The Temple of the Oracle (Temple of Amun) at the Siwa Oasis in Egypt

Oracle
In the town abandoned by most of the population of Aghurmi in the oasis of Siwa is the most famous temple of Amun, now more known as the Temple of the Oracle because of Alexander's visit when he invaded Egypt. Is in fact one of the two temples dedicated to Amun in Siwa, and the other being or his servants. It sits on top of a flat rock, and a spectacle. Built during the reign of the family 26th (although the origin of the Oracle is famous for being much, much more), and this temple, and Oracle, and flourished in periods of Greek and Romanian.
There are a number of myths about the founding of this temple. One of them tells of two black ministers in the temple of Amun at Thebes (Luxor), who were banished to a desert. This is one of them said the foundations of the Temple of Dodona in Greece, where he became a voice of Oracle. And second, after a period of time in Libya, came to Siwa, where he became the Sibyl of Oracle Corporation.
Another says that says the temple existed in 1385 BC and was built in honor of Ham, son of Noah, Danaus the Egyptian, while another legend tells of the founding of the temple of the god Dionysus Greek. While lost in the Western Sahara, Dionysus died of thirst, and when the man appeared and led them to spring Aghurmi. In gratitude, he built the Temple of Dionysus.
The oracles, the manifestations of the gods, and was very revered in the ancient world and their presence in Egypt dates back to the greatest revelation of the temple in Siwa. Be able to see in the future, and they were regularly consulted before taking important decisions. Other important oracles in the ancient world is found in Persia, Libya, Delphi, Cumae, Samos, Cimmeria, and Eritrea, Tibur, Marpessa (and Hellespont) and Phrygia. Their homes and were usually close to a natural phenomenon. In Siwa, and was located in the Temple of the Sun amazing spring. Sibyls, priests who have spoken in a letter from Oracle Corporation, is believed to have powers of the Prophet often asked him to intercede with the gods.
Many ancient sources, including Quintus Curtius and Diodorus The report said that the original form of the Oracle in Siwa, the crimping cycle, which was adorned with precious stones such as emeralds flap difficult. Later, it also became the head of a ram, a symbol of the god Amun. We were told that, unlike the vast complex of Karnak and wealth is not important, and even, the oracle of Siwa strive to maintain a primitive simplicity.
Today, as we believe the most famous visitors of the oracles of Alexander the Great, but legend says that there are others.
Oracle in Siwa, and held so high in Greece, the Athenian trireme assigned exclusively for the messengers to transmit to Marsa Matrouh, then called ammonia, where he began his journey in the desert oasis. Greeks may have learned from the Oracle after it invaded the northern coast and settled in Cyrene (Libya Today) in 637 BC. Having been absorbed into the Oracle Greek religion and is associated with Zeus, which was associated with Amun in Egypt. Oracle is known to the curse and Andromeda is linked to rock the night and eel. Perseus is said to be stopped to visit the Oracle before the beheading of Medusa, and Hercules is believed to have visited before fought Bursiris.
Cambyses, who ruled Egypt between 525 and 522 BCE. C. , Wants to destroy the Oracle, but lost somewhere in the military up to more than the Western Sahara. Pliny tells us that this is due to the sacred stone in the temple have been affected by the offensive, which caused a sandstorm feared that anger.
There is a myth that the Binder, the famous Greek poet who lived between 522 and 443 BC. C. , And wrote a poem about Oracle and stood on the altar for six centuries.
By Alexander, Cimon, the Athenian year, and remained in Cyprus in 449 BC. C. Waiting for word from the Oracle before attacking Egypt. It is said that the envoys when he arrived at the temple, Oracle and spoke "Cimon is already with me." When they returned to Cyprus, and found that Cimon was dead, and they were talking to Oracle.
Eubotas, and Cyrene athlete, and arrested the famous, and perhaps sometime around the year 409 BC. About the same time, Lysander, the Spartan general, twice came to Siwa to consult the Oracle.
We were told that Alexander the Great in 331 BC. C) consult with Oracle, to get confirmation that he was the son of Zeus (Ammon), and therefore a legitimate ruler of Egypt and other countries that have conquered. When he arrived and his entourage after the seizure of Egypt, and a manifestation of Oracle was paraded through the city, accompanied by priests eighty. After his visit to the Oracle, and when his image appeared on the money, Alexander was shown with ram horns, a symbol of the god Amon. We know that Alexander consulted the Oracle at least once, and probably more than once.
After Alexander, Hannibal said he visited the Oracle and the population of Ellis was deeply affected by Oracle, which kept a list of all the questions and answers provided by Oracle, stone carving on the wall of the temple.
However, at the time of the Romans, and Oracle started to descent. We were told that Cato was asked about the liberation of Rome, according to a source from the Oracle Corporation refused to respond. The source alleges that Cato II had come to question the Oracle, and break their power, so it was Cato who refused to speak, which reduces the estimate of Oracle Corporation. At Strabo, who visited Siwa after the birth of Jesus Christ, and said that Oracle were not strong, and was in decline.
Temple
Ruins of the Temple of the Oracle are still fresh, but how long is doubtful. The rock on which he sat is split, and sometimes some of its parts, and sometimes large pieces, drop down. Cracks are everywhere, and we know that in ancient times, the rock was much larger. There is good evidence of the treasure hunters work in the temple area. However, the structure is well preserved, is all.
The temple is reached before boarding on the road marked on the side of the rock is exceeded. Do not fill the temple area. It's sites within the village, which was mostly abandoned in 1926 after a severe storm. Until very recently, at least, some families who actually lived in the temple.
The entrance is the door of the villa. On the ruins of an ancient mosque to stand on the door, its minaret still dominates the skyline. Front of the mosque in the old well with many of the ports that can lead to storage areas or corridors underground. Temple in the northwest corner of this region. Walls abut on the edge of the abyss, to a rock and exposed to the risk of falling into the abyss below.
Area in front of the temple had been cleared of adobe homes in 1970 by Ahmed Fakhry. Court processions of God and had extended his contract in front of the temple proper, but only on the foundations of the walls of the north and east of the country still exist. Court is only a small distance from the edge of the rocks and, therefore, we must assume that this area, both from the rocks at the end was occupied in ancient times, or that the visitors had to climb a ladder if, as might be expected, from entering the court and on the axis of the temple. However, it is possible that the entry of the court was on the east side, which also is the day by climbing the hill.
The frontispiece of the temple is easily distinguished. It is about eight feet. Entry has a Cornish measuring 2.22 meters, with no inscriptions. Later, apparently built during the Ptolemaic era, tried to make it look like a Greek temple, adding in the front wall to be constructed in half fluted Doric column of type on each side of the entrance.
Interface that leads to the interior of two large halls, and a haven for entry in the main shaft. The first chamber measures 7.74 by 4.95 meters. Your input is not exactly in the center of the wall. On the west side is a little longer. There are niches in the south wall, and one in each corner of the two countries. At ground level on the Western Wall and the entrance to a cave. The second court is almost the same size as the first, but built a little higher. There are three entrances to the intensity of operations north of the wall the second court, which is half of the largest and one leads to the shrine. Small entrance to the right of it, and only 80 cm, leading to a narrow corridor that could be used as an annex to store equipment for the temple or to assist in the delivery of oracles. On the wall left of the entrance there are three niches, and about 66 inches longer than the floor, and near the ceiling holes for light. Honorary wondered whether this might be a secret area of the priests, which can speak the words of the Oracle.
Only resort has walls that are inscribed. Haven measure 3.3 meters in depth of 6.1 meters. Like the other rooms, which were on the roof, and so we in the upper part of the walls projected eastern and western rhetoric, which is located on the rafters. Unfortunately, the walls were seriously damaged by treasure hunters.
Inscriptions are on both sides to enter this room and continue along the side walls, although it seems that perhaps the back wall were not registered. The right of the entrance is the figure of King Amasis, which mandated the temple was built and decorated, in spite of his head and his body had been cut off. North crown on his head was intact. King's name is written inside the cartouche in front of him. Glasses of wine and provide round eight gods before him in line, preceded by Amon, who are represented on the eastern wall. Other gods, including the presumption of the wall Amen, Amen Ra, death, and Khonsu Mahesa. The latter is the female deity who carries the double crown, but the registration is completely destroyed. And accompanying text says: "I give life to the President of the population of the desert, Sutekh - irdes.
To the left of the entrance to the campus is a governor Siwa, was completely destroyed except for a feather that was stuck in her hair, and demonstrates the origin Libby. While under the control of Egypt, Herodotus tells us that the rulers were called kings, and perhaps because of their isolation. Therefore, it represents the other side of the camera, in the same position as the king of Egypt, and others like it, and offerings to the gods of eight. Inscription tells us that this was Sutekh - irdes, who was the "President of the population of the desert." Eight among the gods on the wall is Amen Ra, death, Dedun - Amun, the goddess Tefnut Harsaphis with the human body, and the head ram, walnuts, Thoth, depicted with the head of an ibis, and Hebenu earths, Nehem Awa, wife of Thoth. Behind the deities of the past, a blank wall, because at one point the door here leads to the next room. The walls were up at a later date.
There was at least one camera on the roof of the temple. Stairs leading to the surface and on the west side of the corner which is located in this part of the rock and back.
There is a narrow corridor on the right side (east of Mazar), which leads behind the wall. Another camera is a great on the western side of the temple. Temple seems to have been dug properly, and without that work, you can not determine whether other parts of the temple are still hidden under debris in the vicinity. The remainder of the walls to the south-west of the court and clear and can distinguish the outlines of some of the stone chambers. Also, there are stone walls in the rubble of the houses on the eastern side of the temple, but without sufficient consideration, and we do not know if any of these buildings are part of the right temple.