It seemed fitting that the only available mode of transportation (other than a very long walk through an unfamiliar town) to the temple known either as the Temple of Edfu or the Temple of Horus should be by horse drawn carriage. It was a ceremonious conclusion to our quest to begin to understand a culture that has fascinated the rest of the world for thousands of years, a culture that was held in awe by the rest of the ancient world as a sort of fountainhead of knowledge, wisdom and power. It would also help to wrap up the continuing thread of the story of Isis, Osiris and Horus.
The Temple of Horus at Edfu was built by the Ptolomies, the successors of Alexander the Great, beginning in 237 B.C. Naturally, like all the other temples we’ve explored, it was built on the site of earlier temples. It’s also located where legend placed the epic final battle between Horus and Seth.
The pylons (the massive structures flanking the entrance) are 118 feet tall and have within them rooms and passageways. The overall shape mimics the hieroglyph ‘akhet’ or “horizon” which consists of two hills through which the sun rises and sets, associating the building with a place of birth and creation. The big vertical grooves would hold banners. The area between the “hills” became a sort of speaking platform for the priests.
Finally, Osiris is avenged and Horus has fulfilled his quest, killing Seth by spearing him in his manifestation as the hippopotamus in scene after scene.
