Аменхотеп III сарайы: Жер сілкінісі мен ежелгі Мысырдың бірігуінің куәсі

Eighteenth Dynasty temple built for Amenhotep III

The Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III, also known as Kom el Hettân, was built by the main architect Amenhotep, son of Hapu, for Pharaoh Amenhotep III during the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom. The mortuary temple is located on the Western bank of the Nile river, across from the eastern bank city of Luxor. During its time, the Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III was the largest funerary complex in Thebes that was built. Because the mortuary temple was built relatively close to the river, the annual flooding caused the site to decay at a more rapid rate. New research indicates that a large majority of the destruction on the mortuary temple can be attributed to the effects of an earthquake. It was long speculated that the earthquake occurred around 27 BC; however, investigations into the mortuary temple and surrounding colossi have debunked this time frame and instead have demonstrated it occurred around 1200 BC. Additional earthquakes after the one in 1200 BC have not been ruled out.

Dr. Hourig Sourouzian was the main excavator in the early 2000s and the site was visited by Dr. Zahi Hawass, although the mortuary temple was previously excavated in the late 1900s as well. Laurent Bavay examined the pottery found at the site from the 1999 2002 excavation seasons. The Hypostyle Hall was cleared by Myriam Seco Álvarez. Recent geoarchaeological research has shown that the main axis of the temple was constructed on a natural, elongated mound that stood well above the floodplain level of the New Kingdom period. As a result, the Temple area at the west end stood high and dry most of the time and would have been subject to flooding only during very rare high flood events. Another important discovery by the same project has been a previously unknown branch of the Nile on the west side of the Nile Valley. It ran approximately south–north with the Colossi of Memnon placed on the west bank of the river, giving a dramatic riverside entrance to the Temple complex.

The mortuary temple's primary purpose was as a place for offerings for Amenhotep III for after his passing and movement into the afterlife. The importance of the Sed Festival is that it portrays a reenactment of the unification of Egypt. To further reinforce the idea of unification, building materials from both Upper and Lower Egypt were used, which demonstrates Amenhotep III maintained sema tawy (unification) of both lands. Additionally, Amenhotep III established the idea of Maat (justice and peace) over Islet (chaos) by having the statues of fauna, and therefore having control over them, as well as depicting bound Egyptian enemies (such as the Nubian, Asiatics, Mesopotamians, Aegeans and Hittites) next to statues of himself. Within the festival, there are many rituals that make up Amenhotep's III first Sed. The Sekhmet statues served an important purpose in the ritual festivals. Looking at the statues, some Sekhmet statues are standing, some are sitting, while some are holding a papyrus scepter on the left hand, and the symbol of life on the right hand. Jean Yoyotte, a French Egyptologist, comments that the goddess Sekhmet served an important role as the “mistress of drunkenness” who provides healing qualities, which are meant to cure any illnesses of Amenhotep III. Also, she played an important role in the royal jubilee in order to "protect the sun king against the enemies of the sun." Two specific rituals in which the other animal statues were used are the solar ritual and the creation of the sky map. The creation of the sky map in the mortuary temple was seen throughout the 18th dynasty, especially Thutmose III, to honor the deities of the heavens. Sekhmet statues were used in the process of creating the sky map in addition to the lion crocodile sphinx, statues of a Hippo, and bull statue. The lion crocodile sphinx is the third dimensional representation found. Looking at the white Hippopotamus, it is thought to have served a role in the white Hippopotamus ritual which had been seen under Thutmose III. For the specific solar festival, statues of Asbet, Maat, Hu, Horus, Isis for times of the day were seen.

The two most prominent stelae within the mortuary temple are the Northern and the Southern Stelae. The northern, found in the Peristyle Court where it stands in full form, underwent several conservation efforts in 2010–2012. Similarly, the Southern Stelae was raised in the middle of the 20th century and mentions Amenhotep III describing the temple as “magnified”.