"Once the centre of worlds power" a Luxor Travel Page by vdoortje

This announcement makes me smile!! Not because it says I should do, but because I like the place and like to be there.
I know it is more than touristic. Next to Cairo it is THE place to be if you are interested in the history of Egypt. And not just Egypt! So much the history of the world!

Egypt is called the "Cradle of civilization" and not without cause! So much of the knowledge discovered in Ancient Egypt made the World we know today. It started in Memphis, Sakkarah an Gizeh. Also Heliopolis, but so much was lost from that place.
But Luxor was the continuation of the grandeur of Egypt.
As is visible in the great Tempels of Karnak and Luxor.

Luxor once was called Thebe and was the Capital of Upper and Lower Egypt. It was the 18th dynasty that placed this place on the map of history. Originating in the Middle Kingdom, it were the founders of the 18th dynasty that made Luxor the Capital. Starting with Sekenenre, Prince of Thebe, who challenged the Hyksos domination and payed with his life. His son Kamose took over the fight and was killed during this quest. The great Pharao who founded the 18th dynasty was Ahmose, younger brother of Kamose, who took over the fight after his brother died.

Thus Thebe became the capital of Upper and Lower Egypt and Amun Ra became the most important deity worshiped in Egypt. Amun was the deity of Thebes. Ra was adjusted to that to make that deity the most important in Egypt.

You can see all of that in Karnak Tempel.
Karnak was the centre of the worship of Amun. The oldest foundations are from the Middle Kingdom. The victory of the Ahmose family made this Temple important and mighty.
Luxor Temple was build by Amenhotep III, maybe on older religious basements.
Amenhotep III loved his wife Tiye. I guess he was charmed by the marital connection between Amun and Mut.
Karnak; the Amun Tempel, was his Tempel. Luxor was meant to be the Tempel of his wife: Mut/Tiye.

Once a year Amun came to his wife Mut in loving embracement. That was called the Opet ceremony. Celebrated in Luxor every year. Even today it is still celebrated in the Mouled Abu el Hagag.

This is a relief in the Great Hypostyle Hall of Karnak Tempel. The great hall with the 134 collumns started to be built by Seti I, but finished by his son Ramesses II, who made sure his name was placed all over the place.

This picture showes a relief of the god Amun Ra and his wife Mut in a very affectionate position. Very close to each other with their arms around each other.
This was/is very controversional. Gods were never portrayed like that. Even if they were in a marital relation like Amun and Mut. They are always portrayed behind one another, not confronting like this one.
I believe this mural is a challenge. A challenge of Ramesses II, who thought of himself a a god. You can see that in the Tempels of Upper Egypt. In Abu Simbel he placed himself between the gods.

This picture is actually Ramesses II and Nefertari showed as Amun Ra and Mut.
It was a challenge to the mighty priests of Thebes(Karnak).

The priests of Karnak never accepted Ramesses challenge to be a god and they were offended by this inscription! That is why they covered it! They couldn't remove it, because it was the image of a god. They covered it with a, presumed, gold plate. The holes are still visible!! Take a good look on the picture!