Karnak
/ˈkɑːr.næk/noun
Karnak is an ancient Egyptian temple complex on the eastern bank of the Nile at Luxor.
Did you know?The complex was originally called Ipet-sut, meaning “The Most Select of Places,” and was dedicated chiefly to Amun, a deity whose hidden or invisible nature became central to Egyptian theology.
Etymological Timeline
Middle Kingdom–New Kingdom Egypt
Ancient Egyptian
Ipet-sut
““The Most Select of Places,” the ancient name for the temple complex”
Medieval period
Arabic
al-Karnak
“A place-name traditionally interpreted as “the fortified village” or “fortified settlement””
Medieval–Early Modern period
Arabic
Karnak
“The name used for the monumental temple ruins at Thebes, modern Luxor”
19th Century
European languages
Karnak
“The archaeological name adopted in European scholarship and travel writing”
Modern English
English
Karnak
“The ancient Egyptian temple complex, especially the Great Temple of Amun”
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