Karnak - Temple of Ramesses III

The door on the east side of the court of Ramesses III's Temple leads into the Bubastid Hall, in the southeast corner of the Great Court. The reliefs and inscriptions in this hall are by rulers of the 22nd Dynasty. The following reliefs are particularly notable: on the left (east; on the projecting wall), above, Amun presenting to Osorkon I the curved sword and palm branch, symbols of long life; below, Khnum holding the hieroglyph for "life" to the King's nostrils and Hathor suckling the King. On the right hand (west) wall Takelothis II and his son Osorkon, High Priest of Amun, are depicted in the presence of the god; below is a long inscription.

Beyond the pylon is a Court, with covered passages on either side, the roofs of which are supported on eight Osiris pillars. On the rear walls of the pylon towers Ramesses is shown receiving the sign for "jubilee" from Amun signifying that he would celebrate many more jubilees. The walls of the colonnades are decorated with reliefs on the east side the procession of Amun's sacred barque, on the west side a procession with an ithyphallic statue of Amun borne by priests and accompanied by standardbearers. The votive inscriptions on the architraves record in florid style that Ramesses erected this monument to his father Amun. A door in the left hand (east) colonnade leads into the Bubastid Hall; in the right hand colonnade is a doorway, now walled up, which opened into the south colonnade of the Great Court.

From the vestibule a doorway leads into the Hypostyle Hall, which has eight columns with closed capitals. Beyond this are three Chapels, dedicated respectively to Mut (left), Amun (middle: with two lattice windows in the longitudinal walls) and Khons (right). In each chapel the King is depicted sacrificing to the sacred barque of the deity. Adjoining the Chapel of Khons is another small room; the Chapel of Amun has a room on either side; and beside the Chapel of Mut is a staircase.

The Pylon of the temple, with the entrance doorway containing two statues of the King, had suffered much damage to the upper part (now restored). On the front of the left hand (east) tower Ramesses, wearing the double crown, is shown holding his enemies by the hair and raising his club to smite them, while Amun hands him the sword of victory and delivers to him three rows of vanquished peoples (above from the south, below from the north). On the right hand tower is a similar scene, with the King wearing the crown of Lower Egypt. On the left hand side of the doorway Ramesses receives from Amun the sign for "life", etc.

On the far side of the court is the Vestibule of the temple proper, which stands on a higher level. Along the front are four Osiris pillars, while to the rear are four columns with closed capitals. The pillars are linked by screens (with reliefs).