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either the hypostyle hall or the pronaos, or maybe be a combination of both, even if it did not
function the same way these rooms traditionally did.
Schneider described the temple to have been built in the style of a traditional new kingdom
Egyptian sanctuary. This style based on new kingdom temples was also used by Augustus’
predecessors. He describes the entrance to be of a pharaonic style with a monumental entrance,
like seen in traditional Egyptian temples. He is of the opinion that the Taffeh temple is designed in
an ancient Egyptian way. He does however note that the type of decoration used for the capitals in
the Taffeh temple is rare in ancient Egyptian periods. Although the motif did originate in ancient
Egypt, it was only commonly used in the Graeco-Roman period. Raven is, like Schneider, of the
opinion that the Taffeh temple is characteristic of the Graeco-Roman period, although he does not
go into much detail on what the Temple functioned as (Schneider 1979, 12; 92-95; Raven 1996,
43).
Wilkinson mentions the Romans based their design on new kingdom temples. Temples of the new
kingdom were usually built according to a standard: An entrance pylon giving access to an open
court, followed by a columned hall, leading to the most inner place of the temple: the sanctuary.
Although the Taffeh temple no longer has a pylon gateway it is not entirely impossible it once had
one. The temple however only has one room, so even though the temple does have the columned
hall, it does not have any of the other characteristics of a new kingdom temple. This does not
mean the design could not have been based on a new kingdom temple, but it does show that the
Taffeh temple was not actually a complete temple. Schneider interprets the temple similarly. He
was of the opinion it most likely functioned as an independent column hall or a chapel (Wilkinson
2007, 24, Schneider 1979, 92-92; Teeter 2011, 78-79).
The Taffeh temple was not an isolated building, there was another temple and another raised
platform on which other religious structures might have stood. There is also evidence for a
temenos, an enclosure wall. This indicates the temple was likely only one part of a bigger whole.
Schneider agrees that the Taffeh temple might have been part of a larger complex of buildings. This
includes the southern temple and any additional structures that might have been present in this
area. He is of the opinion that the Taffeh temple would have been the most important building of
this complex.