DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.44744#0024
Hatshepsut’s construction, a great granite sanctuary for Amun’s Bark. It is evident
why the rulers of the Ptolemaic dynasty, who were anxious to be approved as their
lawful rulers by the Egyptians, showed so much concern for Karnak and Thebes,
despite the fact that the cities rose three times against their rule. They not only
inserted their own cartouches on the walls of the buildings, but also erected new
edifices.
We are faced here with two kinds of architectural problems :
First: sacral architecture, which is provided by the activities of Ptolemy II in the
Temple of Mut at Karnak, and in the temple of his successors, in the enclosure
of Montu; further independent sanctuaries were erected, including the temple of
the goddess Apet, who was worshipped together with Osiris in the sanctuary close
to the Temple of Khons. The construction was begun by Euergetes II and his
successors embellished the building.
Second: the architecture of the gates and the pylons, which must be regarded as
the supreme work of the Ptolemaic rulers. The most important are the gates of
Euergetes I in front of the temple of Khons, a propylon resembling that gate erected
by Ptolemy II and Ptolemy III leading to the enclosure of Mut, a further one leading
to the enclosure of Montu, and also the pylons in front of the Temple of Ptah.
The famous cachette containing some twenty thousand relics, which was discovered
in 1903-4 by the French archaeologist Legrain, must date from the redevelop-
ment of this area by the Ptolemaic rulers. We are concerned here with the pit in
the courtyard in front of the Seventh Pylon. The pit is more than 14 m. deep but
its maximum depth was not reached, because of the sub-soil water. Stelae and
about seventy-five stone statues were found in the pit. Although opinions have
been expressed lately that the pit was gradually filled with sculptures while the
temple was expanding, the theory of the great Egyptologist Maspero seems more
probable. He maintained that the objects were thrown into the pit not earlier than
in the time of Ptolemy III and Ptolemy IV. It is difficult to imagine why such a pit
was left open and accessible for a long time on the site of the most important sanc-
tuary in Egypt.
In the period under discussion, Thebes became a tourist attraction for the Greeks.
Herodotus, who visited the town in the fifth century b.c. already spread its fame. The
Ptolemaic period saw a considerable increase in tourist traffic, attested to by the graffiti
and names of sightseers scratched out on the wall, sometimes with the addition of
words of admiration for the monuments.
THE ROMAN PERIOD
After the conquest of Egypt, Octavian Augustus, following the example of Alexan-
der the Great, carved his name on the walls of the temple at Karnak and was recogniz-
ed by the priests as ‘Synnaos’ — ‘he who is present in the naos together with the
gods’ — and had his statue installed in the temple. The most important of all the
21 Roman travellers who came to Thebes was the emperor Hadrian. About 150 years
why the rulers of the Ptolemaic dynasty, who were anxious to be approved as their
lawful rulers by the Egyptians, showed so much concern for Karnak and Thebes,
despite the fact that the cities rose three times against their rule. They not only
inserted their own cartouches on the walls of the buildings, but also erected new
edifices.
We are faced here with two kinds of architectural problems :
First: sacral architecture, which is provided by the activities of Ptolemy II in the
Temple of Mut at Karnak, and in the temple of his successors, in the enclosure
of Montu; further independent sanctuaries were erected, including the temple of
the goddess Apet, who was worshipped together with Osiris in the sanctuary close
to the Temple of Khons. The construction was begun by Euergetes II and his
successors embellished the building.
Second: the architecture of the gates and the pylons, which must be regarded as
the supreme work of the Ptolemaic rulers. The most important are the gates of
Euergetes I in front of the temple of Khons, a propylon resembling that gate erected
by Ptolemy II and Ptolemy III leading to the enclosure of Mut, a further one leading
to the enclosure of Montu, and also the pylons in front of the Temple of Ptah.
The famous cachette containing some twenty thousand relics, which was discovered
in 1903-4 by the French archaeologist Legrain, must date from the redevelop-
ment of this area by the Ptolemaic rulers. We are concerned here with the pit in
the courtyard in front of the Seventh Pylon. The pit is more than 14 m. deep but
its maximum depth was not reached, because of the sub-soil water. Stelae and
about seventy-five stone statues were found in the pit. Although opinions have
been expressed lately that the pit was gradually filled with sculptures while the
temple was expanding, the theory of the great Egyptologist Maspero seems more
probable. He maintained that the objects were thrown into the pit not earlier than
in the time of Ptolemy III and Ptolemy IV. It is difficult to imagine why such a pit
was left open and accessible for a long time on the site of the most important sanc-
tuary in Egypt.
In the period under discussion, Thebes became a tourist attraction for the Greeks.
Herodotus, who visited the town in the fifth century b.c. already spread its fame. The
Ptolemaic period saw a considerable increase in tourist traffic, attested to by the graffiti
and names of sightseers scratched out on the wall, sometimes with the addition of
words of admiration for the monuments.
THE ROMAN PERIOD
After the conquest of Egypt, Octavian Augustus, following the example of Alexan-
der the Great, carved his name on the walls of the temple at Karnak and was recogniz-
ed by the priests as ‘Synnaos’ — ‘he who is present in the naos together with the
gods’ — and had his statue installed in the temple. The most important of all the
21 Roman travellers who came to Thebes was the emperor Hadrian. About 150 years