Queen Hatshepsut and the Opet Festival

Document Type : Original Article

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tourist guidance department, faculty of tourism and hotels, Minia, Egypt.

Abstract

Abstract
The annual Opet Festival, during which the sacred barks of triad of Thebes, Amun, Mut, and Khonsu, together with that of the ruling king journeyed from Karnak to Luxor, became a central religious celebration of Thebes as early as the 18th Dynasty. The rituals of the Opet Festival celebrated the sacred marriage of god Amun, with whom the king merged, and goddess Mut, resulting in the proper transmission of the royal ka and thus ensuring the maintenance of kingship.
This paper will try to survey the Opet festival scenes which were depicted on the Theban monuments of queen Hatshepsut. The paper results will be based on iconographic material and descriptive methodology.
The Opet festival was one of the most important festivals celebrated in ancient Egypt especially at Thebes. The festival had a religious and ritualistic meaning which definitely related to the king’s royal ka. The Opet Festival was also held annually for Amon-re and the ruling king, for the renewal of his kingship. Additionally, it played a principal role in legitimating kingship < /p>

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