Ancient Temples of Egypt Trivia Quiz

Answer: Colossi of Memnon

Constructed of single blocks of quartzite sandstone, the Colossi of Memnon have been guarding the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III since 1350 BC. Who's Memnon then? Ancient visitors incorrectly believed that the statues were of King Memnon, a legendary Greek king, and the name stuck!

The temple complex originally covered approximately 86 acres, however, as it was built in a flood plain, quite a bit of erosion occurred over the centuries. It is also believed that later workers used the stones for other buildings, as was the accepted practice, and so the large, 60-foot high statues are mostly what remains of the complex today.

The site was hit by earthquakes in 1200 BC and 27 BC, which led to a Roman reconstruction project. This explains why one of the statues today has 5 levels of stones above the waist and why the top portion is made of a different type of sandstone.

Answer: Karnak Temple

The Temple of Karnak is considered to be the largest ancient religious site in the world; it is appropriate that the word Karnak comes from the Arabic for "fortified village". Constructed from 2055 BC-100 AD, the Karnak Temple complex was actually a conglomerate of four main temples, dedicated to Amun-Re (sun), Mut (mother goddess), and Montu (moon), along with smaller enclosed and outdoor temples. The fourth temple, the Temple of Amenhotep IV, no longer stands. Unlike many of the other ancient temples, it was expanded and used from the time of the Middle Kingdom to the Ptolemies, and at least 30 pharaohs contributed to the site in some way.

Karnak Temple not only served religious purposes, but was also utilized as a treasury, palace, and administrative center. After the Pyramids of Giza, it is said to be the second-most visited site in Egypt today. Don't forget to view the beautiful Hypostyle Hall there. Built by Seti I, the hall measured 50,000 square feet and its roof was supported by 134 papyrus columns.

Answer: Abu Simbel

Built on the southern border of what is Egypt today, Abu Simbel was originally carved in the side of a mountain near the second cataract of the Nile River. It was constructed under the direction of Ramses II in 1274 BC to commemorate the supposed victory of the Egyptians over the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh - a victory that was claimed by both sides. After dynastic rule in Egypt ended, the complex was forgotten and remained covered with sand until its rediscovery in 1813.

The Great Temple, dedicated to Ramses the Great, and the Small Temple, dedicated to chief wife, Nefertari were both moved to higher ground in the 1960s to make room for Lake Nasser, which was formed by the construction of the Aswan Dam.

Plan to visit Abu Simbel on either October 22 and February 22, when solar rays light up the temple sanctuary. Although there is no historic data to back the belief, some think that these dates represent the birthday and coronation of Ramses. Even though the temple has been moved, the alignment with the sun is still somewhat evident.

Answer: Hathor

Dendera is located near an oasis, which provided the perfect site for a temple complex. Originally constructed during the Middle Kingdom, additions to the site were made through Roman times. The principle temple was dedicated to the goddess Hathor, a sky deity, who had connections to both Ra and Horus. She is usually depicted as a cow, with a headdress that includes horns and a solar disk.

Said to be one of the best preserved temples of ancient Egypt, there is a lot to see at the Dendera Temple Complex. Don't forget to hire a professional guide, because only a guide will have access to more of the artifacts on site. Be sure to see the stone relief that is called the Dendera Light. Historians still debate what the art represents; some say that it is proof that the ancients possessed a type of light bulb technology, while other say it is a lotus flower.

Answer: Deir el-Bahri

Commonly called the Theban Necropolis, there are many tombs and temples found at Deir el-Bahri that date from the beginning of the Middle Kingdom. The main attraction at the area, however, is the Temple of Hatshepsut. Built by the female pharaoh during the Eighteenth Dynasty of the New Kingdom, the mortuary temple, constructed in front of steep cliffs, features colonnades and three terraces that are connected by ramps. Beautiful to behold, in ancient times the site was enhanced by statues and landscaping that are missing today.

If the name "Deir el-Bahri" sounds familiar to you, it might be due to a discovery that was made there in 1881 by archaeologists. A tomb, believed to have been utilized by priests sometimes during ancient Egypt's 21st Dynasty, contained more than 50 royal mummies, including the pharaohs Ahmose I, Thutmose III, and Ramses II.

Answer: Temple of Kom Ombo

The Temple of Kom Ombo stands out due to its very unique design; it is a double temple, which means that it was designed for the worship of two deities. The architecture is perfectly symmetrical, with the northern temple built for the worship of Horus, the sky god, and the southern temple built for the worship of Sobek, god of fertility, power - both the pharaoh's and the military's, and protection. Building began on the site during the New Kingdom, however, most of what is visible there today was built by the Ptolemies.

Nearby the temple is an interesting museum that features crocodile mummies. Over 300 of them have been found in the area around the temple complex. This is not surprising, as Sobek was normally pictured with the body of a man and the head of a crocodile.

Answer: Philae Temple

The construction of Philae Temple was begun by the pharaohs of the 30th Dynasty and completed by the Greek Ptolemies and Roman rulers. It was the center of the worship of Isis, goddess, wife of Osiris and mother of Horus. According to mythology, Philae was highly revered as the burial site of the god Osiris. Many of the temples and sites on the island were moved in order to avoid damage associated with the rising floodwaters of Nile River during the building of the Aswan Dam. Today Philae Temple can be seen on Agilkia Island.

Originally Philae Temple was located near the first cataract of the Nile River. It was viewed as an important boundary of the kingdom in ancient times, as the cataracts were seen as being virtually impassable for centuries. As such, the area was an important site for trade, a religious center, and a military stronghold.

Answer: Temple of Edfu

The Temple of Edfu was built during the Ptolemaic Kingdom in ancient Egypt. Why would the god Horus be important to the Hellenistic Ptolemies? Because they invested Horus with the characteristics of their god of light, Apollo. Many religious festivals were held there, especially one which celebrated the marriage of Horus to Hathor. According to mythology, Horus, the son of Osiris and Isis, fought a battle with his uncle, Set, to avenge his father's death, a theme of many of the temple reliefs.

The Temple of Edfu fell into disuse after paganism was banned by the Roman Empire. It was covered with sand and silt from the annual Nile flood. Rediscovered in 1798, when only the tops of the temple pylons could be seen, the Temple of Edfu is considered to be one of the best preserved sites in Egypt today.

Answer: Luxor Temple

The ancient city of Thebes, located on the east bank of the Nile River, is known as Luxor today. The purpose of Luxor Temple was not to worship a particular deity, but to acknowledge the power and accession of the pharaoh, a place where many of the ancient kings were believed to be crowned. How important was this? Even Alexander the Great claimed to have been crowned there, although historians are unsure if he ever visited the area.

The annual Opet Festival, held during the season of the Nile flood, was actually a fertility festival that was held to emphasize the importance of and connection between Amun-Re, the sun god, and the pharaoh. It became an important event during the New Kingdom, after the expulsion of the Hyksos rulers, when the Egyptians were ready to reaffirm their power over the land.

Answer: Temple of Seti

As you may have deduced by this point, there were two main types of temples in ancient Egypt - cult temples for the worship of deities and funeral or mortuary temples designed to honor the pharaohs. The Temple of Seti, built in approximately 1300 BC, was a mortuary temple, completed in honor of Seti by his much more famous son, Ramses II. Although some sources do not credit Seti with vast accomplishments, it must be remembered that as one of the first members of the 19th Dynasty in ancient Egypt, he was responsible for bringing back the religious and political stability that had suffered during the reign of Amenhotep IV.

Although it is incomplete, the Abydos King List contains the names of 76 pharaohs in their order of rule. Pharaohs are listed by their cartouche, the hieroglyphics representation of their name. It is certain, however, that Seti, or Ramses, viewed some pharaohs as illegitimate, and purposefully left their names from the list - pharaohs such as Hatshepsut, Amenhotep IV, and King Tut, the list is historically important as it goes all the way back to the First Dynasty of Egypt.