Karnak - Temple of Khons
Beyond the gateway another short avenue of sphinxes, set up by Ramesses XI, the last of the Ramessids, leads to the Temple of Khons, dedicated to the Theban moon god, son of Amun and Mut, a characteristic example of the architecture of the New Kingdom. The temple was built by Ramesses III, but the reliefs, apart from those in the innermost chambers, which were completed during his reign, were executed during the reigns of his successors Ramesses IV and XII and the priest king Herihor, who also built the forecourt.
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Temple of Khons - Forecourt
The central doorway, with reliefs of Alexander II, leads into the Forecourt, flanked on right and left by a double row of papyrus columns with closed capitals. On the smooth shafts of the columns and on the walls Herihor is depicted making offerings. Two doorways on each side lead out of the temple. On the right hand (east) wall is a relief of Herihor offering incense before the sacred barques of Amun (with a ram's head), Mut and Khons (with a falcon's head); to the right is the facade of the temple, showing the pylon with its flagstaffs in place.
Temple of Khons - Pylon
The temple is entered by a large Pylon 105ft/32m long, 33ft/10m deep and 59ft/18m high. Like the facades of other temples, it has four vertical grooves, with corresponding apertures in the masonry, for the fixing of flagstaffs. The reliefs on the towers depict a High Priest of the 21st Dynasty and his wife making offerings to various gods. In front of each tower stood a portico with a wooden roof; the bases of the columns are still in situ.
Temple of Khons - Vestibule
On the far side of the forecourt a ramp leads up to the Vestibule or Pronaos, with 12 columns. Beyond this is a transverse Hypostyle Hall with eight papyrus columns; the four columns flanking the central aisle have open capitals, while the columns between the lateral aisles (which are 5ft/1.5m lower than the central aisle) have closed capitals. On the walls and columns Ramesses XII and Herihor, High Priest of Amun, are depicted sacrificing to various gods.
Temple of Khons Chapel
The door in the middle of the rear wall leads into a larger hall in which is the Chapel (open at both ends), designed to house the god's sacred boat. The reliefs on the outer walls of the chapel depict the King (Ramesses IV or XII) in the presence of various gods. Built into the walls are blocks bearing reliefs and cartouches of Tuthmosis III.
On each side of the chapel are dark chambers with reliefs of Ramesses IV, and to its rear a doorway built by one of the Ptolemies gives access to a small chamber with four 16 sided columns, the reliefs in which show Ramesses IV and (to the right and left of the entrance) the Emperor Augustus in the presence of the Theban gods. Adjoining are seven small chapels with reliefs of Ramesses III and his successor. The colors are particularly well preserved in the reliefs in the two chapels on the right hand (east) side. On the long north wall of the rear chapel the King, accompanied by Hathor, offers flowers to the falcon headed Month of Thebes and to the goddess "Sun of the Two Lands, Eye of Re", who is seated in a chapel; on the west wall he offers incense and water to a lion headed, ithyphallic god and to Khons. In another chapel at the northeast corner of the temple which is dedicated to the cult of Osiris is a relief of the dead Osiris, with Isis and Nephthys mourning at his bier.
On each side of the chapel are dark chambers with reliefs of Ramesses IV, and to its rear a doorway built by one of the Ptolemies gives access to a small chamber with four 16 sided columns, the reliefs in which show Ramesses IV and (to the right and left of the entrance) the Emperor Augustus in the presence of the Theban gods. Adjoining are seven small chapels with reliefs of Ramesses III and his successor. The colors are particularly well preserved in the reliefs in the two chapels on the right hand (east) side. On the long north wall of the rear chapel the King, accompanied by Hathor, offers flowers to the falcon headed Month of Thebes and to the goddess "Sun of the Two Lands, Eye of Re", who is seated in a chapel; on the west wall he offers incense and water to a lion headed, ithyphallic god and to Khons. In another chapel at the northeast corner of the temple which is dedicated to the cult of Osiris is a relief of the dead Osiris, with Isis and Nephthys mourning at his bier.
