Temple of Edfu
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| Temple of Edfu | ||||
 The main entrance of Edfu Temple showing the first pylon |
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| Monument information | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Temple | |||
| Location | Edfu | |||
| Nome | Upper Egypt 2 Thes-Hor | |||
| Hieroglyphic name |
(Bḥd.t) |
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| Deity | Horus (primary), Hathor, Harsomtus | |||
| Historical information | ||||
| Period | Graeco-Roman Period | |||
| Dynasty | Ptolemaic Dynasty | |||
| Construction Start Date | 237 BCE | |||
| Completion Date | 57 BCE | |||
| Architectural description | ||||
| Construction material | Sandstone | |||
| Height | 36 meters | |||
| Width | 79 meters | |||
| Length | 36 meters | |||
The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu. It is the second largest temple in Egypt after Karnak and one of the best preserved. The temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BCE. The inscriptions on its walls provide important information on language, myth and religion during the Greco-Roman period in ancient Egypt. They are translated by the german Edfu-Project.
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[edit] History
Edfu was one of several temples built during the Ptolemaic period, including Dendera, Esna, Kom Ombo and Philae. Its size reflects the relative prosperity of the time.[1] Construction began in 237 BCE during the reign of Ptolemy III and completed in 57 BCE under Ptolemy XII.[2] It was built on the site of an earlier, smaller temple also dedicated to Horus, although the previous structure was oriented east-west rather than north-south as in the present site. A ruined pylon lies just to the east of the current temple; inscriptional evidence has been found indicating a building program under New Kingdom rulers Ramesses I, Seti I and Ramesses II.
The temple of Edfu fell into disuse as a religious monument following Theodosius I's edict banning non-Christian worship within the Roman Empire in 391 CE. As elsewhere, many of the temple's carved reliefs were razed by followers of the Christian faith which came to dominate Egypt. The blackened ceiling of the hypostyle hall, visible today, is believed to be the result of arson intended to destroy religious imagery that was now considered pagan.
Over the centuries the temple became buried to a depth of 12 meters (39 ft) beneath drifting desert sand and layers of river silt deposited by the Nile. Local inhabitants built homes directly over the former temple grounds. Only the upper reaches of the temple pylons were visible by 1798, when the temple was identified by a French expedition. In 1860 Auguste Mariette, a French egyptologist, began the work of freeing Edfu temple from the sands.
Today Edfu is nearly intact; its centuries-long slumber beneath the desert sand has left it remarkably well-preserved. The Temple of Edfu's archaeological significance and state of preservation has made it a center for tourism in Egypt and a frequent stop for the many riverboats that cruise the Nile. In 2005, access to the temple was revamped with the addition of a visitor center and paved carpark.[3] A sophisticated lighting system was added in late 2006 to allow night visits.[4]
[edit] Religious significance
The temple of Edfu is the largest temple dedicated to Horus and was the center of several festivals sacred to the god.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] Cited references
- ^ Agnese and Re, 2004:23
- ^ Agnese and Re, 2006:214-215
- ^ "SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW 2005 - Dr. Zahi Hawass". Retrieved on 2007-04-25.
- ^ "Night visits to Temple of Horus allowed as of New Year". Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
[edit] General references
- Agnese, Giorgio and Maurizio Re. Ancient Egypt: Art and archaeology of the land of the pharaohs. 2004. ISBN 0-7607-8380-2
- Oakes, Lorna and Lucia Gahlin. Ancient Egypt: An illustrated reference to the myths, religions, pyramids and temples of the land of the pharaohs. 2006. ISBN 0-7607-4943-4
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