Ancient Egyptian Temples and Monuments

1. Ancient Egyptian temples were built as homes for their gods.

2. The Ancient Egyptians thought it was important to take care of their gods and goddesses so that they would protect Egypt and bring wealth.

3. Ancient Egyptian temples could be single buildings, or large collections of buildings.

4. The walls of Ancient Egyptian temples were covered with scenes that were carved and then painted.

5. The most important part of an Ancient Egyptian temple was the shrine, where the image of the god was kept.

6. Only the Egyptian priests and the Pharaoh could enter the temples, except on festival days, when ordinary people could enter the courtyard.

7. The main temple at Abu Simbel was built for Rameses the Great.

8. The Temple of Rameses the Great at Abu Simbel was dedicated to the three main gods of the time, Ra-Horakihty, Ptah and Amun.

9. There are four huge statues at Abu Simbel carved out of the rock face, each about twenty metres high.

10. The statues at Abu Simbel show Rameses the Great at different stages of his life.

11. Above the statues at Abu Simbel is a row of twenty-two baboons, with their arms raised in the air, worshipping the rising sun.

12. When the Aswan Dam was built the temple had to be moved over ninety metres from its original position.

13. The Egyptians also built obelisks, which were tapering columns carved from single blocks of stone.

14. Obelisks were placed in pairs at the entrances to temples, and some tombs.

15. A cap, or pyramidion, was placed at the top of the obelisk, which was covered in shining metal and attracted the sun’s rays.

16. The Great Sphinx sits in front of the Pyramids of Giza.

17. Ancient Egyptian sphinx statues have the body of a lion and the head, or face, of some other creature.

18. The most common Ancient Egyptian sphinxes had the body of a lion and the head of a human, usually the face of the reigning pharaoh.

19. Ancient Egyptian sphinxes were usually male and were thought to live in the desert.

20. A giant sphinx was said to guard the entrance to the Underworld.

21. Ancient Egyptians believed that sphinx statues had magical powers to guard temples and tombs.