The temples of ancient Egypt were an important part of the state and local economy. The temples owned land and employed many people as priests, farmworkers, builders and scribes. The temple of Amun at Karnak owned over 2,000 square kilometres of farmland, but had to support over over 80,000 employees.

Temples were usually built of stone, when houses and royal palaces were built of mud brick. The temple was not a meeting place for worshippers, but the setting for the celebration of the cult of the god – the god was given the best of everything.