Temple of Amun

Temple of Amun

The Temple of Amun in Siwa was the primary residence of the exalted Oracle of Amun, who guided the affairs of the village, and a significant religious site. It was built directly above an Isu vault which was incorporated into the temple as an underground chamber.

History

In 49 BCE, Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII appointed Medunamun, a member of the Order of the Ancients, as Oracle of Amun in a bid to consolidate his control over the remote, dissident town. A year later, the Medjay Bayek freed a group of farmers from cages in the temple grounds, including Teremun, who had died from his wounds. He later carried his body out of the temple to his farm.

Sometime thereafter, Bayek infiltrated the temple complex and freed several priests who were being abused under Medunamun's tenure, before assassinating Medunamun himself.

Behind the scenes

In Assassin's Creed: Origins, the statues standing at the entrance of the temple are based on similar looking statues from the British Museum. They depict an Egyptian Amun (as a ram-headed sphinx) protecting King Taharqa. The other possible option considered during development were the Greek Zeus-Ammon human-headed sphinx statues. Such statues were the popular representation of Zeus-Ammon in Siwa at the time.

Gallery

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  Drawing of the Temple of Amun by Jean-Claude Golvin

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Origins