6,847
edits
Difference between revisions of "Horus"
no edit summary
Occultwiki (talk | contribs) |
Occultwiki (talk | contribs) |
||
| (3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 39: | Line 39: | ||
===Historicity of the conflict=== | ===Historicity of the conflict=== | ||
Egyptologists have often tried to connect the conflict between the two gods with political events early in Egypt's history or prehistory. The cases in which the combatants divide the kingdom, and the frequent association of the paired Horus and Set with the union of Upper and Lower Egypt, suggest that the two deities represent some kind of division within the country. Egyptian tradition and archaeological evidence indicate that Egypt was united at the beginning of its history when an Upper Egyptian kingdom, in the south, conquered Lower Egypt in the north. The Upper Egyptian rulers called themselves "followers of Horus," and Horus became the tutelary deity of the unified polity and its kings. Yet Horus and Set cannot be easily equated with the two halves of the country. Both deities had several cult centers in each region, and Horus is often associated with Lower Egypt and Set with Upper Egypt. | Egyptologists have often tried to connect the conflict between the two gods with political events early in Egypt's history or prehistory. The cases in which the combatants divide the kingdom, and the frequent association of the paired Horus and Set with the union of Upper and Lower Egypt, suggest that the two deities represent some kind of division within the country. Egyptian tradition and archaeological evidence indicate that Egypt was united at the beginning of its history when an Upper Egyptian kingdom, in the south, conquered Lower Egypt in the north. The Upper Egyptian rulers called themselves "followers of Horus," and Horus became the tutelary deity of the unified polity and its kings. Yet Horus and Set cannot be easily equated with the two halves of the country. Both deities had several [[cult]] centers in each region, and Horus is often associated with Lower Egypt and Set with Upper Egypt. | ||
Other events may have also affected the myth. Before even Upper Egypt had a single ruler, two of its major cities were Nekhen, in the far south, and Nagada, many miles to the north. The rulers of Nekhen, where Horus was the patron deity, are generally believed to have unified Upper Egypt, including Nagada, under their sway. Set was associated with Nagada, so it is possible that the divine conflict dimly reflects an enmity between the cities in the distant past. | Other events may have also affected the myth. Before even Upper Egypt had a single ruler, two of its major cities were Nekhen, in the far south, and Nagada, many miles to the north. The rulers of Nekhen, where Horus was the patron deity, are generally believed to have unified Upper Egypt, including Nagada, under their sway. Set was associated with Nagada, so it is possible that the divine conflict dimly reflects an enmity between the cities in the distant past. | ||
| Line 58: | Line 58: | ||
The four sons of Horus were a group of four deities in ancient [[Egyptian religion]] who were believed to protect deceased people in the afterlife. The were especially connected with the four canopic jars that housed the internal organs that were removed from the body of the deceased during the process of mummification. The canopic jars were given lids that represented the heads of the sons of Horus. | The four sons of Horus were a group of four deities in ancient [[Egyptian religion]] who were believed to protect deceased people in the afterlife. The were especially connected with the four canopic jars that housed the internal organs that were removed from the body of the deceased during the process of mummification. The canopic jars were given lids that represented the heads of the sons of Horus. | ||
* [[ | * [[Imsety]] (human) - liver | ||
* [[Hapi]] (baboon) - lungs | * [[Hapi]] (baboon) - lungs | ||
* Duamutef (jackal) - stomach | * [[Duamutef]] (jackal) - stomach | ||
* Qebehsenuef (falcon) - intestines | * [[Qebehsenuef]] (falcon) - intestines | ||
The four sons were also linked with [[Egyptian decans|stars in the sky]], with regions of Egypt, and with the cardinal directions. | The four sons were also linked with [[Egyptian decans|stars in the sky]], with regions of Egypt, and with the cardinal directions. | ||
| Line 69: | Line 69: | ||
[[Category:Egyptology]] | [[Category:Egyptology]] | ||
[[Category:Deities]] | [[Category:Deities]] | ||
[[Category:Egyptian gods]] | |||