| At Edfu Temple, the first pylon (118 feet high) was decorated with scenes of Ptolemy XII defeating his enemies in front of Horus and Hathor. Above the pylon�s entrance was the design of the winged solar disk (Horus) and the two cobras, typically shown above temple entrances to protect the temple from evil spirits and harm. Inside the first pylon was the open court, the only court into which commoners were ever allowed. At the opposite end of the court was the covered hypostyle hall. Only the pharaoh, high officials, and priests were ever allowed to enter this hall. The capitals on top of the hypostyle hall�s columns were Greco-Roman in architecture, designed to represent alternately the lotus flower (symbol of Upper Egypt) and the papyrus (symbol of Lower Egypt). Standing guard at the entrance to the hypostyle hall stood the stately black granite statue of Horus wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. Once through the hypostyle hall, we entered the inner sanctuaries. In the innermost sanctuary, directly in line with the entrance to the temple, was the �holy of holiest� shrine originally housing the statue of Horus, the temple god. Only the pharaoh and high priests were ever allowed to enter this area. Today a replica of Horus� sacred barge is presently in front of the shrine; the original one is in Germany. |
