位于卢克索卡纳克建筑群南侧约400米处的穆特神庙(Precinct of Mut)是底比斯三神中母神穆特的居所。这片占地面积接近90000平方米的遗址常年隐匿在卡纳克主区的光芒之下。整座神庙区被高大的泥砖围墙包裹,形成了一个相对独立的祭祀空间。虽然这里的大部分建筑在漫长的历史中化为瓦砾,但它依然保存着埃及规模最为宏大的狮头女神像群。对于厌倦了卡纳克主殿人群拥挤的旅行者来说,这里提供了一处能够静心观察古埃及宗教建筑细节的避风港。
穆特神庙的建筑历史最早可以追溯到埃及第十八王朝的阿蒙霍特普三世(Amenhotep III)。虽然在这之前可能存在更早期的祭祀建筑,但目前的考古证据主要指向新王国时期。在随后的两千多年里,从拉美西斯二世到后期的托勒密王朝统治者,几乎每一代法老都在这片土地上留下了自己的印记。他们不断扩建塔门,增设祭坛,使得穆特神庙逐渐演变成一个复杂的建筑群落。整座遗址通过一条长约400米的公羊头狮身人面像大道与卡纳克阿蒙大神庙相连,这种物理上的连接象征着底比斯神系中夫妻神权的统一。
与传统的长方形神庙布局不同,穆特神庙的整体设计呈现出一种与自然地貌结合的倾向。神庙的主体轴线大致呈南北走向,其核心建筑被一个巨大的月牙形圣湖包围。这种被称为伊舍鲁(Isheru)的月牙形湖泊在古埃及神庙中极为罕见。这种设计不仅是为了仪式上的美感,更有着深刻的神话隐喻,象征着女神从狂暴状态回归平静后的栖息之所。游客进入大门后会穿过两道破损严重的塔门,每一层院落都散布着珍贵的石刻残件。
神庙内最令人过目难忘的景象是数以百计的塞赫麦特(Sekhmet)女神坐像。根据目前的考古统计,阿蒙霍特普三世时期曾下令雕刻了超过730尊狮头女神像,这个数字正好对应一年中的每一个白天和黑夜。这些石像全部由质地坚硬的黑色花岗岩制成,女神头戴日盘,手持生命之符(Ankh),表情威严甚至带有一丝冷酷。虽然许多石像已经残缺不全,但在神庙的第二院落里,你依然能看到数十尊整齐排列的石像,它们像是跨越三千年的卫兵,守护着这片荒凉的土地。
神庙南侧的月牙形人工湖是目前埃及保存最完好的神庙圣湖之一。这片湖泊不仅是祭司进行日常净礼的场所,更是每年举行穆特女神祭典的核心区域。在古埃及神话中,穆特与塞赫麦特往往被视为同一女神的两种面相。当她愤怒时是嗜血的狮子,当她平息怒火时则化为温柔的母亲。月牙湖的水象征着平复女神怒火的甘露。如果你在清晨到达,湖面平静如镜,倒映着破碎的廊柱和偶尔掠过的水鸟,那种静谧感与卡纳克主区的喧闹形成了鲜明对比。
在穆特神庙的主体建筑西侧,矗立着一座由拉美西斯三世兴建的小型神庙。虽然规模不大,但其墙壁上的浮雕依然清晰可见,展示了法老向神灵献祭的场景。更为有趣的是神庙中存在的酒醉门廊(Porch of Drunkenness)。考古学家在这里发现了大量与酒精仪式相关的遗迹,这与纪念女神平息怒火的节日有关。当时的古埃及人会通过饮酒和舞蹈来模拟神话中女神醉酒后变得温顺的状态。这些建筑细节为死板的石块注入了充满烟火气的历史细节。
去穆特神庙不需要单独从卢克索市区出发,它就在卡纳克神庙区域内,但由于地处偏南,很容易被游客忽略。目前的门票政策通常包含在卡纳克神庙的大门票中,但也可能根据当地文博部门的规定进行临时调整,成人票价建议预留约450埃镑左右。步行是最好的方式,你可以沿着公羊大道从阿蒙大神庙南下,这几百米的路程由于缺乏遮阴,夏天正午时分会非常炎热。建议带上一瓶冰水,在早上8点左右或者下午4点之后前往,那时的光线打在黑色花岗岩石像上,最能体现出雕刻的质感。
目前进入穆特神庙通常使用卡纳克神庙建筑群的通用门票,2024年成人票价大约为450埃镑。由于埃及景区票价调整频繁,建议出发前通过当地旅游局官网确认是否需要增购特展票。进入卡纳克大门后,你需要向南步行约10分钟才能到达该区域。
普通游客使用手机拍照通常是免费的,但如果携带专业相机和三脚架,可能需要支付额外的摄影费用。在穆特神庙这种游客稀少的区域,看守人员往往比较严格,建议遵循现场标识。拍摄那些成排的塞赫麦特石像时,最好选择侧逆光角度,这样可以清晰拍出黑色花岗岩的纹理。
最不可错过的是分布在遗址各处的塞赫麦特女神像群,总数曾多达730尊。这种大规模且整齐划一的雕塑群在全世界范围内都是极其罕见的。此外,那座月牙形的圣湖(Isheru)也是绝佳的取景地,它比卡纳克主区的矩形圣湖更具线条感和古朴气息。
你可以乘坐当地的出租车直接到达卡纳克神庙入口,费用大约在50至100埃镑之间。进入景区后不要跟随大部队直接进入阿蒙大神庙中轴线,而是寻找指向南侧的分叉路口。步行穿过第十塔门后的那段公羊大道就是通往穆特神庙的最佳路径。
如果你是重度历史爱好者,仔细观察浮雕和数百尊石像至少需要1.5小时。对于普通游客来说,预留45分钟到一个小时左右就能完整走完核心区域。由于这里遮挡物极少,正午的高温会缩短你的停留时间,所以务必做好防晒措施。
travel mail One of the rarer places to visit as it needs an extra ticket and it's a bit out of the way and hard to find and also it's a bit wrecked unfortunately, but still should be visited if you like the places not many tourist venture to. I was the only tourist there around 4pm and it had a nice quiet vibe. Longish walk take a right turn after the pillars Hall , long walk to the end, then right towards Khonsu temple. At Khonsu temple left turn and then along an avenue that looks like its going nowhere then see the signpost indicating left to mut temple.
rania alaa Karnak temple is a must to visit site, a lot of details, and multiple historical eras in one place.
Devika Rajeev Most of the other reviews don't seem to be relevant/ updated, so leaving this here as of October 2023. We visited this place only because we bought an extra ticket for it while buying tickets at the Karnak Temple. It was extremely difficult not just to get to, but even find. We headed south from the Karnak Temple past the Temple of Khonsu through a large gate. Somehow kept managing to go south till we hit the Avenue of Sphinxes. (If in doubt, just ask any of the security guards, they are helpful). The Avenue turns left and then right at a point. Instead of turning right, keep heading straight (there is a signboard - see photo below) and you will see the gate to your right. The gate was locked when we got there, but the gate keeper came down and let us in after checking our tickets. This was clearly a magnificent temple, but is in a state of disrepair. There are a couple of beautiful statues of Sekhmet and Rameses (see photos below) which make you feel slightly better about the money spent on the tickets. There is also a gallery of Sekhmet statues to help you realise how grand this temple must have been in its heyday (see video below). The ticket checker came in with us and helpfully pointed out the highlights (of course we gave him the expected tip at the end). It was extremely peaceful as there was no other soul around. We would have enjoyed it except for the heat and the effort of getting there. (If you don't want to head back all the way to the Karnak Temple to reach civilization, just head further down the Avenue of Sphinxes till you see a set of steps leading up. There was a ticket counter there, not sure for what. We told them we just wanted to get to the road and climbed up.)
Kenneth Kajberg We reached the Muttemplet, where there is usually no access. A team from Johns Hopkins University had emptied the water from the horseshoe-shaped lake in Mut Temple. When not pumping, the water comes back quickly and the place grows over. This visit was in 2009. Hard to determine wether or not its worth the entrance fee.
Sander Buiter This is a very interesting Temple. The lake behind it is in the shape of a crescent Moon. This Temple is filled with statues of sekhmet. Amazing. There are actually 3 separate temples here. Temple is Mut, Ramses III, and Temple A. This place is very lightly visited. Bear in mind not much is left of this complex, most of it is ruins. Tickets are currently did say Karnak, to get into this complex. It is quite a walk to get from Karnak entrance to Mut Temple. I would recommend taking a taxi or horse drawn carriage.