Summary
Horus was the falcon-headed god of the sky and of kingship, the son of Isis and Osiris, and the protector of every pharaoh. Each living king was believed to be Horus on earth. His most famous myth is his long struggle with his uncle Seth for the throne of Egypt, in which he lost an eye that was later healed: the origin of the Eye of Horus, the most popular protective amulet of ancient Egypt. His best-preserved temple stands at Edfu, between Luxor and Aswan.
Who Was Horus?
Horus, in Egyptian Heru, “the one who is above”, was a god of the sky, shown as a falcon or as a man with a falcon’s head wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. His right eye was said to be the sun and his left eye the moon.
He was the god of kingship. From the very first dynasty, the king’s first official name was his “Horus name”, written inside a palace façade topped by a falcon, as on the monuments of King Narmer. While he lived, the pharaoh was Horus; when he died, he became Osiris, and his son became the new Horus.
The Myth of Horus and Seth
The best-known story about Horus is told in many versions over 2,000 years:
- The murder of Osiris. Seth, god of storms and chaos, killed his brother Osiris, the good king of Egypt, and seized the throne.
- A hidden childhood. Isis gathered her husband’s body, briefly brought him back to life and conceived Horus. She raised the child in secret in the papyrus marshes of the Delta, protecting him from snakes, scorpions and Seth.
- The contest for the throne. As a young man, Horus claimed his father’s crown. A long trial before the gods, and a series of contests with Seth, followed: in one, the two fought as hippopotamuses under the water.
- The lost eye. In their fight, Seth tore out Horus’s eye, and Horus wounded Seth. The god Thoth healed the eye.
- Victory. The gods finally gave the throne to Horus, and order (maat) was restored. Osiris ruled the underworld, and Horus ruled the living.
The whole story is carved on the walls of his temple at Edfu.
The Eye of Horus
The Eye of Horus, or wedjat, “the sound one”, is the healed eye from the myth: a human eye with the markings of a falcon’s cheek beneath it. It stood for healing, wholeness and protection, and it was one of the most common amulets in Egypt, worn by the living and placed in the wrappings of mummies. It was painted on the bows of boats and on the sides of coffins, so that the dead could look out.
- Eye of Horus or Eye of Ra? The Eye of Horus is usually a left eye and linked with the moon and healing; the Eye of Ra is the fierce, burning power of the sun. Artists did not always keep the difference.
- The fractions: a popular modern idea links the six parts of the eye to fractions used in measuring grain. Many Egyptologists now doubt it, but you will see it often.
Read more about it and other protective signs in ancient Egyptian symbols and the ankh.
Full guide: the Eye of Horus: meaning, myth and history of the wedjat.
8-Day Cairo, Siwa and White & Black Desert Adventure
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View This TripThe Many Forms of Horus
| Form | Who he is | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Horus the Elder (Haroeris) | An ancient sky god, brother of Osiris in some myths | Kom Ombo |
| Horus the Child (Harpocrates) | The infant son of Isis, shown with a finger to his lips | Statues and amulets |
| Ra-Horakhty | “Ra who is Horus of the two horizons”, the rising sun | Abu Simbel |
| Horus of Behdet | The winged sun disk carved over temple doorways | Edfu |
Horus’s wife was Hathor, the goddess of love and music. Every year her statue sailed from Dendera to Edfu for the “Beautiful Reunion”, a festival of two weeks. His four sons protected the organs of the dead in the canopic jars; see Egyptian mummies and sarcophagi.
Where to See Horus in Egypt
| Where | What to see |
|---|---|
| Edfu Temple | The great temple of Horus, its granite falcon statues and the myth carved on its walls |
| Kom Ombo | The northern half of the double temple, for Horus the Elder |
| Temple of Hatshepsut | A large stone falcon of Horus on the upper terrace |
| Egyptian Museum | The statue of Khafre with the Horus falcon spreading its wings behind his head |
Edfu and Kom Ombo are both stops on our Nile cruises between Luxor and Aswan, with an Egyptologist to explain the myths on the walls.
Horus: FAQ
What is Horus the god of?
The sky and kingship. He was the protector of the pharaoh, who was believed to be Horus in human form.
Who were Horus’s parents?
Osiris and Isis. Seth, who murdered Osiris, was his uncle and great enemy.
What does the Eye of Horus mean?
Protection, healing and wholeness. It comes from the myth in which Horus’s eye was torn out by Seth and healed by Thoth.
Why is Horus a falcon?
The falcon flies high over everything, so it was a natural image for a god of the sky who watched over Egypt and its king.
Where is the temple of Horus?
At Edfu, between Luxor and Aswan: the best-preserved temple in Egypt, visited on most Nile cruises.
