The Pronaos Reliefs at Deir el-Haggar Temple: more light on the local theology

Document Type : research articles

Author

faculty of Art, New valley University

Abstract

The present study provides the systematic epigraphic documentation and publication of the reliefs and hieroglyphic texts on the Pronaos at Deir el-Haggar temple by giving a much-needed of scenes facsimiles, translation and the detailed discussion of the Roman emperors’ decorations distribution. Also with careful analyses of the decorative programme of the offering scenes, this approach will argue that the temple was mainly dedicated to the Theban triad. Several details strongly make this assumption is far from accurate and suggest that the temple was dedicated to a local pantheon consisted of Amun, Thoth, Khonsu and Min jointly. All of these gods predominate the majority of offering scenes on the two jambs of the doorways of sanctuary, Offering Hall and the scond Hypostel Hall, most likely a reference to the main gods. Furthermore analysis of the iconographic details display the duality of the solar and lunar aspects of the main gods as a personification of eternal cycle of the sun and the moon.

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