edfu temple 11

The Temple of Edfu - The Pylon
The Pylon
**Erected by

Ptolemy

IX (88-81 BC), the Pylon was one of the last features to be added.
Standing 37m High, it is among the largest in

Egypt

.

Its reliefs show a later Ptolemaic ruler, Neos Dionysos (

Ptolemy

VIII), smiting his enemies before Horus the Elder.
**The pylons of the main Temple are about 118 feet High with typical scenes of the pharaoh in battle with his enemies.

Within the pylons is the colonnaded courtyard with distinctive, pared columns, which leads into the Great hypostyle hall.

But on either side of the courtyard there are gates which lead to an area behind the temple and inside the bounding walls.

Here, there are inscriptions recording donations of land which were probably transferred from demotic documents.

There are also dramatic images depicting the defeat of Seth by Horus.

There was an annual ritual called the known as the Triumph of Horus (10 harpoons) which ended in the slaying of a hippopotamus, the symbol of Seth.
**Beyond the Pylon is the spacious Court of Offerings, where people could enter to make offerings to the image of Horus.

Beginning on the inner walls of the Pylon and continuing around the court along the bottom of the wall, the reliefs depict the Festival of the Beautiful Meeting, during which The

goddess Hathor

's image sailed from Dendera to spend some intimate time with Horus in the sanctuary of the Temple of Edfu before sailing back.

**Beneath the western colonnade are reliefs of

Ptolemy

IX (88-81 BC) making offerings to Horus, The

goddess Hathor

and Ihy; his successor is shown with the same deities across the way.

**At the back of the Court of Offerings, outside the Hypostyle Hall, are a pair of black granite Horus statues.

One stands taller than a man; the other lies legless on the ground.

**One of the most remarkable elements of the Temple is the existence of a Nilometer, as well as a chapel, which was dedicated to the Goddess Nut.

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	edfu temple Bas reliefs showing Egyptian gods thumb	edfu temple Bas reliefs with gods and pharaohs		edfu temple Bas relief depicting Horus
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edfu temple Statue of Horus 2	edfu temple The east wall with reliefs