Esna Temple
The Temple of Esna
conveys a sense of the importance which the Ancient Egyptians placed upon their
places of worship. All Egyptians who entered the confines of an Egyptian temple
were required "to comply with the strict rules regarding ritual purity."
According to inscriptions carved on the walls of the Temple of Esna, those who
entered this temple were expected to fastidiously cut their fingernails and
toenails, remove other body hair, wash their hands with natron (a natural
occurring salt), "be dressed in linen (they were forbidden from wearing
wool), and not to have had sexual intercourse for several day.