Festival Hall of Thutmose III
Coordinates: 25°43′07″N 32°39′27″E / 25.71874°N 32.6574°E
The Festival Hall of Thutmose III (Akh-menu). It is normally translated as "the most glorious of monuments", but "monument to living spirit" is an alternative translation since akh can mean either glory or blessed/living spirit (For instance, Akhenaten is often translated as "living spirit of Aten"). It is located at the heart of the Precinct of Amun-Re, in the Karnak Temple Complex, in modern Luxor, Egypt.
Located at the end of the Middle Kingdom court, with its axis at right-angles to the main east-west axis of the temple, it was originally built to celebrate the jubilee (Hed-Sed) of Thutmose III, and later became used as part of the annual Opet Festival. It is seemingly decorated to echo a huge tent shrine, complete with awnings and tent poles.[1] In this temple, the Karnak king list, shows Thutmose III with some of the earlier kings that built parts of the temple complex.
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Layout[edit]
Built at the eastern end of Karnak's main axis, and enclosed in its own walls, this building is little understood and its exact purpose is still unclear.[2] It consists of three main parts, a suite of rooms dedicated to Sokar to the south-east, a solar complex to the north-east and the festival hall itself, from which the other areas of the building can be reached. This is known as the 'Hry-ib', or that which is at the heart of it.[3] The only original entrance was in the south-west corner. The walls contain the Botanical garden of Thutmosis III.
Main hall[edit]
In a small room off of the main hall, there is a room referred to as the Chamber of Ancestors, where a large inscription, the Karnak king list, shows Thutmose III making offerings to his 61 ancestors. The originals of these were removed and are now located in the Louvre in Paris.[4]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
Bibliography[edit]
- Blyth, Elizabeth (2006). Karnak: Evolution of a Temple. Oxford: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-40487-8.
- Strudwick, Nigel & Helen (1999). Thebes in Egypt A Guide to the Tombs and Temples of Ancient Luxor. Ithaca, New York. ISBN 0-8014-8616-5.
- Kemp, Barry (1989). Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilization. Oxford: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-06346-9.
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