Conceptual origins and geomorphic evolution of the temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak (Luxor, Egypt)

Benjamin Thomas Pennington; Angus Graham; Aurélia Masson-Berghoff; Marie Millet; Jan Peeters; Willem H.J. Toonen; Timotheus G. Winkels; Luke H. Sollars; Virginia L. Emery; Kristian David Strutt; Dominic Simon Barker

doi:10.15184/aqy.2025.10185

Conceptual origins and geomorphic evolution of the temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak (Luxor, Egypt)

Benjamin Thomas Pennington
, Angus Graham^*
, Aurélia Masson-Berghoff
, Marie Millet
, Jan Peeters
, Willem H.J. Toonen
, Timotheus G. Winkels
, Luke H. Sollars
, Virginia L. Emery
, Kristian David Strutt
, Dominic Simon Barker

^*Corresponding author for this work

Earth and Climate

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Despite almost a century and a half of excavation, the dynamic landscape into which the temple complex of Karnak was embedded is not well understood. Presenting the results of the first comprehensive geoarchaeological survey of the area, the authors show that Karnak was built upon a fluvial terrace segment surrounded by river channels in an island configuration potentially recalling the ‘primeval mound’ of Egyptian creation myths. Permanent occupation of the site became possible after 2520 BC ±420 years, likely during the Old Kingdom. Subsequent landscape changes were dramatic, with the occupants of the island responding both opportunistically and proactively.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1535-1549
Number of pages	15
Journal	Antiquity
Volume	99
Issue number	408
Early online date	6 Oct 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2025.10185
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Antiquity Publications Ltd.

Funding

We thank the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, all at the Centre Franco-Égyptien d’Étude des Temples de Karnak (CFEETK) and at Chicago House (Luxor /University of Chicago), the Farouk family and our local team members. The research was carried out under the auspices of the Egypt Exploration Society (London). The work was supported by the Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse (KAW 2013.0163) and Uppsala Universitet (HUMSAM 2014/17) to A.G. as a Wallenberg Academy Fellow 2014–2020, together with a small grant from M och S Wångstedts Stiftelse (A.G.). The work was supported by the Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse (KAW 2013.0163) and Uppsala Universitet (HUMSAM 2014/17) to A.G. as a Wallenberg Academy Fellow 2014–2020, together with a small grant from M och S Wångstedts Stiftelse (A.G.).

Funders
Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse
University of Chicago
Egypt Exploration Society
Farouk family

Keywords

Africa
geoarchaeology
Karnak
Old Kingdom
primeval mound
River Nile
Thebes

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10.15184/aqy.2025.10185Licence: CC BY

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Conceptual origins and geomorphic evolution of the temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak (Luxor, Egypt)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

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