AHISTORYOFARCHITECTURE:SETTINGSANDRITUALS

SPIROKOSTOF

BOOKREVIEWPRESENTATION REVIEWEDBYMADHUMALUKANI(SA1103)

KOSTOFSAPPROACH
Kostofemphasizesonthestudyofarchitectureasawholeandsaid,"Allbuildingsofthepast,regardlessofsizeorstatus orconsequence,shouldideallybedeemedworthyofstudy."Hisapproachtoarchitecturalhistorystressesonurbanism alongwitharchitecturalworksandshowshowbuildingsareembeddedintheirphysicalandsocialcontexts.Kostofs bookAHistoryofArchitecture:Settingsandritualsembodiestheseideasandillustrateshisnewperspectivestowards architecturalstudy. Kostofsharesfourpointswhichhehasfollowedinhisstudy. farchitecture whereinheregards g structureandaestheticsasinseparable; p Theonenessof Thesettingofarchitecture buildingscannotbestudiedinisolationfromimmediatecontext; Thecommunityofarchitectureculturalvaluesofthesocietywhichpreventarchitecturefrombeingmerelyabuildform; Themeaningofarchitecture whereinhediscussesthereason,timeandpurposebehindthebuildingbeingwhatitis.

ABOUTTHEBOOK
Thebookisdividedintothreesegments:Thefirstrevealstheoriginanddevelopmentofearlycitieswithreferenceto Mesopotamia,Egypt,Greece,Romeandotherrelevantcivilizations. Thesecondpartdiscussesthemedievalperiod,studyingtheurbanizationofEuropeancountriesuntilthe18th century andthethirdpartdiscussestheinfluencesofmodernism. Kostofhasnotfollowedastrictchronologicalpatterninhisdepiction.Thesequenceismerelyonthedegreeof evolution,yet,attimes,hehaslaidparallelstocomparethetimeframe.Forinstancehehaslinkedtheemergenceof g oftheStonehenge. g Thisgives g thereadertheclearideaoftimeframeofvarious Sumerwiththethirdrearrangement events andtherebycomparisonsbetweenvariouscivilizationscanbeestablished. Whileexplainingtheculturalandreligiousaspectsinrelationtothecity,Kostofhasnotneglectedotherdetailssuchas constructiontechniquesandmaterialsandtheiravailability,hencegivingacompleteoverviewofthecivilization. IhavefocusedmystudyonthefirstfewchapterswhichdiscusstheNeolithiceraandtheearlysettlementswhichset thefoundationsofurbanrevolutionandthecitiesofMesopotamiaandEgypt.

THERISEOFTHECITY:ARCHITECTUREINWESTERNASIA
THEURBANREVOLUTION BEFORETHECITIES NEOLITHICSETTLEMENTS
JERICHO, KHIROKITIAAND CATALHOYUK

CITIESOFMESOPOTAMIA

URBANREVOLUTION
NearEast TheCradleOfCivilization ThisdatesbacktothesecondmillenniumB.C.,thetimeofthethirdrearrangementoftheStonehenge. WhileNeolithic Europecarriedonastoneusingpeasanteconomy,intwospotsofneareast,MesopotamiaandEgypt,therewere contemporaryliterateculturesthatknewhowtoworkmetal,ororganizefoodproduction,andkeepwrittenrecordsoftheir transactionsandbeliefs. BeingCivilized ,whichmeanscity. y Thisgives g ustheotheraccepted p characterof ThewordcivilizationderivesfromtheLatinwordcivitas, civilizedhumanity thatithasforitstheatreofactivitiesanintricateartifact,thecity.ButKostofquestionsthefactthat civilizedlifecannotexistoutsideofcities andsays,incorrelatingurbanismandcivilizedhistory,wehaveimbuedthecity withpositivequalitiestheabsenceofwhichhastendedtodowngradeothersocialorganisms.Hevalidatesthiswith illustrationsofthreesettlementswhichqualifyasatown:Jericho,KhirokitiaandCatalhoyuk.

BEFORETHECITIES:NEOLITHICSETTLEMENTS

MAP: WESTERN ASIA, 8000700 B.C. BC

JERICHO,(ISRAEL),7500B.C.
Theearliestsurvivingtown. Thestorybeginswiththelifegivingsourceoffreshwater(nowcalledElishasfountain)wherehunterssettledfor agriculture. Theearliesthousesdatingbackto7500B.C.haddomedhousesofmudbrickwithanentranceporchandcurvedwalls, probablyan imitationofroundtentsofthenomadichunters. Thelaterhouses(6500B.C.)wererectangularwithroundedcorners,arrangedaroundcourtyardswhichwereusedfor cooking.Severalpublicbuildingssetasidewithforworshipwere interwoven withthehouses. Theclusterpatternwasdominantandhencethestreetsweremissing. missing Themostimportantfeatureofthissettlementwasfortification.

Thesettlementcoveredabout3hectaresandoncehaving reacheditsoptimumspread,was fortifiedbyastonewall. Thisdatesbacksto7500B.C.Thefortwasoverseenbya massiveroundtower,whichwasintimatewithaseriesof mudbrickenclosures,thathavebeeninterpretedas watercisterns,probablyactingascurtainofdefense.

JERICHO,TOWERBUILTAGAINSTSIDEOFSETTLEMENTWALL(FORTIFICATION),7500B.C.

KHIROKITIA,(CYPRUS),5500B.C.
Thissettlementshowsthepresenceoffirsttruestreet. Thestreetrunningfromtheriverbank,uphill,formsthe mainspine. UnlikeJerichowhichwasaclosedtown,Khirokita hadan opencompositionwithhousesoneithersideofthestreet. Hencegrowth wasnotrestricted. Thestreetalsoshowedapresenceofhaltingplaceinthe formofawidenedplatformwhichcanbeconsideredan antecedenttoacitysquare.

KHIROKITIA, NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT, ca. 5500 B.C., PLAN SHOWING STREET SPINE AND HOUSES

Thestreetwasbuiltoflimestoneandraisedconsiderablyabovegroundlevel,hencepreventederosionandalso contributedstabilitytothehouses. Presenceofsuchathoroughfarehadbothorganizationalandsocialbenefits.Therewasasenseofcommonbelongingand henceasocialmaturityconcerningitsmaintenance.

KHIROKITIA , VILLAGE SQUARE, AN OBLIQUE VIEW OF THE AREA MARKED AS AN INSET.

CATALHOYUK,(TURKEY),7000B.C.
Besideshuntingandagriculture,thisNeolithicsettlement restsonanewrationaletrade. Obsidian(blackvolcanic glass)wasthemainarticlefortrade.Obsidiantoolswere probablytradedforseashellsandflintfromSyria. Anotherimportantskilltheypossessedwasworkingwith metal. Thiswastooearlyforsuchtechnicalknowledge,as metallurgywasnotfullypracticeduntiltheculturesof MesopotamiaandEgypt. Thesettlementisbelievedtobeenrichedwithshopsof merchantsofleatherandfur,smithsmakingornamentsand publicmarketsinthemidstofurbanfabric. toolsandp

EXCAVATIONS AT CATALHOYUK, CATALHOYUK IMAGE OF GODDESS, GODDESS POTTERY

Thesettlementwasneitheropennorclosed.Thebuildings weregroupedintotightquartersandwhichopenedupan occasionalcourtyard.Acontinuousblankwallfacedthe y countryside. Streetswereabsent.Entryofthehouseswasthrougha holeintheflatroofreachedbyawoodenladder.Italso actedasasmokestack. Theshrineswerelaidonthesameschemeashouses. Plasterreliefsofmothergoddessresemblingtoimagery ofoldstoneage formedthesurfacedecor. decor

CATALHOYUK, NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT, ca. RECONSTRUCTION VIEW OF RESIDENTIAL AREA

7000

B.C.,

THECITIESOFMESOPOTAMIA
LAYOUTOFCITIES TEMPLESANDZIGGURATS PALACES

THECITIESOFMESOPOTAMIA

MAP: MESOPOTAMIA

Mesopotamia(fromthefourthmillenniumB.C.)wasthefirstsettlementqualifiedasacity andthefirsttoexhibitthe writingtradition. Itshistoryisdividedintofourbroadsegmentsofchronology. Protoliterate Period(3500 3000B.C.) Battlementsofringwalls Templeandzigguratbegantogainarchitecturaldefinition Firstwrittendocument yDynastic y Period(3000 ( 2350B.C.) ) Early Kingshipandestablishmentofhereditarykingship Monumentalpalaceasanadministrativecentre Raisingthedefensivesystemofthecity LaterSumerianPeriod(upto 1600B.C.) Riseofempire,collectiveruleofcitystates Highpointofbuildingtypeofziggurat(zigguratofUr Nammu) TheAssyrianPeriod(1350 612B.C.) ThenorthernregionflourishedattheexpenseoflowerMesopotamia imposingstatereliefsandpalacesaccompaniedbydeclineinpositionofziggurat

LAYOUTOFCITIES
HistorybeforetheEarlyDynasticperiodisstillblurred. Howeverby b then h about b ad dozencitiesh had dfl flourished h din SumerandtowardsnorthinBabylon. Thecitieswereenclosedbyawallandsurroundedby suburbanvillagesandhamlets. Thetwomonumentalcenterswerethezigguratcomplex overseenbythepalace.Theurbanfabricwasapromiscuous blendofresidentialandcommercialbuildings.AtUr,an exampleofabazaar wasfound:aconcentrationoflittle boothsalonganarrowpassagewithdoorsateitherends. Amplesquaresandpublicgardenswererare.

UR (IRAQ), SCHEMATIC PLAN OF THE CITY, ca. 2000 B.C.

Streetwidthforprinciplethoroughfareswasnotmorethan3 meters.Theseledtopublicbuildingsandwereborderedwith thehousesoftherich.Trafficwasmostlypedestrian,however servicecartsandchariotshavealsobeenexcavated. Housesweregroupedintocongestedblockssharingparty walls,againsttheorthogonalneatdesignofarchitects.Even whilereplacement,theplanoftheolderhousehadadirect bearingastheruinswereusedasfoundation. Thearchitecturalmetabolismconstantlytransformedthe makeupofthecityscapewhichwasheldtogetherbystiffer fstreets. skeletonof Thelevelofthestreetsroseduetothedumpingofrefuse leadingtosinkingfloorlevels.Whenthegroundlevelgot buriedconsiderably,thehousewasraisedtotheceilingusing thegroundasservicevault. Therewerenowindowstowardstheoutsideandeverything openedintothecourtyard.

UR, PLAN OF RESIDENTIAL AREA, 2000 B.C.

LEFT: UR, RESIDENTIAL QUARTER BETWEEN THE ZIGGURAT PRECINCT AND THE WEST HARBOR, PLAN ABOVE: UR, UR COURTYARD OF RESIDENTIAL QUARTER, RECONSTRUCTION DRAWING

TEMPLESANDZIGGURATS
Smallshrineswerescatteredthrough g outthefabric.They y hadtwostandardfeatures:anicheofepiphanymarked bythestatueofdeityoranalter,andatableforofferings. By3500B.C.,theevolvedintomonumentaltemples. Thetemplecomplexwasthehubofaneconomicsystem thathasbeendescribedastheocraticsocialism. Itwassurroundedbyitsownprotectivewall,formingthe lastbulwarkagainstattack. attack Thetemplestoodona tremendousplatformcalledthezigguratandwasfreeof thepressuresofdensityinitsampleprecinct.

UR, ZIGGURAT PRECINCT, THIRD DYNASTY, 21132006 B.C.

Theexperience Th i of fziggurat i ttemple t l rested t don reverential ti lclimbing. li bi However H unlike lik the th earlier li temples, t l placed l din i open landscapeatthehighestofthecity,theurbantemple exhibitedadifferentapproach.Dedicatedtolesserdeities,itwasbuilt closertothelivingspaceofthecityandwassurroundedbycommonstructures. SintempleIIatKhafaje f illustratestheresultof fthiscondition.Thetemplebecametheinnermostof faseriesof fenclosedspaces withasingleentranceinoneofitslongsides. ThisisincompletecontrasttowhitetempleatWarka, whichwasanopenloftedundisturbedstructure.

LEFT:KHAFAJE,OVALTEMPLE,ca.26502350B.C.;RIGHT:WARKA,WHITETEMPLE,35003000B.C.

PALACES
Theziggurat gg intimelostsomephysical p y prominence p tootherfocalp pointsofthe urbanfabric,theprincipalonebeingthepalaceoftheking.
A

DuringtheAssyrianperiod,thezigguratbecameamereadjuncttothekings palace,whichthencompletelydominatedthecityscape.

SKETCH PLANS SHOWING RELATIONSHIP OF ZIGGURAT (RED) AND ROYAL PALACE (GREEN) : A. AT UR, ca. 2000 B.C. SSU , ca ca. 1800 800 B.C. C B. AT ASSUR, C. AT ASSUR, ca. 1200 B.C. D. AT KHORSABAD, ca. 700 B.C.

Asimilarphenomenonwas observedaMariatabout1750B.C. Theproportionsgotreversedhere. palaceherebehavedasa Thep microcosmofthecity,withits walls,residences,temples,offices, schools,andsoon.

ROYAL PALACE AT MARI, ca. 1750 B.C. , GROUND PLAN

Thefinal Th fi ldebasement d b of fthe h ziggurat i occurred datKhorsabad. Kh b d Thepalacehere,ratherthanbeingsurroundedbythefabricof thecity,showeditsbacktothecitywalls.Thepalacewhichhad startedoutasanaccessorytotheziggurat,nowgrewatthe expenseofit,intoatheatreofabsolutepowerandintimidation.

LEFT: KHORSABAD, THE POSITION OF ZIGGURAT IN THE PALACE COMPLEX. ABOVE: KHORSABAD, THE PALACE IN RELATION TO THE CITY

THEARCHITECTUREOFANCIENTEGYPT
THELANDOFEGYPT THEBURIALOFKINGS THETIMEOFTHEGODS ENDURANCEOFTHECULT

ARCHITECTUREOFANCIENTEGYPT

MAP: ANCIENT EGYPT

Thissophisticatedcultureofriversettlementsisattributedwithconservatism,orratherthebalanceitsustainsbetween innovationandtradition. NeolithicvillagelifealongNiledevelopedintotwoindependentpolities:LowerEgypt,whichincludedtheDeltaregion untilMemphisandUpperEgypt,southwardsuntilAswan. LaterKingMenesofUpperEgyptinvadedthenorthandunifiedthecountryandestablisheditscapitalatMemphis.This coincideswiththeProtoliterate PeriodinMesopotamia,about3000B.C. ARCHAICPERIOD,3000 2665B.C.:Architectureshowedgreatadvancesduringthisperiod;beginningwithbricktombs andpalacesitevolvedtostonemonumentslikethoseatSaqqara. Thiscoincideswiththeearlydynasticperiodin Mesopotamia. OLDKINGDOM,until2150B.C.:MarkedbytheemergenceofabsoluteKingship,theruleofPharaoh.Thearchitectural sequelwasfollowedbytruepyramidsasthoseatGiza. MIDDLEKINGDOM KINGDOM,2250 1570B B.C. C :Th Theperiod i dof fsocial i land dpolitical liti lchaos, h t towards d th theend dof fthi third dmillennium, ill i came toanendandthecapitalwasestablishedatThebes.Dominanceofreligionoverfuneraryarchitectureandpriesthood overkingship wasobserved. NEWDINGDOM,16001300B.C.:Monumental ltemple l architecture h flourished fl h dasdistinct d from f the h royal lburials. b l This h era alsowitnessedalieninvasions.

LANDOFEGYPT
TheEgyptian gyp riverwassubject j tounfailingly g yregular g andbenign g flooding gwhichleftthedeposits p ofrichblacksoil.This narrowfertilestripofvalleywasrigidlydividedintofields,theboundariesofwhichhadtobereestablishedafterevery periodofflooding. ThingsranalongNile,mostlynorthandsouth,oratrightanglestoit.Orthogonalplanningcamenaturallybothinthefield divisionandinthedesignofcities.ThisaccountsasaremarkabledifferencebetweenMesopotamianandEgyptianorder. ElKahun exhibitsafineexampleofthiswhereinthestandardizedbuildingsaregroupedintospecialzones brickrow housesforworkersandcraftsmen,oftenbacktoback,aquarteroflargemansionsforgovernmentofficials,andanenclosed compoundortheking king.

EL KAHUN, PLAN SHOWING WORKERS HOUSING TO THE LEFT, AND AMPLER GOVERNMENT QUARTERS TO THE RIGHT

Nileaxisconnectedandunifiedthewholeregion. region Italsoactedasamajorhighway highway. Thislinearcharacterisevokedinroyalburialsandtemplesalsowhichappearlikeaseriesofepisodesalonga predeterminedpathbuiltovertime.Incontrasttothis,asseeninMesopotamianzigguratcomplexes, anumberof buildingswithindependentboundarywallsweregroupedtogetherbutwithnounifyingaxis. axis Therepetitivecycleoffloodingoftheriverprojectedaneternalorder.Thebeliefthatdeathwasnotafinalthing but merelythepassagetoanotherregion,wasmanifestationofthesame.Onestombwaslikeoneshouse,builttolastfor eternity t it to t sustain t i the th theatres th t of fafterlife. ft lif

AMARNA (UPPER EGYPT), DIAGRAMMATIC PLAN OF LAYOUT, SHOWING THE RELATIONSHIP TO THE NILE AND THE COURSE OF THE MAIN STREETS.

THEBURIALOFKINGS
EARLYBURIALS Atfirst,asaresultofunificationofEgypt,thePharaohwasgivenadouble burial;symbolicallyatAbydos,sacredsiteofOsirisandtheactualbodyat Saqqara. AtSaqqara,inadditiontotheBurialchambers,thereseveraladditional roomsholdingkingspossessions.Inlateryears,additionalfeatureswere added;smallmortuarytempleonthenorthside, side andawoodenboat alongsidethetombtocarrythepharaohacrossheaven.

ABOVE: CENOTAPH AT ABYDOS (UPPER EGYPT), ROYAL TUMULUS TOMB OF FIRST DYNASTY, 3100 2890 B.C. BELOW: SAQQARA (LOWER EGYPT), MORTUARY COMPLEX OF FIRST DYNASTY

ZOSERSPYRAMIDCOMPLEX
11 9 8

TheSaqqaratombofZoser,thisisexceptionallynotorganizedonthe Egyptianprincipleofaxialsequence.DesignedbyarchitectImhotep,this wasthefirstinterpretationofbrick,timberandplantformsofEgyptian architectureinhardmediumofstone.

7 1. Enclosingwall 2 Entrancegate 2. 3. Colonnadeentryhall: withaliftedroof,earliestexampleofclearstoreylighting 4. Grandcourt 5. SouthernMastaba andOfferingroom: arepresentationofroyalcenotaphatAbydos,burialplaceofkingsentrails 6. HebSed court: fortheritualofHebSed,acelebrationofthereconsecrationofhisreign 7. Houseofthesouth 8 House 8. H of fthe th north th 9. Courtoftheserdab 10. Serdab: roomholdingaseatedstatueofZoser asasubstitutefortheking'sbody 11. Mortuarytemple 12. Steppyramid 13. Sarcophaguschamber 14. Mastaba Thebodylaybeneaththepyramid,inagranitesarcophaguschamber. Initially,asimplestonemastaba wasplacedoveritwhichenlargedinthe courseofconstruction,intoasixsteppedpyramid.

10 12 13 14

5 3 1

2 SAQQARA, MORTUARY COMPLEX OF KING ZOSER, THIRD DYNASTY, ca. 2680 B.C.

Thed Th desire i tomonumentalize li the h tomb band dmake k it i stand doutabove b the h perimeter i of fthe h wall, ll i isobvious. b i Six Si unequal l stagesalsogiveasenseofclimbing,ofaspiration,aneffectvisuallyclosetotheMesopotamianziggurat. ThekingwasidentifiedwithsungodRe,andthepyramidwasarepresentationofthesame.Itprobablystoodforthe moundofcreationwhosesummitwastherestingplaceofSun.Itwasalsothoughtofasthestaircaseofdivineascent whichledthekingtoheaven.

RIGHT: STATUE OF KING ZOSER IN SERDAB LEFT: ZOSER COMPLEX DUMMY CHAPEL, PYRAMID

THEPYRAMIDSOFGIZA ToetherealizethestaircaseandtomaketheroyaltombaworthsymbolofSun,aftersubsequentattempts,thetrueformof pyramidwasarrivedat. AtGiza,therearethreeseparatepyramidcomplexes,thatofMykerinos (thelatest),Chefren andCheops.

GIZA ( (LOWER EGYPT), ), THE PYRAMID GROUP, , THIRD DYNASTY, ca. 25702500 B.C.

The pyramid Th id of f Chefren Ch f i known is k f the for h noble bl form f of f Sphinx, S hi a leonine l i body with portraithead of the king. At the east of the complex, in front of the Sphinx, stands temple of Harmakhis. Another valley temple stands next to it, glorified with statues of Chefren. From here, the body is transferred to the mortuary temple via a covered causeway that bridges the sphinx group and the pyramid. The mortuary temple begins with a T shaped hall followed by an open court. The innermost sanctum, that follows, is reserved for offerings for the sustenance of the body. This is then followed by the stone mountain of the pyramid where the body lays.

1 4 5

LEFT: GIZA, G PLAN OF O CHEFREN C CO COMPLEX S O SHOWING G THE MORTUARY TEMPLE (1), THE CAUSEWAY (2), THE VALLEY TEMPLE (3) AND THE SPHINX(4) WITH THE TEMPLE OF HARMAKHIS (5) ABOVE: REMAINS OF THE MORTUARY TEMPLE BELOW: REMAINS OF THE SPHINX GROUP

THETIMEOFGODS
AfterthetermofthreeGizakings, g ,theimmediatesuccessorfeltitnecessary ytoenhancethepyramid py settings g atAbusir with separatesuntemples inthehonorofRe.Themainfeatureofthesetempleswereopencourtcontaininganobelisk mountedonapodium. Thetomb tombs sscaleshrankandthemortuarytemplegrewbiggercompetingwiththeproperpyramidform.Thepyramid nowdidnotevenholdtherealtomb,whichhadmovedelsewherewithinthecomplex.Theemphasishadshiftedfromthe visualglorificationoftherulertothepiousritesoftheburialcult, andthesewerenowdominatedbythenewchiefdeityof thenationalreligion,sungodAmon.BythetimeoftheNewKingdom,thepyramidwasnolongeraroyalprerogative.

DEIRELBAHRI MENTUHOTEP MENTUHOTEPS STOMB TheentireschemeofMentuhotep wasorientedtowardsthenewlystartedtempleofAmon acrosstheriver,themodern Karnak.Ittakesthecompromisedsupremacyofthepharaohalittlefurther,intendingtosatisfytheprovincialaristocracy andthepriesthoodofAmon. Amon Hissuccessor successor,QueenHatshepsut, Hatshepsut marchedforwardwiththesamescheme. scheme Beingawoman, woman herunusualandprecariouspositioncreatedanaddedurgencytodemonstratenearnesstogod.

THEBES, , PLAN SHOWING RELATIONSHIP OF TEMPLES AT DEIR ELBAHRI AND KARNAK

Thevalleytemplehasdisappeared,sohastheunroofedcausewaylinewithstatuesofking.Thecomplexnowconsistsofa largeforecourtplantedwithtrees,aterracecutoutoftherock,onwhichthemortuarytemplestood,anarrowunit comprisingofacourtandahypostylehall. Thekings king sshareofthecentralspacewasmarkedonlybyacenotaph cenotaph.Hisrealtomblaydeepinthecliff, cliff approachedbya longundergroundtunnelthatstartedinthesmallcourtbehindthetemple.Thepyramidwasaltogetherabsentfromthe queenscomplex.

DEIR ELBAHRI (UPPER EGYPT), THE MORTUARY TEMPLES OF MENTUHOTEP 2050 B.C., , AND QUEEN HATSHEPSHUT, , 1500 B.C.

DEIR ELBAHRI, PLAN: THE MORTUARY TEMPLES OF MENTUHOTEP AND HATSHEPSHUT

KARNAKANDLUXOR Thetwotemplecompoundswerelinkedwith oneanotherbyanavenueoframheaded sphinxes;betweenthetwostoodthepalaces andadministrativebuildings.They functionedlikesocialandeconomiccenters whoseadministratorsexercisedpowerin accordance d with ithth thewealth lthof fth their i h holdings. ldi

MONTU

KARNAK,TEMPLE OFAMON

MUT

LUXOR

KARNAK, TEMPLE OF AMON, SITE

Thetemplesareendowedwithmultiplepylonsandcourts.Theprogressionemergesasaritualpath,fromthemost publicspacestotheholyofholies,andahistoricpath,fromthemostrecentreignsoftheNewKingdom,theEthiopian andPtolemaicdynasties,totheoldestfoundationthatmarkedthesacredsite.

KARNAK, TEMPLE OF AMON, STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

Thewholecomplexbecameactiveduringtheyearlymysticmarriageof Amon andMut,whenaprogressiontookplacestartingfromLuxor, crossingMut ,crossingthepylonsofthekarnak precinctfinallytowards Amon temple.

TOP: LUXOR, LUXOR RAMSES II PYLON; RIGHT: THE AVENUE OF RAMHEADED SPINXES LEADING TO THE AMON TEMPLE; LEFT: AMON TEMPLE, THE GREAT HYPOSTYLE HALL

ENDURANCE OFTHECULT
Thep primacy yofAmon wasneversuccessfully ychallenged g intheNewKingdom. g Thepriesthood p continuedtog growinstrength g attheexpenseofpharaonic supremacy. Thelaterperiod,aroundfirstmillenniumB.C.,observedthesuccessionofforeigndominations;aperiodofEthiopianrule followedbyPersian,GreekempireofAlexandertheGreatuntiltheRoman. Therewerenosignificantmodificationsinthetempletype;itcontinuedtogrowunderthebenevolentapprovalofalien rulersanxioustogainthesupportoftheconservativeAmon priesthood.

....