Between Esna and Aswan is an ancient city called Edfu. It has a long and exciting history. The name comes from the ancient city of Igbo, which honors Horus’ victory over Set. In the New Kingdom, there was an annual festival to remember the sacred voyage of the god Horus Edfu and the goddess Hathor of Dendera, which brought Edfu a lot of fame.
Marietta, who founded the Edfu Temple in 1860 and saw it in poor condition, did a lot to bring it back to life (the temple was taken over by contemporary society, and its terraces were filled with houses, stables, and other buildings). Almost all of the space inside the temple was filled with rubbish.
Temple Description:
The inscriptions on the belt wall outside the temple show that the Edfu temple was built between 237 BC and 57 BC, making it one of the best examples of Ptolemaic architecture. Inside the temple, you can see some of the best pieces of art and architecture from the time of the Ptolemies.
This work honors Horus, Hathor, and their son “Horus the Younger” or “Unifier of the Two Lands.” The walls, ceilings, and floors of many temple rooms, corridors, antechambers, sanctuaries, and indoor and outdoor spaces are decorated with beautiful carvings.
It is one of the most beautiful places in Egypt and also one of the best preserved. There is nothing like it in the past, and there are no other buildings. The entrance to the temple is guarded by one of two statues of the falcon Horus that can be found outside the western tower. Upper Egypt’s crown and Lower Egypt’s crown are both on his head.
The entrance to the temple The only part that can be seen of the building is the tower, which has reliefs and bas-reliefs inside and out. The Great Court is a large room with an entrance on three sides. Thirty-two columns occupy the gallery. It was used to make sacrifices on a massive altar to the god Horus.
The Hypostyle Hall has 12 columns set up in three rows, and theythey have thin bodies and ornate tops. Behind the two entrances, in the rear of the building, you can find the temple’s sanctuary, where the sacred barge of Horus sits on a small altar.
Many inscriptions on the outer walkway of the temple show Horus beating destructive animals, such as crocodiles and hippos. Notes can be found inside and outside the temple.
The remains of the Nativity House, also known as Mammesi, can be found near the southwest corner of the temple. Ptolemy VII, Orgytes II, Ptolemy VIII, and Soter II were the people who planned the construction.
There were strange images of Bess, the god of rebirth and happiness, on the counters, and a row of columns surrounded the temple with leaf-shaped tops. His fearsome appearance was intended to keep people safe and protect pregnant women.
Pillars with stone curtains between them surrounded the front yard. The birth home was a place where new mothers were honored and celebrated. Hathor and seven other Hathors are shown all breastfeeding the baby Horus. Hathor plays the harp and tambourine, and Horus suckles on the pillars of the entrance and in the courtyard.
