Abstract
I will introduce the temples in the Kharga Oasis that are known to have worshipped the Theban god Amen. This indicates that the principal god Amen or Amen-Ra temporarily moved from Thebes, the traditional religious centre in the Nile Valley, to the Kharga Oasis where he had a strong influence. The evidence shows that the Persian kings in the 27th Dynasty, especially Darius I, discontinued construction activity in Thebes and instead built some huge structures in the Kharga Oasis. This, combined with the fact that the institution of “the God’s Wife of Amen” disappeared from Thebes at the same time, possibly indicates a large-scale migration of people from Thebes to the Kharga Oasis. Such a migration created a unique Amen adoration in Kharga and Darius I willingly allowed the worship of Amen because Amen was a sun god with a ram’s head ― much like the Persian Royal family's own motif.
