The Opet Festival (Ancient Egyptian: "beautiful festival of Opet") was an annual ancient Egyptian festival celebrated in Thebes (Luxor), especially in the New Kingdom and later periods, during the second month of the season of Akhet, the flooding of the Nile.
The earliest known occurrence was during the reign of Hatshepsut, early in the New Kingdom period, but it may well have begun much earlier. In her day the celebrations lasted 11 days but, by the time of Ramesses II, they went on for a full three weeks.
The Luxor Temple was also dedicated to Amun but, as it was thought to be the primeval mound of creation, the emphasis was more on his nature as Amun-Min, the fertility god, rather than as Amun-Re, the creator.
Temple of Amun. |
The statue of the god Amun-Re was first bathed and then decked out in its finest array — colourful robes and magnificent jewellery of gold, and lapis lazuli.
He was then placed into a small shrine of gilded wood, which was in turn placed on a portable barque.
Accompanied by the high priests and with appropriate amount of fanfare, he was brought from the holy-of-holies, through the various columned halls and into the forecourt where members of the royal family and select representatives of the ordinary people were permitted to view the activities and verify that they were done properly.
The statues of Mut and Khons awaited him, having been brought from their own temples in barques of their own.
Forecourt of the Temple of Amun. |
The pharaoh himself presided over the rites and ceremonies that preceded their departure and when these were complete the whole party set off for the Ipet Resyt (‘Southern Harem’) as the Luxor Temple was known.
In Hatshepsut’s day, the procession went by land and turned left as it emerged from the temple building, exiting through the newly build Pylon VIII.
The whole route was lined with cheering multitudes as the god proceeded down the sphinx lined avenue.
The wab-priests (‘purifiers’), with their shaven heads and bleached white linen robes, shouldered the burden of the three barques.
Priest carrying the Barque of Amun on his shoulders. |
They were accompanied by other priests wearing leopard skin mantles along with large numbers of fan-bearers, musicians, singers and acrobatic dancers.
Along the way, Hatshepsut established six way stations where the priests could put down their burden and let a new group take it up. The last of these was just outside the entrance to the temple but was entirely rebuilt by Ramesses II and enclosed within his new courtyard.
Avenue of the Sphinxes seen from the southwest. |
From what we know of the practice in later times, the gods would have been received in a large, open courtyard with the appropriate rituals and sacrifices after which they would be taken into the temple.
Luxor Temple. |
Mut and Khons went to their individual shrines while the pharaoh and Amun-Re went first to the Chamber of the Divine King and then on to the holy-of-holies with ceremonies being held in each.
Barque Shrine inside Luxor Temple. |
The pharaoh underwent ritual purification and a re-enactment of his coronation. Something of the power of the god was transferred to the royal ka, topping up the royal batteries so to speak.
Coronation Room and Birth Room.
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In return, the pharaoh, through offerings and the performance of such rituals as the Opening of the Mouth, set in motion a new cycle of creation and re-ignited the sacred spark within the god.
The Sacred Marriage between Amun and Mut was re-consummated — with the pharaoh and his queen acting as stand-ins — and the divine pair took a few days honeymoon in the seclusion of the temple.
This proper performance of this fertility ritual was absolutely vital to the continued good order of the universe and there was a strong erotic element to the proceedings.
After the celebrations were over, the pharaoh and the three gods returned to Karnak — this time by boat.
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