You have to include "as elaborate" in your quote. The pattern is: as [adjective 1] as [something] [am/are/is] [adjective 2] It means the two adjectives are equally strong or weak (usually strong). In your sentence it means the rituals are both very elaborate and timeless. Examples: "A square is as long as it is wide." "This rectangle is twice as long as it is wide." "You're as kind as you are pretty... and you're not pretty at all!" "Writing Chinese is as easy for you as writing English is easy for me."