Ancient Egyptian temples were the domain of the gods. Only the pharaoh and his priests were ever allowed to enter them. The pharaoh was also the highest priest of Egypt. He commanded that temples be built as a sign of his devotion to the gods who would, in return, care for the continued prosperity of the land of Egypt. Every day, priests washed the gods’ statues, clothed them in fine linen, adorned them with jewellery and offered them food and wine. On certain days of the year, the king and his priests held festivals in honour of the gods. Commoners gather in the temple courtyards to cheer the processions and to sing and dance.

Inside the temple

Anyone could enter the temple and go as far as the main courtyard, but only the priests, priestesses and the pharaoh himself were allowed to go any further inside. The public areas of the temple were also used for trading as well as worship. Gold, ivory, grain and exotic animal skins, such as leopard and lion, were all bought and sold here. Beyond the main courtyard was the hypostyle hall, a vast room with a roof held up by towering columns painted to look like giant papyrus reeds. The inner sanctuary, containing the shrine and gold statue of the great god Amun-Re, could just be glimpsed through the hypostyle hall.