Ancient History Notes
Pharaoh: Amenhotep III
Building Program: He began his building program very early in his reign.
The Temple of Amen at Luxor; The colonnade and forecourt of this temple has been acclaimed by art historians as being the most impressive achievement of Egyptians temple architecture.
The third Pylons at Karnak He demolished the shrines and monuments of earlier pharaohs, including some of his father’s, and used the rubble to fill his new pylon. This carried a lengthy inscription praising himself and Amen. On the southern side of the temple he built a smaller pylon and set in front of it two colossal statues of himself.
Malkata Palace; 4 loosely connected palaces, residential apartments, courtyards and gardens, a small temple of Amen and villages for palace workers.
Mortuary Temple built to house the funeral service of the Pharaoh’s spirit, it was dedicated to the Aten. In front of the temple, Amenhotep III constructed two huge statues of himself over 16 metres tall, known as the Colossi of Memnon.
Religious Programs:
By the time Amenhotep III came to the throne, the cult of Amun of Thebes had already risen to a position of political prominence.
Amen; main god of the new kingdom, and wars of conquest were fought in his name. The victory spoils were dedicated to his temples, which were administered by the powerful Amen priesthood.
Amun-Re was given equal credit with the pharaoh for success in battle.
In the last decade of his reign, Amenhotep III was depicted as a god. It was customary for pharaoh’s to be shown as gods in the afterlife, it was unusual that Amenhotep was shown as a god when he was still alive.
Heb-Sed Festivals
Preparations were extensive, with solar courts being added to many of Amenhotep’s major temples.
His first Heb-Sed festival marked a change in the way he was represented in reliefs and sculptures. He was now being depicted as youthful and idealized in order to emphasise his divine status.
Military Campaigns: evidence of the
Building Program: He began his building program very early in his reign.
The Temple of Amen at Luxor; The colonnade and forecourt of this temple has been acclaimed by art historians as being the most impressive achievement of Egyptians temple architecture.
The third Pylons at Karnak He demolished the shrines and monuments of earlier pharaohs, including some of his father’s, and used the rubble to fill his new pylon. This carried a lengthy inscription praising himself and Amen. On the southern side of the temple he built a smaller pylon and set in front of it two colossal statues of himself.
Malkata Palace; 4 loosely connected palaces, residential apartments, courtyards and gardens, a small temple of Amen and villages for palace workers.
Mortuary Temple built to house the funeral service of the Pharaoh’s spirit, it was dedicated to the Aten. In front of the temple, Amenhotep III constructed two huge statues of himself over 16 metres tall, known as the Colossi of Memnon.
Religious Programs:
By the time Amenhotep III came to the throne, the cult of Amun of Thebes had already risen to a position of political prominence.
Amen; main god of the new kingdom, and wars of conquest were fought in his name. The victory spoils were dedicated to his temples, which were administered by the powerful Amen priesthood.
Amun-Re was given equal credit with the pharaoh for success in battle.
In the last decade of his reign, Amenhotep III was depicted as a god. It was customary for pharaoh’s to be shown as gods in the afterlife, it was unusual that Amenhotep was shown as a god when he was still alive.
Heb-Sed Festivals
Preparations were extensive, with solar courts being added to many of Amenhotep’s major temples.
His first Heb-Sed festival marked a change in the way he was represented in reliefs and sculptures. He was now being depicted as youthful and idealized in order to emphasise his divine status.
Military Campaigns: evidence of the