Temple of Horus at Edfu



Temple of Horus at Edfu

Temple of Horus at Edfu, devoted to Horus, the falcon headed god, it was established during the reigns of six Ptolemies. We have a great address of information about its construction from reliefs on outer areas. It was begun in 237 BC by Ptolemy III Euergetes I and was broken in 57 BC. Most of the work extended throughout this period with a brief interlude of 20 years while there was unrest during the point of Ptolemy IV and Ptolemy V Epiphanes.

This is not unique the best maintained ancient temple in Egypt, but the second biggest after Karnak. It was believed that the temple was constructed on the site of the great battle between Horus and Seth. Hence, the current temple was but the dying in a long serials of temples shape on this positioning. It is said that the original structure housing a statue of Horus was a grass hut built in prehistoric times. At any rate, there is an earlier and smaller pylon of Ramses II which models in a 90 degree angle to the current constructing.

The central building, which includes a great  Hypostyle Hall , was uncovered by Mariette in the 1860s. There are numerous reliefs, taking a depiction of the Feast of the Beautiful Meeting, the annual reunion between Horus and his wife Hathor. The reliefs are generally located on the inside of the first pylon, and spiritually associate this temple with Hathor’s Temple at the Dendera complex. During the 3rd month of summer, the priests at the Dendera complex would direct the statue of Hathor on her barque (a ceremonial barge) and would thus bring the statue to the Edfu Temple, where it was considered that Horus and Hathor shared a connubial visit. Each night, the god and goddess would recede to the mamissi, or mooring house. There is still an entrance colonnade to the mamissi, and reliefs with significant remaining color just out the main temple. These images portray the ritual of the birth of Harsomtus, son of Horus and Hathor.

The power pylons of the main Temple are about 118 ft high with typical settings of the pharaoh in battle with his enemies. Within the pylons is the colonnaded courtyard with distinctive, pared columns, which leads into the great hypostyle hall. But on either side of the courtyard there are gates which lead to an area behind the temple and inside the bounding walls. Here, there are dedications recording contributions of land which were credibly removed from demotic documents. There are also proud images depicting the frustration of Seth by Horus. There was an annual ritual addressed the known as the Triumph of Horus (10 harpoons) which ended in the slaying of a hippo, the symbol of Seth.

The frontage of the first hypostyle hall has images observing Horus and Hathor, and there is an immaculate ten foot tall giants of Horus as the falcon god here (a according colossi is was finished). As you enter the great hall, you will begin to notice the use of light Even though the temple was figure over hundreds of years, it is very harmonious, and ebbs and flow of lighting was certainly pregnant, portraying a looks of mystery. Just alone the hall are 2 close rooms, a robing room on the west and a library to the east where the priest would obtain the religious clubs of the day. Within this hall are scenes of offer including the temple foundation ceremonies.

Beyond the great hypostyle hall is a second, little hypostyle hall which takes to a well called the Chamber of the Nile where the Priests held pure sacred water. This is a similar arrangement as discovered at Dendera. On the west side of the room are doorways that lead to a small research lab with recipes engraved on the walls for ointments and perfumes which where used daily to anoint the statue of Horus, and to a treasure room where offerings were put in.

Beyond the second hypostyle hall is the offering hall, followed by the vestibule and last the sanctuary. There is a granite naos here dedicated by Nectanebo II, making it the oldest relic in the temple. It is probable that a golden gilded wooden statue of Horus about 60 centimeter tall would have occupied on the naos. This statue would have been handled for by the priests in a human manner, being washed, treated, anointed, fed and encouraged.

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