Statue of Horus, black granite statue. Temple of Edfu, Egypt, 07 September, 2025.
A colossal 3.2 meters (10.50 ft) tall black granite statue of Horus as a falcon wearing the double crown (Upper and Lower Egypt) embodying the majesty of the ancient god as well as his fusion with the institution of Egyptian kingship. The statue, now standing in front of the pronaos (hypostyle hall) may have belonged to the 30th Dynasty (reign of Nectanebo II, c. 359 to c. 343 BCE).
The present temple, which was begun by Ptolemy III on 23 August 237 BCE, initially consisted of a pillared hall, two transverse halls and a barque sanctuary surrounded by chapels. It was dedicated by Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II on 10 September 142 BCE. The pronaos in front was built in 140-124 BCE and completed with decorations in 116 BCE. The construction of the colonnaded court and pylon, followed in 116-71 BCE and the outermost elements were then added and finally completed in 57 BCE, in the reign of Ptolemy XII Auletes, the father of the last Cleopatra. The dating of the Horus statue could also be attributed to these Ptolemaic periods.
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References
- Arnold, Dieter & Haeny, Gerhard & Bell, Lanny & Finnestad, Ragnhild Bjerre & Shafer, Byron E. Temples of Ancient Egypt. NCROL, 1997.
- Arnold, Dieter. Temples of the Last Pharaohs. Oxford University Press, 1999.
- Arnold, Dieter. The Encyclopedia of Ancient Egyptian Architecture. Princeton University Press, 2003.
- Hoven, C. van den. "The coronation ritual of the falcon at Edfu : tradition and innovation in ancient Egyptian ritual composition." Leiden University, 2017, p. 213.
- Wilkinson, Richard H. The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson, 2017.
Cite This Work
APA Style
Piqueras, J. Á. (2026, February 26). Statue of Horus at Edfu. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21574/statue-of-horus-at-edfu/
Chicago Style
Piqueras, Juan Ángel. "Statue of Horus at Edfu." World History Encyclopedia, February 26, 2026. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21574/statue-of-horus-at-edfu/.
MLA Style
Piqueras, Juan Ángel. "Statue of Horus at Edfu." World History Encyclopedia, 26 Feb 2026, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21574/statue-of-horus-at-edfu/.
