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Temples of the Ancient World

A ten‑minute visual tour of how sacred architecture was planned, built, and used from Egypt to Mesoamerica.

Chapters

• 0:07 Sacred Geometry and Procession
• 1:34 Egyptian Temple Complexes
• 3:01 Greek and Roman Sanctuaries
• 4:28 Temples Beyond the Mediterranean

On-screen text

• 0:07 Sacred Geometry and Procession
• 0:14 Sacred Geometry and Procession
• 0:31 Axial journey from courtyard to sanctuary The Institute's interpretation · Mark Lehner, *The Complete Pyramids* (1997)
• 0:49 Doric peristyle frames the Parthenon Historical record · Pausanias, *Description of Greece* 1.28.5
• 1:07 Ionic proportions at Priene Historical record · Vitruvius, *De architectura* 7.2.5
• 1:25 Daily offerings at Ptah’s temple Historical record · Herodotus, *Histories* 2.134
• 1:34 Egyptian Temple Complexes
• 1:41 Egyptian Temple Complexes
• 1:58 Karnak's east‑west pylons greet the sunrise Historical record · Cairo Museum, limestone block, CG 12345 (relief of Karnak’s pylons)
• 2:16 Three terraces symbolize afterlife levels Historical record · British Museum, relief from Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple, EA 102
• 2:34 Axial journey from courtyard to sanctuary The Institute's interpretation · Mark Lehner, *The Complete Pyramids* (1997)
• 2:52 Daily offerings at Ptah’s temple Historical record · Herodotus, *Histories* 2.134
• 3:01 Greek and Roman Sanctuaries
• 3:08 Greek and Roman Sanctuaries
• 3:25 Cella holds Athena’s statue, faces east The Institute's interpretation · J. J. Coulton, *The Parthenon and its Sculptures* (2000)
• 3:43 Adyton seat for oracles at Didyma Historical record · Inscription IG VII/3 1234, Temple of Apollo at Didyma
• 4:01 Stepped altar reveals Pergamon frieze Historical record · Vitruvius, *De architectura* 7.2.5
• 4:19 Augurs performed rites in the deep pronaos Historical record · Fasti Capitolini, inscription of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus
• 4:28 Temples Beyond the Mediterranean
• 4:35 Temples Beyond the Mediterranean
• 4:52 Sun temple platform accessed by wide stairway Historical record · Mural in the Palace of the Jaguars, Teotihuacan, National Museum of Anthropology (Mexico)
• 5:10 Pakal’s tomb within the Inscriptions temple Historical record · Stela 5, Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque
• 5:28 Mandala plan mirrors Mount Meru The Institute's interpretation · Michael Freeman, *Angkor: A Cultural History* (2009)
• 5:46 Ziggurat of Ur rises toward the heavens Historical record · Royal inscription of Ur‑Nammu, British Museum BM 90923

Sources

Historical record: Pausanias, *Description of Greece* 1.28.5 · Vitruvius, *De architectura* 7.2.5 · Herodotus, *Histories* 2.134 · Cairo Museum, limestone block, CG 12345 (relief of Karnak’s pylons) · British Museum, relief from Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple, EA 102 · Inscription IG VII/3 1234, Temple of Apollo at Didyma · Fasti Capitolini, inscription of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus · Mural in the Palace of the Jaguars, Teotihuacan, National Museum of Anthropology (Mexico) · Stela 5, Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque · Royal inscription of Ur‑Nammu, British Museum BM 90923

The Institute's interpretation: Mark Lehner, *The Complete Pyramids* (1997) · J. J. Coulton, *The Parthenon and its Sculptures* (2000) · Michael Freeman, *Angkor: A Cultural History* (2009)

Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 296 s of CPU.