Edfu Temple

Horus, defender of order

In ancient Egypt, the god Horus appeared as a hawk, and was variously the avenger, son of truth, lord of two lands and god of war. But always, he was the ruler of the gods and the patron of the pharaoh.

Horus had two personae. As Horus the Elder, he was Hathor's consort; as Horus the Child, he was the son of Isis, goddess of marriage, fertility and magic, and Osiris, god of peace and prosperity. Osiris's brother Seth was jealous of the two, so he trapped Osiris in a coffin, drowned him, dismembered him and distributed his body parts all over the world. But Isis gathered all the pieces of Osiris together and performed the first Egyptian embalming to prepare Osiris for the afterlife.
She was magically able to restore him to life for a short while, during which she became pregnant with Horus.

Seeking to avenge his father, Horus fought Seth in an epic battle. Horus prevailed-but not before losing his eye. The wedjat eye of Horus is still a powerful talisman.

Eventually, the Horus entities came together as Horus of Edfu. His temple in Edfu is nearly intact and one of the best preserved in Egypt. Filled with statues and inscriptions, it tells the stirring tales of this mighty hero.Read more