Since it is low water season of the Nile, we could not sail from Luxor to Qena and instead had to drive about 60km north in order to visit the Ptolemaic Temple of Hathor in Dendera. Hathor was one…
The temple of Hathor was built in the Ptolemaic period and for the Egyptians it represented the east, although in reality the monument is oriented to the north. It is located in the old Dendera, more precisely 70 km north of Luxor. The temple of Hathor was erected in 125 BC during the reign of …
The Dendera Zodiac is proof of how well the ancient Egyptians could map the skies. Read on for a handy guide to the Dendera temple complex.
[EGYPT 29533] 'Zodiac sign Pisces at Dendera.' A fish on either side of a pond makes up the zodiac sign Pisces on the astronomical ceiling in the outer hypostyle hall of the Hathor Temple at Dendera. The ceiling consists of seven separate strips but here we are looking at a detail of the upper register of the EASTERNMOST STRIP. There are six zodiac signs depicted in the entire easternmost strip and the other six can be found on the westernmost ceiling strip of the hall. These signs are of Babylonic-Greek origin and are not found in Egypt before it was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. The standing women to the left and the right of the fish are the goddesses of the 5th and 4th hour of the night. The disk with a god holding a small pig by a hind foot is interpreted by some scholars as the sun being eclipsed, but this can't be proven. The falcon-headed god on the right is the planet Mars (called 'Horus-the-Red). Other Egyptian astronomical texts mention that the god "travels backwards', which is undoubtedly an allusion to the retrograde movement of Mars. Of course other planets display this movement also, but maybe the Egyptians found it particularly striking in Mars. For an overview of this ceiling strip see picture 29526. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.
"The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with beer." Inscription from 2200 BCE found inside the Temple of Hathor in Dendera, Egypt. Embark on an enthralling beer adventure with our carefully curated jigsaw puzzle. This artistically illustrated puzzle, dedicated to one of the world's most beloved beverages, will take you on a journey through over 100 beer styles and categories. Beyond the captivating puzzle design, the box also showcases an introduction to brewing essentials and beer pairing, along with an illustrated guide to beer glasses and a comprehensive map of beer flavors. Get prepared to delve into this enchanting and flavorful universe, one puzzle piece at a time. Illustrations by Derek Fenech.
(Banebdjed, Ba-neb-Djedet) Banebdjedet’s name means ‘the Ba who is Lord of Djedet’, a city in the Delta known to the Greeks as Mendes. Banebdjedet is depicted as either a long-hor…
La observación del firmamento llevó a los antiguos egipcios a inventar el calendario para regir sus festivales religiosos y controlar la crecida anual del Nilo.
[EGYPT 29541] 'Architrave of astronomical ceiling in Hathor Temple at Dendera.' An architrave supporting the astronomical ceiling in the outer hypostyle hall of the Hathor Temple at Dendera is decorated with superbly crafted hieroglyphs. The falcon within a square is the hieroglyphic sign for the patron goddess of the temple: Hathor. In the central column the group of five signs below her name mention that she is the master of Junet (the Egyptian name for Dendera). The falcon placed above three vertical signs in the upper left corner spells the name of Harsomptus, the child-god who was parented by Hathor of Dendera and Horus of Edfu. The name 'Horus of Behdet' (Edfu) is spelled lower down in the same column by a falcon and the four signs to the left of it. He also appears in the right upper corner, but in this case 'Behdet' is written below the falcon. The astronomical ceiling consists in total of seven separate strips which are supported by six rows of columns with architraves (for an overview see pictures 29525 and 29539). The architrave in this picture is located between the first and second strip east from the central ceiling strip (see picture 29540). This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Dedicado a una de las deidades más famosas del antiguo Egipto, el magnífico templo de la Diosa Hathor es el edificio más grande e impresionante del complejo del templo de Dendera..
The builders of the pyramid complex in Egypt had a very good astronomer. We call him Senenmut (the Mother’s Brother, or the Uncle).
[EGYPT 29551] 'Goddess supporting the sky at Dendera.' A goddess is supporting the sky with raised arms on the astronomical ceiling in the outer hypostyle hall of the Hathor Temple at Dendera. A winged sun disk hovers above it. The ceiling consists of seven separate strips but here we are looking at the southern end of the lower register of the SECOND STRIP EAST from centre. The goddess is one of the four goddesses of the cardinal points of the compass who support the heavens. This one is associated with the south or, as the caption states, with the position of the sun during noon. She is appropriately accompanied by the south wind in the upper register (seen upside down here): a ram-headed creature with double outstretched wings, holding a little sail and the 'ankh' sign of life. A caption near the head of the wind figure proclaims him to be "the good wind from the south". Wind creatures such as these only appear in Egyptian monuments of the Greek-Roman period (see also picture 29550). For an overview of this ceiling strip see picture 29539. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during theRoman period (first century AD). Photo Paul Smit.
Discover the sacred temples of Dendera and Abydos on a day trip. Immerse yourself in ancient Egypt's rich history and spiritual heritage with Kemet Experience.
One of Britain’s most popular abstract painters known for her huge vibrant canvases bursting with colour
Side wall of temple.
No livro “The Gold of the Gods“ (1973)*, Erich von Däniken anuncia logo no início:
[EGYPT 29568] 'The waxing moon and the Eye of Horus at Dendera.' This forceful image of the moon on a pillar, decorated with the "healed eye" of Horus, can be found on the astronomical ceiling of the outer hypostyle hall in the Hathor Temple at Dendera. The astronomical ceiling consists of seven separate strips but here we are looking at a detail of the FIRST STRIP WEST from centre. The moon eye is part of a panel that deals with the waxing moon and which is located at the middle of the strip. According to Egyptian mythology Horus lost his eye during a battle with Seth (the murderer of his father Osiris) and the eye (called 'Wadjet') was subsequently healed by Thoth, who is portrayed at the right-hand side of the picture. The destruction and healing of the eye was symbolically coupled by the ancient Egyptians to the waning and waxing of the moon. To the left of the moon are 14 stairs (outside the frame of the picture) with gods who refer to the 14 days leading up to the full "healed" moon. The entire scene can be seen in photo 29565. For an overview of the entire ceiling strip see picture 29561. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.