The Temple of Man [Hardcover]

R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1998

The monumental Temple of Man represents the most important breakthrough in our understanding of Ancient Egypt since the discovery of the Rosetta stone. This exhaustive and authoritative study reveals the depths of the mathematical, medical, and metaphysical sophistication of Ancient Egypt. Schwaller de Lubicz's stone-by-stone survey of the temple of Amun-Mut-Khonsu at Luxor allows us to step into the mentality of Ancient Egypt and experience the Egyptian way of thinking within the context of their own worldview. 

His study finds the temple to be an eloquent expression and summary--an architectural encyclopedia--of what the Egyptians knew of humanity and the universe. Through a reading of the temple's measures and proportions, its axes and orientations, and the symbolism and placement of its bas-reliefs, along with the accompanying studies of related medical and mathematical papyri, Schwaller de Lubicz demonstrates how advanced the civilization of Ancient Egypt was, a civilization that possessed exalted knowledge and achievements both materially and spiritually. In so doing, Schwaller de Lubicz effectively demonstrates that Ancient Egypt, not Greece, is at the base of Western science, civilization, and culture. 

To understand the temple of Luxor, twelve years of field work were undertaken with the utmost exactitude by Schwaller de Lubicz in collaboration with French archaeologist Clement Robichon and the respected Egyptologist Alexandre Varille. From this work were produced over 1000 pages of text and proofs of the sacred geometry of the temple and 400 illustrations and photographs that make up The Temple of Man. 

The Temple of Man is a monument to inspired insight, conscientious scholarship, and exacting archaeological groundwork that represents a major contribution to humanity's perennial search for self-knowledge and the prehistoric origins of its culture and science. 
 

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This astonishing and monumental book helps us understand not only the greatness of Egypt, but the depths of the human soul as well. The work of Schwaller de Lubicz stands in our time as an unsurpassed blending of objective scholarship and philosophical vision."
( Jacob Needleman, author of Time and the Soul )

"In The Temple of Man, renowned Egyptologist R.A. Schwaller De Lubicz offers an exhaustive study of the temple of Amun-Mut-Khonsu at Luxor. In over 1000 pages of text, illustrations and photographs, De Lubicz demonstrates the powerful spiritual and philosophical heritage of ancient Egyptian civilization."
(Publishers Weekly )

"Schwaller's grand synthesis reveals, once and for all, the full extent and significance of the knowledge of Ancient Egypt."
(Parabola )

"Le Temple de l'homme by Schwaller de Lubicz is an absolute must for all who are interested in the search for the truth about Ancient Egypt and its pivotal place in the unfolding of the cosmic drama and the human quest for immortality and spiritual perfection. For years we have all waited for an English translation. Here it is at last!"
(Robert G. Bauval, author of The Orion Mystery: Unlocking the Secrets of the Pyramids and Message of the Sphinx )

"Schwaller's text demands that it not be just read, but that it be 'thought along with.' His scientific writings contain poetic and spiritual insights that touch the soul . . . because true science, as he conceives it, is capable of generating those insights--indeed, it demands that they be generated."
(Gnosis Magazine )

"In my view, The Temple of Man is the most important work of scholarship of this century. R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz finally proves the existence of the legendary 'sacred science' of the Ancients and systematically demonstrates its modus operandi. It was this great science--based upon an intimate and exact knowledge of cosmic principles--that fused art, religion, science, and philosophy into one coherent whole and sustained Ancient Egypt for three thousand years."
(John Anthony West, author of Serpent in the Sky )

"Schwaller de Lubicz's great work, grounded in a remarkable insight into the science and philosophy of the ancient world, opens the way to a complete reappraisal of Egyptian civilization, revolutionizing our view of history." 

(John Michell, author of The New View Over Atlantis )

In the first Renaissance, the Florentines went back to the knowledge of the ancient Greeks. In this, our planetary Renaissance, we return to the esoteric knowledge of the Ancient Egyptians. The research and intuitions of Schwaller de Lubicz should be placed alongside Evans-Wentz's recovery of the esoteric knowledge of Tibet.
(William Irwin Thompson, author of At the Edge of History )

"Schwaller de Lubicz is one of the major thinkers of the twentieth century--his greatness, alas, still not fully recognized, although readers who know Sacred Science and Symbol and the Symbolic treasure them as masterpieces. But his greatest and most massive achievement is The Temple of Man, surely one of the seminal works of the last half century. The news that it is to be finally published in English will delight all admirers of this highly original philosopher."
(Colin Wilson, author of The Outsider and The Philosopher's Stone )

"The Temple of Man will live, like statues of Ramesses, long after we and those who follow us have joined the pharaohs. This is an eternal work, just as Egypt is eternal. To enter the minds of the Ancient Egyptians through this door will lead any reader into an enchanted realm where form and structure have life, where stone breathes and  perspires, and where the palpitating heart of traditional wisdom still throbs amongst the sands."
(Robert Temple, translator of The Complete Fables of Aesop and?
author of The Sirius Mystery )

"The Temple of Man is a monumental product of intellect, scholarship, and exploration into the 'pharaonic mentality' of Ancient Egypt. There is no work more ambitious in seeking to render accessible the consciousness of a time and place remote from and extremely alien to our own. The sufficiently careful and aware reader can actually take on enough of the mindset being described as to arrive at states of consciousness unlike any experienced by contemporary people. It then becomes possible to glimpse that extraordinary 'mentality' which cast in Egypt a spell of luminous fascination still potent after thousands of years."
(Robert Masters, author of The Way to Awaken and The Goddess Sekhmet )

"An important addition to the library of any serious metaphysician."
(Pythia Peay,? Common Boundary )

"The Temple of Man is an accomplishment of truly Herculean proportions. Nothing written in the past two hundred years, with the exeption of only one book, even approaches it in enormity of purpose, scope, subject matter, majasty and profundity. . . . One needs to learn to read this book and then immerse oneself in it. Were on to do this, and assuming diligence, sincerity, determination and some ingenuity by the reader, the outcome toward which all human life is aimed, the evolution of consciousness is assured."
(Atlantis Rising )

"An impressive, beautifully realized presentation that deserves consideration, discussion and debate. For those of you with interest in alternative approaches to ancient Egypt, The Temple of Man will be and important addition to your library."
(KMT, 1998 )

"As complete an insight into the mind of pharaonic Egypt as will be found on paper. . . . Coming to the worldview from our mindset places serious damands on the reader. But, this book is both dizzying and transporting, offering the possibility of immersion in another world, cleansing the mind and clarifying the extent and the limitations of our own mental tools for grasping our world."
(MKS, Whole Earth, 1998 )

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1088 pages
• Publisher: Inner Traditions; 2-Volume Set edition (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892815701
• ISBN-13: 978-0892815708
• Product Dimensions: 13.3 x 9.6 x 3.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #106,071 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #68 in Books > History > Ancient > Egypt

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

108 of 112 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Luxor Revealed, November 22, 1999

By 

"ankhhehisi" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Temple of Man (Hardcover)

R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz spent 15 years at Luxor attempting to solve the riddle of Egytpian civilization. His final considerations are expounded fully in The Temple of Man. Lovingly translated by Robert Lawlor, this book is at long last available in English.

From his premise the Ancient Egytpian Civilization was more advanced and complex that modern research admits, Schwaller uses the Temple Complex at Luxor to expound his theory of Sacred Science, a science based on Natural Law and personal discovery.

The information in this book requires a deep dedication to comprehend. It challenges the reader not only to diversify their own knowledge base, but also to look at the world through new eyes with a new heart.

Time will tell if Schwaller de Lubicz is right, already many of his notions are being realized as possible, and many researchers are beginning to look seriously at his work.

As his magnum opus, The Temple of Man presents his work as it was meant to be. Fully and completely. This book is destined to become a classic of independent research into the mysteries of the development of human thought.

94 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful Revelations of Egyptian Pharaonic Consciousness, June 24, 2005

By 

Colette Dowell "Circular Times Magazine" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Temple of Man (Hardcover)

The Temple of Man
By Schwaller de Lubicz

Original French text translated to English
by Deborah and Robert Lawlor
Published by Inner Traditions International, 1998
Language: English
ISBN: 0892815701

Review by

Dr. Colette M. Dowell


I wonder what drives personal passion so rigorously that one's lifetime is spent pursuing it. Is it the ultimate goal of resolution and the final achievement of understanding that surpasses any other desire? Or what?

Schwaller de Lubicz spent his entire lifetime pursuing his deep passion of figuring and comprehending the link between so-called cosmic realms and terrestrial nature including alchemy, physics, mathematics, geometry, art, astronomy, and, among his favorites, symbolism. He spent over fifteen years engaged in his studies of Ancient Egyptian Anthropocosmos Man and his temples. His work, The Temple of Man, reflects such skill and determination of comprehending Pharaonic Consciousness, it exceeds far beyond any other works of disciplined study along these lines I have ever encountered. The voluminous material in The Temple of Man is delivered with the great detail and gifted clarity for which Schwaller was so adept. Schwaller, however, did not achieve this great work of art by himself. Lucie Lamy, his stepdaughter and most indispensable lifelong collaborator, kept many research notes and drafted the graphics and illustrations. Deborah and Robert Lawlor demonstrated pure love in their translation of Schwaller's French text into English, (which must have been an incredible task). And Inner Traditions deserves applause for producing such a fine piece of art in book form. For the seekers of higher realms of consciousness and that of Ancient Egyptology, I know of no other book that contains so many variants of thought and data composing and revealing such a highly advanced way of thinking. The Temple of Man is a degree of education one would acquire after lifetimes of lessons.

I was positively astonished and overjoyed when I received the two volumes of The Temple of Man. The exceptional beauty in which they were bound was beholding to my eyes. The quality of graphics, illustrations and early historical photography of both the geographical nature and portraits of temples are themselves keepsakes alone. Schwaller's eloquent and scholarly way of dissecting mathematically-oriented spiritual philosophy and physics is masterful. Ancient Egyptian's Pharaonic concept of Man as the center of the Universe in physical expression as Anthropocosmos Man was not totally new to me, but the rich understanding I received from reading Schwaller's work was certainly new. When we read a few books on sacred geometry and a few books about spiritual values and divine principles, "we" (I am not speaking for all of us) tend to think we intellectually and spiritually understand our placement in the universe. I suspect, though, that we can't possibly grasp sacred geometry and divine principles until we dig to their roots and go through the deliberate deliverance of concepts and lessons that have been so deeply sculpted in the Ancient Egyptian architecture and hieroglyphics. I also suspect that we truly need to know and understand these lessons, for that is why they were given.

We have a tendency to view a mural or bas-relief of a man leading cows with nets and birds as just possibly a legend of how Egyptian people might have farmed; but particular hieroglyphic and "hieratic" writing is so much more than that. It reveals in its SYMBOLIQUE, tutorial lessons in both scientific and spiritual esoteric realms. These laws and lessons reflect knowledge of spirit manifesting into matter and the harmonic growth and relationship between the two. This lost wisdom, in a sense, is a form of physics. In modern terms we would label such equivocal philosophy as quantum physics and even holographic physics. "Pharaonic mentality rejected metaphysical and rational thought. The hieroglyphic form of writing makes the syllogistic system of such a rational science impossible. Pharaonic mathematics confirms this attitude."..."Duality within Unity, the incomprehensible truth of the Trinity." ("VOLUME and CONSCIOUSNESS")

Believing, learning and knowing are the three gates of entry into the Temple. The Temples are encoded with practical, physical and spiritual lessons. To the Anthropocosmos Man, the Universe is a projection of human consciousness. Consciousness is volume. The architecture in the Temples expresses volume in form. The Anthropocosmos Man interprets conscious gestation as volume and form and depicts various stages of gestation as particular proportions contained within a sphere. Proportionality creating form and rhythms in our daily life are functions known as neters in Egyptian language. An example of natural form and rhythm is the cycle of our hours based upon days, upon the revolution of the Earth, upon the lunar, around the equinoxes, around the solar calendar and so on. Neters have different implied esoteric terms pertaining to their functions, mathematical equations and geometric laws. The Pharaohs appointed distinct symbols and developed many items of measure befitting these neters, some of which are known as fathoms, cubits and canons. Architects enveloped the Temples with such engineering and design that when the entire complex or even just fragments of itself was viewed as a model, monumental points such as foundations, joints, bas-reliefs, transparencies, murals and hieroglyphics contained the philosophy and teachings of the Ancient Pharaohs. Anthropocosmos Man views himself as true physical expression of the genesis of functions and believes Man to be the center of the Universe.

Anthropocosmos Man had configured the vital moment of Genesis in mathematical terms and was able to express this creation by way of geometry propagating into greater proportions. They had realized the square roots of 2, 3, and 5, and the perpetual golden mean ratio "phi" associated with pentagonal and hexagonal geometry expressed in the physical development of organic creatures in relationship to the growth and size of their different body parts. The Temple of Luxor is architecturally rendered to exhibit within its design the same proportions as the proportions of Man, thus also exhibiting the mathematical and geometrical structure of the Cosmos and its locale within human consciousness. Pharaonic Consciousness not only recognized Man as the center of the Universe but was also able to formally equate it as well. In The Temple of Man, Schwaller addresses the famous Mathematical Rhind Papyrus's content and dissects it revealing their knowledge of mathematical and geometrical laws and functions.

Music to the ears engages the Universe. This Pharaonic conception divides vibrations into proportioned intervals known as tones. These tones coagulate and multiply into spherical volume resulting in resonant harmonics and unity of chords creating form, beauty and consciousness. The inner ear was therefore recognized as one of the main keys utilized to enter the gates of wisdom and knowledge. This natural form of creation is everywhere at all moments and has self-cognition. This innate knowledge is carried throughout all vibrations and travels everywhere through multiple harmonic passages creating, in effect, geometric structure and form. Therefore, in simple terms, Cosmic Man's interpretation of consciousness is vibrational volume expanding from the center of a sphere proportioned harmonically and containing innate knowledge.
Anthropocosmos Man, relating consciousness to volume and volume as spheres, and perceiving that our entire Universe functions under these principles, deduced that our solar system consisted of consistent terms of proportionality, and geometric structure. Their knowledge of the gearing system of our Universe was expressed through their Temples and measuring devices. The extent of accuracy associated with astronomical events and celestial time is uncanny. The geodetic Temples are also "consciously" oriented. Different aspects of the Pharaonic philosophy were encoded throughout their entire complexes-absolutely incredible. And here is this man in recent modern times, Schwaller de Lubicz, to come around and measure everything and read the hieroglyphics and figure out what they were communicating. We can now further understand the concepts and sciences of this historical advanced civilization. What a really far out thing to do.

Throughout The Temple of Man, you will find various passages of remarkable studies. Something very interesting to me was the bit about the Scarab. The Scarab is a beetle who is self-reproducing and "rolls" its home for a nest to re-create in. This union of singular duality expresses creation as a third sector for trinity. This in symbolique is consciousness. The human skull contains many bones that are bound together by sutural membranes. The top cross-section of the skull, viewed from the top, looks curiously suggestive of the back mantle of the Scarab beetle. This uppermost part of the skull, the crown, in both its physical characteristics and in its symbolic form pertains to consciousness. The Ancient Egyptians understood the functions of the human brain and depicted this in their choice of the Scarab insect as a symbol for representing a specific function, or neter, and their specific form of architecture. In architectural proportion, various rooms in the temples have specific monumental points referring to different functions, which have been located at precise points in the human body as well as the skull. The Temple of Man contains excerpts from the Smith Medical Papyrus of the Ancient Egyptians. This Papyrus is filled with case studies and intellectual dialogues of diagnoses and is at least indicative of... Read more ›

80 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars De Lubicz's masterwork in a stunning two-volume set!, January 4, 1999

By 

Descended Master "G" (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Temple of Man (Hardcover)

De Lubicz's masterpiece, available for the first time in English, has been giving a beautiful translation and presentation.

While not for the faint of heart, it is required reading for any serious student of esotericism, hermeticism, sacred geometry or ancient Egypt.

In all honesty, I haven't yet finished this two-volume set (it's a massive, dense, thought-requiring work) but it's impossible for me to imagine my opinion changing radically once I do.

Surely, this is one of the most important works of the 20th century.