Egypt: Temple of Dendera

[EGYPT 29504] 'Dendera Temple seen from its enclosure wall.' An early winter sun rises above the grounds of the Hathor Temple at Dendera, here seen from its enclosure wall. In front of the actual temple lies the rectangular basin of the sacred lake, from the bottom of which rises a grove of palms. The enclosure wall was built of sun-dried mud-brick and was several metres thick. After the heyday of the temple, villagers built their simple houses on the wall, deeming it a safe, protectable location. The ruined results of their activities can be seen in the foreground of the picture. The temple itself dates from the first century BC and the first century AD. Photo Paul Smit.

[EGYPT 29506] 'Dendera Temple seen from its enclosure wall.' An early winter sun rises above the grounds of the Hathor Temple at Dendera, seen from its enclosure wall. To the right we see the front of the outer hypostyle hall, which dates to the first century AD. The centre of the picture is occupied by the mammisi or 'birth house', which was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus. Photo Paul Smit.

[EGYPT 29508] 'Sacred lake and mammisi at Dendera.' On the grounds of the Hathor Temple at Dendera a low wall punctuated by gates surrounds the rectangular basin of the sacred lake. In the heyday of the temple the lake provided a reservoir for the water used in offerings and rituals of purification, and it was there that the priests bathed at dawn before entering the temple to begin their service. Empty of water, a grove of palms nowadays occupies the bottom of the reservoir. In the background we see the mammisi or 'birth house', which was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus. A temple may have been present at Dendera as early as the reign of Pepi I (around 2270 BC) but most of the present buildings and remains can be dated from the fourth century BC till the first century AD. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29510] 'Roman mammisi at Dendera.' The Roman mammisi on the grounds of the Hathor Temple at Dendera has five remaining columns on its southern side. It was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus. A mammisi or 'birth house' is an independent structure within the temple precincts in which the mysteries associated with the birth of a child-god were celebrated. In this case that is Ihy (also called Harsomptus), the son of Hathor and Horus. To the right (in the shade) are the remains of a Christian basilica of the 5th century AD. Photo Paul Smit.

[EGYPT 29512] 'Creation of the cosmos in Dendera's Isis Temple.' Some of the most famous images from the temple at Dendera portray human figures next to bulb-like objects reminiscent of oversized light bulbs. This one is located on a interior wall of Dendera's Isis Temple, which is a separate building located south of the main Hathor Temple. Similar images can be found in the crypt beneath the southern wall of the Hathor Temple. What we witness here is the creation of the cosmos, in the form of an elongated bulb. It springs from a lotus-flower, the lotus being the first object that floated on the primordial sea, according to Egyptian cosmology. From the flower also appears a snake, which is equated to the rising sun and the god Harsomptus and which is enveloped by the cosmos. Harsomptus is also present in human form, standing behind the bulb and his ka (living essence) is kneeling beneath the bulb. The cosmos-bulb with its sun-snake is supported by a Djed pillar with arms, symbol of stability. The Isis Temple dates from the first century BC. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29514] 'Outer hypostyle hall of Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are crowned by four-sided capitals carved with the face of the cow-eared goddess. The faces symbolize the four cardinal points of the universe and stress the universal character of the sky goddess Hathor, who was also called "Lady with the four Faces". The square structure that is placed on top of the actual face is a sistrum, a ritual musical instrument that produced a rustling sound that was thought to please Hathor. The ceiling of the hall has recently been cleaned of soot and dust and is decorated with a complex set of astronomical figures, constellations, planets and a zodiac. The shafts of the columns bear the image of a pharaoh (recognizable by his blue crown) who can be identified by his cartouches as the Roman emperor Claudius. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29516] 'Hathor headed columns in Dendera.' The columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are crowned by four-sided capitals carved with the face of the cow-eared goddess. The faces symbolize the four cardinal points of the universe and stress the universal character of the sky goddess Hathor, who was also called "Lady with the four Faces". The square structure that is placed on top of the actual face is a sistrum, a ritual musical instrument that produced a rustling sound that was thought to please Hathor. The tiny plates which would make the sound are not visible here, however. Instead a scene is depicted with a seated Hathor suckling the child-god Harsomptus. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29518] 'Hathor headed columns in Dendera.' The columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are crowned by four-sided capitals carved with the face of the cow-eared goddess. The faces symbolize the four cardinal points of the universe and stress the universal character of the sky goddess Hathor, who was also called "Lady with the four Faces". The square structure that is placed on top of the actual face is a sistrum, a ritual musical instrument that produced a rustling sound that was thought to please Hathor. The tiny plates which would make the sound are not visible here, however. Instead a scene is depicted with a seated Hathor suckling the child-god Harsomptus. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29520] 'Column in Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The shafts of the columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are covered with intricate decorations. One of the more conspicuous figures is Heh, the god of eternity, depicted in a crouching position. He is holding a (leafless) palm stem in each hand, which symbolized long life to the Egyptians, the years being represented by the notches on the stem. The winged lion-headed serpents are personifications of the cobra goddess Wadjet. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Paul Smit.

[EGYPT 29522] 'Outer hypostyle hall of Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are crowned by four-sided capitals carved with the face of the cow-eared goddess. The faces symbolize the four cardinal points of the universe and stress the universal character of the sky goddess Hathor, who was also called "Lady with the four Faces". Here we are looking towards the eastern end of the hall. The ceiling has recently been cleaned of soot and dust and is decorated with a complex set of astronomical figures, constellations, planets and a zodiac. One strip has been left uncleaned however and this is visible as a black zone at the upper edge of the picture. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29524] 'Outer hypostyle hall of Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are crowned by four-sided capitals carved with the face of the cow-eared goddess. The faces symbolize the four cardinal points of the universe and stress the universal character of the sky goddess Hathor, who was also called "Lady with the four Faces" The ceiling has recently been cleaned of soot and dust and is decorated with a complex set of astronomical figures, constellations, planets and a zodiac. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29526] 'Sky goddess and zodiac in Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The astronomical ceiling in the outer hypostyle hall of the Hathor Temple at Dendera consists of seven separate strips, which are conspicuous by their bright blue colour. Behind the pillars we see the second strip to the east from center. The EASTERNMOST STRIP we see in its entirety. It is enveloped by the outstretched body of the sky goddess Nut. On the right she swallows a winged setting sun, which is reborn from her lap on the left during dawn. The wave pattern on Nut's dress symbolizes the cosmic river on which the sun has traveled during the night. The strip actually consists of two registers. The upper register has six zodiac signs: Cancer (between Nut's legs), Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Pisces and Aquarius. These sign are of Babylonic-Greek origin and are not found in Egypt before it was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. This register also has deities who portray the twelve hours of the night, the planets and some ancient Egyptian constellations. The corresponding other six sign of the zodiac can be found on the westernmost ceiling strip (see pictures 29584 till 29590). The lower register of the easternmost strip is entirely filled with figures who are standing or sitting in boats. These are the decans, 36 stars or star groups near the ecliptic whose rise or transit could be used to tell the time during the night. Eventually they were also used by astronomers as place-markers in the sky to divide up the Ecliptic in equal portions. Decans first appear during the Middle Kingdom on the inside of coffin lids, providing the deceased with his own private start clock. Unfortunately, during the subsequent centuries many different lists of decanal stars were developed and very few of these stars can be identified on a modern star map. The decans in this register were listed by Neugebauer and Parker as stars 18 till 35 of the Tanis decan family. Stars 1 till 17 and 36 can be found on the westernmost ceiling strip. For an overview of the entire astronomical ceiling see picture 29525. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29528] 'Birth of the sun in Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The rising sun is born from the lap of sky goddess Nut 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 EASTERNMOST STRIP. The entire strip is enveloped by the outstretched body of the sky goddess Nut and her feet are visible in the right lower corner of this picture. The wave pattern on Nut's dress symbolizes the cosmic river on which the sun traveled during the night. The rays of the rising sun touch the head of the goddess Hathor which is located on top of a simplified image of a temple. The scene portrays the first day of the Egyptian New Year on which a statue of Hathor, brought from a crypt in the temple and placed on its roof, was rejuvenated by the first rays of the New Year sun. A similar scene can be found on the ceiling of the Wabet (see picture 29610). To the right of the sun rays we see Cancer, one of the six zodiac signs that are represented in this ceiling strip. These signs are of Babylonic-Greek origin and are not found in Egypt before it was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. To the left of the sun we see (upside down) a small boat carrying a lotus flower from which emerges a snake. The snake is a symbol for the rising sun on the first day of the New Year, the lotus flower being the first object that appeared on the primordial sea on the first day of the world creation. It is similar to the famous image of the sun-snake in a cosmos-bulb which is found in the southern crypt of the temple (see pictures 29604-607). 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.

[EGYPT 29505] 'Dendera Temple seen from its enclosure wall.' An early winter sun rises above the grounds of the Hathor Temple at Dendera, seen from its enclosure wall. To the right we see the front of the outer hypostyle hall, which dates to the first century AD. The centre of the picture is occupied by the mammisi or 'birth house', which was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus. Photo Paul Smit.

[EGYPT 29507] 'Sacred lake and mammisi at Dendera.' On the grounds of the Hathor Temple at Dendera a low wall punctuated by gates surrounds the rectangular basin of the sacred lake. In the heyday of the temple the lake provided a reservoir for the water used in offerings and rituals of purification, and it was there that the priests bathed at dawn before entering the temple to begin their service. Empty of water, a grove of palms nowadays occupies the bottom of the reservoir. In the background we see the mammisi or 'birth house', which was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus. A temple may have been present at Dendera as early as the reign of Pepi I (around 2270 BC) but most of the present buildings and remains can be dated from the fourth century BC till the first century AD. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29509] 'Sacred lake at Dendera.' On the grounds of the Hathor Temple at Dendera a flight of stairs descends into the rectangular basin of the sacred lake. In the heyday of the temple the lake provided a reservoir for the water used in offerings and rituals of purification. And it was there that the priests bathed at dawn before entering the temple, visible on the right, to begin their service. The lake may also have been the stage for reenactments of Egyptian myths, such as Isis looking for the body of Osiris in the Nile. Empty of water, a grove of palms nowadays occupies the bottom of the reservoir. A temple may have been present at Dendera as early as the reign of Pepi I (around 2270 BC) but most of the present buildings and remains can be dated from the fourth century BC till the first century AD. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29511] 'Isis Temple at Dendera.' A temple guard is resting against the porch of the Isis Temple at Dendera. The Isis Temple (built in the 1st century AD) is a separate building located south of the main temple, which is dedicated to Hathor. The southern exterior wall of the Hathor Temple can be seen on the right, with reliefs of the famous Queen Cleopatra VII and her son pharaoh Ptolemy XV (Caesarion). On the left we see the grove of palms which rises from the bottom of the sacred lake. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29513] 'Outer hypostyle hall of Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are crowned by four-sided capitals carved with the face of the cow-eared goddess. The faces symbolize the four cardinal points of the universe and stress the universal character of the sky goddess Hathor, who was also called "Lady with the four Faces". The square structure that is placed on top of the actual face is a sistrum, a ritual musical instrument that produced a rustling sound that was thought to please Hathor. The ceiling of the hall has recently been cleaned of soot and dust. One strip has been left uncleaned however and this is visible as a black zone in the upper half of the picture. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29515] 'Outer hypostyle hall of Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are crowned by four-sided capitals carved with the face of the cow-eared goddess. The faces symbolize the four cardinal points of the universe and stress the universal character of the sky goddess Hathor, who was also called "Lady with the four Faces". The square structure that is placed on top of the actual face is a sistrum, a ritual musical instrument that produced a rustling sound that was thought to please Hathor. The ceiling of the hall has recently been cleaned of soot and dust and is decorated with a complex set of astronomical figures, constellations, planets and a zodiac. The shafts of the columns bear the image of a pharaoh (recognizable by his blue crown) who can be identified by his cartouches as the Roman emperor Claudius. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29517] 'Hathor headed columns in Dendera.' The columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are crowned by four-sided capitals carved with the face of the cow-eared goddess. The faces symbolize the four cardinal points of the universe and stress the universal character of the sky goddess Hathor, who was also called "Lady with the four Faces". The square structure that is placed on top of the actual face is a sistrum, a ritual musical instrument that produced a rustling sound that was thought to please Hathor. The tiny plates which would make the sound are not visible here, however. Instead a scene is depicted with a seated Hathor suckling the child-god Harsomptus. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29519] 'Column in Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The shafts of the columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are covered with intricate decorations. One of the more conspicuous figures is Heh, the god of eternity, depicted in a crouching position. He is holding a (leafless) palm stem in each hand, which symbolized long life to the Egyptians, the years being represented by the notches on the stem. The winged lion-headed serpents are personifications of the cobra goddess Wadjet. Sadly, a row of Hathor heads has been defaced. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29521] 'Outer hypostyle hall of Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are crowned by four-sided capitals carved with the face of the cow-eared goddess. The faces symbolize the four cardinal points of the universe and stress the universal character of the sky goddess Hathor, who was also called "Lady with the four Faces". Here we are looking towards the eastern end of the hall. The ceiling has recently been cleaned of soot and dust and is decorated with a complex set of astronomical figures, constellations, planets and a zodiac. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Paul Smit.

[EGYPT 29523] 'Outer hypostyle hall of Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The columns in the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera are crowned by four-sided capitals carved with the face of the cow-eared goddess. The faces symbolize the four cardinal points of the universe and stress the universal character of the sky goddess Hathor, who was also called "Lady with the four Faces". Here we are looking towards the eastern end of the hall. The ceiling has recently been cleaned of soot and dust and is decorated with a complex set of astronomical figures, constellations, planets and a zodiac. One strip has been left uncleaned however and this is visible as a black zone at the upper edge of the picture. This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[EGYPT 29525] 'Dendera astronomical ceiling from La Description de 'Egypte.' The ceiling of the outer hypostyle hall (or pronaos) of the Hathor Temple at Dendera is decorated with a complex set of astronomical figures, constellations, planets and a zodiac. This drawing shows the entire ceiling, with the north facing facade at the bottom of the picture. The ceiling decoration can be divided in seven separate strips. The central strip is adorned with repeating images of the vulture goddess Nekhbet. To the east (right-hand side of the picture) as well as to the west of the vultures there are three strips which display the actual astronomical images. The easternmost and westernmost strips have a large image of the sky goddess Nut whose body arches over the twelve constellations of the zodiac. The second strip east from centre displays amongst others the twelve hours of the day and their associated gods, whereas the second strip west from centre has the hours of the night. The first strip east from centre deals with the course of the sun while the first strip west from centre is concerned with the phases of the moon. The ceiling also displays two groups of socalled decans (36 stars that were used to tell the time of night.) One group (the Tanis family) can be found on the eastern- and westernmost strips. The other group (the Seti IB family) inhabits the second strip east from centre and west from centre. The grey squares indicate the positions of the columns. This drawing was made in 1799 by two engineers from Napoleon's army, Jollois and Devilliers, and was consequently published in 'La Description de 'Egypte'.

[EGYPT 29527] 'Birth of the sun in Hathor Temple at Dendera.' The rising sun is born from the lap of sky goddess Nut 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 EASTERNMOST STRIP. The entire strip is enveloped by the outstretched body of the sky goddess Nut and her feet are visible in the left upper corner of this picture. The wave pattern on Nut's dress symbolizes the cosmic river on which the sun traveled during the night. The rays of the rising sun touch the head of the goddess Hathor which is located on top of a simplified image of a temple (seen upside down here). The scene portrays the first day of the Egyptian New Year on which a statue of Hathor, brought from a crypt in the temple and placed on its roof, was rejuvenated by the first rays of the New Year sun. To the left of the sun rays we see Cancer, one of the six zodiac signs that are represented in this ceiling strip. These signs are of Babylonic-Greek origin and are not found in Egypt before it was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC On the right we see the end of the two registers which make up the rest of this strip. The upper register starts with a boat carrying the standing goddesses Anukis and Satis, who represent a constellation south of the Ecliptic (the astronomical location is known from the famous round zodiac of Dendera in the Louvre). Anukis, as personification of the Nile, is pouring water from two vessels. Satis, another water goddess, is wearing the crown of upper Egypt. This watery constellation is closely associated with the next heavenly body: Sothis (the star Sirius) depicted as a cow on a boat. The rise of Sirius on the eastern horizon, after a few weeks of invisibility, signaled the beginning of the summer Nile flood for the Egyptians and the beginning of the New Year. Next comes a constellation or star which is called 'Horus-who-is-on-his-pillar' and which is south of the Ecliptic (the astronomical location is known from the famous round zodiac of Dendera in the Louvre.) The lower register starts with a small boat carrying a lotus flower from which emerges a snake. The snake is a symbol for the rising sun on the first day of the New Year, the lotus flower being the first object that appeared on the primordial sea on the first day of the world creation. It is similar to the famous image of the sun-snake in a cosmos-bulb which is found in the southern crypt of the temple (see pictures 29604-607). Next follows a boat with a seated Isis and Hathor and a standing Harsomptus, the three most important deities of the temple. The falcon-headed god on a boat to the right of that is a decanal star (nr. 35 in the Tanis decan family of Neugebauer and Parker). 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.