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Edfu Temple - Nile Cruise Tours
Dedicated
to Horus, the falcon headed god, it was built during the
reigns of six Ptolemies. We have a great deal of information
about its construction from reliefs on outer areas. It was
begun in 237 BC by Ptolemy III Euergetes I and was finished
in 57 BC. Most of the work continued throughout this period
with a brief interlude of 20 years while there was unrest
during the period of Ptolemy IV and Ptolemy V Epiphanes.
This is not only the best preserved ancient temple in Egypt,
but the second largest after Karnak. It was believed that
the temple was built on the site of the great battle between
Horus and Seth. Hence, the current temple was but the last
in a long series of temples build on this location. 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 Ramesses II which
sits in a 90 degree angle to the current building.
The main building, which includes a great Hypostyle Hall,
was uncovered by Mariette in the 1860s. There are numerous
reliefs, including a depiction of the Feast of the Beautiful
Meeting, the annual reunion between Horus and his wife
Hathor. The reliefs are mostly situated on the inside of the
first pylon, and spiritually connect this temple with
Hathor's Temple at the Dendera complex. During the third
month of summer, the priests at the Dendera complex would
place the statue of Hathor on her barque (a ceremonial
barge) and would thus bring the statue to the Edfu Temple,
where it was believed that Horus and Hathor shared a
conjugal visit. Each night, the god and goddess would retire
to the mamissi, or berthing house.
There is still an entrance colonnade to the mamissi, and
reliefs with considerable remaining color just outside the
main temple. These images portray the ritual of the birth of
Harsomtus, son of Horus and Hathor.
The
pylons of the main Temple are about 118 feet high with
typical scenes 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 inscriptions recording
donations of land which were probably transferred from
demotic documents. There are also dramatic images depicting
the defeat of Seth by Horus. There was an annual ritual
called the known as the Triumph of Horus (10 harpoons) which
ended in the slaying of a hippopotamus, the symbol of Seth.
The facade of the first hypostyle hall has images honoring
Horus and Hathor, and there is an immaculate ten foot tall
colossi of Horus as the falcon god here (a matching colossi
is was destroyed). As you enter the great hall, you will
begin to notice the use of light Even though the temple was
build over hundreds of years, it is very harmonious, and
ebbs and flow of lighting was certainly purposeful,
portraying a feeling of mystery. Just inside the hall are
two small rooms, a robing room on the west and a library to
the east where the priest would obtain the religious orders
of the day. Within this hall are scenes of offering
including the temple foundation ceremonies.
Dedicated
to Horus, the falcon headed god, it was built during the
reigns of six Ptolemies. We have a great deal of information
about its construction from reliefs on outer areas. It was
begun in 237 BC by Ptolemy III Euergetes I and was finished
in 57 BC. Most of the work continued throughout this period
with a brief interlude of 20 years while there was unrest
during the period of Ptolemy IV and Ptolemy V Epiphanes. 
The
pylons of the main Temple are about 118 feet high with
typical scenes 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 inscriptions recording
donations of land which were probably transferred from
demotic documents. There are also dramatic images depicting
the defeat of Seth by Horus. There was an annual ritual
called the known as the Triumph of Horus (10 harpoons) which
ended in the slaying of a hippopotamus, the symbol of Seth.