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Temples, Uses and Types
Traditional African religious temples are places where Heaven, Earth, and underworld converge. For example, the early temples of the Nile valley were composed of stone and referred to as akbet, “the radiant place.” They were timeless images and backdrops for the celebration of spirituality. The ancients perceived temples not only as a constructed symbol of the cosmos, but as a symbol of the “first time” of creation. As priests entered the temple, they ascended gradually, passing through the columns' replica of a papyrus plants forest. The floor rose toward the sanctuary and was roofed by a replica of the constellations or the divine Nut, goddess of heavens. The floor led from the symbolic outermost edge of the universe to the innermost sanctuary, the symbolic center ...
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