What is the Edfu Temple in Egypt?
This temple was constructed during the Ptolemaic period, making it one of the most recent temples constructed, following the Greco-Roman style. It is dedicated to the falcon-headed god Horus who is the son of the gods Osiris and Isis.
However, the legend says that his uncle Seth, who was jealous and power thristy, murdered Osiris and transformed Egypt into a kingdom of terror. Horus promised to retaliate to honor his father's death and became a warrior. He defeated Seth and Egypt became peaceful once again.
The Edfu Temple in Egypt is actually the largest place of worship constructed for Horus and portrays on its walls a number of scenes of the battle between him and his infamous uncle.
The temple also hosted the annual Edfu Festival, which celebrated the marriage of Horus to the goddess of love Hathor.
When was the Edfu Temple built?
The construction of the Temple of Horus kicked off in 237 BC during the reign of Ptolemy III but the work ended in 57 BC. The Ptolemaic dynasty continued to worship the Egyptian gods and a plethora of temples were built during that period, including those in Kom Ombo, Philae and Dandara.
What happened to the Edfu Temple in Egypt across the centuries?
The temple was built under Greek rule but eventually the Roman Empire came to dominate Egypt directly after the defeat of the Greeks. In AD 391, Emperor Theodosius I declared that non-Catholic worship was prohibited, and the Romans destroyed and disfigured many sculptures in Edfu and other temples across Egypt.
The beautiful ceiling of the Hypostyle Hall was never recovered, despite restoration works, and remains hidden to this day.
At some point the temple was forgotten and covered by heaps of desert sand over the centuries. Eventually being buried more than 39 meters deep under the blanket of sand.
Similar to the Luxor Temple, a small village settled on the site and lived there until 1860 when the local population was relocated and the excavation works commenced.
In the present day, we are very lucky to be able to appreciate the splendor of this once buried temple, considered one of the main attractions in Egypt.
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