Digital KarnakUniversity of California Santa Cruz
Digital KarnakRelated Features
Introduction
The triple shrine of Sety II was built outside of the temple’s western entrance, along the temple’s traditional east/west processional route. The later construction of the temple’s first court by Shoshenq I enclosed the shrine within the sacred space.
The shrine was covered with relief scenes of the king. On its south face (and entrance), Sety II is shown offering to the Theban gods.
The blocks composing the northeast corner and west wall of the shrine were left undressed. The shrine may have been partly disassembled during the construction of the first pylon by Nectanebo I, then only partly reconstructed.
Measurements: The building measures 21m across by 16.5m deep and stand 7.1m high. The central doorway is 4.5m high with the two side doors measuring 3.79m.
Phases of Construction
Sety II
The triple bark shrine would have housed the barks of Mut (west shrine), Amun (central shrine) and Khonsu (east shrine) during the various processions out of the temple made by the statues of the gods. The shrine is called “a place of honoring and praying to all the gods,” and it may have served as a place where the average Egyptians could gather within the temple complex and pray.
Construction materials: The foundations, doorwells and first course were made of quartzite. The remainder of the building was sandstone.
About the reconstruction model of Sety II
The model of the shrine was based on the plans and axial drawings of Carlotti (1995: pls. II-III) of the chapel.
Photographs of the building as it appears at Karnak today were used to decorate the exterior south and east sides. The remainder of the building was covered with a plain sandstone pattern. As the building stands almost complete today, the model closely reflects its appearance. None of the elaborately carved interior relief scenes were included in the model.
Modern Site Photos
Documentation
Chevrier, Henri. (1940),Le temple reposoir de Séti II à Karnak. Caire: Imprimerie National Boulac
Carlotti, Jean-François. (1995),Contribution à l’ étude métrologique de quelques monuments du temple d’Amon-Rê à Karnak. Cahiers de Karnak. vol. X , 65-127.
Teeter, Emily. (1993),Popular Worship in Ancient Egypt: Contrary to what is often written, commoners had access to their deities. KMT: a modern journal of Ancient Egypt. , 2vol. 4 , 28-37.