Horus

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Who is Horus?

Horus is one of the most significant deities in ancient Egyptian mythology. He is a sky god typically depicted as a falcon or a man with a falcon‘s head, wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. His name (Egyptian Ḥrw) means “the Distant One,” referring to his role as a sky god. Horus appears in ancient Egyptian religion in various forms, including Horus the Elder (born from Geb and Nut) and Horus the Younger, the son of Osiris.

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The Eye of Horus: Symbol and Meaning

During the battle with Seth, Horus‘s left eye was damaged. The god Thoth, god of wisdom, later restored Horus’s eye, making it whole once again. This restored eye became known as the wedjat eye, or the “Eye of Horus.” The wedjat eye symbolized protection, healing, and wholeness, and was one of the most popular amulets in ancient Egypt. The markings beneath the eye resemble those of a falcon, the sacred animal of Horus. The eye also had mathematical significance: ancient Egyptians divided it into six parts, each representing a fraction, which together sum to one—used as a system for measuring.

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Appearance of Horus

Horus is commonly depicted as a falcon-headed man wearing the double crown of Egypt, holding a Was scepter (symbol of power) and an Ankh (symbol of life). The pharaohs of Egypt were considered the earthly embodiment of Horus, and their most important royal name was the “Horus name,” which appeared on monuments and tombs inside a rectangular frame called a serekh.

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The Osiris Myth: Horus vs. Seth

In the Osiris myth, Horus was the son of Osiris and Isis. His uncle Seth murdered Osiris out of jealousy and usurped the throne. To protect the infant Horus, Isis hid him in the marshes of the Nile Delta and raised him in secret. When Horus grew up, he fought against Seth to avenge his father and reclaim the throne of Egypt. The conflict between Horus and Seth lasted for many years and was presented in Egyptian mythology as a perpetual struggle, eventually reconciled in the harmony of Upper and Lower Egypt.

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Worship and Temples

Horus was worshipped throughout Egypt, with major cult centers at Nekhen (Hierakonpolis) and Edfu. The Temple of Horus at Edfu, built during the Ptolemaic period from 237 to 57 BCE, is the best-preserved cult temple in Egypt. It was dedicated to the falcon-headed sky god and features reliefs on its western wall depicting Horus’s victory over Seth.

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Sources

1. Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Horus.” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Horus. Accessed 17 April 2026.
2. World History Encyclopedia. “Horus.” World History Encyclopedia, https://www.worldhistory.org/Horus/. Accessed 17 April 2026.
3. Wikipedia Contributors. “Horus.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horus. Accessed 17 April 2026.
4. 百度百科. “荷鲁斯.” 百度百科, https://baike.baidu.com/item/荷鲁斯. Accessed 17 April 2026.
5. 百度百科. “荷鲁斯之眼.” 百度百科, https://baike.baidu.com/item/荷鲁斯之眼. Accessed 17 April 2026.
6. 百度百科. “埃德夫神庙.” 百度百科, https://baike.baidu.com/item/埃德夫神庙. Accessed 17 April 2026.