Where in the World?

Question: Where in the world was a falcon-headed god honored in a temple buried for centuries?

Answer: Temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt

With massive pylons, vast chambers, and walls covered in hieroglyphics and bas-reliefs, the Temple of Horus at Edfu is certainly fitting for the falcon-headed god it honors. As Egypt’s second largest temple, the size encompasses all that Egyptians thought of Horus—who was one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities.

A relatively young Egyptian structure, the temple remains as one of the best preserved in Egypt. It was constructed over the course of nearly 200 years during the Ptolemaic period in Egypt—a time of Greek Rule. However, the builders worked hard to preserve the form of Egypt’s great Pharaohs, and upon its completion in 57 BCE, the design, scale, and decoration all followed that of traditional Pharaonic architecture.

Inscriptions across the walls describe the conflict between Horus and Seth, who was the god of deserts and disorder and murderer of Horus’s father, Osiris. It’s even said to have been built atop the location where a battle between these two conflicting gods took place. At the entrance to the temple, gigantic pylons depict battle scenes of King Ptolemy VIII defeating his enemies for Horus. With intricate stone detailing, archeologists have gained many insights into the language and religion of Egypt during the later period of ancient Egypt.

For centuries, the temple was piled with more than 39 feet of desert sand and layers of silt from the Nile until a French Egyptologist rediscovered the site in the 19th century. Underneath all of the sand and silt, the temple stood nearly perfectly intact, remaining today as an ideal example of Egypt’s astonishing architectural capabilities.

8 Things to Know About the Mighty God Horus

• One of the most important ancient Egyptian deities, Horus was worshipped from prehistoric Egypt up until the Ptolemaic Period, but the stories and beliefs surrounding Horus evolved throughout this time.
• In the earliest of times, falcons were worshipped in Egypt as a symbol of the cosmic powers. Many different falcon gods existed in Egyptian religion, all assimilating into the one Horus over time.
• As their beliefs evolved, Horus came to be seen as the son of Osiris and Isis. While Osiris and Isis were responsible for governing the earth, Horus was known as the god of the sky, which included ruling the sun, moon, and stars.
• Horus is the Latin version of the Egyptian name, "Hor," translating to "the distant one"—a reference to his role as the sky god.
• Seth was known as Osiris’s jealous brother and was believed to have murdered Osiris and split his body across Egypt. Isis kept Horus hidden until one day he could defeat Seth.
• When Horus was finally grown, he battled Seth for the right to throne and won, but in the struggle his left eye was damaged. Thoth, the god of wisdom and magic, reassembled his eye and returned it to Horus. The famous emblem, known as the Eye of Horus, was created as a symbol for protection, good health, and restoration.
• In addition to being the ruler of the sky, Horus was considered the patron god of Egypt, and it was believed that all Pharaohs were the earthy embodiment of him.
• He was also known as the god of war, the protector of Egyptian royalty, the defender of order, and was praised before and after Egyptian rulers went into battle.

Cruise to Edfu on the Nile River and explore the majestic Temple of Horus during our Egypt & the Eternal Nile by Private, Classic River-Yacht adventure.