Karnak, Temple of Thutmose III, 19th Century

Karnak, Temple of Thutmose III, 19th Century

Entrance to sanctuary of the Temple of Thutmose III, Thebes, photographed by Maison Bonfils, circa 1867-1885. The Temple of Thutmose III at Deir el-bahari was dedicated primarily to the god Amun, both in the form of Amun-Re and Amun-Kamutef, and probably paid some role within the funerary cult of Thutmose III. 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. He moved his family to Beirut in 1867 where they opened a photographic studio called "Maison Bonfils".

FÉLIX BONFILS

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3300 x 4040 px | 38.1 MB

27.9 x 34.2 cm | 11.0 x 13.5 in (300 dpi)