Egypt 2003: Temple at Dendera

"Re opened his eyes inside the lotus as it emerged from primordial chaos and his eyes began to weep and droplets fell to the ground: they were transformed into a beautiful woman who was named Gold of the Gods, Hathor the Great, Mistress of Dendera" (based on a translation by Sylvie Cauville). And so Hathor was born. She presided over amorous pursuits; music, dance and enjoyment were her preserve and it was through them that she was honored. This pan-Egyptian divinity also took the form of a fierce lioness who killed humans, a celestial cow and life-giving flood waters. Dendera was only one of her many temples, but it is today among the best preserved and the best known in Egypt. Virtually everything inside the mudbrick enclosure wall is designed to evoke divine influence. The entrance is through a huge gateway preceded by public fountains. The monuments are all relatively recent since, as in many sanctuaries throughout Egypt, the ancient temples of Dendera were entirely rebuilt during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. The main temple, which was begun during the reign of Ptolemy XII Auletes (80-51 BC) and continued until the reign of Nero (AD 54-68) remained unfinished.

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