A sanctuary built on a canal connecting with the Nile, usually with a quay, thus enabling even large boats to moor there. A valley temple was linked with a pyramid temple by means of a causeway. The oldest valley temple dates to the time of Seneferu and they continued to be built until the end of the 12th Dynasty; similar complexes for private individuals are known from the Middle Kingdom on. Valley temples contain niches or chapels for statues of the owner of the temple. It used to be assumed that the temples were mummification places for the deceased king. We now know that the actual purpose of the buildings was to enable the king in question to meet visiting gods. The Abu Sir papyri, for example, describe such a visit by various gods.