Magically Your Are On A Mythical Date To Attend the Mysterious Opet Pharaonic festival In The Heart Of The Avenue of Sphinxes!
The Avenue of Sphinxes by Argenberg
The first step in “The Avenue of Sphinxes” will pump you into a pharaonic event on a 2.7-kilometer road flanked on both sides by hundreds of stone statues of Sphinx Egypt. To walk while the ancient Egyptians are queuing on both sides. The god Amon, his wife, goddess Mut, and their son, god Khons passe on the priests’ shoulders with the presence of the king, queen, and royal family members. So what is that!
A majestic, chilling scene, as the gods roam the land of Thebes, in the presence of the ancient Egyptians, on their way from Karnak Temple to Luxor Temple. And these statues of Sphinx Egypt blessed and guarded the way of the gods through this ancient Egyptian festival, That celebration was known as “the beautiful feast of Opet.”
How The Avenue of Sphinxes Paves Your Road In The Heart Of History To Attend The Ancient Egyptian Festival “Opet”!
Luxor Temple by Jorge Lascar
The amazement now that you can touch with your feet this world, to walk amidst these two rows of statues of Sphinx Egypt in The Avenue of Sphinxes. At this point, the greatness of the place will automatically take you to those magnificent scenes of this annual grand religious pharaonic celebration. To walk in another period dating back to thousands of years ago, to stand with the line of the priests, queue with the ancient Egyptians, or to stand prestige among the kings. Let your mind and the magic of this historical spot take you to where you entertain this ancient Egyptian celebration more.
Then, you will find at Karnak Temple & Luxor Temple the detail of this festival in the Colonnade of the Temples. Vibrant scenes dating back to Tutankhamen’s reign (1333–23 BCE). They represent this festival as like it is broadcasting live in front of your eyes as a result of the accurate details of these paintings and because they reflect the actual sequence of this glorious Feast of Opet.
Wow Facts About That Mysterious Religious Celebration Reflect The Magic Of The Avenue of Sphinxes!
statues of Sphinx Egypt by zolakoma
Tutankhamun burns incense and offers offerings and flowers to Amun. Then on the shoulders of the priests carrying statues of Amon, Mut, and Khons in special vessels called barks in golden boats. To exit from the edifice or the gate of the Karnak temple, which was built by Amenhotep III. It is currently the third edifice of Karnak Temple until the gods reach the Luxor Temple.
When the procession reaches the Luxor Temple, it is received by charioteers, soldiers, dancers, musicians, and
Avenue of Sphinxes, Luxor Temple by ancientartpodcast.org
offering bearers with a magical majesty.
That is how the scenes begin in a sequence from the northwest corner of the pillared hall at Karnak Temple and end in the northeast corner.
Other lively details from this great pharaonic history you can see in the western wall of the first courtyard of King Ramses II in Luxor Temple. As well as the western wall of the hypostyle hall, belonging to King Amenhotep III. It is also located on the red cabin of Queen Hatshepsut in the Temple of Amun-Ra in Karnak.
So, you find yourself in the middle of great historical scenes in the Karnak Temple. To walk in the same pathway of the great Feast of Opet, The Avenue of Sphinxes that the history hands had paved. Till arriving at where the pharaonic procession reached, Luxor Temple.
How will be the greatness of this journey on the depths of history! You will feel with every step that you are walking as if you are in this celebration, smelling incense coming from history and hearing the sound of ancient Egyptian hymns. The statues of head rams decorating the road from here and there. Yes, they are pharaonic rams that have been standing for thousands of years to tell the story of that glorious pharaonic celebration.
How Those Sphinxes Are Unique And What Is the Significance Of This Difference?
Avenue of the Ram-headed Sphinxes by jaybergesen
Sure, when we say statues of Sphinx Egypt:you think that these figurines take the lion body with a human head. But the surprise that the head was not a lion! Then, Which head that Karnak’ Sphinxes had taken!
Pharaonic artifacts that dazzle the eye, installed on a stone base. They were made up of 4 sandstone “courses”. And each statue takes the form of a lion’s body and a ram’s head. The ram here symbolizes the god Amun Ra, possibly to protect the temple.
And they now secure your pathway to the temple and revive for you a glorious history to live. The ancient Egyptians called this road “Wat-nTr.” Meaning the way of god, then “ta-mate-arhant” that is, the way of rams.
Actually you are in the heart of the largest pharaonic project linking Luxor Temple and Karnak temples for a distance of 2,700 meters, along the path of the pharaonic celebrations since thousands of years ago.
So, you will meet hundreds of sphinxes lined up in two rows. Each of them dates back to an era of Egyptian history. It takes the form of a ram in Karnak Temple. While in Luxor Temple, it takes the form of a lion’s body and a human head in the shape of the Sphinx.
How This Sphinxes Road Narrates Several Periods From Ancient Egypt!
The Avenue of Sphinxes includes 244 statues that date back to the 18th dynasty. They are statues of rams with the head of the god “Amon Ra”. And also, 1058 statues date back to the 30th dynasty during the era of King “Nakhtenbo I”. But they are the figures of the Sphinx with human heads.
Row of Sphinxes by M McBey
Around 1,350 sphinx figures lined this pathway together with chapels filled with offerings. Queen Hatshepsut (1479-1425 BC) who was build the first six of these chapels. Each of which had a precise role. Some of them were to cool the Amun oar and others to greet the beauty of Amun.
While a section of the “The Avenue of Sphinxes” built by Amenhotep III (1390-1352 BC). And the construction of the road finished during the 30th Dynasty rule of Nectanebo I (380-362 BC). But the Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra (51-30 B.C) renovated it and was later used by the Romans.
For that, amid the imagination of the great festival of Opet. You will meet monuments of several periods in front of you. Then, How majesty of this road that the history paved!
Info About Opet!
Some archeologists believe that the word opet or ipet referred to the inner sanctuary of Luxor Temple. During the reign of Thutmose III (1458-1426 B.C), the celebrations continued to 11 days. By the start of the Ramses III reign (1187 B.C-1156 B.C), it had lasted 24 days. And then it had stretched to 27. And during this period. Ancient Egypt continued to celebrate ancient celebrations with this most mysterious religious celebration in the history of the pharaonic civilization.
