Akhet - The Horizon

Reconstruction of the Precinct of Amun (center), Precinct of Mut (upper right hand corner) and the precinct of Montu (to the left).

General

The temple complex at Karnak, modern Luxor, in ancient days called Waset, was known as "Ipet-Isut" in the ancient days, which means "The Most Select of Places". It consist of three different temple complexes: sacred to Amun, Mut and Khonsu, the triad of Waset (Gr: Thebes). These three complexes are all situated within the main precinct of Amun and here is also where the temple of Opet and a small temple to Ptah can be found. The total ground covers ca 100 ha (247 acres). It can best be understood as a series of temples built over a long time period by different rulers. To the north lies the temple of Montu, the earlier local god of Waset. The word Waset means "mace" which points at the power position once held by this ancient city and the two temples of Karnak (Ipet-Isut) and of Luxor (Ipet-Resut) whas what made out this combined place of power. The name of Thebes was given to Waset by the Greeks, being the same as their own city of Thebes. Homer described it as " City of the Hundred Gates". At its heyday, when it had ownership of great amounts of land, the number of employers here are said to be over 80.00, including priests, other temple servants, gardeners, craftsmen etc.

The Triad of Waset: Amun, Mut and Khonsu. Painting by J.Gardner Wilkinson.

One cannot mention Karnak without also give some attention to the temple of Luxor, the "Ipet-Resut" (meaning Southern Sanctuary) as the ancient name was. It was situated some 1.5 km to the south and complemented the Karnak complex by being the residence of "Amun-in-his-Southern Sanctuary" and by being the goal for the great Opet Festival held once a year, with Amun traveling in his bark from Karnak to Ipet-Resut. Also Khonsu was travelling in procession to Ipet-Resut at the New Years celebrations.

When kings at Waset increased their power during the Middle Kingdom, the temples at Karnak began to be built to honor the god Amun and for two thousand years more, they were to be destroyed, rebuilt, extended and adorned. Even though the place is badly ruined today, it takes your breath as well as your time to go through it all. The main precinct of Amun also included the small temple to Khonsu and many other smaller temples and shrines to different deities. There is also the sacred lake. To the south is the precinct of Mut, Amun´s consort at Waset, and to the north, just inside the precinct of Amun, is a small temple dedicated to Path, Sekhmet and Nefertem, while directly outside lies the precinct of Montu, the falcon-headed god of war, whom Amun replaced during the late 11th Dynasty .

Those who lived at Ipet Isut were priests; a hem-netjer or Waeb priests, there were gardeners, butchers, temple dancers and singers, artisans and stone mason. There were also many scribes, and all kinds of administrators and overseers. Also farmers belonged to the temple, with grounds to cultivate. Building projects were ongoing most of the time and the calendar was filled with festival days for the gods as well as daily worship and the courts were bustling with people coming to leave prayers and ask advice of the Oracle. For all practicalities it was a town of itself.