Karnak, Temple of Khonsu, 19th Century

Karnak, Temple of Khonsu, 19th Century

Bas-relief on wall of the Royal Pavilion, Thebes, photographed by Maison Bonfils, circa 1867-85. The Temple of Khonsu located within the large Precinct of Amun-Re at Karnak is an example of an almost complete New Kingdom temple, and was originally constructed by Ramesses III, on the site of an earlier temple. In Ptolemaic times, Ptolemy III Euergetes constructed a great gateway and enclosure wall for the temple, only the gateway now remains. The Karnak Temple Complex comprises a vast mix of decayed temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings. Building at the complex began during the reign of Senusret I in the Middle Kingdom and continued into the Ptolemaic period, although most of the extant buildings date from the New Kingdom. The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut (The Most Selected of Places) and the main place of worship of the eighteenth dynasty Theban Triad with the god Amun as its head. It is part of the monumental city of Thebes. The complex is a vast open-air museum and the largest ancient religious site in the world. Félix Bonfils (March 8, 1831 - 1885) was a French photographer and writer who was active in the Middle East.

FÉLIX BONFILS

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3000 x 4203 px | 36.1 MB

25.4 x 35.6 cm | 10.0 x 14.0 in (300 dpi)