To archaeologists, Luxor is a dream. To tourists, it’s a wonderful place offering the best of glimpses into the ancient Egyptian world one can get. If you want to follow in the footsteps of the Pharaohs, Luxor is a must-see. Whether in real-life or pictures, Luxor brings the days of the Golden Age back to life.
Located in Upper Egypt, on the east bank of the Nile River, Luxor is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. Its name has changed, but its brilliance has withstood the test of time. Referred to in the Bible as Thebes, this metropolis was known to ancient Greeks under the same name.
In Arabic, the name Luxor means “The Palaces” and in ancient times the place was known as “The city of Hundred Doors“.
Thebes is mentioned five times in the Bible, and the Holy Book reveals this great capital of Upper Egypt during the New Kingdom was considered a hostile place to the Israelites.
“The Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to punish Amon, god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt, her gods, and her kings—Pharaoh and those trusting in him.” (Jer 46:25)
The splendid city of Amun, a god who was a member of Ogdoad of Hermopolis was once a cult center. “The Hermopolitan concept of the Ogdoad pantheon was widely acknowledged throughout Egypt, and Medinet Habu located in western Thebes was regarded as the mortuary cult-place of the “deceased” Ogdoad’s eight primordial deities.” 1
During the Hyksos invasion, Thebes was attacked, and it took many years before the Egyptian civilization regained control over large parts of their kingdom.
Gigantic Karnak Complex Built With Advanced Ancient Technology
God Amun-Ra was worshipped in his temple in the Karnak Temples Complex. “Karnak represents one of the greatest temple complexes in the world. It is the result of combined architectural achievements of several generations of skilled ancient builders of Pharaonic Egypt.” 2
Karnak is “ is composed of three main compounds. The first, located in the center, is the precinct of Amun-Re with several minor temples; the next is the precinct of Amun’s consort, Mut, a self-created goddess, “who giveth birth, but was herself not born of any.”
Aerial view of the Karnak Temple. Image credit: Ahmed Bahloul Khier Galal – CC BY-SA 4.0
To the north is the smallest precinct of Montu, the falcon-headed god of war, “Lord of Thebes“. Karnak, with a spectacular collection of obelisks, stone statues, gigantic walls, and walls, offers much to see.” 2
Many aspects of the huge Karnak Temple complex are still shrouded in mystery and it seems this place has still not revealed all its secrets. It is assumed most of the original temple complex is still hidden under the city of Luxor and is inaccessible by archaeologists. It’s also unknown what advanced ancient technology its builders relied on to raise these giant statues and columns.
It Took Hundreds Of Years To Build The Luxor Temple
The incredible Luxor Temple, one of the most visited landmarks in Egypt was constructed over hundreds of years.
“Despite the presence of elements from Middle Kingdom buildings reused in its construction, the Luxor Temple can be traced back no earlier than the eighteenth dynasty. Perhaps the earliest reference to it in ancient records comes from the twenty-second year of the reign of Ahmose (c. 1548 BCE), on a pair of stelae left at Maasara quarry, in the hills of Memphis; this text records the extraction of limestone for a number of temples, including “the mansion of Amun in the Sou[thern] Sanctuary.”
Entrance to the Luxor Temple in Egypt. Credit: Olaf Tausch – CC BY-SA 3.0
When that building was constructed and what it looked like, are both unknown, for structural evidence appears a Luxor only during the joint reign of Hatshepsut (c. 1502-1482) and Thutmose III: these elements are built into the triple shrine erected by Ramesses II (c. 12034-1237) inside his first court, which reuses elements from an original chapel dedicated by these mid-eighteenth dynasty rulers. This small building had apparently been the last of six “rest stops” built along the road that brought Amun and his circle gods from Karnak to Luxor every year during the Opet festival.”
Source: nhadep99
