one must travel to reach it6. Several European authors of the 15th and 16th centuries who visited only Lower Egypt and published their travel accounts, such as Joos van Ghistele and André Thévet, put Thebes in or close to Memphis6.

The Precinct of Mut is an Ancient Egyptian temple compound located in the present city of Luxor (ancient Thebes), on the east bank of the Nile in South Karnak3. The compound is one of the four key ancient temples that creates the Karnak Temple Complex3. Six hundred black granite statues were found in the courtyard to her temple8. The Ramesseum is the memorial temple (or mortuary temple) of Pharaoh Ramesses II ("Ramesses the Great")9. It was originally called the House of millions of years of Usermaatra-setepenra that unites with Thebes-the-city in the domain of Amun9.

Georges Daressy reported in 1893 that at Luxor the road is buried and couldn't be excavated because it lay below the groundwater level, whereas at Karnak nearly a kilometer of it is visible7. The history of the Karnak complex is largely the history of Thebes and its changing role in the culture5.

2. Layout and Principal Precincts

Karnak is a vast open site that also holds the Karnak Open Air Museum; in common usage the name Karnak is often applied to the Precinct of Amun-Re alone, the largest of the precincts and the one dedicated to Amun-Re, chief deity of the Theban Triad.2 The three other parts of the complex — the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Montu, and the dismantled Temple of Amenhotep IV — are closed to the public.2 Smaller temples and sanctuaries link the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Amun-Re, and the Luxor Temple.2

Precinct of Mut

The Precinct of Mut lies approximately 325 m (355 yd) south of the precinct of the god Amun.3 It contains at least six temples: the Mut Temple, the Contra Temple, and Temples A, B, C, and D.3 On three sides of the Mut Temple proper runs a sacred lake called the Isheru.3 An enclosure wall of mud brick dating to the 30th Dynasty surrounds the Mut Temple, the Contra Temple, and Temples A, B, C, and D.3

Six hundred black granite statues were found in the courtyard to the temple of Mut.8 These findings were made there because when Thebes rose to greater prominence Mut absorbed the warrior goddesses Sekhmet and Bast as some of her aspects.8 The temple has been ravaged, many portions having been used in other structures.8

Theban Setting and Later Memorials

Amun, sometimes called Amen, was long the local tutelary deity of Thebes.5 The city does not appear to have been of great significance before the Eleventh Dynasty, and previous temple building there would have been relatively small, with shrines dedicated to the early deities of Thebes, the Earth goddess Mut and Montu.5 The earliest known artifact found in the area of the temple is a small, eight-sided column from the Eleventh Dynasty that mentions Amun-Re.5

The Ramesseum is the memorial temple, or mortuary temple, of Pharaoh Ramesses II, called Ramesses the Great.9 Its design adheres to the standard canons of New Kingdom temple architecture.9 Unlike the massive stone temples that Ramesses ordered carved from the face of the Nubian mountains at Abu Simbel, the inexorable passage of three millennia was not kind to his temple of a million years at Thebes.9

To the rear of the Luxor Temple are chapels built by Amenhotep III of the 18th Dynasty, and Alexander.10 During the Roman era the temple and its surroundings were a legionary fortress and the home of the Roman government in the area.10

The complex as a whole is a vast mix of temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt.1 The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut, meaning "The Most Selected of Places", and served as the main place of worship of the 18th Dynastic Theban Triad, with the god Amun as its head.1 It is part of the monumental city of Thebes, and in 1979 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the rest of the city.1

The history of the Karnak complex is largely the history of Thebes and its changing role in the culture.5 The sandstone for the temple, including all of the columns, was transported from Gebel Silsila 100 miles (161 km) south on the Nile river.4

The Precinct of Mut is an Ancient Egyptian temple compound located in the present city of Luxor, on the east bank of the Nile in South Karnak, and the compound is one of the four key ancient temples that creates the Karnak Temple Complex.3

The Ramesseum was originally called the House of millions of years of Usermaatra-setepenra that unites with Thebes-the-city in the domain of Amun.9 Ramesses II modified, usurped, or constructed many buildings from the ground up, and the most splendid of these, in accordance with New Kingdom royal burial practices, would have been his memorial temple: a place of worship dedicated to pharaoh, god on earth, where his memory would have been kept alive after his death.9

Luxor Temple was one of the two primary temples on the east bank, the other being Karnak.10 Unlike the other temples in Thebes, Luxor temple is not dedicated to a cult god or a deified version of the pharaoh in death.10 Georges Daressy reported in 1893 that at Luxor the road is buried and couldn't be excavated because it lay below the groundwater level, whereas at Karnak nearly a kilometer of it is visible.7

Thebes' exact placement was unknown in medieval Europe, though both Herodotus and Strabo give the exact location of Thebes and how long up the Nile one must travel to reach it.6 Several European authors of the 15th and 16th centuries who visited only Lower Egypt and published their travel accounts, such as Joos van Ghistele and André Thévet, put Thebes in or close to Memphis.6 In 2009 UCLA launched a website dedicated to virtual reality digital reconstructions of the Karnak complex and other resources.11

3. Precinct of Mut

The Precinct of Mut is an Ancient Egyptian temple compound located in the present city of Luxor (ancient Thebes), on the east bank of the Nile in South Karnak 3. The compound comprises the Mut Temple, the Contra Temple, and Temples A, B, C, and D 3. An enclosure wall of mud brick dating to the 30th Dynasty surrounds these structures 3. Six hundred black granite statues were found in the courtyard to her temple 8.

The compound lies approximately 325 m (355 yd) south of the precinct of the god Amun 3. On three sides of the Mut Temple proper runs a sacred lake called the Isheru 3. The precinct is one of the parts of Karnak closed to the public, together with the Precinct of Montu and the dismantled Temple of Amenhotep IV 2. Smaller temples and sanctuaries connect it with the Precinct of Amun-Re and the Luxor Temple 2.

Along the way stand the original 1,057 statues, divided into three shapes; the first is a lion's body with a ram's head, erected on an area of approximately 1,000 feet between the Karnak temple and the Precinct of Mut during the reign of the New Kingdom ruler Tutankhamun 7.

The city of Thebes does not appear to have been of great significance before the Eleventh Dynasty, and earlier temple building there would have been relatively small, with shrines dedicated to the early deities of Thebes, the Earth goddess Mut and Montu 5. When Thebes rose to greater prominence, Mut absorbed the warrior goddesses Sekhmet and Bast as some of her aspects 8.

4. Avenue of Sphinxes

The avenue held an original series of 1,057 statues arranged along its course7. These figures fall into three distinct shapes7. The first of these shapes combines a lion's body with a ram's head and was erected across an area of approximately 1,000 feet between the Karnak temple and the Precinct of Mut during the reign of Tutankhamun, ruler of the New Kingdom7.

Knowledge of the avenue at Luxor began with its first trace, found in 1949 when the Egyptian archaeologist Mohammed Zakaria Ghoneim discovered eight statues near the Luxor Temple7. A further 17 statues were uncovered from 1958 to 19617. Between 1961 and 1964 another 55 were unearthed, all within a perimeter of 250 meters7.

Georges Daressy reported in 1893 that at Luxor the road lies buried and could not be excavated because it lay below the groundwater level7. At Karnak, by contrast, nearly a kilometer of the road is visible7.

5. History of Construction and Development

The story of the Karnak complex is inseparable from the story of Thebes and from the shifting place that city held within the culture of ancient Egypt. Before the Eleventh Dynasty the city does not appear to have been of great significance, and the temple building undertaken there in earlier times would have been relatively small, consisting of shrines dedicated to the early deities of Thebes, the Earth goddess Mut and Montu 5. The earliest known artifact recovered from the area of the temple is a small, eight-sided column from the Eleventh Dynasty, which mentions Amun-Re 5. Amun was long the local tutelary deity of Thebes, and the fortunes of his sanctuary rose with those of the city that honored him.

Major construction work in the Precinct of Amun-Re took place during the Eighteenth Dynasty, when Thebes became the capital of the unified Ancient Egypt 5.

What sets Karnak apart from other Egyptian temples is the length of time over which it was developed and used. The original temple was destroyed and partially restored by Hatshepsut, and the temple has been ravaged, with portions of its fabric used in other structures.

The precinct of Amun-Re is the largest of the precincts of the temple complex and is dedicated to Amun-Re, the chief deity of the Theban Triad 4. The sandstone used for this temple, including all of its columns, was brought from Gebel Silsila 100 miles (161 km) south on the Nile river 4. The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut, "The Most Selected of Places", and served as the main place of worship of the 18th Dynastic Theban Triad, with the god Amun at its head 1.

The complex is a vast open site that includes the Karnak Open Air Museum 2. The name Karnak is often understood as referring to the Precinct of Amun-Re alone, since this is the only part most visitors see 2. It forms part of the monumental city of Thebes, and in 1979 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the rest of the city 1.

The Precinct of Mut is an Ancient Egyptian temple compound in the present city of Luxor, on the east bank of the Nile in South Karnak, and it is one of the four key ancient temples that make up the Karnak Temple Complex 3. It lies approximately 325 m (355 yd) south of the precinct of the god Amun 3. Six hundred black granite statues were found in the courtyard to her temple 8.

Knowledge of the site in Europe developed slowly. Thebes' exact placement was unknown in medieval Europe, though both Herodotus and Strabo give the exact location of Thebes and how long up the Nile one must travel to reach it 6. Several European authors of the 15th and 16th centuries who visited only Lower Egypt and published their travel accounts, such as Joos van Ghistele and André Thévet, put Thebes in or close to Memphis 6. Georges Daressy reported in 1893 that at Luxor the road is buried and could not be excavated because it lay below the groundwater level, whereas at Karnak nearly a kilometer of it is visible 7. In 2009 UCLA launched a website dedicated to virtual reality digital reconstructions of the Karnak complex and other resources 11.

6. European Knowledge and Documentation

The exact placement of Thebes was unknown in medieval Europe, even though both Herodotus and Strabo record the precise location of Thebes and how far up the Nile a traveller must go to reach it 6. Several European authors of the 15th and 16th centuries who visited only Lower Egypt and published their travel accounts, among them Joos van Ghistele and André Thévet, accordingly put Thebes in or close to Memphis 6.

The first European description of the Karnak temple complex was written by an unknown Venetian in 1589 and is housed in the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze, although the account gives no name for the complex 6. A later stage of documentation is represented by Ippolito Rosellini's transcription of hieroglyphs from the great obelisk of Karnak in 1828 6.

7. Associated Temples: Ramesseum and Luxor

The Ramesseum is the memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II at Thebes, and it was originally called the House of millions of years of Usermaatra-setepenra that unites with Thebes-the-city in the domain of Amun9. Oriented northwest and southeast, the temple itself comprised two stone pylons one after the other, each leading into a courtyard9. Each of these gateways measured some 60 metres (200 ft) wide9.

The inexorable passage of three millennia was not kind to this "temple of a million years" at Thebes9. That fate stands in contrast to the massive stone temples that Ramesses ordered carved from the face of the Nubian mountains at Abu Simbel9.

Luxor Temple stood as one of the two primary temples on the east bank, the other being Karnak10. It is not dedicated to a cult god or to a deified version of the pharaoh in death10. Its dedication was instead to the rejuvenation of kingship, and it may have been the place where many pharaohs of Egypt were crowned in reality or conceptually, as in the case of Alexander the Great, who claimed he was crowned at Luxor but may never have traveled south of Memphis, near modern Cairo10. Excavations there discovered a "porch of drunkenness" built onto the temple by the pharaoh Hatshepsut during the height of her twenty-year reign8.

The avenue linking the two temples has its own record of discovery. Georges Daressy reported in 1893 that at Luxor the road is buried and couldn't be excavated because it lay below the groundwater level, whereas at Karnak nearly a kilometer of it is visible7. The first trace of the avenue at Luxor was found in 1949 when Egyptian archaeologist Mohammed Zakaria Ghoneim discovered eight statues near the Luxor Temple, with 17 more statues uncovered from 1958 to 1961 and 55 unearthed from 1961 to 1964 all within a perimeter of 250 meters7.

The Precinct of Mut is an Ancient Egyptian temple compound located in the present city of Luxor (ancient Thebes), on the east bank of the Nile in South Karnak3. It is one of the four key ancient temples that creates the Karnak Temple Complex3. The precinct contains at least six temples: the Mut Temple, the Contra Temple, and Temples A, B, C, and D3. Surrounding these is an enclosure wall made of mud brick dating to the 30th Dynasty3. A few smaller temples and sanctuaries also connect the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Amun-Re, and the Luxor Temple2.

Karnak gets its name from the nearby, and partly surrounded, modern village of El-Karnak, 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) north of Luxor1. What distinguishes Karnak from most other temples and sites in Egypt is the length of time over which it was developed and used2.

8. Modern Research and Digital Resources

In 2009 UCLA launched a website dedicated to virtual reality digital reconstructions of the Karnak complex and other resources11.

The complex's modern name derives from the nearby village of el-Karnak, a name meaning "fortified village"1. The site lies 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) north of Luxor, and the village itself is partly surrounded1. In ancient times the area was known as Ipet-isut, "The Most Selected of Places", and served as the principal place of worship for the Theban Triad of the 18th Dynasty, with the god Amun at its head1. The complex as a whole comprises a vast mix of temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings1, and it forms part of the monumental city of Thebes, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 19791.

The site is a vast open expanse that includes the Karnak Open Air Museum2. The name Karnak is often understood as referring only to the Precinct of Amun-Re, since that is the only part most visitors see2. That precinct is the largest of the complex's precincts and is dedicated to Amun-Re, chief deity of the Theban Triad4. The sandstone used for its temple, including all of the columns, was transported from Gebel Silsila 100 miles (161 km) south along the Nile4.

The Precinct of Mut is an Ancient Egyptian temple compound in the present city of Luxor, on the east bank of the Nile in South Karnak3. It is one of the four key ancient temples that together create the Karnak Temple Complex3. Six hundred black granite statues were found in the courtyard of her temple8, and the temple has been ravaged, with many of its portions used in other structures8. Across the east bank, Luxor temple was one of the two primary temples, the other being Karnak10. Unlike the other temples in Thebes, Luxor temple is not dedicated to a cult god or to a deified version of the pharaoh in death10; it is dedicated instead to the rejuvenation of kingship and may have been where many pharaohs of Egypt were crowned, in reality or conceptually, as in the case of Alexander the Great, who claimed he was crowned at Luxor but may never have traveled south of Memphis, near modern Cairo10.

The Ramesseum is the memorial, or mortuary, temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II9. It was originally called the House of millions of years of Usermaatra-setepenra that unites with Thebes-the-city in the domain of Amun9. The history of the Karnak complex is largely the history of Thebes and its changing role in the culture5.

Thebes' exact placement was unknown in medieval Europe, though both Herodotus and Strabo give the exact location of Thebes and how long up the Nile one must travel to reach it6. Several European authors of the 15th and 16th centuries who visited only Lower Egypt and published their travel accounts, such as Joos van Ghistele and André Thévet, nonetheless put Thebes in or close to Memphis6. Georges Daressy reported in 1893 that at Luxor the road is buried and could not be excavated because it lay below the groundwater level, whereas at Karnak nearly a kilometer of it is visible7.

9. Key dates

  • 1589
    Hieroglyphs from the great obelisk of Karnak, transcribed by Ippolito Rosellin…
    Hieroglyphs from the great obelisk of Karnak, transcribed by Ippolito Rosellini in 1828 The first European description of the Karnak temple complex was by an unknown Venetian in 1589 and is housed in the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze , although his account gives no nam
  • 1668
    Karnak ("Carnac") as a village name, and name of the complex, is first atteste…
    Karnak ("Carnac") as a village name, and name of the complex, is first attested in 1668, when two capuchin missionary brothers, Protais and Charles François d'Orléans, travelled though the area.
  • 1704
    Photograph of the temple complex taken in 1914, Cornell University Library The…
    Photograph of the temple complex taken in 1914, Cornell University Library The first drawing of Karnak is found in Paul Lucas ' travel account of 1704, ( Voyage du Sieur Paul Lucas au Levant ).
  • 1893
    Georges Daressy reported in 1893 that at Luxor the road is buried and couldn't…
    Georges Daressy reported in 1893 that at Luxor the road is buried and couldn't be excavated because it lay below the groundwater level, whereas at Karnak nearly a kilometer of it is visible.
  • 1923
    Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection (before 1923) The histo…
    Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection (before 1923) The history of the Karnak complex is largely the history of Thebes and its changing role in the culture.
  • 1949
    The first trace of the avenue (at Luxor) was found in 1949 when Egyptian archa…
    The first trace of the avenue (at Luxor) was found in 1949 when Egyptian archaeologist Mohammed Zakaria Ghoneim discovered eight statues near the Luxor Temple with 17 more statues uncovered from 1958 to 1961 and 55 unearthed from 1961 to 1964 all within a perimeter of 250 meters.
  • 1979
    It is part of the monumental city of Thebes, and in 1979 it was added to
    It is part of the monumental city of Thebes, and in 1979 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the rest of the city.

10. Frequently asked questions

What was the second shape of the avenue's statues?

The second shape is a full ram statue, built in a remote area during the eighteenth dynasty of Amenhotep III, before being transferred later to the Karnak complex 7.

Where did the sandstone for the temple and its columns come from?

The sandstone for this temple, including all of the columns, was transported from Gebel Silsila 100 miles (161 km) south on the Nile river 4.

Was Luxor Temple dedicated to a god?

Unlike the other temples in Thebes, Luxor temple is not dedicated to a cult god or a deified version of the pharaoh in death 10. Instead, it is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship, and it may have been where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned in reality or conceptually 10.

What was found at Luxor Temple relating to Hatshepsut?

Temple excavations at Luxor discovered a "porch of drunkenness" built onto the temple by the pharaoh Hatshepsut, during the height of her twenty-year reign 8.

Which pharaoh's cartouches were overwritten at Karnak?

Cartouches of Seti I were usurped and overwritten by those of Ramesses II 5.

What happened to the original temple before later building?

The original temple was destroyed and partially restored by Hatshepsut, although another pharaoh built around it in order to change the focus or orientation of the sacred area 2.

References (11)

11 sources · Web 11

  1. 1Karnak — wiki — Wikipedia Web↩View source
  2. 2Karnak — sec2 — Wikipedia Web↩View source
  3. 3Karnak — mut — Reference Web↩View source
  4. 4Karnak — sec6 — Wikipedia Web↩View source
  5. 5Karnak — sec4 — Wikipedia Web↩View source
  6. 6Karnak — sec5 — Wikipedia Web↩View source
  7. 7Karnak — sphinxes — Reference Web↩View source
  8. 8Karnak — sec8 — Wikipedia Web↩View source
  9. 9Karnak — ramesseum — Reference Web↩View source
  10. 10Karnak — temple — Reference Web↩View source
  11. 11Karnak — sec3 — Wikipedia Web↩View source

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