Edfu temple was built as a remembrance of the place where the battle between the gods Heru (Horus) and Set took place.
The Egyptian temple Edfu was built as a remembrance of the place where the battle between the gods Heru (Horus) and Set took place.
Edfu temple was built by the Greek rulers who related this god to their god Apollo; this temple is oriented north-south and not east-west as the previous ancient temple in the vicinity that its foundations go back to the “Old Egyptian Empire” period.
The original Edfu temple was built commemorating the place where took place the legendary battle between Horus and Set and its location was supposed to indicate the exact place where this battle took place.
Edfu is locate about 100 kilometers from Aswan and took close to three hundred years to complete, much of the previous contractions are not found but indicates that the was during the “new Egyptian Empire” were done some additional work by pharaohs like Seti I, Ramses II and Ramses III that also built funerary temples at the “West Valley” the well known Theban necropolis and Egyptian continue adding to the temple as far as the thirtieths dynasty, the time when a shine with a top ending in a pyramided form resembling an obelisk was added.
At Edfu there was also a special emphasis to the goddess Hathor as Horus wife and their son as well to Bess the draft god that protected woman at childbirth.
Once a year there was a great festivity that was to commemorate the divine coupling of these gods, it consisted in bringing the main statue of veneration of the Goddess Hathor from her principal sanctuary Dendera; they brought this figure in barge to have a yearly reunion with her consort Heru.
Now a day in a special room is kept a replica made in wood of this mythological boat.
The god Horus had may forms and names that refer to this him, the name or form that Heru was worshipped here is Horus Behedet and the place where this temple stands was known by Behedet probably is the sacred name that appears in many of the inscriptions of the royal tombs of Thebes.
This place was also well known by its foundries and some metallurgy workers were associated with Heru or Horus that in their mythology He made a chain to defeat Set.
Edfu temple was built by the Greek rulers who related this god to their god Apollo; this temple is oriented north-south and not east-west as the previous ancient temple in the vicinity that its foundations go back to the “Old Egyptian Empire” period.
The original Edfu temple was built commemorating the place where took place the legendary battle between Horus and Set and its location was supposed to indicate the exact place where this battle took place.
Edfu is locate about 100 kilometers from Aswan and took close to three hundred years to complete, much of the previous contractions are not found but indicates that the was during the “new Egyptian Empire” were done some additional work by pharaohs like Seti I, Ramses II and Ramses III that also built funerary temples at the “West Valley” the well known Theban necropolis and Egyptian continue adding to the temple as far as the thirtieths dynasty, the time when a shine with a top ending in a pyramided form resembling an obelisk was added.
Heru or Horus was a falcon headed god sometimes wearing the north and south head dress or the sun circle, some times is represented as a falcon and sometimes as a Lion nevertheless at this place there is a preferred importance representing him as the unifier of north and south as well as his bird characteristics.
At Edfu there was also a special emphasis to the goddess Hathor as Horus wife and their son as well to Bess the draft god that protected woman at childbirth.
Once a year there was a great festivity that was to commemorate the divine coupling of these gods, it consisted in bringing the main statue of veneration of the Goddess Hathor from her principal sanctuary Dendera; they brought this figure in barge to have a yearly reunion with her consort Heru.
Now a day in a special room is kept a replica made in wood of this mythological boat.
The god Horus had may forms and names that refer to this him, the name or form that Heru was worshipped here is Horus Behedet and the place where this temple stands was known by Behedet probably is the sacred name that appears in many of the inscriptions of the royal tombs of Thebes.
This place was also well known by its foundries and some metallurgy workers were associated with Heru or Horus that in their mythology He made a chain to defeat Set.
Click here to show more and larger size animated Edfu temple Egypt pictures commemorates where Heru and Set battle took place.
Click here for Egypt Land of Eternity Home Page Flash Version by Julian Pardo.
Click here for Egypt Land of Eternity Home Page Flash Version by Julian Pardo.
