Temples and Concepts in Ancient Egyptian Architecture

By RYAN MOORHEN

The earliest temples were simple huts made of plaited wickerwork, used as shrines for the symbols of God; the altar was nothing more than a mat made of reeds. In the earliest temples, a wall surrounds the name-stela, later covered with a roof. Temple construction became increasingly complex with the advent of the New Empire, although the plan remained virtually unchanged from the earliest to the latest. A sanctuary in the simplest form consisted of a surrounding wall, a pylon or entry gateway with flanking towers, before which two colossal statues of the king, two obelisks, and finally, the innermost sanctuary called the naos, which contained the divine symbols. Various additions included three pylons divided by three avenues of sphinxes, columned courts, and a hypostyle or columned hall. These Egyptian kings increased the size of their predecessors' buildings in this way.

A vast wall surrounded these temples, blocking all noise and bustle of the narrow streets of the crowded cities. On each side of the broad road that led up to the great pylon, the principal gateway were rows of lions, rams, or other sacred animals guarding the entrance. Two obelisks stood in front of the gateway and a statue of the king who founded the temple as protector. The door was flanked by two high, square towers sloping inward on either side. They were initially designed for defensive purposes, so the passage through the pylon could be successfully barred against all foes while sorties could be made from postern gates in the wall. Towers were fitted with sockets at the foot where tall masts were mounted. The gaily colored streamers waved in front of the great doors to keep away all evil, just as the Winged Disk, the symbol of the sun, did. These were usually made of wood, a valuable material in Egypt, and swathed in gold. Reliefs and inscriptions painted on the temple's outer walls depicted the deeds of the founder since the temple was as much a personal memorial as it was a shrine to the tutelary deity. An extraordinary court surrounded the pylon, usually only colonnaded on either side, but columns were running down the middle in more prominent temples, such as Karnak. Many citizens had the right to attend the great festivals held here. The hypostyle was entered by a low doorway, the windows close to the roof, so the light was dim, whereas the sanctuary was utterly and profoundly dark.

• Language: English
• Publisher: DTTV PUBLICATIONS
• Release date: Aug 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201926960

RYAN MOORHEN

Ryan Moorhen, now identified as a Biblical Archaeologist, Independent Assyriologist, Semitic and Cuneiform manuscripts researcher and enthusiast of all things ancient, made his first visit to the middle-east whilst serving in Iraq. It was during that difficult time he became enthralled in the origins of civilization. Upon his return  he embarked on his now long career in Theological Studies, carving his niche in Sumerian Theology and proving the connections between the Sumerian origins of civilization and Theological studies of Worldwide cultures.

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RYAN MOORHEN

Temple of the Egyptians

The earliest temples were simple huts made of plaited wickerwork, used as shrines for the symbols of God; the altar was nothing more than a mat made of reeds. In the earliest temples, a wall surrounds the name-stela, later covered with a roof. Temple construction became increasingly complex with the advent of the New Empire, although the plan remained virtually unchanged from the earliest to the latest. A sanctuary in the simplest form consisted of a surrounding wall, a pylon or entry gateway with flanking towers, before which two colossal statues of the king, two obelisks, and finally, the innermost sanctuary called the naos, which contained the divine symbols. Various additions included three pylons divided by three avenues of sphinxes, columned courts, and a hypostyle or columned hall. These Egyptian kings increased the size of their predecessors' buildings in this way.

A vast wall surrounded these temples, blocking all noise and bustle of the narrow streets of the crowded cities. On each side of the broad road that led up to the great pylon, the principal gateway were rows of lions, rams, or other sacred animals guarding the entrance. Two obelisks stood in front of the gateway and a statue of the king who founded the temple as protector. The door was flanked by two high, square towers sloping inward on either side. They were initially designed for defensive purposes, so the passage through the pylon could be successfully barred against all foes while sorties could be made from postern gates in the wall. Towers were fitted with sockets at the foot where tall masts were mounted. The gaily colored streamers waved in front of the great doors to keep away all evil, just as the Winged Disk, the symbol of the sun, did. These were usually made of wood, a valuable material in Egypt, and swathed in gold. Reliefs and inscriptions painted on the temple's outer walls depicted the deeds of the founder since the temple was as much a personal memorial as it was a shrine to the tutelary deity. An extraordinary court surrounded the pylon, usually only colonnaded on either side, but columns were running down the middle in more prominent temples, such as Karnak. Many citizens had the right to attend the great festivals held here. The hypostyle was entered by a low doorway, the windows close to the roof, so the light was dim, whereas the sanctuary was utterly and profoundly dark.

Places of Worship: Located in the center of the temple, this was the Holy Place. A rectangular box stood here, often with a latticework door in front. These vessels served as receptacles for sacred symbols or, in some cases, as a cage for holy animals. Sacred vestments, professional standards, sacred barks, temple furniture, etc., were stored in dark chambers on either side of the sanctuary. The roofs grew less lofty as the progression was from the blazing light of the first great court to the complete darkness of the Holy of Holies. Reliefs depicting religious rites and worship associated with the presiding deity adorn the inside walls and columns in brilliant colors.

Within the temenos, surrounded by a wall, there were other smaller temples, groves of sacred trees and birds, lakes on which the bark floated, and the priests' dwellings amidst the gardens. On the outside, holy ways led in different directions, some branching from temple to temple, through cities, villages, and fields, while side steps led down to the Nile, where boats were anchored.

Osiris

A significant figure in Egypt's pantheon, whose elements are hard to separate, is Osiris, or As-ar. In the earliest and simplest name form, two hieroglyphs represent a throne and an eye. However, their meaning is unclear. Its derivation was unknown even to the later Egyptians, for they thought it meant 'the Strength of the Eye'-that is, the strength of Ra, the sun god. However, the second syllable of the name, ar, may be related to Ra in some way, as we will see later. During ancient times, Osiris was considered the dead and underworld God. Ra occupied the same position in the land of the living as he did in that sphere. In addition, we must remember that the realm of the underworld was the realm of the Night.

It is unknown how Osiris came to be. It is unclear from the texts when or where his cult first developed, but it is inevitably much older than any text. His worship began in Abydos and Mendes during the early dynasties. His image appears on a mace-head found at Hieraconpolis and on a wooden plaque of Udy-mu (Den) or Hesepti, the fifth king of the First Dynasty, dancing before him. Based on this