NEW YORK HARBOR - Visitors can step back in time and history at the newly opened Temple of Amun (http://slurl.com/secondlife/NEW%20YORK%20HARBOR/40/88/22 ).
Tours are being organized every Saturday at 7 a.m. (secondlife time)
Tours are being offered every Saturday at 7 a.m. SLT by the Museum Director and real life Egyptologist, Jachmes Masala. The tour takes approximately 1 ½ hours and is packed with information.
A local god of Thebes, the so called Amun rose to prominence during Egypt’s New Kingdom (1539 – 1295 BC). The temple complex at Karnak, located just north of present day Luxor, Egypt, underwent expansion and modification during the reign of Kings Amenophis III (1390-1352 BC) and Ramses II (1279-1213 BC). In the Roman period, the temple was used as a military garrison. The Temple of Amun in SL recreates the temple as it might have been during the time of Ramses II.
The entrance gate is being guarded by the statues of Ramses the second.
A mural shows the battle of Qadesh, where Ramses II fought the Hittites. It is believed that this was the largest chariot battle fought, by the history data they used over 5000 chariots to assist the foot solders.
The first court contains 3 chambers that served as a chapel dedicated to god Amun, his wife Mut and Chons their son. This area would have been open to the public to do offerings. Only the priests could visit the sanctuary far inside this temple.
The pillars are meant to resemble papyrus and lotus plant bundles, plants growing near the banks of the Nile River. The floor is dark grey, layered with hard stone, to symbolize the soil of Egypt that produced the food.
“The oldest temples in Egypt were probably mobile tents,” Masala said. “Later, they were transformed into buildings of stone with pillars for raising tents. They are meant to be the plants growing from the soil and they carry the sky.”
The middle hall was begun by Tutankhamun, the child king and completed by Horemheb or Ramses I. Many columns make up this room. The ceiling is decorated with flying vultures, a goddess of the sky, as well as the night sky with stars.
“The Egyptians thought of the temple as a small universe in itself. It was housing for the gods as a place in the middle of mankind,” Masala said.
I my self didn't personally go there, but I WILL as soon as I find some time. Hopefully you'll do the same.
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