I have always been fascinated by ancient Egypt, and the famous temple of Karnak. It is a massive structure, with massive columns. But, because the egyptians never invented the arch, their structures were simple-just post and lintels. The temple therefore has very little interior room-most of the space is taken up by columns. Was there ever a roof?-or was the temple open to the sky?
Very interesting question, and I’ll look forward to seeing the answer from someone who knows more Egyptology than me.
My one offering towards the question is terminological: Ralph’s “Temple of Karnak” is pretty well established colloquial use for referring to it, but it’s actually the Great Temple of Amon-Ra at Thebes; Karnak is, technically, the name of the nearby village which gave its name to the ruins (Luxor, farther upstream [south] being similarly the ‘modern’ (19th century) village after which the palace area ruins were named.
Yes, the usual assumption is that the bit of the temple of Amon-Re of which you’re thinking had a timber roof. Hence its conventional name - the Hypostyle Hall.
This site has some reconstructions.
I had known it was roofed (it follows logicly because of the columns), but I had expected less gloominess with the celebration of Ra and all.
ABP, are you sure the roof was timber? I couldn’t find the material mentioned on that site. I thought the roofs were stone, e.g. temples that still have a roof such as Abydos. The columns are very close together and the roof was made of stone slabs.
Fair point.
Thanks-with that roof, must have been very dark inside-how did people see those magnificent carvings and inscriptions?
The roof had 2 levels & light came in through a clerestory.
Here’s a drawing: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14400/14400-h/images/fig073.png
