From the Paper
"The sanctuary of Apollo at Didyma provides an excellent example of an ancient sacred spot on which successive centers of worship were built and rebuilt for centuries. The sanctuary is located approximately ten miles south of the town of Miletus on the Milesian promontory that juts out of the Aegean coast of what is now Turkey. The Didyma site was probably considered sacred prior to the Greeks' first building there (around 700 BC) and even today the local mosque, formerly a Greek Orthodox church, is located near the sanctuary site (Tomlinson 132). The most significant architectural undertakings at the spot were the Archaic Greek temple of Apollo built around 540-520 BC, but destroyed by the Persians in 494, and the Hellenistic temple of Apollo begun in the third century BC but remaining incomplete when work was finally abandoned over three centuries later in the.."

Abstract
The paper describes the Seated Buddha found in the Sokkuram Cave-Temple located at Kyongju, South Kyongsang Province. The paper describes and critiques the artifact with an eye towards divining what its true meaning is. The paper discusses how the sculpture seemingly reflects a commonplace theme in Buddhist theology - but the sculptors have still succeeded in injecting a measure of ambiguity.

From the Paper
"The Sokkuram Cave-Temple dates back to the second-half of the eighth century AD and is highlighted by an impressive sculpture of a seated Buddha made completely out of granite and standing 326 cm in height (New York Metropolitan Museum of Art 2007a). The context within which this unique artifact was rendered is fascinating for those who are intrigued by..."

Tags:sokkuram, cave, temple

Abstract
This paper examines the reasons that the ancient Sumerians found it necessary to form temple communities, including the need for organization and the lack of currency and literacy.

From the Paper
"Ancient Sumerians found themselves in a unique situation with respect to their community and its economy. They were a complex urban society without coined money. Moreover, they had no other established means of making commercial exchanges, either leaving them dependent upon written records to accomplish the many tasks associated with land ownership and rentals such as the measurement and allotment of land, the allocation of the correct amounts of seed/grain, the assessment of taxes and rents in proportion to their yield, the maintenance of...

Tags:Sumerian temple communities, Sumer, ancient, priest, literacy, currency

Abstract
This paper offers an in-depth examination of Hindu temple architecture and construction, and its Vedic influences. The paper explains that temples are both a shaper and product of the culture that inspired them, and are meant for a specific purpose, connecting the occupant with some aspect of the divine. Vedic astrology and symbolism form the central theme of the temple, the paper notes, and have always been a central point around which activities revolved in Indian life. The paper points out that the ritual and construction of the temple is an integral part of Vedic tradition and philosophy, and the various parts of the temple are laid out with geometric precision; the measurements must be precise, as it is believed that imprecise measurements will cause any occupants to experience negative effects.


Outline:

Sunnyvale Hindu Temple and Community Center
Formal Elements of the Temple and Their Significance
The Experience of the Temple
Works Cited

From the Paper
"The Sunnyvale Hindu Temple is an excellent example of Vedic Architecture. The Inner sanctuary is laid out in precise relation to the vastu purusha compass. However, due to the enormity of the building and the detail inside, this is not evident while inside the building. It only becomes apparent when viewing a floor plan of the building. Exact measurements could not be taken of the building due to its scale. In addition, this activity may have been an insult to the occupants of the building. However, from the floor plan, one can see that it has the necessary elements described in the test."

Tags:Hindi, worship, India, religion, mystic

Abstract
This paper examines the Temple of Dendur. It describes the physical appearance of the Temple in terms of its structure, its inscriptions and its carvings. The paper briefly compares the Temple of Dendur with Ancient Egyptian architecture and shows how the Temple of Dendur was an example of Emperor Augustus' acceptance of these Egyptian customs. Finally, the paper analyzes the meaning behind the structure.

From the Paper
"There were also many forms of corruption as in any government, such as labor and resources being exploited. Justice and arbitration was provided, though, to convey a feeling of vindication to the people. Initially the royal court was a major center of architectural, intellectual, and artistic activity, but as temples started to develop throughout Egypt cultural activities began to spread to temples as the center of gathering. A special feature of ancient Egypt was the increasingly wealthy priests, as exhibited by the temple structures."

Tags:carving, inscription, pharaoh, construction, MMA

Abstract
This essay discusses how the Horyu-ji temple is widely recognised as a central part of Buddhism's influence on Japan. The paper traces the history of how the Buddhist temple was built during the first great influx of Chinese culture. Overall, the paper demonstrates how the construction of the temple was accompanied by the introduction of Buddhism into Japan from the continent.

Tags:buddhist, influence, japan

Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that the issue of religion and tolerance, like racism, has always been a contentious one in the United States. This is particularly true of the non-Western, non-mainstream religions, such as Hinduism and other Indian religious directions. The writer then looks at the Sri Venkateswara Temple, that is also known as the Balaji Mandir and which functions as both a Hindu Temple and a Cultural Society serving the Hindu people in the area. The writer concludes that the temple has provided a focus not only for the Hindu community in the area, but also for the education of Westerners in the area.

From the Paper
"The Sri Venkateswara Temple is also known as the Balaji Mandir and functions as both a Hindu Temple and a Cultural Society serving the Hindu people in the area. There arose a need for such a temple in the Bridgewater area during the 1980s. One reason is that this period saw a significant increase in the Hindu Indian population in the area. In addition to the fact that this community experienced the need for worship services and cultural connections, was also the fact that many of these people were employed by the professional sector. They therefore had significant funds to contribute toward a project of establishing a worship community and building a temple. As mentioned above, the parental concern for retaining their children's awareness of their cultural roots also played a role in the need for establishing a temple. The first step towards attaining this goal was to buy land on which a temple could be built."

Tags:Hinduism, values, integration, Indian, population

Abstract
This paper explains that Alfred Edersheim's "The Temple: Its Ministry and Services" reveals the physical structure of the Temple in the days of Christ, the Temple's ordinances, worshipers and the priesthood of that period, the priesthood's ministry and its rituals. The author points out that, although this book is a fact-based, historical account, there is a tremendous amount of disagreement about the superiority of sources used by different Biblical scholars, who continue to disagree about the validity of various sources. The author does not contest this validity. The paper states that religious scholars like Edersheim make it clear that an understanding of the Old Testament and ancient Judaism can only enhance one's understanding of the life of Christ as the ultimate sacrifice.

Table of Contents:
Summary
Interpretation
Conclusion

From the Paper
"In chapter ten, Edersheim discusses the festive cycles and arrangement of the calendar. The cycles are marked by the number seven. The Sabbath is the seventh day, the Feast of the Pentecost occurs seven weeks after the start of the ecclesiastical year, the seventh month is the most sacred, the seventh year is Sabbatical, the 49th year is the year of Jubilee. Furthermore, there are seven days of each year designated as the most festive. Furthermore, the cycles are marked by either two or three cycles; one beginning with the Paschal sacrifice and ending on the Day of Pentecost."

Tags:sacrifice, glory, testament, ritual, jesus

Abstract
This paper details the known and disputed history of Solomon's temple, using the sources of the Old Testament and modern archaeology. The paper looks at the meaning of the site to the Jewish people beginning with the time of Moses. The architecture of the First Temple is discussed, its destruction and the building of the Second Temple, along with the final fate of both.

From the Paper
"From the time of Moses to that of King David, the tabernacle stood as the center of worship for the Jewish people. As a nomadic people wandering through the desert wilderness they carried this shrine with them. For the Jews, the tabernacle not only stood as a symbol of Yahweh's blessing upon His chosen people and as a reminder to them to remain faithful though they wandered outside of the Promised Land, it also served as the home of Yahweh Himself. This was where the Shekinah Glory dwelt, God among men. When the Jews gained entrance at last into Palestine, they carried the tabernacle before them across the Jordan River and into Jerusalem. By the time David was crowned king, the Hebrew Nation had been well established. To King David, the tabernacle stood as reminder of all those years that his people spent wandering the desert. He desired a more permanent structure, one that would signify not only that the Jews had a homeland but also to give glory to the One who had led them there. The Lord forbade him to build his Temple (1 Chron. 22:7-8). This was a task that would be set before his son, Solomon. To this day, Solomon's Temple remains one of the greatest symbols of Judaism and marks a point in time when the Jews did indeed occupy their Promised Land."

Tags:archaeology, biblical, herod, jerusalem, jesus, judaism, zerubbabel

Abstract
This paper explains that the Temple of Heaven was not always used as a place for recreation by the public as it is today. Rather, it was built in 1420 for the sole use of one man, Emperor of China. The paper relates the architecture, the culture, the religion and the extensive history of China as related to this area. The paper concludes that the temple is not only popular among visiting foreign tourists but also among the Chinese, who love to celebrate daily in a structure recognized as a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design that represents the evolution of the great civilization of China.

From the Paper
"From 1420, when it was completed, until April 1644, the Forbidden City remained under control of the Ming Dynasty until Li Zicheng and his group of rebel forces who hungered for power conquered it. After it was successfully captured, Li Zichen, standing at the Hall of Military Eminence, then proceeded to declare himself emperor of the new Shun Dynasty. Chongzhen, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty soon after hanged himself on Jingshan Hill for loosing what his ancestors had built for him. Li Zicheng's victory however was short lived."

Tags:park chambers, qing dynasty, worshiping ceremony, tablets