What is the festival of Opet in ancient Egypt?

Opet, ancient Egyptian festival of the second month of the lunar calendar. In the celebration of Opet, the god Amon, Mut, his consort, and Khons, their son, made a ritual journey from their shrines at Karnak to the temple of Luxor (called Ipet resyt in pharaonic Egyptian, hence the name of the festival).

What did the Opet festival celebrate?

The festival was celebrated to promote the Fertility of Amun-Re and the Pharaoh, who was also believed to be the spiritual offspring of Amun-Re; the Son/Daughter of Amun-Re.

What did the Pharaoh do in the Opet festival?

The Pharaoh’s marriage ceremony to the gods, “a divine marriage, the result of which was the renewal of Amun in the person of his ever-renewing human vessel, the reigning king” ensured that Egypt would be met with another fertile year; through population growth, large harvests, and a large inundation of the Nile.

Is Opet a God?

Opet (Apet, Ipet, Ipy) was a benign hippopotamus goddess known as a protective and nourishing deity. Her name seems to mean ‘harem’ or ‘favored place’.

What major event happened during the Opet Festival?

During ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom Period, the Opet Festival, was one of the most important ceremonies, as well as one of the longest lasting events of its kind. At that time, the reigning monarch was identified with the royal ka, divine kingship was reborn and the individual king’s right to rule was reconfirmed.

What did they eat at the Opet Festival?

Festival guests munched on fruits and vegetables such as pomegranates, grapes, squash, dates, figs, cucumbers, radishes and lentils. Figs were frequently prepared in stewed and honeyed form, too.

When did the Opet Festival take place?

The celebration of the Opet Festival, according to ancient Egyptian texts, began during the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom. Its celebration continued until the end of ancient Egyptian times, and there is evidence that the celebration of the Opet Festival continued until the Ptolemaic period.