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Temple of Horus


Temple of Horus
Photo Information
Copyright: Yvonne Becker (smash2707) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 582 W: 90 N: 579] (2551)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2000-08-30
Categories: Architecture, Ruins
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC-S30
Exposure: f/9.6
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Temples [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-03-01 15:26
Viewed: 1515
Points: 14
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is a shot of the facade of the Temple of Horus at Edfu, in Egypt. I didn't manage to take a picture of the whole facade, but I wanted to include it in my Egypt album. The heat was almost unbearable that day, about 35 degrees C, but very humid.

"Dedicated to Horus, the falcon headed god, it was built during the reigns of six Ptolemies. We have a great deal of information about its construction from reliefs on outer areas. It was begun in 237 BC by Ptolemy III Euergetes I and was finished in 57 BC. Most of the work continued throughout this period with a brief interlude of 20 years while there was unrest during the period of Ptolemy IV and Ptolemy V Epiphanes.

This is not only the best preserved ancient temple in Egypt, but the second largest after Karnak. It was believed that the temple was built on the site of the great battle between Horus and Seth. Hence, the current temple was but the last in a long series of temples build on this location. It is said that the original structure housing a statue of Horus was a grass hut built in prehistoric times. At any rate, there is an earlier and smaller pylon of Ramesses II which sits in a 90 degree angle to the current building.

The main building, which includes a great Hypostyle Hall, was uncovered by Mariette in the 1860s. There are numerous reliefs, including a depiction of the Feast of the Beautiful Meeting, the annual reunion between Horus and his wife Hathor. The reliefs are mostly situated on the inside of the first pylon, and spiritually connect this temple with Hathor’s Temple at the Dendera complex. During the third month of summer, the priests at the Dendera complex would place the statue of Hathor on her barque (a ceremonial barge) and would thus bring the statue to the Edfu Temple, where it was believed that Horus and Hathor shared a conjugal visit. Each night, the god and goddess would retire to the mamissi, or berthing house.

There is still an entrance colonnade to the mamissi, and reliefs with considerable remaining color just outside the main temple. These images portray the ritual of the birth of Harsomtus, son of Horus and Hathor. "

http://www.touregypt.net/edfut.htm
atus, vagabondtravels, pranab, PixelTerror, pastadog, riclopes has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Useful note. The people in the shot really give the us a great perspective on how large this temple is.

yvonne,
nice contrast of colors. nice detail on the temple. good pov.

  • Great 
  • atus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2293 W: 206 N: 4467] (14945)
  • [2006-03-02 6:02]

Hello Yvonne,
the Horus Temple in Edfu is a must of Egypt so You made well to include it in Your album.I like the POV,the colors and definition.The note is really exhaustive and very interesting.Thanks for sharing!
Attila

Hi Yvonne, excellent shot of this impressive temple! (now I realize I missed this gem when I visited Egypt). The reliefs are spectacular, they seem to be dancing. It's fortunate you have the tourists in the frame, first to accentuate the size of the structure and second, with a modicum of imagination I can imagine one of those parades in ancient Egypt getting into the temple. The dirt in the desert in the foreground and some stuff on the right are a minus, but what can you do about that? Overall, excellent job! Regards, Daniel

Hi Yvonne,
It's good you provided people to give scale, they show us how huge this temple is, it may not have been too difficult to find these people I think ;-)
Not too many composition facilities here, just trying to get back enough to have the whole temple in the frame, good comprehensive view of the entrance where you managed well to keep the hard sun under control.
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

Hi Yvonne,
Very nice shots, you've been uploading lately and excellent note for this one.
This kind of architecture impressed me much and you manage well to give us a good perspective of this amazing façade. The people are very important for the scale, although you problably hadn´t any choice in that matter. I don't know which dificulties did you have to get the whole façade on the composition but the result is still quite satisfatory. Congratulations for the improvments.
TFS,
Friendly regards,
Ricardo

What achievements by these glorious ancient Black Africans whom the great Greek historian Herodotus says himself were as black and beautiful as their Ethiopian bretherns.

oddmodd@yahoo.com

Yvonne - good shot of what is a really ammazing temple to visit. Whilst all the techniqal aspects of this picture are good, have you got a polarising filter that will fit your Olympus as this cvan darken the skies to give a dark impact to an image.
Regards Colin

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