Horus Research Paper

Horus is one of the oldest and most important deities in the Ancient Egyptian religion.He was worshipped from at least the late Pre-dynastic period through Greco-Roman times. (Remler) Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as different gods by some Egyptologists.However these different forms may possibly be different perceptions of the same god who served many different functions. (Remler) The earliest recorded form, dating around the 25th century B.C., is Horus the Falcon who was the patron god of Nekhen in Upper Egypt and who is the first known national god. (Meltzer)However the most widespread and popular story, and the one that I will focus on, describe Horus as the son of Isis and Osiris.(Meltzer) Isis was said to be the daughter of the gods Geb and Nut. She was thought of as the perfect example of the Egyptian mother and wife. She was therefore considered the symbolic mother of all the Pharaohs. (Shaw)Osiris was one of the oldest and most worshipped gods in ancient Egypt. He was generally referred to as the god of the Afterlife. This would make him one of the most revered gods because the ancient Egyptians felt that the Afterlife was more important than actual life. They often referred to their dead as the “living ones”.(Meltzer)Horus served many functions in Egyptian mythology, but mostly he was known as either the god of the Sky or the god of both War and Protection.He was also considered the role model for all of the Pharaohs. Each ruler was looked upon as a living Horus. His other roles will be mentioned later. Horus in Egyptian is pronounced Haru, meaning Falcon. Horus has also been translated to mean “He who is above, over". Horus also appears as the Egyptian name Har-Si-Ese which means “Horus, son of Isis".Horus was also sometimes known as Nekheny, meaning "Falcon". (Meltzer) In the majority of Egyptian hieroglyphics the Pharaoh is often portrayed as Horus. Countless depictions of the Pharaoh almost

Cited: 1. Remler , Pat, “Egyptian Mythology A to Z“, pp. 83 & 86-87, Chelsea House: New York, 2010 2. Edited by Donald B. Redford, Horus: by Edmund S. Meltzer "The Oxford Guide: Essential Guide to Egyptian Mythology", , p164-168, Berkley, 2003 3. Brooksbank, F. H. “Legends of Ancient Egypt: Stories of Egyptian Gods and Heroes”, pp.138, Thomas Y. Crowell Company : New York, 1927 4. Shaw, Ian and Paul Nicholson, “The British Museum Dictionary of Ancient Egypt”, The British Museum Press: London, 1995 5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horus