From the portico to the rear (west) wall of the temple, only the lower courses of central stone walls and columns in the central rooms are preserved. The upper courses were removed by later builders who used the temple as a quarry. But the extensive damage allows one to see how closely spaced and heavy its columns were, and how claustrophobic the hypostyle halls must have seemed. The 52 side chambers at the rear of the temple, on the other hand, are still in good condition. From their decoration we can infer what functions they served. These rooms were off limits to all but upper levels of the priesthood, for it was here that gods and goddesses took up residence on festival days. The sanctity of these rooms deep within the sanctuary was emphasized by their architectural features: raised floors, lowered ceilings, small size, and increasing darkness. A huge double leaf door that hung in the gateway behind the hypostyle hall was closed and sealed except when priests came to make offerings. Along the bottom of its doorjambs, small holes held dowels to which thin sheets of beaten copper were attached.

The first hypostyle hall follows a standard plan with eight large columns along the east-west axis and sixteen smaller ones to the left and right, an arrangement that permitted the installation of clerestory lighting. The columns are deeply incised, and their hieroglyphs and figures still show traces of brightly colored plaster filler. The side chambers on the north and south sides of the hall are well preserved and worth a visit. The six on the north (right) are chapels dedicated to different deities. Moving from east to west (front to back), the first has scenes of Rameses III, a queen, and several royal children. The second was dedicated to Ptah, the third to the sacred ceremonial equipment of Thoth, Isis, Wepwawet, and other deities.The fourth housed a bark of Sokar that was used in ceremonies shown in scenes in the second court.

A fragmentary alabaster statue of Ptah stands here today. The fifth chapel, which includes a room with a single pillar and a small side chamber is decorated with scenes of butchering, and of the king offering cuts of meat to various gods. The actual butchering was probably not performed here—the rooms are too small and there is no drain in the floor—but piles of cooked meat may have been ritually offered up to the gods. The sixth chapel, in the northwestern corner of the hall, served as a room for the sacred bark of Rameses III. A suite of five small rooms is entered through a doorway in the southeastern (front left) corner of the first hypostyle hall. At first glance, the door appears to have been cut after the hall’s south wall was decorated: figures of prisoners are cut through and partly missing. But in fact, the cutting was original, and a deliberate ruse. Most of the year, this opening was plastered over and painted to look like a part of the solid stone wall. The reason was that the suite served as the storeroom for the temple’s large collection of religious objects. Inside, the king and Amen-Ra are shown examining mounds of gold, silver, copper, lapis lazuli, and chests filled with jewelry.

The objects were used only a few times each year as part of the temple’s most important ceremonies. By concealing the doorway, priests hoped to prevent theft.

From" The Illustrated Guide to Luxor" by kent R.Weeks ,published by the American University in Cairo Press. Copyright © 2005 White Star S.p.a