Horus

Horus, also called Heru, Har, Her, or Hor, was a very important god in ancient Egyptian religion. He was known as the god of kings, healing, protection, the sun, and the sky. People worshipped Horus from very early times in Ancient Egyptian history until the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Roman Egypt periods.

Horus was often shown as a falcon, like a lanner or a peregrine falcon, or sometimes as a man with a falcon's head. One of his first jobs was to protect the city of Nekhen in Upper Egypt. Over time, the ruling pharaoh was seen as a living version of Horus.

In many stories, Horus is the son of the goddess Isis and the god Osiris. He is part of a story where he stands up to Set, Osiris’s brother who caused trouble. Sometimes, the goddess Hathor is also said to be his mother or even his wife.

Etymology

Horus means "Falcon" in ancient Egyptian. He was a god who protected kings and the sky. His name changed over time. In Coptic, it was hɔr or ħoːɾ. In ancient Greek, it was Hō̂ros. One of his forms, Horakhti, meant "Horus of the Two Horizons." This name represented the sun rising and setting.

Horus and the pharaoh

The pharaoh was linked to the god Horus, who stood for kingship and protection. People believed Horus watched over the pharaoh, guiding and defending him. The pharaoh was also thought to be the son of Ra, the god who controlled nature just as the pharaoh led the land.

Ancient writings called the Pyramid Texts show the pharaoh as both Horus when alive and as Osiris after death, joining the gods. Each new pharaoh was seen as a fresh version of Horus, continuing the divine rule.

Origin mythology

In one story, Horus was born after his mother Isis gathered the body parts of her husband Osiris. Her brother Set had hurt Osiris. Isis used her magic to become pregnant and gave birth to Horus in the safe Nile Delta marshlands.

Horus is also known as Heru-ur. He is the brother of Osiris, Isis, Nephthys, and Set. A younger form of Horus is called Heru-pa-khered, later known by the Greeks as Harpocrates.

Mythological roles

Horus was an important ancient Egyptian god. He was the god of the sky. Egyptians believed he held the Sun and Moon in his eyes as he flew across the sky like a falcon.

Horus had many battles with the god Set. These stories show how Horus helped his father, Osiris, and tried to keep people safe. Through these stories, Horus became linked with Lower Egypt. He was seen as a protector and a symbol of kingship.

Forms of Horus

Horus was an important god in ancient Egypt. He had many different forms. He was often shown as a man with a falcon's head and wore crowns to show his power.

One form, called Ra-Horakhty, combined Horus with the sun god Ra. Another form, Her-sema-tawy, showed Horus uniting the regions of upper and lower Egypt.

Heru-pa-khered, known as Horus the Child, was shown as a young boy with a single lock of hair on his head. He stood for the rising sun and ideas of youth and new beginnings. Horus also had other forms like Heru-Behdeti, shown as a winged sun, and Har-em-akhet, who was linked to the dawn and sometimes shown as a sphinx. These many forms helped people understand Horus in different ways, showing his many roles and powers.

Main article: Harpocrates

Celebrations of Horus

The Festival of Victory was a big event for people who honored the god Horus. It took place every year at the Temple of Horus in Edfu during a special time. During the festival, people acted out a sacred story about how Horus defeated his enemy, Set. Sometimes, the king of Egypt would act as Horus in these performances.

Writers from long ago, like Macrobius and Epiphanius of Salamis, wrote about another festival for Horus that happened around the winter solstice, but we do not have proof of this festival from ancient Egyptian records.

Season of the Emergence Egyptian calendar Macrobius Chronicon winter solstice Epiphanius of Salamis Panarion

Suggested influence on Christianity

Some books say the story of Horus is like the story of Jesus. But many people do not agree with this idea.

In popular culture

Horus has appeared in many stories and games. In the television series Moon Knight, he is portrayed by Declan Hannigan. In the film Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, warriors of Horus come from the underworld to help a villain.

Horus is a character in the book series The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan, where he speaks to the main character. In the movie Gods of Egypt, he helps a man named Bek. Horus appears in video games like Smite and Total War: Pharaoh, where players can call on him for help. He also shows up in a graphic novel called La Foire aux immortels by Enki Bilal.