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Medinet Habu (temple)

 
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Medinet Habu is the name commonly given to the Mortuary Temple
Temples of a Million years

The term Temple of a Million years is a translation of the Ancient Egyptian term used to refer to the mortuary temples of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom of Egypt, mainly in the Theban Necropolis area....
 of Ramesses III, an important New Kingdom
New Kingdom

The New Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Egyptian Empire, is the period in ancient Egyptian History of Ancient Egypt between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt, and Twentieth dynasty of Egypt....
 period structure in the location
Medinet Habu (location)

Medinet Habu is an archaeological locality situated near the foot of the Thebes, Egypt Hills on the West Bank, Luxor of the River Nile opposite the modern city of Luxor, Egypt....
 of the same name on the West Bank
Theban Necropolis

The Theban Necropolis is an area of the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes, Egypt in Egypt. It was used for ritual burials for much of Ancient Egypt times, especially in the New Kingdom of Egypt....
 of Luxor
Luxor

Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. Its population numbers 376,022 , and its area is about . As the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Egypt, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", the ruins of the temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor Temple standing wi...
 in Egypt
Egypt

Egypt is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia. Covering an area of about , Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west....
. Aside from its intrinsic size and architectural and artistic importance, the temple is probably best known as the source of inscribed reliefs depicting the advent and defeat of the Sea Peoples
Sea Peoples

The Sea Peoples is the term used for a confederacy of seafaring raiders of the second millennium BC who sailed into the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, caused political unrest, and attempted to enter or control Egyptian territory during the late Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt, and especially during Year 8 of Ramesses III of the Twentieth dy...
 during the reign of Ramesses III
Ramesses III

Usimare Ramesses III was the second Pharaoh of the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt and is considered to be the last great New Kingdom king to wield any substantial authority over Egypt....
.

temple, some 150 m long, is of orthodox design, and resembles closely the nearby mortuary temple
Mortuary temple

Mortuary temples were temples constructed adjacent to, or in the vicinity of, royal tombs in the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and New Kingdom periods of Ancient Egypt....
 of Ramesses II
Ramesses II

Ramesses II was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt. He is often regarded as Ancient Egypt's greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh....
 (the Ramesseum
Ramesseum

The Ramesseum is the Temples of a Million years of Pharaoh Ramesses II . It is located in the Thebes, Egypt necropolis in Upper Egypt, across the Nile from the modern city of Luxor....
).






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Medinethabu
Medinet Habu is the name commonly given to the Mortuary Temple
Temples of a Million years

The term Temple of a Million years is a translation of the Ancient Egyptian term used to refer to the mortuary temples of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom of Egypt, mainly in the Theban Necropolis area....
 of Ramesses III, an important New Kingdom
New Kingdom

The New Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Egyptian Empire, is the period in ancient Egyptian History of Ancient Egypt between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt, and Twentieth dynasty of Egypt....
 period structure in the location
Medinet Habu (location)

Medinet Habu is an archaeological locality situated near the foot of the Thebes, Egypt Hills on the West Bank, Luxor of the River Nile opposite the modern city of Luxor, Egypt....
 of the same name on the West Bank
Theban Necropolis

The Theban Necropolis is an area of the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes, Egypt in Egypt. It was used for ritual burials for much of Ancient Egypt times, especially in the New Kingdom of Egypt....
 of Luxor
Luxor

Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. Its population numbers 376,022 , and its area is about . As the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Egypt, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", the ruins of the temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor Temple standing wi...
 in Egypt
Egypt

Egypt is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia. Covering an area of about , Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west....
. Aside from its intrinsic size and architectural and artistic importance, the temple is probably best known as the source of inscribed reliefs depicting the advent and defeat of the Sea Peoples
Sea Peoples

The Sea Peoples is the term used for a confederacy of seafaring raiders of the second millennium BC who sailed into the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, caused political unrest, and attempted to enter or control Egyptian territory during the late Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt, and especially during Year 8 of Ramesses III of the Twentieth dy...
 during the reign of Ramesses III
Ramesses III

Usimare Ramesses III was the second Pharaoh of the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt and is considered to be the last great New Kingdom king to wield any substantial authority over Egypt....
.

Description

Migdol Entrance To Medinat Habu
Egypt
Egypt
Ramsesiii Colums
The temple, some 150 m long, is of orthodox design, and resembles closely the nearby mortuary temple
Mortuary temple

Mortuary temples were temples constructed adjacent to, or in the vicinity of, royal tombs in the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and New Kingdom periods of Ancient Egypt....
 of Ramesses II
Ramesses II

Ramesses II was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt. He is often regarded as Ancient Egypt's greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh....
 (the Ramesseum
Ramesseum

The Ramesseum is the Temples of a Million years of Pharaoh Ramesses II . It is located in the Thebes, Egypt necropolis in Upper Egypt, across the Nile from the modern city of Luxor....
). The temple precinct measures approximately . by and contains more than of decorated wall reliefs. Its walls are relatively well preserved and it is surrounded by a massive mudbrick enclosure, which may have been fortified. The original entrance is through a fortified gate-house, known as a migdol (a common architectural feature of Asiatic fortresses of the time).

Just inside the enclosure, to the south, are chapels of Amenirdis I
Amenirdis I

The Ancient Kushite princess commonly known as Amenirdis I was the daughter of Kashta and sister of Piye and Shabaka. Kashta arranged to have her adopted by the Divine Adoratrice of Amun, Shepenupet I, at Thebes, Egypt as her successor This shows that Kashta already controlled Upper Egypt prior to the reign of Piye, his successor....
, Shepenupet II
Shepenupet II

The Ancient Egyptian princess Shepenupet II was Divine Adoratrice of Amun from around 700 BC to 650 BC during the Twenty-fifth dynasty of Egypt....
 and Nitiqret
Nitiqret Divine Adoratrice

Nitocris I served as the heir to and then the Divine Adoratrice of Amun or God's Wife of Amun for a period of over seventy years, between 655 BC and 585 BC....
, all of whom had the title of Divine Adoratrice of Amun
Divine Adoratrice of Amun

The Divine Adoratrice of Amun was a second title created for the chief priestess of the ancient Egyptian deity, Amun. During the first millennium BCE, when the holder of this office exercised her largest measure of influence, her position was an important appointment facilitating the transfer of power from one pharaoh to the next, when his da...
.

The first pylon
Pylon (architecture)

Pylon is the Greek term for a monumental gateway of an Ancient Egyptian architecture It consists of two tapering towers, each surmounted by a cornice, joined by a less elevated section which enclosed the entrance between them....
 leads into an open courtyard, lined with colossal statues of Ramesses III
Ramesses III

Usimare Ramesses III was the second Pharaoh of the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt and is considered to be the last great New Kingdom king to wield any substantial authority over Egypt....
 as Osiris
Osiris

Osiris was an Egyptian mythology, usually called the god of the Afterlife.Osiris is one of the oldest gods for whom records have been found; one of the oldest known attestations of his name is on the Palermo Stone of around 2500 BC....
 on one side, and uncarved columns on the other. The second pylon leads into a peristyle hall, again featuring columns in the shape of Ramesses. This leads up a ramp that leads (through a columned portico) to the third pylon and then into the large hypostyle hall (which has lost its roof). Reliefs and actual heads of foreign captives were also found placed within the temple perhaps in an attempt to symbolise the king's control over Syria and Nubia.

In Copt
Copt

A Copt is a native Egyptian people Christianity. Copts form a major ethno-religious group that has ancient origins. Copts are Egyptians whose ancestors embraced Christianity in the first century....
ic times, there was a church inside the temple structure, which has since been removed. Some of the carvings in the main wall of the temple have been altered by copt
Copt

A Copt is a native Egyptian people Christianity. Copts form a major ethno-religious group that has ancient origins. Copts are Egyptians whose ancestors embraced Christianity in the first century....
ic carvings.

Excavation

Initial excavation of the temple took place sporadically between 1859 and 1899, under the auspices of the Egyptian Antiquities Service. During these decades the main temple was cleared, a large number of Copt
Copt

A Copt is a native Egyptian people Christianity. Copts form a major ethno-religious group that has ancient origins. Copts are Egyptians whose ancestors embraced Christianity in the first century....
ic period buildings removed and the site made accessible to visitors.

The further excavation, recording and conservation of the temple has been facilitated in chief part by the Architectural and Epigraphic Surveys of Chicago University's
University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is a private university located principally in the Hyde Park, Chicago neighborhood of Chicago. Although an older university by the same name existed prior to its founding, the modern University of Chicago credits its founding to the oil magnate John D....
 Oriental Institute
Oriental Institute

Oriental Institute may refer to:United States* Oriental Institute, Chicago, part of the University of ChicagoEngland* Oriental Institute, Oxford, part of the University of Oxford...
, almost continuously since 1924.

Further reading and references


  • William J. Murnane, United with Eternity – A Concise Guide to the Monuments of Medinet Habu, Oriental Institute, University of Chicago and the American University of Cairo Press, 1980. ISBN 0-918986-28-1


Archaeological reports

  • The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu I, Earlier Historical Records of Ramses III (OIP 8; Chicago, 1930)
  • The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu II, Later Historical Records of Ramses III (OIP 9; Chicago, 1932)
  • The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu III, The Calendar, the 'Slaughter House,' and Minor Records of Ramses III (OIP 23; Chicago, 1934)
  • The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu IV, Festival Scenes of Ramses III (OIP 51; Chicago, 1940)
  • The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu V, The Temple Proper, part 1 (OIP 83; Chicago, 1957)
  • The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu VI, The Temple Proper, part 2 (OIP 84; Chicago, 1963)
  • The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu VII, The Temple Proper, part 3 (OIP 93; Chicago, 1964)
  • The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu VIII, The Eastern High Gate (OIP 94; Chicago, 1970)
  • W. F. Edgerton, Medinet Habu Graffiti Facsimiles (OIP 36; Chicago, 1937)
  • Uvo Hölscher, Medinet Habu 1924-1928. II The Architectural Survey of the Great Temple and Palace of Medinet Habu (season 1927-28). OIC, No. 5. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1929.
  • H. J. Thissen, Die demotischen Graffiti von Medinet Habu: Zeugnisse zu Tempel und Kult im Ptolemäischen Ägypten (Demotische Studien 10; Sommerhausen, 1989)


See also

  • Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III
    Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III

    The Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III is located in the Thebes, Egypt necropolis, on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Luxor in Egypt. It was built for the Pharaoh Amenhotep III....

External links

  • – The Oriental Institute, University of Chicago