Land of the Pharaohs
(continued)
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Photography by Roy Slovenko
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On the 4,000 year-old site of ancient Thebes, in Upper Egypt, stand the amazing temples of Luxor and Karnak. Luxor Temple was built by Amenhotep III and later embellished by Ramses II, Tutankhamen, and Alexander the Great. Karnak, a great religious shrine, was a massive complex of buildings, many of them dedicated to Amon-Ra, supreme god of the Egyptians during the New Kingdom period, 1570 to 1085 BC.
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Sculpture of Ramses II
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Luxor's avenue of sphinxes, which bear human heads on animal bodies, like the Great Sphinx of Giza
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An avenue of ram-headed sphinxes leads to Karnak Temple.
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Karnak is an immense complex, only part of which has been uncovered and restored so far.
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The ram-headed sphinx was a symbol of the moon god, Amon, who protects the pharaoh, standing as a small figure under the ram's chin.
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Pinudjem, High Priest of Amon and pharaoh of the 21st Dynasty
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