The Egyptian Temples

(The Conception and the Architectural Elements)

Fig. 1-4

The Conception and Nomination

It is well known that the ancient Egyptian believed in god since the very beginning
of his history. The reason for that was a benefit he hoped from this god, or a
danged he wanted to avoid. He also thought that the world had prevailed out of
Nwn “The primordial water” in the primordial darkness @Hw. Then,
the god came into existence on that new world which was created as a low mud
island called &A Tnn “The Primeval Hill”. Some demi-gods picked up a
piece of reed that had been drifted ashore, and stuck it into the ground close to the
water’s edge1.

The following events were mentioned in the texts recorded on the walls of the
Egyptian temples, which were erected under the Ptolemies. According to the Edfu
Temple, when the chaos reigned, there was yet no god. Then a falcon came out of
the gloom to settle on the reed stuck on the primeval hill and blessed it. Becoming
a sacred place, the island had to be protected. Therefore, a simple reed-wall seems
to have been built around the reed forming something like a small chamber, and
the bird perched upon it. When the water receded, the island grew bigger and it
was possible then to enlarge the sacred area, which might be considered as the
original temple, by adding new rooms on the slope of the hill till it became a
complete complex built entirely out of the reeds.
Being built on the top of the island before the receded of the water, the first
chamber of the temple was slightly higher than the other rooms; and was situated
at the far end of the complex. This chamber became, as we will see, the sanctuary
in the developed temples2.

As for the conception of the temple in the Egyptian texts, we find that it was
described once as a sarcophagus where the sun sleeps and emerges every day.
According to another text, the temple was considered as mini-picture of the world;
its angles are the ‘heaven’s pillars’; its sanctuary is the ‘horizon’; and its doors are
the ‘horizon’ doors’. This is perhaps the reason for which the ceiling of the temple

1
G.Pinch, Egyptian Myghology, A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses and Traditions of Ancient Egypt, Oxford (2003),
p.1-2
2
Ibid., p.4
were decorated to look like the sky with its stars; and the columns were toped with
plant capitals to symbolize the fertile land of Egypt. It is to be noted as well that
the gradient of the temple’s floor increases gradually until the sanctuary lying at
the highest level of the building. This idea, which was perhaps inspired from the
original construction that had been built on the ‘primeval hill’, allowed time for the
successive stages of purity necessary to approach the god.

We mentioned above that the Island of Creation was the place where the first god
had alighted and found protection. Thus, it was natural that the Egyptians regarded
the temple as @wt-nTr (= The House of the God)3, or r-pr (=The
4
House) . Although the form of the deity varied in the different localities, the temple
was always the sacred place to house the statue of the god.

Settling in his temple, the god needed to be served. This was the task of certain
types of people called the @mw-nTr “the priests” (lit. the Servants of the
God). The level of those personnel varied according to their function, but they
were responsible of the god’s protection against any aggressive power and his
provision with food, drink, and amusement. These needs used to be fulfilled during
specific rituals. Some of these ceremonies were daily and others were occasional;
but in the end, the purpose was to ensure the immortality of the god5.

The Divine Temple throughout History

Tracing the development of temple throughout the different periods of Egyptian

history is not an easy task owing to the lack of existing monuments from the early
times when buildings were made of reed and mud (Fig. 1)6.

a b c d

Fig. 1. Early shrines

a- The shrine of Upper Egypt (Early Dynastic Period)

3
W. Helck, LÄ VI, col.363-365
4
H.Kees, Der Gotterglaube in alten Agypten, p.12f
5
Kees, Priestertum, p.19
6
A.Badawi, Le desssin architectural chez les anciens Egyptiens, p.17
b- The shrine of Upper Egypt (IIIrd Dynasty)
c- The shrine of Lower Egypt
d- The temple of goddess Neith

The very early sanctuaries were reconstructed according to the scattered evidences
represented on some artifacts.

The first known temple dated to the Early Dynastic Period was discovered at
Abydos. It was dedicated to god Khenty-Imentyw, the foremost of the westerns and
the ancient deity of Abydos. From the remains of its foundation, we know that it
consisted of two successive halls and a vestibule from which opens a sanctuary
flanked by two chambers (Fig. 2). This design might have been the origin of the
three-chapels-temple of the Middle and New Kingdoms.

Fig. 2. The Temple of Khenty-Imentyw at Abydos

Apart from what was mentioned above, we know from the Palermo Stone that king
Khaskhemwy built a temple at Hierakonpolis (modern El-Kôm El-Ahmar near
Edfu). From the remains that were found from the temple (an inscribed stone-lintel
and a fragment of another one), it is certain that the Egyptian started to use the
stone in some architectural elements before using it in the walls7.

As for the divine temples of the old Kingdom, we have only the one that was built
by king #a.f Ra for Hor-Akhety beside the sphinx and the so-called sun temples
built by the kings of the 5th Dynasty8. It is also worthy to mention that the latter had
perhaps witnessed the erection of the first obelisk ever placed in a divine temple.
The surviving monuments of the 1st Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdom
are very few. The only example of the 1st Intermediate Period is a mud brick
temple of Osiris in El-Medamood (North of Luxor)9. It consisted originally of a
façade leading into an open court followed by a corridor to be ended by a sacred
chapel.

7
J.E.Quibell, Hierakonopolis I, pl.1
8
W.von Bissing, Das Re-Heiligtum des Konigs Ne-Woser-Re , (1905)
9
Robichon-Varille, Description sommaire du temple primitive de Medamoud, (19400, P.1-2, 4,9-12
The temples built by the Middle Kingdoms kings were destroyed during the
Hyksos invasion. However, we may mention some of them as follows:

 A mud brick temple at Karnak;

 A mud brick temple built by Amonemhat I north-east of Cairo;
 The sun temple of Madinet Madi (to the west of Fayum) that was dedicated
by both of Amonemhat III and IV to the Crocodile god Sobek, Horus, and
the harvest goddess Renenoutet;
 The temple of El-Tod (south of Luxor), established during the 11 th Dynasty
and reconstructed by Senwsret I;
 Remains of a temple, built at El Medamood during the Middle Kingdom,
found reused inside another one constructed in the Ptolemic era;
 The limestone bark-stations of Senwsret I used as filling blocks inside the 3rd
Pylon of Karnak;
 Finally, we know that a temple was erected at Madinet Habu by the king of
the Middle Kingdom.

Starting from the beginning of the New Kingdom, the temple used to have a
specific from that will be the issue of the next lines10.

The Architectural Elements of the Temple

The Egyptian temple consists mainly of: Pylon(s), Open court(s), Hypostyle
Hall(s), Sanctuary (ies), and some additional rooms. These parts, lying on one
axis, are divided by a central alley leading from the main entrance till the
sanctuary. It is worth mentioning that the axes of the temples were either East-
West, or North-South (see below). The temple could be linked with the Nile
through an artificial canal that ends with a small quay where the sacred boat could
be moored to visit other temples during the festivals, or where the boats loaded
with gifts and donations presented by the king were docked.

We may also find that some temples were preceded by a “dromos”11 that used to be
called WAt-nTr12 or &A mit rhnt. At the end of
this dromos, which was the processional way, is a long avenue flanked by statues

10
A. Badawy., A History of Egyptian Architecture, Giza (1954), vol. II
11
This is a Greek term meaning the “course"
12
WB VI 154-155
of sphinxes13, we find that the facade of the temple, known as Bxnt,
consists of two towers. Some Egyptologists interpreted these two towers as a
modification of the two mountains of the hieroglyphic sign Axt (= horizon),
between which the god rises; so the god’s statue shines in the middle of the two
towers in the same way the solar disk shines between the two mountains.
According to some other scholars, they are a symbolic representation of the two
protector goddesses Isis and Nephtys14.

We know from a text found at Karnak that Amonhotep I erected a pylon made of
mud bricks (now lost), but the oldest surviving pylon made of stone is the one built
by Tuthmoses I in the same site (4th pylon of Amon-Ra’s temple). From then
onwards, the pylon became the traditional facade of the Egyptian temple that used
to be built entirely out of stone15.

The thicknesses of the two sloping towers of the pylon are bigger at the bottom
than at the top that is surmounted by the Egyptian cornice 3. The corners of the
buildings used to be modeled in the form of the torus16. In each tower, we find two
or more long slots carved in the masonry where great flag staves were reared
against the face of the building. These flag staves used to be held in position by
clamps of wood projected from the windows which can be seen in some of the
pylons (Fig. 3).

Decorating the pylons of the temple with flag staves reminds us with the flags that
adorned the facade of the temple of Neith in the Archaic Period (Fig. 1 d). As for
the flag itself, originally the sign nTr which is the ideogram for god’s notion in the
ancient Egyptian language and therefore, it became a mark of the temple or the
sacred place. The core of each one of the two towers used to be decorated with the
traditional scene, which was found in the first time on the Naarmer pallete,
representing the king smiting his enemies in front of the main god (s) of the temple
who gives him the curved dagger. Some statues representing the king seated or
standing might be found also before the façade17.
13
sphinx is hybrid creature with a lion body. There are in fact three types of
the statues: (a) Androsphinx which is a human-headed lion; (b) Criosphinx is represented as ram-headed lion; (c)
Hiracosphix is a falcon-headed lion statue.
14
65 ‫ ص‬,)1990( ‫ دار النهضة‬, ‫ االقصر‬,‫ تاريخ العمارة فى مصر القديمة‬,‫سيد توفيق‬
15
T.Dombardt, Der zweiturmige Tempelpylon altagyptischer Baukunst und seine Religiose Symbolic, New York
(1933), p.23
3
The base of the cornice is flat while its upper part is an imitation of the arched rafter of the palm reeds that
decorated the façade of Egyptian houses.
16
This is a stone transposition of stands made originally of mats with reedy bunches on the corners.
17
66 ‫ ص‬,‫ المرجع السابق‬,‫سيد توفيق‬
 Fig. 3. The Façade of Egyptian Temple

Entering the temple, we sometimes find that two obelisks flank the entrance. The
Ancient Egyptian called the monument in question &xn, and considered it as
the symbol of the solar-god Ra. The obelisk is surmounted by the Bnbn 18“the
pyramidion” that used to be gelded by a golden layer to reflect the sun rays.
According to the Egyptian tradition recorded by Herodot, the sacred bird of the
solar-god named bnw “Gr. Phoenix”, used to appear every 400 years and perch
upon the obelisk. It is to be mentioned as well that four baboons sometimes
decorate the base of the obelisk. As the baboon was the sacred animal of god Thot,
the substitute of Ra he was supposed to announce the rising of the sun-god19.

Fig. 4. The winged sun-disk

The temple can be entered through the main gate that lies between the two towers
of the pylon. This gate and the other doors of the temple are usually surmounted by

18
We find in the tomb of Sety I a mention of a god called Benbety who was considered to be one of the 75 forms of
Ra.
19
Helck,, LA IV 542-545; L.Habachi, The Obelisks of Egypt, (London 1978), p.12
a representation of the falcon god Horus of Behedt, who was the symbol of
protection20

Through the great gate, which used to be closed by a gigantic double-leafs door
made of wood gelded by the alloy of the electrum (gold and silver), we enter a
great open court wsxt Hbyt “the Festivals Hall”. The function of
this court, which is surrounded by a colonnade to protect the scenes represented on
the walls, was dedicated either to the feats of Ra or to host the king and the nobles
to watch the ceremonies of any other festival. The scenes might represent royal
events (purification, coronation, or making libation), or recording the wars that had
been gained by the king21.

The ceiling of the Hypostyle Hall, which was called wsxt Hayt “the
Hall of Rising”, is supported by several rows of columns and decorated with stars
or scenes related to the sky. The shining refers here to the god's statue when he
comes out of the sanctuary. As for the scenes decorating this part of the temple
onwards, they are of a religious nature representing the god receiving the offerings
in the daily rituals or during the festival’s procession. Sometimes, they show the
dedication ceremonies of the temple22.

We reach now to the most sacred place of the temple that was allowed only to the
king, or the high-priest on his behalf, to penetrate. In this place, called %t wrt
“the great place” or “the holy of the holies”, settled the statue of the god inside the
Naos or his sacred bark. The scenes of this chapel show the daily rituals of the god
(such as opening the Naos, worshipping the god, making the libation, making
offering) that was executed at least three times23.

We must notice that the floor of the temple gradually rises starting from Hypostyle
hall until we reach the sanctuary (see above the conception of the temple). The
height of the ceiling, the width of the doors, and the amount of lighting 24must be
20
According to the Egyptian mythology, a revolution broke out to stop the sun-god during his journey from the East
to the West. R' entrusted Horus of Behedt (Edfu) to crush the rebels. Horns defeated them in many battles, but after
killing them, they reappeared in the form of crocodiles and hippopotami. Therefore, as he took the form of a winged
sun-disk flanked by tow cobras, they died outright. Since then, this form became a symbol of protection not only for
the gods but also for the kings.
21
67 ‫ ص‬,‫ المرجع السابق‬,‫سيد توفيق‬
22
E.Hornung, Conception of the God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many, translated by J.Baines, London
(1982), p.45
23
70 ‫ ص‬,‫ المرجع السابق‬,‫ ;سيد توفيق‬D.Arnold, Wandrelief und Raumfunktion in agyptischen Tempel, MAES 2, Berlin
(19420, p.7
24
The illumination of the Egyptian temple was direct in the open court, or indirect in the inner parts. The inner halls
and chambers are lit by the sunrays that penetrate these parts through halls executed either in the walls or the ceiling.
decreased as we go inside in order to make some kind of concentration on the most
sacred and mysterious place of the building, which is the sanctuary. Approaching
this chamber is in fact a gradual movement from light to shadow, reaching the total
darkness in the private room of the god where he dwelt.

Finally, the whole sacred area, which consists of the temple, the annex, and
sometimes the sacred lake, used to be surrounded by an enclosure wall used to be
built of the mud-brick. As for the issues of the axis and the decorations of the
temple, they will be treated individually according to the case of each temple 25.

This is the general design of the Egyptian temple that might be extended by adding
some other halls and chambers either by the same king who erected it or his
successors. Therefore, we may say that the temple must not only be considered as a
religious foundation, but as a big museum reflecting the architectural and artistic
aspects of the ancient Egyptian civilization.

Selected References for this Chapter

1- Arnold D., “Tempelarchitekture”, in LÄ VI, cols. 359-363, and notes.
2- Badawy Al., A History of Egyptian Architecture I: From the Earliest
Times to the End of the Old Kingdom, Giza, 1954.

25
D.Arnold, LA VI 359-363
3- --------------, A History of Egyptian Architecture 2: The First Intermediate
Period, The Middle Kingdom and The Second Intermediate Period,
Berkeley, 1966.
4- Reymond A. E., The Origin of the Egyptian Temple, New York, 1969.
5- Shafer B. E., “Temple, Priests, and Rituals: an Overview”, in Temples in
Ancient Egypt, edited by Byron E. Shafer, London, 1998, pp. 1-30.
6- Smith E. B., Egyptian Architecture as Cultural Expression, New York,
1938.
7- ----------------, The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt, Great Britain,
1958.
8- Spencer P., The Egyptian Temple, A Lexicographical Study, London, 1984.
9- Vandier J., Manuel d’Archéologie Égyptienne: Les Éléments de
l’Architecture, Paris, 1924.
10- ---------, Manuel d’Archéologie Égyptienne I: Les Époques de
Formation. La Préhistoire: Les Trois Premières Dynasties, paris 1952.
11- ---------, Manuel d’Archéologie Égyptienne II: Les Grandes
Époques. L’Architecture Funéraire, Paris, 1954.
12- ---------, Manuel d’Archéologie Égyptienne III: Les Grandes
Époques. L’Architecture Religieuse et Civile, Paris, 1955.