UNESCO Ancient Civilizations of Africa (Editor G. Mokhtar)

The civilization of Napata and Meroe
Amun temples
Religious symbolism played an important role in the designing of temples
in ancient Egypt. The act of worship was expressed in elaborate and complex
ritualsand each part of the temple had a specific role in the progress
of the ritual. These various parts, e.g. halls, courtyards, chambers, chapels,
etc., were laid out axially producing a long corridor of procession. Such
temples were built in the Dongol region by Piankhi and Taharqa and their
successors. The most important of these temples dedicated to Amun-Re
in Napata was built at Gebel Barkal. On the other hand Meroe does not
figure in earlier coronation inscriptions as having a temple to Amun.
However, towards the end of the firstcentury before our era the city of
Meroe was honoured with the building of one of these temples and a long
inscription in Meroitic script was set up in front. The earliest names
associated with it are King Amanikhabale ( — 65 to —41) and Queen
Amanishakhete (—41 to —12). This temple became perhaps the leading
temple of Amun-Re in the later period of the kingdom. It is noticeable
that from this period onwards, other similar Amun temples of a smaller size
were built at Meroe, Musawwarat es-Sufra, Naqa and Wad ben Naqa. The
Aksum temple at Meroe played a similar role to that of Napata at Gebel
Barkal and must have formed a formidable challenge to Napata prominence,
eventually superseding it. Even during the earlier period, before the building
of the Amun temple of Meroe, Napata had not an entire monopoly
as the religious centre, for there existed other types of temple, which
dominated the religious life throughout the Butana and radiated from there
northward. These are the lion temples to which we must now turn.
Lion temples
The name lion temple is suggested by a marked preponderance of lion
figures, whether sculptured in the round, guarding the approach and the
entrance of temples, or in relief in a prominent position. The figure of
the lion represents also the chief Meroitic god Apedemak. This does not
mean that every temple of this kind was dedicated solely to Apedemak.
The existence of this type has been observed by different authorities 60
but in the description of individual temples various names have been given
to them. 61 Thus, we hear of the Apis temple, Isis temple, Sun temple,
Augustus-head temple, Fresco Chamber, and so on. The use of such terms
led, in some cases, to misunderstanding and mistaken conclusions. 62 The
60. J. Garstang et al., p. 57; M. F. L. Macadam, 1949, Vol. I, p. 114; F. Hintze, 1962,
1971a.
61. B. Porter and R. Moss, pp. 264fr.
62. E.g. the Sun temple so called by Sayce who relied on Herodotus; report of the
presence of a 'Table of the Sun' has led some to suggest special Sun worship at Meroe. Terms
like Isis-temple and Apis-temple might lead to similar mistaken conclusions.
319