Temple of Karnak: Where Creation Began
As our journey “Wander in Egypt” continues, we set foot into Luxor’s magnificent Temple of Karnak, a place revered by the people of ancient Thebes as the very genesis of creation.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★☆
A long avenue flanked by ram-headed sphinx leads to the Temple of Karnak in Luxor, Egypt, which is characterised by majestic pylon erected by Ramesses II. Image from the internet.
LUXOR, Egypt — Thebes was the ancient capital of the New Kingdom (ca. 1550-1070 B.C.). The prosperity of the kingdom gave rise to a plethora of artistic heritage and, among them, the Valley of the Kings, a labyrinth of underground galleries, and the nearby Temple of Hatshepsut dedicated to one of ancient Egypt’s most famous female pharaohs. But on the eastern bank of this ancient capital, or present-day Luxor, lies one of world’s largest religious complexes left to us by the people of ancient Thebes: The Temple of Karnak.
Though it remains a subject of debate, the name “Karnak seems to have derived from the Arabic word Khurnaq (خورنق), meaning “fortified village”. But over the centuries, this temple has had many names: it was referred to as Nesut-Towi (“Throne of the Two Lands”), Ipet-Iset ("The Finest of Seats"), and Ipetsut (“The Most Select of Places”).
These names derived from the ancient Egyptian belief that Thebes was the first city to be found on the primordial mound, from which waters of chaos rose at the beginning of the world. It was believed that the temple was erected on the very spot where the creator god Atum stood and began the work of creation.
What makes the Temple of Karnak different from other religious sites in Egypt is the length of time over which it was built and used. The temple’s construction began in the Middle Kingdom (ca. 2030–1650 B.C.) and continued into Ptolemaic times (305–30 B.C.), with approximately thirty pharaohs contributing to this project. The addition of temples, shrines, statues and obelisks over time enabled the site to reach a size and complexity not seen elsewhere, turning it into a living testament of Egyptian architecture spanning over two millennia.
Those visiting Karnak for the first time would be — like I was — mesmerised by its sheer magnitude. Instead of calling it a temple, it’s perhaps more fitting to call it a “city of temples”, consisting of various sanctuaries that reflect ancient Egyptian beliefs.
Before walking into the temple gate, a stone-paved avenue laid before its entrance caught my attention. Known as the Avenue of Sphinxes, the road measures nearly three kilometres long, and was used as a processional way that connects Karnak to the nearby Luxor Temple. In ancient times, a statue of Amun would be carried from Karnak, down the Avenue of the Sphinxes, into Luxor Temple on Opet Festival.
The Avenue of Sphinxes derives its name from the row of ram-headed sphinxes — depicted in crouching position — that flanks the avenue. As a symbol of fertility and the sacred animal of god Amun, these sphinxes were erected by King Ramesses II (reigned 1279–1213 B.C.), whom the prosperity referred to as Ramesses the Great. At a closer look, it’s not hard to notice that there’s a figure standing between the paws of the sphinx, and whose head supports the creature’s mouth. This royal figure — a depiction of the pharaoh himself — ensured the king to be reborn in the afterlife from the flesh of this sacred animal.
This 3,400-year-old processional way connecting two of the city’s most iconic temples only came to light in the mid-20th century, and was recently restored and unveiled to the public in an effort to boost tourism to the city.
Figurine of Ramesses The Great is found between the sphinx’s paws. This ensured the king to be reborn in the afterlife from the flesh of this sacred animal.
Reliefs of kings and royal cartouches can be found on the columns the Great Hypostyle Hall, which testifies to the succession of pharaohs who participated in this collaborative architectural project.
Leaving the Avenue of Sphinx behind me, I come to face the temple’s entrance, notable by a monumental gate known as “pylon”. Erected by Nectanebo (reigned 379-361 B.C.), these massive walls — measuring 129 metres wide and nearly 43 metres tall — fortified the temples, giving it an air of majesty and solemnity. Though it was never completed, it’s nonetheless the most grandiose of the temple’s gates.
Upon entering the gate, we arrive at the biggest of all the temple courts in Egypt, the First Courtyard. The courtyard contains structures that was built as early the time of Horemheb (ca. 1333-1306 B.C.) who built the Second Pylon — the wall that divides the First Courtyard and the temple’s renowned Great Hall.
Although Karnak was the primary cult centre of Amun, it was also home to other gods. Inside the First Courtyard, for instance, a triple repository chapel built by Seti II (reigned 1200-1194 B.C.) stored the sacred barques of the Theban triad: Amun; his wife, Mut; and their son, Khonsu.
Passing through the courtyard, one arrives at the temple’s Great Hypostyle Hall, a marvel of the New Kingdom architecture. One can’t but be awed by the 134 columns carved out of sandstone. These columns, with papyrus-crown capitals neatly arranged in 16 rows, covers an area of about 5,000 square metres.
These enormous pillars in Kanark is believed to have been designed in harmony with the sun and stars. Reliefs of kings and royal cartouches carved on the columns illustrate that they have been added and restored by different kings throughout the centuries — King Amenophis III (reigned 1390–1352 B.C.) erected 12 of the columns, while Kings Seti I (reigned 1294–1279 B.C.) and Ramesses II added the rest.
The pillars in this hall reach an imposing height between 15 and 21 metres. Those that flank the central axis, which leads us to the heart of the sanctuary, are clearly higher than those on the side, as if in competition with the celestial. Wandering through the hall, one feels dwarfed amidst this forest of columns, while witnessing how the subtle play of light and shadow that accentuates the divine atmosphere of the sanctuary.
The various heights of columns in the Great Hypostyle Hall resulted in a play of light, accentuating the divine atmosphere of the sanctuary.
The Sacred Lake of the Temple of Karnak in Luxor is by far the largest of its kind. Image from the internet.
Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut stands in the heart of Temple of Karnak, Luxor.
All ancient Egyptian temples had a sacred lake, so did the Temple of Karnak. To the south of the temple, there’s a glistening body of water in which priests would purify themselves before performing rituals inside the temple. The lake is by far the largest of its kind, and was filled with water from the Nile.
While statues of divinity and rituals performed in this place of worship are no longer visible, in the heart of the complex stands a prominent symbol: the obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut (reigned 1479–1458 B.C.). This obelisk, erected by one of the most influential female pharaoh in the history of ancient Egypt, measures nearly 30 metres tall, and remains the tallest obelisk standing in Egypt today.
Carved from red granite sourced from the quarries of southern Egypt, this obelisk stands as a testament to ancient craftsmanship. Prior to my visit to Karnak, I had the privilege of visiting an ancient granite quarry in Aswan, where the renowned Unfinished Obelisk lay on the ground. As I gazed upon the towering obelisk of Hatshepsut at Karnak, I couldn't help but ponder the incredible feat achieved by ancient Egyptians in erecting this colossal stone, weighing more than 300 tonnes.
The architectural marvels of Karnak stands as an embodiment of ancient Egyptian’s cult beliefs. Among the four main sections constituting the temple, only the largest is accessible to the public.
Similar to the ancient city of Thebes, which fell to the Assyrians in 667 B.C., much of Karnak’s original complex now lies beneath the city of Luxor. It's as if this location, where the genesis of creation is believed to have occurred, has paradoxically become the very place where it meets its end.
Architectural plan and chronology of the Temple of Karnak in Luxor, Egypt.
Tips for wanderer — make sure you also visit the following:
Luxor Temple
The Colossi of Memnon
This article is part of the series “Wander in Egypt”.
Reference:
Atiya, F. (2006). Ancient Egypt. Cairo, Egypt: Dar al-Mushaf
Vercoutter, J. (1992). The Search For Ancient Egypt. London, England: Thames & Hudson