Egyptian Art

Horus is the Falcon-God ‘Lord of the Sky’ and symbol of divine kingship. The name Horus is a latinized form of the greek “Hores” which in turn derived from the Egyptian “Hor”. This name comes from the same root as the Egyptian word for ‘the high’ or ‘far away’. Horus was represented either as a falcon-headed man or as a falcon. The sky was represented by the wings of Horus and his two eyes symbolized the sun and the moon, with the right eye being the sun and the left, the moon. The phrase “the eye of Horus” usually refers to the moon eye. It was this eye that was lost to Seth and later, after being recovered, presented to Osiris to aid him in his resurrection. The falcon was sacred to Horus from the earliest times and the image of a falcon on its perch became the hieroglyphic symbol representing the word “God”. In ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh was seen as a manifestation of the ‘living Horus’ on the throne of Egypt and each succeeding Pharaoh used the name of Horus as the first of his titles. Here, Horus stands carrying the ankh in one hand and the “waas” scepter in the other.

British Museum, London Late Period, 664-332 B.C.

She was a feline goddess, daughter of the sun god “Ra”. Bastet was originally a lion goddess, but after 1000 B.C. as her cult developed, she became more associated with the cat and was considered to be the center counterpart of the lion goddess Sekhmet. Cats could be observed skillfully hunting and catching snakes, which had special relevance for the Egyptians since the snake was the symbol of Apophis, the demonic enemy of the sun god Ra. So cats became animals sacred to the solar deity. Bastet was especially worshipped at her temple at Bubastis (“the house of Bastet”). As a sun goddess, Bastet was the goddess of plenty and the mistress of pleasure. The celebrating of her festivals were renowned for being the most lavish of all the gods of Egypt. Bastet was also associated with the moon and in myth became the eye of the moon. The Greeks associated her with the Greek goddess Artemis. She is usually depicted as a cat-headed woman. In one hand she holds a sistrum, a kind of musical rattle, and in her other hand she holds an aegis which is a symbolic shield of protection in the form of a golden collar decorated with a cat head.

Originally named Tehuti by the Egyptians, Thoth was given his better known name by the Greeks. They linked him with their god Hermes, and like Hermes, he was considered to be the god of wisdom, writing and invention. He was also the messenger and spokesman of the gods and finally the lord of the moon. He is represented as a man with the head of an ibis, which is often crowned by the crescent moon supporting the full moon disk. He often holds a writing palette. The baboon is also sacred to him, for in Hermopolis, he merged with the local baboon god Hedj-wer. Thoth invented the arts and sciences, music, and magic, and was the god of learning, but above all, he was famed for being the creator of hieroglyphs, and was known as “the lord of holy words”. As the god who invented writing, he was the protector of scribes. Thoth was occasionally described as the tongue or heart of Ra. As the god of magic, he was called “the elder”. Here, Thoth stands carrying the ankh in one hand and the “waas” scepter in the other.

Egyptian Museum, Cairo Late Period, 700 B.C.

Osiris, the Resurrection God, is the central figure in the afterlife myth and in Egyptian mythology as a whole. His name means "The Seat of the Eye". To die and be properly prepared for the other life is to become one with Osiris in the underworld over which he rules. Osiris received earthly rule from his father, Geb. His brother Seth envied his hegemony; he enticed Osiris into a chest and flung him into the Nile. His wife sought and found his body and with her own magic powers and the help of Thoth, Nephthys, Anubis and Horus, restored Osiris to life. Osiris, however already belonged to the world of the dead, and although after his resurrection he could have reclaimed his throne, he preferred to maintain his kingdom in the Land of the Dead, leaving his vindication on earth in the hands of his posthumous son Horus.

This sculpture shows the Goddess Isis with her wings extended in a pose of protection. The name Isis means "Seat" or "Throne". She was regarded as the symbolical mother of the King. In myth she sought her dead husband and brother, Osiris, conceived her son Horus by him, buried him and mourned him together with her sister Nephtys. Isis was regarded as the “Eye of Ra” and was worshipped as the "Great of Magic" who had protected her son Horus from snakes, predators and other dangers; thus she would protect mortal children also. In the New Kingdom Isis was closely connected with Hathor whose physical attributes, the cow's horns and sun-disk she adopted.

Egyptian Museum, Cairo XXVI Dynasty, 600 B.C.

Together with her husband Ptah and her son Nefertem, Sekhmet made up the Memphis Triad. Her name meant "The Mighty One". Her nature being that of a Goddess of War, she accompanied the King to battle and was often described as his mother. She spread terror everywhere; the henchmen of Seth and even the serpent Apophis succumbed to her. Sekhmet was represented as a lioness or as a woman with lion's head. Her weapons were arrows "with which she pierces hearts" and a fiery glow emanated from her body. The hot desert winds were regarded as the Goddess's hot breath. She was connected with the fire-spitting Uraeus of the King and thereby became the "Eye of Ra". Sekhmet was also regarded as the one "Great of Magic" whose knowledge of sorcery gave her a place in the service of healing.

Her name means “The Dwelling of Horus”, for it was thought that Horus as the Sun God came to rest each evening on her breast before being reborn with the awakening dawn. Hathor is the great Sky-Goddess that as a celestial cow gave birth to the universe. She was often represented as a cow or with bovine attributes such as a cow’s head, cow’s ears or horns on her headdress. Hathor was the Goddess of Joy and Motherhood and the embodiment of all that is best in women. She was also considered the Goddess of music, song, dance and lighthearted pleasure, but she was essentially a Moon Goddess. She was considered the protectress of pregnant women and midwives. Her main cult centre was at Dendera, where she was worshipped along with her husband, Horus. Hathor was the Supreme Goddess of sexual love in Egypt, immediately identified with Aphrodite by the Greeks. Her temple at Dendera was “The House of Intoxication and Enjoyment”. Her main attributes were two ritual instruments carried by her priestesses, the sistrum, a bronze sacred rattle and the menat, a necklace, thick with beads and a counterpoise long enough to be grasped in the hand which was only worn by Hathor, but used by her priestesses as a healing instrument.