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Temple Facade
Ancient temples were considered to
be the residence of the god. The Karnak temple was the dwelling place of
Amon-Re, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu, the moon god. Construction continued on this temple for more than two millennia under
the belief that once building ceased, the temple "died." The temple was
a closed compound, open only to the priests and the pharaoh. The common
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Hypostyle Hall
Consisting of 134 columns, the
hypostyle hall was started by Seti I, but the majority of the
construction was done by Ramses II. The center columns are taller
than the others, and the windows would allow light to come in. This hall may have
been similar to Solomon’s "House of the Forest of Lebanon" (1 Kgs 7). |
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Thutmose's Canaanite City List
In Thutmose III's city lists,
hundreds of princes are depicted with hands tied behind their backs and
their cartouches on their shields. This is a depiction of the rulers of
the cities of Canaan that Thutmose III captured when Megiddo fell. All
the rulers, except the king of Kadesh, were trapped in Megiddo, and so
by the capture of Megiddo, Thutmose could say that it was as the capture
of a thousand cities. At Thutmose's death the Egyptian empire stretched
from the Euphrates to the Fourth Cataract, the greatest extent of
Egypt’s territory ever. |
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Ramses' Treaty
Ramses II's treaty with the Hittites
is one of the most important treaties in history. Originally written on
silver tablets in Heliopolis and Hattusus, a copy was found here on this
wall in the Karnak Temple. After years of inconclusive battles between
the Hittites and the Egyptians, Ramses II and the Hittite ruler
concluded an agreement by which Syria and Canaan would be divided
between them. On either side of this text are depictions of
Merneptah's battles in Canaan, including those against Ashkelon and
Israel. |
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Shishak's City List
Pharaoh Shishak (945-924 BC)
invaded Israel and Judah in 925 BC and carried off the treasures of
Jerusalem's temple. The Bible records the attack from Judah's
perspective (2 Chr 12), but Shishak's list gives much greater detail
including the names of 150 cities, most of which cannot be located
today. Scholars debate how to read this inscription, but most agree that
the following cities are mentioned: Taanach, Beth-Shean, Rehob, Mahanaim,
Gibeon, Beth-Horon, Megiddo, and Arad. |
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Sacred Lake
Every Egyptian temple had a sacred
lake, and the one at Karnak Temple was the largest. Used daily by the
priests for purification, the sacred lake was also used in festivals
during which images of the gods would travel across the lake in boats.
The lake measures 130 x 77 meters and was surrounded by storerooms and
homes of the priests. |
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Related Websites
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Karnak Great Hypostyle Hall
Project (University of Memphis) Extensive site describing the
most awe-inspiring of ancient buildings, including a general
description, a tour, and a bibliography. The site also describes
the pain-staking work of the team recording the inscriptions.
Karnak (TourEgypt.net) Detailed description of the temple's main
areas with links to further discussions.
Temple of Karnak (Mark Millmore's Ancient Egypt) Extensive virtual
tour of the temple with photos and an interactive map.
Karnak (Cruising the Nile) Contains only a brief introduction to the
site but has over 30 pictures of various features. Click on "Karnak
Picture Resource" to access the pictures.
Obelisk of Queen Hapshetsut (Places of Peace and Power) Good concise
explanation of the temple's obelisk and the function of obelisks in
general.
Karnak (Waikato Radiocarbon Dating) A tour through the temple
highlighting the major contributing Pharaohs. Provides several high
resolution photos.
Karnak - Temple of Amun (Bible History Online) A sketch of the
ancient temple marking its various features.
Luxor and Karnak (Personal Webpage) Several good pictures of the
site, but no text.
Karnak Temple (NOVA/PBS) This site features several 360 degree,
interactive images of the Karnak Temple, including the Temple of Ramses
III. Click on the blue dots on the map to see the various pictures.
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