Egyptian temples were built to commemorate the pharaohs and to support the central functions of their religion: giving offerings to the gods, reenacting their mythological interactions through festivals, and warding off the forces of chaos. Rituals, it was believed, invoked the divine presence, sustained the god, and enabled it to continue to uphold the divine order of the universe. Temples were important religious sites for all classes of Egyptians even though most people were forbidden from entering their most sacred areas. They are among the largest and most enduring examples of Egyptian architecture, with their elements arranged and decorated according to complex patterns of religious symbolism. A large temple could own sizable tracts of land and employ thousands of laymen to supply its needs. Some temples, such as Abu Simbel, have become tourist attractions that contribute significantly to the modern Egyptian economy. Egyptologists continue to study the surviving temples for their invaluable sources of information about ancient Egyptian society.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_temple> _______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries: 634: Arab–Byzantine wars: Rashidun Arabs under Khalid ibn al-Walid captured Damascus from the Byzantine Empire. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Damascus_(634)> 1777: American Revolutionary War: British troops engaged American forces at the first Battle of Saratoga in New York. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Saratoga> 1846: Two French shepherd children, Mélanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud, reported experiencing a Marian apparition on a mountaintop near La Salette, France, now known as Our Lady of La Salette (statue pictured). <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_La_Salette> 1970: Greek student Kostas Georgakis set himself on fire in Genoa, Italy, as a protest against the Greek military junta of Georgios Papadopoulos. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kostas_Georgakis> 1991: Ötzi, a well-preserved natural mummy of a man from about 3300 BC, was discovered by two German tourists. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%96tzi> _____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day: shiver my timbers: A mild oath expressing surprise, disbelief or annoyance. It is stereotypically regarded as being uttered by pirates. <https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/shiver_my_timbers> ___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day: Aren't there any grownups at all? --William Golding <https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Golding> _______________________________________________ Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list. To unsubscribe, visit: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l Questions or comments? Contact [email protected]
