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| 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.