The Daily Temple Rituals

The Cult Statue
The Egyptian temple was thought of as the de facto home of the god. God or goddess, wether Amun, Horus, Isis or Sekhmet, was seen as having taken up residence in the cult statue. The statue itself was not the deity but was imbued with the presence of the deity.
The cult statue was kept in the darkest room, the sanctuary, enclosed in a shrine (naos) built of granite or wood, with double doors which were sealed to protect the purity of the sacred space within. By means of daily ritual, the cult statue was prepared to receive the deity, and when this had been attained, the statue 'became' the god himself, it represented the actual deity.
The daily rituals were three.
The most important one was performed at sunrise, then there was one at midday and one when the sun went down again.


The Morning Service
Before dawn the temple precinct was filled with priesthood and other temple servants who were busily preparing offerings of food, drinks and flowers as well as other kinds of offerings which could differ depending to which deity they were intended for. It was all arranged neatly on platters to be pleasing to the eyes, not only for the main god of the temple but also to all other manifestations of deity that existed in shrines elsewhere on the temple premises.

Ritual Purity
Ritual purity was of utmost importance. Everything and everyone which was to come into the presence of the god had to be purified, i.e. washed with natron and water from the Sacred Lake, of which there existed one on every temple ground. Natron as well as incense and water for libations played an important part of the rituals. These things were also prepared alongside of the offerings.
Before the sun rose a procession of priests carrying the offerings entered the temple. A text states:

This is the gate by which one enters the temple,
carrying everything that makes up the divine repast...
The vegetables are brought in in the hands of the bearers
(as well as) all the flowers of the fields...
A priest is before you reading the book

Meanwhile the offerings were set out, incense and light were burned and priests & priestesses sang, chanted, and sistrums were played. This was done in a room outside of the sanctum, as it was only Pharaoh or his deputy high priest ( or someone he had appointed in his turn) who were allowed to enter the actual presence of the deity.


Awakening the God
The High Priest now entered the sanctuary and broke the seal to the shrine and opened the doors, i.e. he 'opened the doors to the horizon'. Thus the god was now woken up by singing and chanting;

Awake... in peace
May your awakening be peaceful!

At the same instant as the sun reached above the horizon, the face of the god was unveiled, showing the rebirth of the sun as incarnated in the cult statue:

Revelation of the Face.
Adoration of the Face:
Rise over the earth
Just as you emerge from Nun!
May your rays illuminate the earth!
Long live the gods who exhort his beauty:
(they are) like (your) sons in the East!

Serving the God
Then the god was washed, anointed with oils, perfumed, makeup was applied, the clothes from the day before was removed and the god was purified and dressed in clean clothing of four different kinds. In some texts it is said that white cloth was for safeguarding against enemies, blue cloth was for hiding the face of the god, the green one was for giving him bodily health and the red was for protection.
The ritual was concluded with the high priest anointing the forehead of the cult statue with fragrant oil. This meant that the statue had once again been imbued with the presence of the deity. After incense had been burnt and a new pouring of a libation offering had been done, the high priest closed and sealed the doors of the naos, backed out of the sanctuary, sweeping away his footprints so that no trace was left.
Finally the offerings of food and drink was presented. These food offerings were left for a while before the god in order to be 'absorbed', later it was taken away and presented to the lesser deities in the temple. In some places the loaves of bread would remain before the naos until the next morning.

Midday and Evening Rituals
At midday and at sundown a somewhat shorter ritual took place. The doors to the shrine was not opened and the only acts performed were those of libations and burning of incense. In this way the god's presence in the temple was assured, and the temples were therefore regarded as the home of the god. As long as the god was kept pleased and well cared for, he would stay and protect the Two Lands. The worst thing which could happen was that the gods were forgotten, that would mean hard times for Egypt.

Island of Philae Cult Center of Isis/Aset

According to Plutharch´s late version of the myth this is the place where Aset found the heart of her husband Osiris when his body had been torn to pieces and spread out over the land by His brother Seth. It is also said that she buried him on the neighbouring island of Bigeh.

The temple on Philae was built in the Late Period to the Greek influenced and Romanized Isis, but it´s perhaps here that the importance of Aset can be traced most vividly, as the rulers during the Greek and Roman time period were eager to show their commitment to the ancient Egyptian religion, for political reasons. Through the magnificent display of this great cult center and the hieroglyphs which adorn the temple and pylon walls, the influence of Aset seems to come forward across the times to meet us.
On Philae she is shown as the wife of Wesir (Osiris), who mourned his death when he was murdered by his brother Seth, searched throughout the land for his body, restored him to life and gave birth to his son Heru (Horus).
Here she is is called the Lady of Abaton, which means Lady of the Tomb, referring to the tomb of Osiris at nearby Bigeh. She is also called Lady of Philae. Here Aset and Het-Hert (Hathor), for whom there is a small temple too, have merged into one deity.
Aset is also depicted as the Mother and Protector of the King. In the Birth House of the temple of Aset, rites were held at every new king´s ascendancy to the throne of Egypt, to manifest and secure his Divine birth. The hymns which are inscribed on the walls of the Birth House, which have been transcribed and translated by the Swedish egyptologist Per Linder 1997, are all dedicated to, and partly describes these rituals.
There are also hymns engraved on the walls of the sanctuary, some of them which are transcribed, translated and discussed by Louis V. Zabkar in his book 'Hymns to Isis in her Temple at Philae', London 1988. In these hymns Aset is placed as both Creator of All Life as well as Royal Spouse and Mother of God, thus making her the chief deity not only in her temple at Philae but over the whole land.

On the island of Bigeh next to Philae is the alleged tomb of Wesir (Osiris). Therefore, every tenth day (ten days is one week according to the ancient Egyptian calendar) a procession carrying the statue of the Great Lady of Philae travelled by boat over to Bigeh to make offerings by her husband´s tomb.

Isis and the Secret Name of Re

This myth is preserved as a spell to 'ward off poison' in Papyrus 1993 from Dyn 12 (c. 1200B.C.) in the Turin Museum. A fragmentary version also exists in Papyrus Chester Beatty 15 in the British Museum. Besides giving the spell, it also shows the importance of knowing the true name of someone or something in ancient Egypt.

The first words say:
'Isis was a clever woman... more intelligent than countless gods... she was ignorant of nothing in heaven or on earth'
Isis had decided that she would find out the secret name of her father Re, the sungod. (In this myth she was the daughter to Re. Often same deities appear in different contexts, mixing and sharing traits and aspects.) To know his name would bring her equal power to him, and it would also rank her and her son Horus beside him among the gods.
As Re refused giving away his name freely to her, she set out to find a way to coerce him to reveal it. As the sungod was traveling across the horizon in his 'Boat of Millions of Years', he was aging as he approached the end of the day. He began to be feeble and nodding off. As he did so, his mouth drooped and let out a drop of saliva which fell to the ground. Isis now mixed his saliva with the earth and uttered her magic to create a living venomous serpent from the mixture. Then she placed the serpent across the path where the sungod would travel the next day, and waited.

Sure enough, Re trods on the snake which bites him and he feels a great pain, which causes him to cry out, and his whole Ennead comes to find out what has happened. Re feels the poison invade his veins:
'You gods who originated from me... something painful has attacked me but I do not know its nature. I did not see it with my eyes. I did not create it with my hand... There is no agony to match this'.
But no matter their wisdom and knowledge, none of the other gods can help the supreme deity and they all despair.

Then enters Isis whose sympathetic presence gives Re some hope although he shivers and burns at the same time and loses his vision. Isis then promises to work her magic - in exchange for the knowledge of Re's secret name. This is the last thing Re wants to do, as he will loses a lot of prestige. Instead he tries to give many of his other names:
Creator of the heavens and the earth
Moulder of the Mountains
Creator of the water for the Great flood' [primeval cow goddess]
Maker of the bull for the cow in order to bring sexual pleasure into being
Controller of the Inundation
Khepri in the morning
Re at noon
Atum in the evening
But Isis only notes that his secret name was not included, and as the pain increases, the Supreme God is finally forced to agree to her demand but asks her to lay it upon her son Horus not to divulge it to anyone else. The secret name of Re remains hidden for us since it is not included on the papyrus. Personally I tend to think that is as it should be, the ancient Egyptians would hardly dare the audacity to pretend to know this powerful name. Instead, the spell which Isis gave the sungod is included, and it was said to heal anyone who got a venomous bite.

The Myths of Aset, Great of Heka

The Great Quarrel
or The Contendings of Horus and Seth

This is written on Papyrus Chester Beatty I in Thebes during the New Kingdom and the reign of Ramses V. Its´purpose is entertainment rather than religious instruction, and it is written in a humorous way. Most likely it goes further back as its´content builds upon earlier tales of the deities involved . The tale is long with many incidents and what follows here is a much shortened version.

The story begins as Horus and sets out from Chemmis where has grown up, protected by his mother Isis. It will however be clear that her help is still needed if he is to win his father´s throne back from Set.
Horus appears in front of the Council of the Gods at Heliopolis, presided over by Atum. Here he claims the right to the throne of Egypt, which Shu, the son of Re thinks is justice. Also Thoth, the god of wisdom agrees.
Isis cries out in joy:

"Hence, North Wind! to the west and tell the good news to the 'still vigorous one'" (Osiris).

But Re has not yet given his word, and is angered that the gods have not waited for his decision. He is silent for a while and Seth takes his chance to suggest that he and Horus go outside and decide by combat who shall have the throne, something which Thoth disagrees with as Horus is after all the son of Osiris. Re is still angered as he prefers the strength of Seth to a young, unproven boy.

Things come to a standstill for a period of eighty years before the gods decide to seek the advice of Neith, the creator goddess. A letter is sent off in the name of Re. Her answer is curt and somewhat impatient; give the office to Horus, otherwise she will get angry and the sky will topple. To placate Seth she suggests that he be given Re´s two daughters Anat and Astarte as wives. Everyone is relieved except for Re who accuses Horus of being a weakling and not strong enough for such an important office. A quarrel break out and Re leaves them to go sulking on his own. This is where Hathor steps in to cheer him up. She goes to stand before him and pulls her skirts up, revealing her private parts. This changes Re´s mood, he laughs and returns to the council and tells Horus and Seth to state their cases.
Seth boasts of his strength and says that only he is the one who can slay Apophis, the enemy of Re, every day from the prow of the sunboat. Some gods approve of this as Seth is the elder one, though Thoth and Anhur questions if it is justifiable to give the throne to a brother while the rightful heir, the son is capable of taking assuming it. Isis now loses patience and speaks to gain the sympathy of the council, while Seth refuses to submit to any council as long as Isis is present. Re then moves the whole company to an island and tells the ferryman Nemty to not let any woman looking like Isis be ferried across.

Isis however is more clever than they think. She deftly disguises herself as an old woman and tricks Nemty into rowing her across. In the bargain for the fare Isis pays him with a golden ring.
On the island Isis changes herself again, now into a young, beautiful woman and catches the attention of Seth and presents herself as the widow of a herdsman whose son is in danger of having his father´s cattle confiscated and himself and the mother evicted from their home. Seth is indignant at this injustice and at this point Isis changes herself again, this time into a kite. From the branches of an acacia she tells Seth that his own verdict has condemned him.
Seth is very agitated and complains to Re, then he has Nemty dragged before the tribunal and punished by having his toes cut off. The whole company then moves to a mountain in the desert and gives the throne to Horus, but Seth manages to intercede it by challenging Horus to a contest.

Now follows a series of bizarre events, probably with the purpose of discrediting Seth. In the first one, Horus and Seth changes into hippopotami and stay under water for three months. Isis becomes concerned for her son and fashions a copper harpoon and throws it at the spot where they disappeared under the water. She misses and hits Horus instead but retrieves it by her magic when he complains. On her next throw she hits Seth but when he appeals to her and claims the brother-sister relationship between them, she withdraws the weapon again.
Next, Horus emerges out of the water, enraged that his mother spared the life of Seth. He cuts off her head and she turns into a headless statue of flint. Later Seth finds Horus asleep under a tree and attacks him and gouges out his eyes which he buries in the sand where they turn into lotus flowers. Hathor discovers Horus and by pouring gazelle milk into his eye sockets she causes them to heal. Re then hears of what has happened, loses patience with them both and summons them to his court where he orders them to stop quarrelling.

Seth pretends to agree, and invites Horus to his home, but he has not yet given up and so makes a homosexual attack on Horus. Horus however resorts to trickery himself and manages to catch the semen of Seth, which he later shows his mother Isis. She is outraged, cuts off his hand, throws it into the marshes and by her magic creates a new one for him. Then by the use of powerful ungents she makes Horus´s phallus arise and catches the semen in a jar, spreading it on lettuces which Seth later eats. By having homosexually dominated Horus, Seth hopes to make Horus appear as the laughingstock before the gods, but Horus instead wants their respective semen be called forth from where it is located. Thoth does so, and the semen of Seth comes out, not from Horus, but from the marshes where his hand had been thrown by Isis. Horus´s semen appears as a gold disc on the head of Seth who is now is the one humiliated.
But Seth does not give up. Instead he challenges Horus to make a ship of stone to race it against his own. Horus then builds a ship of pinewood and coats it with plaster so that it looks like stone. Seth however, builds a ship of stone, which immediately sinks, which causes him to once again turn into a hippopotamus and destroys Horus´ boat. Horus has had enough and wants to kill Seth, but is stopped by the other gods. Then he sails off to Neith at Sais and expresses his frustration and amazement that he, despite so many judgment for his sake, he still not has gained the throne of his father. At this point there is an exchange of letters between Re and Osiris in the underworld. The result is that Osiris threatens them all with the agents of the underworld which do not fear to bring down any wrongdoer, including the stars in the heavens together with man and god alike and make them descend below the Western Horizon to the kingdom of Osiris. This causes them all to think things over and to finally instate Horus on the throne of Egypt.Seth is the prisoner of Isis, but Re still favours him and states that Seth will accompany Re in the heavens and that his voice will be heard in the thunder itself.

The Myths of Aset

Horus´ Childhood

This is one of the stories in the Delta Cycle, a group of tales from the mythical period called the 'First Time', when the gods wandered upon the earth and ruled it. They are stories about the childhood of Horus as he grew up, hidden and protected by his mother Isis in Chemmis, an area of marshes in the Lower Egypt northeast delta, said to be near the ancient city of Buto. His childhood was dangerous and he was exposed for all kinds of dangers. Already in the 5th Dynasty there are different versions of these stories. Spells for snake bites are found in the Pyramid Texts from this time, and two large fragments have been preserved during the Late Period, written on various supports for statues of Horus as curative spells against poisonous bites. Obviously they stem from earlier sources, and they are also to be found on medical papyrii.

Horus is Bitten!

The spells included in this story were used in daily life to cure snake bites. It is played out in a mundane setting until Isis realizes her son is in mortal danger. At that point it becomes the concern of the whole cosmos and the gods come down to earth to intervene. Isis was pregnant with the son of Osiris and gave birth to him in the marshes of Chemmis in Lower Egypt, where Thoth had told her to hide. She hid Horus in the papyri and lotus thickets to stop Set from finding them. There she had to leave him to go begging for food. But for the third time Seth found out about them, and as he could not pass unseen through the brushes, he transformed himself into a snake. That way he could reach the child, sting it and then get quickly away.

One day, when Isis returned to their hidingplace, she found her child lying lifeless on his back and she could hardly hear his heartbeat. She did not know what kind of illness had struck her son, and when she began working her magic, she found that her power had deserted her. She was alone, her husband was dead, none of the gods were there to help her and she despaired. She took Horus in her arms and ran to the village nearby. The fishermen who lived there took pity on her and tried everything they could to heal the child, but nothing helped. Then someone brought a wise woman who examined Horus closely, consoled Isis and said that it must be Seth who had disguised himself as a snake or a scorpion and poisoned the child. Isis understood that the woman was right and that this must somehow be the doings of Seth and her anger rose within her.

Shaking Heaven and Earth

She let out a great wail:

'Horus has been bitten!
O Re! a scion of yours has been bitten!
Horus has been bitten!
The heir to your heir, a direct link with the kingship of Shu,
Horus has been bitten!
The babe of Chemmis, the infant of the House of the Prince,
Horus has been bitten!
The beautiful golden child, the innocent orphan child
Horus has been bitten!
The son of the "Beneficent Being", born of the "Tearful One",
Horus has been bitten!
Him I watched over so anxiously, for I foresaw that he would avenge his father....'

Her sister Nephtys came crying and was heard all over the marshes. Serqet cried:
'Pray, tell what has happened to Horus the son of Osiris? Ah Isis, my sister! Beseech heaven and the divine crew will bring Re´s boat to a standstill and the cosmic wind will cease to blow for the boat of Re while Horus lies on his side.'
Isis raised her voice and cried to the boat of 'millions of years' so loud that the earth shook and the sunboat stopped its course, for Isis knew the secret name of Ra, the King of the Gods. When he heard Isis cry and noticed that his sunboat had stopped so that there was no more light on the lands, he sent Thoth to find out what had happened. Isis told Thoth that Horus had been poisoned by Seth and that she wished she had died together with Osiris. She had lived only to see Horus grow up and take revenge on Seth for Osiris´death, but now there was no reason for her to live any longer.

Thoth consoled her:
'What is the matter, O Isis, you who are so divine and skilful and know your spell? Surely nothing has gone amiss with Horus? An assurance of his safety is in the boat of Re. I have just come from the barge. The sun is in its´place of yesterday so that all has become dark and the light has been driven away until Horus recovers his health - to the delight of his mother Isis.'
Then he began to utter his powerful words:
'Back, O Poison! You are exorcised by the spell of Re himself. It is the speech of the Greatest God which turns you away!
And the poison was driven out from Horus´ body and he was brought back to life again.
But Isis and the child had to stay in the marshlands until Horus was grown enough to revenge his father and take the throne back from Seth. To make sure they were safe, Thoth ordered the people of the marshes and all birds and animals who lived there to keep watch over them. And while Isis rejoiced, Thoth returned to the heavens and to the sunboat: 'Rejoice, O Re of the horizon. The life of your 'son' Horus has been saved!'

Isis and the Seven Scorpions

This is one of the stories of the Delta Cycle, a group of tales from the mythical period called the 'First Time', when the gods wandered upon the earth and ruled it. They are stories about the childhood of Horus as he grew up, hidden and protected by his mother Isis in Chemmis, an area of marshes in the Lower Egypt northeast delta, said to be near the ancient city of Buto. His childhood was dangerous and he was exposed for all kinds of dangers.
Already in the 5th Dynasty there are different versions of these stories. Spells for snake bites are found in the Pyramid Texts from this time, and two large fragments have been preserved during the Late Period, written on various supports for statues of Horus as curative spells against poisonous bites. Obviously they stem from earlier sources, and they are also to be found on medical papyrii.
It is carved on the Metternich Stela in Metropolitan Museum, N.Y., where it probably was included as a protection against venomous bites.

After the murder of Osiris, Isis was taken prisoner by Seth and put in a weaving house. As she sits and weaves the mummy wrappings for Osiris, Thoth liberates her and advises her to find a hidingplace for her young son Horus. Isis wanders, looking for a hidingplace from Set, carrying her baby son in her arms. For her protection Thoth sent seven scorpions to go in front of her. (Seven was a number of great power in ancient Egypt.) Three scorpions go in front of her: Petet, Tjetet and Matet. The next two: Mesetet and Mesetef go under her palanquin, and Tefen and Befen bring up the rear. Isis warns them to be careful and keep quiet so as to not alert Seth to their whereabouts.

One day she reached the Town of the Two Sisters in the Nile Delta, where she stopped by a big, wealthy-looking house to ask for food and a resting-place. But the rich woman living there was scared by the sight of the seven scorpions and closed the door on Isis. When she wearily prepared to walk on, a poor fisher woman approached them and offered them to share her meager meal. While Isis rested, Tefen and the rest of the scorpions decided to take their revenge on the rich woman who had denied them help, and during the night they all loaded their poison onto Tefen who crept into the wealthy house and stung the child. The mother woke up by the cries of her son and ran in search of help, carrying the small child in her arms, but noone offered her help or knew what to do.

Her cries woke up Isis, who soon found out what had been done, and, looking down at her own child, who slept calmly, she felt pity for the rich mother and decided not to let an innocent child die. And Isis uttered words of great power, named each of the scorpions by their names, which meant that she dominated them. Thereby she ordered the poison of Tefen to leave the body of the boy who soon could breathe again. This meant that the spell could be used for any child who got stung by a venomous bite, together with a medical prescription of barley-bread, garlic and salt. When the mother understood whom she had refused, she became very regretful, collected all her possessions and carried them over to the poor woman´s house, trying to make amends for her pride. Isis rejoiced on behalf of the poor woman, and the next day she resumed her journey.

The Ritual Hymns of Philae

A Ritual Recreation of The Eternal Return

On the walls of the great Temple of Isis at the Island of Philae there are inscriptions describing the King´s ritual procession through the temple. The purpose of this wandering, which was performed when a new King ascended the throne was to symbolically enact the Eternal Journey from birth through life to death and resurrection. These hymns celebrate the cosmic circle; the rise and fall of the Nile, the journey of the sun across the heaven and through the Underworld. When the King proceeds through the temple the cosmic circles are repeated on earth. Without this celebration Life would not be maintained. Everything in existence is returning back to the source from where it came, back to she who gives birth to the God, to Aset, the Giver of Life, Lady of Philae Hymns of Philae I The Beginning - The Conception In the innermost room in the birth house the conception is thought to take place, in the darkness, shielded from human eyes. The next hymn; The Birth, is also performed in the birth house, and at the same time as Horus is born, the whole land and even cosmos is reborn. The Conception The Sun God Re Brings His Son close to Thee Isis Giver of all Life Queen of the pure island the mistress Queen of Philae all protection, life and power be with him as with Re in eternity - - - I bring you the inundation of the Nile When that which is in Him goes forth divine nurturess of all lands so that the people of the temple may be in all this goodness The Birth He comes into being the god is born the King of Upper and Lower Egypt Horus, son of Isis Through his existence everything has begun When Horus is born, the sun begins to rise, for he is not only king of Egypt but he is also the manifestation of the sun on earth. The Light of Dawn The shadow of Re rises like the lotus bud The creator of the skies is created down on the earth The sky and the earth are filled with his beauty Every face is alivened by the ascendance of the god The lord of the stars is created at the horizon Re is standing next to Isis, carrying the newborn Horus and is speaking to him, identifying his son with himself and giving him the power over all cosmos. The Sun-god speaks Horus-Re speaks: I am the great god lord of the sky I am the one who radiates across the sky of the stars from the seat for the sunrise So that the two lands lightens up I see my son in her sanctuary The Great Speech of the Sungod The sungod Re speaks: The King of the Hours falcons the great god the honoured and foremost to his beloved son the great Horus the son of Osiris I am the god the young soul of Osiris who fills the whole land with the good power of the gods mother I am Horus who shows himself in glory on the throne of his father I am the lord over the nine gods - - - You receive the throne you are the lord of the two lands You unite that which was shattered You receive the united kingdom to bring down the power of Seth In your light You tke hold of Egypt you rule the desert all the way to the strange lands The strange peoples are taxed through their work The South lies beneath your terror The North lies beneath your fear The West and the East honour you Kamutef is honoured as the one who unites who carries the flail of power under his arm His altar of offering are greater than all gods - - - You rejoice like the lotus flower the gods protect you The high and the lowly rejoice before you The people of Nubia submit to your power - - - Isis identifies herself with the spouse of the king The Mother I am the great mother queen of the sky mistress of the gods - - - Hail thee venerable one who was born of his sister´s womb The white crown on his head is stable like his eartly possessions He radiates from his mother´s lap on the day of his birth On the sky the moon grows like the flower of the sky of stars on the day of the birth of Horus - - - The sun mistress the daughter of the lord of gods Spouse of the king who was pregnant and carried the good god who gave birth to the son Horus, the lord Isis, the great mother of gods queen of the mammissi The king has now been ritually born again and is leaving the birth house,the uterus of the goddess, and will proceed through the pylon portal to meet his people who waits for him at the outer court. Hymns of Philae II The King is Reborn The king has been born anew, at the same time as the sun rises above the horizon, the doors are opened, he leaves the birth house and proceeds through the pylon portal out into the outer courtyard, where his people greets him by prostrating themselves full on the ground. The King Appears The Living Horus wonderful child joy of love The primeval god Tatenen lets the two women of the people be born through the ka-womb Praise be to Khnum at the king´s appearance in glory as the living god of the bull in the crown of Upper Egypt Many celebrations are created to the honour of the primeval god Ptah-Tatenen father of the stars - - - The two women are the great power of the source of the eternal river He establishes laws like the great Thoth The Lord, master of the ancestors exists like Re in eternal joy The lord in the temple, king of Lower Egypt is made living and ruling by Osiris - - - The pylon was built for the sungoddess the mistress the lifegiving Isis queen of the pure island Queen of Philae and Abaton From glowing sandstone it is built Its height is wonderful its width marvellous Everything is used as it should It gives life and domination to the lord of the sun the lord of the two lands the hereditary god and lotus bud Ptah´s chosen one Son of Re, the master appears in glory Ptolemaios, beloved of Isis the eternal life The gods love what has been brought forth Through the work of hands the bread of eternal life is prepared "Two women" is one of Pharao´s titles, alluding to Nekhbet and Ouadjet. Abaton is the tomb of Osiris. Tatenen is the Primeval Mound. The next hymn is written on the walls in the pylon portal between the birth house and the outer court. At the same moment as the sun rises, the king steps through the doorway, again manifesting the sun on earth. The Sunrise The great god Edfu The lord of Mesen stands before the temple of Egypt The great sun disc rises in the sky He sees the Horus falcons which give life in all eternity Horus protects the gods in their sanctuaries The winged sun-disc shines over the two lands The goddesses comes to life at the sight of his radiance Horus of the abodes of the gods The gread god Edfu the lord of the sky the colourful feather steps forth in the temple court the place where the sun rises before the temple of Upper Egypt The Horus falcon that travels across the sky is the life of Ma´at All faces receives life in all eternity in his shapes the sun and the moon Horus-Re´s mighty shape makes his children flourishing in their temple The winged sundisc shines upon the heavenly abodes The great and powerful one in town and countryside Edfu is one of Pharao´s titles. Mesen was a city in Lower Egypt. Falcons were kept at Philae. They were manifestations of the absolute power of the king and of Horus as the falcon god. Between the great pylons there is a balcony where a living falcon was shown for the visitors. In the coming hymn Pharao is still walking around among his people. The Horus Falcon The great Horus stands on the temple facade The living ba of Re comes from the land of Punt He is the ruler until eternity The place where he appears is the window of the sunrise His ka is created a carrier of feathers with shifting colours so that the many are given life, health, prosperity While the king is appearing for the people on the outer court, we´ll move to the outside walls of the birth house... Hymns of Philae III A resumé of the celebrations of the King´s birthday can be read on the outside walls of the birth house: The Celebration of the King´s Birthday The Horus-Re of the river is praised on the second day of the inundation the great feast of the whole land This day the temple presents a true representation - - - Isis, the great mother of the god Queen of the birth house The venerable and powerful queen of Philae The hereditary mistress on the peak of the pure island The great sun goddess on the four parts of the sky Wife of kings The first one of the majesty Osiris Horus mother of kings the strong bull - - - The heaven is feasting the earth is created in turquoise the temple is like fayence The Horusfalcons pay tribute the goddesses are jubilant The humans rejoice at the lotus flower when they see this beautiful image - - - She who made Re the lord of the Two Lands, son of Re She finds the temple that includes the male Blessed by the one it carries that which is the pure image Her majesty accepts to become pregnant there on the day of celebration She gives the son to the land in its middle - - - He is rewarded with innumerable feasts on the throne of Horus the edge of the eternal lives There is a brilliant hymn to the god´s mother on the outside walls of the birth house. At Philae Isis and Hathor has merged together and are two aspects of the same goddess. Hymn to the God Mother We play tambourine for thee Queen of Abaton Isis giver of life queen of the land We praise your majesty rejoicing with life - - - You great Hathor queen of the land We play harp before your countenance mistress of the land Queen of the cities reigns over the land - - - We adore to the heights of heaven rejoice to the edge of the land Your hearts rejoice yourpower is gerat We whish persistency for life through the king´s sceptre After having moved among his people the king now goes back to his mother. Like the sun sets in the West, the king returns to the womb from where he came and to where all life must return. These words are written on the portal between the pylons: The King´s Death He walks around the fields four times He pours out the lifegiving waters of his father He plays his mother´s sistrum The king of Upper Egypt who has appeared in glory from the palace hall He goes to rest in the temple of the dying sun Hymns of Philae IV The Temple - Tomb and Body of Isis These words are inscribed on Nectanebo´s portal that is leading from the outer court into the inner court of the Isis temple. The temple is at the same time the body of Isis and the grave. The king is born out of that symbolical body and returns to it when he dies, to regain life for himself and for Egypt. The King Enters the Temple Tomb He hands out to his father the bread of light He lights incense and pours out the lifegiving water Before his father Osiris He hands out wine to his father He hands out Ma´at to his father who makes him lifegiving Performs the Royal Offering of food and drink The King Meets the Mother Son of Re, the lord appears in glory Comes with gifts to thee, Isis giver of life, queen of the birth house He brings you the members from the Holy Land He walks forth like the river from Bigge that hides the body well And the fields are fertilized The Holy Land is the Land of the Dead. Bigeh is an island close to Philae, where it was thought that Osiris was buried, thus the source of the Nile was believed to come from there. The members are the torn pieces of Osiris´body, which are now presented to Isis as an offering For each of the 24 hours of the day and night there is a god keping vigil, and now is the hour of Horus. It is being held in the Inner Courtyard in the temple. The Vigil This hour the way to the grave is opened The sun shines on the grave of light Horus of the gods keeps vigil He of action watches over Osiris in this hour The watching god rises up the eldes son of the heavenly portal He goes forth in joy in the beginning of your way of prosperity Through you the sealed vessel of the mother be revealed to the gods and to the humans The king now enters the inner sanctuary, where he meets the mother. Hymns of Philae V Inside the Tomb The lord of the Two Lands the powerful ka of Re, Amun the beloved The lord appears in glory the giver of life, the joy of everything and gives holy gifts to his mother Isis The Mother of God Answers Her Son I give you all life and all power Isis giver of life, all life that exists in the middle of Abaton I give you all life and all power All health and all joy All lands and all foreign countries that lies beneath your feet forever The king now brings the water of life from the tomb of Osiris which is located on the island of Bigeh close by Philae. By this water Isis is fertilzied so that she once again can give birth to the king. The sun can begin its journey once again across the sky. The Water of Life The good god lord of the Two Lands Son of Re, the lord who appeared in glory The giver of all life in eternity - - - The son of Re is coming he who belongs to Isis He brings this water to Isis which comes from the source of the Nile She who gives life in eternity Isis giver of life who exists in the middle of Abaton She the pure god of the Nile who makes all people alive at the creation of the power of life of the green which gives divine bread of offering to the gods Queen of the heaven who exists in the offering room of the sunborn She makes love with the lord of the Underworld her son who is the lord of the land She is fertilized with the pure water of the Nile and conceives at the source of the Nile When the time is right she carries the living image of the heavenly land of dawn Through her we are created the creation of her heart which her hands have brought forth at this the place of beginnings Through her together with her son Horus and her brother Osiris Isis´ Gift to the King I give you the power of heaven and creation I give you all of the land and all lands I give you power from the father of the land Isis the Great Mother of God Queen of Philae Queen of heaven mistress of all gods The King is now turning towards his father Osiris: Hymns of Philae VI Awakening Osiris The Deceased Osiris Receives the Tomb, the Ointment and the Linen bandaging The Son of Re comes close to thee his father Osiris he who is wonderful He brings you this holy room as his protection in eternity The King of Upper and Lower Egypt is coming The powerful ka of Re, Amun the beloved close to thee Osiris He brings you the oil that comes from Punt his joy is your eternal scent The lord is coming Appeared in glory close to thee Osiris You carry your enemies which you have slayed The pure Horus who is the foremost in eternity Osiris is then given new life from his son under the protection of Isis: The Giving of Life I give you the lifetime the sun of the heaven Osiris the good god the great god Lord of Abaton the water of Philae Hymns of Philae VII After having been given the power of giving life from his mother Isis, the Giver of Life herself, the King restores life to his dead father Osiris. Thus is Horus and Osiris, the Father and the Son of the same being. The Eternal Return has once again been manifested and Existence can continue. The Father-Son The living god The wonderful and the healing Appears in glory in the temple Plenty of bread is raised for the coming into being The lord who appeared in glory King Ptolemaios Osiris the wonderful and the loved The king now proceeds once more to the Outer Court where the people has been waiting while the rituals have been performed. Surrounded by high members of the court and the priesthood he receives the grateful worship of all. To them he is the Living God, without whom their existence was unthinkable. To them it was neccessary that these rites be performed, otherwize Ma´at would collapse and all life including the Two Lands would be destroyed. Equally, a life without continuous devotion to the gods was unthinkable. They did not call it religion, for they did not separate religious thinking or activites from their daily chores. The gods were ever present, in any human activity, and in any facet of Nature.

Philae

Layout

Temples and buildings 1: Nectanebo´s Kiosk 3: Temple of Ary-hes-nefer (Hor-Anhur) 4: Chapel of Mandulis 5: Chapel of Imhotep 12: Temple of Horus the Avenger 13: Temple of Augustus 14: Roman Gate 15: Roman Quay 16: Temple of Hathor 17: Trajan's Kiosk

Temple of Isis 2: West and East Colonnades 6: Gate of Ptolemy II 7: Outer Courtyard 8: Mammisi (birth house) 9: Nilometer 10: Temple of Isis 11: Hadrian's Gate

The builders of Philae

Amasis (Ahmose II Khenemibre)
The Twenty-sixth Dynasty may have been the first to build a temple on Philae. Around three hundred decorated blocks from his temple were recovered from the foundations of the Second Pylon and the Hypostyle Hall. The temple was thought to have consisted of three rooms including a small sanctuary. It seems to have been dismantled to make room for a larger structure

Nectanebo I
This Thirtieth Dynasty pharaoh constructed the enclosure walls and a monumental gate. He built a kiosk and began the construction of the Mammissi (the birth house).

Ptolemy II Philadelphius
This Ptolemaic pharaoh contined work on the main temple and the Mammissi.

Ptolemy III Euergetes I
This Ptolemaic pharaoh extended the Mammissi.

Ptolemy V Epiphanes
This Ptolemaic pharaoh built the First Pylon.

Ptolemy VI Philopator
This Ptolemaic pharaoh built the Second Pylon, added the inner court, the hypostyle hall and the Temple of Hathor (to the east of the main temple).

Ptolemy VIII Euergetes III
This Ptolemaic pharaoh extended the birth house, installed two huge obelisks beside the First Pylon and extended the Temple of Hathor.

Ptolemy XII
This Ptolemaic pharaoh decorated the Second Pylon.

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Ancient Egyptian Number Hieroglyphs

The ancient Egyptians were possibly the first civilisation to practice the scientific arts. Indeed, the word chemistry is derived from the word Alchemy which is the ancient name for Egypt. Where the Egyptians really excelled was in medicine and applied mathematics. But although there is a large body of papyrus literature describing their achievements in medicine, there are no records of how they reached their mathematical conclusions. Of course they must have had an advanced understanding of the subject because their exploits in engineering, astronomy and administration would not have been possible without it.

The Egyptians had a decimal system using seven different symbols.

1 is shown by a single stroke.
10 is shown by a drawing of a hobble for cattle.
100 is represented by a coil of rope.
1,000 is a drawing of a lotus plant.
10,000 is represented by a finger.
100,000 by a tadpole or frog
1,000,000 is the figure of a god with arms raised above his head.
(Click the image, above, to download images)

The conventions for reading and writing numbers is quite simple; the higher number is always written in front of the lower number and where there is more than one row of numbers the reader should start at the top.

Hieroglyphic Typewriter

You can now write secret ancient Egyptian messages to your friends and have fun creating all sorts Egyptian themed stuff