The Dendera Temple complex (

Ancient Egyptian Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...

: ''Iunet'' or ''Tantere''; the 19th-century English spelling in most sources, including Belzoni, was Tentyra; also spelled Denderah) is located about south-east of Dendera,

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

. It is one of the best-preserved

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

complexes of

ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...

. The area was used as the sixth nome of

Upper Egypt Upper Egypt ( ', shortened to , , locally: ) is the southern portion of Egypt and is composed of the Nile River valley south of the delta and the 30th parallel North. It thus consists of the entire Nile River valley from Cairo south to Lake N ...

, south of Abydos. Dendera 7 977

Description

The entirety of the complex is surrounded by a sizable mudbrick wall. Dendera, an oasis on the banks of the

Nile The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...

, was inhabited by thousands at its peak. Due to its massive size, the structures throughout the complex were constructed over many eras, such as the Middle Kingdom, the Ptolemaic Era, and the period characterized by Roman provincial rule. There is evidence that there was an even earlier building on this site, circa 2250 B.C.E., which could have begun during the reign of

Pepi I Pepi I Meryre (also Pepy I; died 2283 BC) was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, king, third king of the Sixth Dynasty of Egypt, who ruled for over 40 years from the 24th to the 23rd century BC, toward the end of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, Old Ki ...

and completed during the reign of his son, Merenre Nemtyemsaf I. Evidence also exists of a temple in the Eighteenth Dynasty (ca. 1500 BC). The earliest extant (surviving) building in the compound today is the mammisi raised by Nectanebo II – last of the native

pharaoh Pharaoh (, ; Egyptian language, Egyptian: ''wikt:pr ꜥꜣ, pr ꜥꜣ''; Meroitic language, Meroitic: 𐦲𐦤𐦧, ; Biblical Hebrew: ''Parʿō'') was the title of the monarch of ancient Egypt from the First Dynasty of Egypt, First Dynasty ( ...

s (360–343 BC). The features in the complex include: * Hathor temple (the main temple) * Temple of the birth of

Isis Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...

* Sacred Lake (source of water for sacred rituals and for everyday use) * Sanatorium ** This would have functioned similarly to a Roman bathhouse, but strictly for bathing and an overnight stay to manifest healing dreams. The waters at Dendera were sacred and were often used to bless the inscriptions on statues so that they could cure diseases. * Mammisi of Nectanebo II *

Basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...

* Roman Mammisi * a Barque shrine ** (Def.: Boat; ''French, “barque”/ Late Latin “barca”)'' ** Used as a resting place for the statues of the gods when outside of the temple during festivals * Gateways of

Domitian Domitian ( ; ; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was Roman emperor from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Flavian dynasty. Described as "a r ...

and

Trajan Trajan ( ; born Marcus Ulpius Traianus, 18 September 53) was a Roman emperor from AD 98 to 117, remembered as the second of the Five Good Emperors of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was a philanthropic ruler and a successful soldier ...

* the Roman Kiosk The Dendera Temple is not to be confused with the Dendera Necropolis, which consists of a series of tombs. The Dendera Necropolis dates back to the Early Dynastic Period and up to the

First Intermediate Period The First Intermediate Period, described as a 'dark period' in ancient Egyptian history, spanned approximately 125 years, c. 2181–2055 BC, after the end of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, Old Kingdom. It comprises the seventh Dynasty, Seventh (altho ...

, which pre-dates the Middle Kingdom construction of the Temple of Hathor. The necropolis runs across the eastern edge of the western hill and over the northern plain.

Hathor temple

The temple that dominates this complex, the structure that commands the attention of those who visit, is the Temple of Hathor. The original temple structure underwent continuous modifications throughout the Middle Kingdom and up until the beginning of the reign of the Roman emperor

. The existing temple's structure began construction in 54 B.C.E, the late Ptolemaic period, under the reign of Ptolemy Auletes. The hypostyle hall was built in the Roman period under

Tiberius Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus ( ; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was Roman emperor from AD 14 until 37. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to Roman politician Tiberius Cl ...

. In Egypt,

was quite active in constructing buildings and decorating them. He appears, together with

, in offering scenes on the propylaeum of the Temple of Hathor. His cartouche also appears in the column shafts of the Temple of Khnum at Esna. Layout elements of the temple are: * Large Hypostyle Hall * Small Hypostyle Hall * Laboratory * Storage magazine * Offering entry *

Treasury A treasury is either *A government department related to finance and taxation, a finance ministry; in a business context, corporate treasury. *A place or location where treasure, such as currency or precious items are kept. These can be ...

* Exit to well * Access to stairwell * Offering hall * Hall of the Ennead * Great Seat and main sanctuary * Shrine of the Nome of Dendera * Shrine of

* Shrine of

Sokar Sokar (; also spelled Seker, and in Ancient Greek language, Greek, Sokaris or Socharis) is a hawk or falcon god of the Memphis, Egypt, Memphite necropolis in the Ancient Egyptian religion, who was known as a patron of the living, as well as a go ...

* Shrine of Harsomtus * Shrine of Hathor's Sistrum * Shrine of gods of

Lower Egypt Lower Egypt ( ') is the northernmost region of Egypt, which consists of the fertile Nile Delta between Upper Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea, from El Aiyat, south of modern-day Cairo, and Dahshur. Historically, the Nile River split into sev ...

* Shrine of Hathor * Shrine of the throne of Rê * Shrine of Rê * Shrine of

Menat In ancient Egyptian religion, a menat (, ) was a necklace closely associated with the goddess Hathor. Operation The menat was held in the hand by its counterpoise and used as a Rattle (percussion instrument), rattle by Hathor's priestesses. It ...

collar * Shrine of Ihy * The Pure Place * Court of the First Feast * Passage * Staircase to roof Depictions of Cleopatra VI, which appear on temple walls, are good examples of Ptolemaic Egyptian art. On the rear of the temple exterior is a carving of Cleopatra VII Philopator (the popular, well-known

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...

) and her son, Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar ( Caesarion), who was fathered by

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...

. There are ten dead deities represented at Dendera, specifically on/in Hathor's temple, that can be connected to the nine dead deities at Horus's temple in Edfu. This would be due to the either parental or marital relationship between Hathor and Horus.

Dendera zodiac

The sculptured Dendera zodiac (or Denderah zodiac) is a widely known relief found in a late Greco-Roman temple, containing images of the zodiac system still recognized today (i.e. Taurus ulland Libra cales. A sketch was made during the

Napoleonic campaign in Egypt The French invasion of Egypt and Syria (1798–1801) was a military expedition led by Napoleon Bonaparte during the French Revolutionary Wars. The campaign aimed to undermine British trade routes, expand French influence, and establish a ...

. In 1820 it was removed from the temple ceiling by French colonizers and later replaced with a copy. There is controversy as to whether they were granted permission by Egypt's ruler, Muhammad Ali Pasha, to do so, or whether they stole it. (It is also said that in 1822, an antiquities thief using the name "Claude Le Lorraine" ot to be confused with the French Baroque painterremoved the zodiac from Dendera, brought it back to France, and sold it to the King.) The real one is now in the Louvre. Jean-François Champollion, the man who deciphered the

Rosetta Stone The Rosetta Stone is a stele of granodiorite inscribed with three versions of a Rosetta Stone decree, decree issued in 196 BC during the Ptolemaic dynasty of ancient Egypt, Egypt, on behalf of King Ptolemy V Epiphanes. The top and middle texts ...

, dated it back to the Ptolemaic period, and it has been proved that he was correct, as Egyptologists now date it back to the first century BC.

Crypts

The Hathor temple's subterranean tombs contain twelve chambers. Some reliefs seen in the tombs are dated to as late as the reign of Ptolemy XII Auletes. The

crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...

s reportedly were used for storing vessels and divine iconography. An opening in the Flame Room floor leads to a narrow chamber with representations on the walls of the objects which were kept in them. In the second chamber, a relief depicts Pepi I offering a statuette of the God Ihy to four images of Hathor. (Hathor is understood to be Ihy's mother.) In the crypt accessible from the Throne Room, Ptolemy XII has jewelry and offerings for the gods.

The Dendera light

The Hathor Temple has stone reliefs that depict Harsomtus, in the form of a snake, emerging from a lotus flower. Harsomtus, also known as

Horus Horus (), also known as Heru, Har, Her, or Hor () in Egyptian language, Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as the god of kingship, healing, protection, the sun, and t ...

, is depicted as one of the ancient gods, a "primeval creator." Harsomtus is likely depicted at the Dendera Temple Complex due to the main temple being dedicated to Hathor. In Egyptian mythology, Harsomtus is referenced as either Hathor's son or lover. In six reliefs he is positioned within an oval container called a ''hn'', which might represent the womb of Nut. These resemble a lamp or light.

Processional staircase

There is a processional stairway leading to the roof of the temple. Reliefs decorating the walls depict scenes from rituals that would have been performed at the temple. The staircase shows wear from millennia of use, but it also shows an apparent accretion of material, which has lent the staircase the informal name of "the melted stairs."

Restoration work

The Supreme Council of Antiquities began the project of restoration and maintenance of the temple in 2005. Efforts stopped in 2011 and then resumed in 2017, after the completion of necessary scientific and archaeological studies, along with careful experimental studies using modern techniques. As of March 2021, the second phase of the restoration has been completed, which includes cleaning the Great Pillars Hall and restoring the original colors and clarity of painted scenes on walls and ceilings. More activity continues at the temple, including a cooperative effort started in 2019 with the French Archaeological delegation to turn the temple courtyard into an open museum.

Roman mammisi

The Roman mammisi is a subsidiary building dating to the reigns of

and

Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ( ; ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoicism, Stoic philosopher. He was a member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty, the last of the rulers later known as the Five Good Emperors ...

. Numerous reliefs of Trajan making offerings to Egyptian deities can be seen. The presence of the Roman mammisi at the Dendera Temple Complex is indicative of the long and complicated history of the Romans in Egypt. As seen in the images below, Roman Emperor

is depicted in the reliefs as an Egyptian Pharaoh and he is making offerings to the Egyptian gods. File:Dendera Römisches Mammisi 14.JPG, Side with reliefs File:Roman Emperor Trajan at Dendera, Egypt.jpg, Roman Emperor

at Dendera, Egypt File:Trajan offers to Hathor & Ra-Harakhte, Dendera.jpg, Roman Emperor

brings offerings to Hathor and Ra-Harakhte, Dendera. File:Emperor Trajan, Dendera.jpg, alt=Emperor Trajan as a Pharaoh making an offering to the Gods, in Dendera. 0Emperor Trajan as a Pharaoh making an offering to the Gods, in Dendera.

Recent discoveries

In March 2023, during the recent excavations at the site archaeologists uncovered a limestone sphinx. This sphinx is depicted with a slight grin and dimples and is thought to have been created in the image of the Roman emperor Claudius. On the sphinx's head sits a ''nemes'' that has a cobra-shaped tip called a ''uraeus.''

Tourism

The Dendera complex has long been one of the most tourist-accessible ancient Egyptian places of worship. It is possible to visit virtually every part of the complex, from the crypts to the roof (at least in February 2025).

Gallery

File:David Roberts 003.jpg, '' The Temple of Dendera'' by David Roberts File:Dendera Temple.jpg, Satellite buildings of the Dendera Temple complex File:SFEC EGYPT DENDERA 2006-006.JPG, Entrance to the Dendera Temple complex File:Denderah portail.JPG, Entrance gate to the temple, with

bas-relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...

and

sphinx A sphinx ( ; , ; or sphinges ) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle. In Culture of Greece, Greek tradition, the sphinx is a treacherous and merciless being with the head of a woman, th ...

File:Denderah3 Cleopatra Cesarion.jpg, Reliefs of Cleopatra VII and her son by

, Caesarion at the Dendera Temple File:Temple of Hathor, Columns 2, Dendera, Egypt.jpg, Columns of the Hypostyle Hall File:Temple of Hathor, Ceiling, Dendera, Egypt.jpg, Ceiling of the temple before restoration (photographed 2007) File:Ceiling of Temple of Hathor.JPG, Restored ceiling of the Temple of Hathor (photographed 2011) File:Temple of Hathor, Dark interior, Dendera, Egypt.jpg, Crypt File:Dendara97HathorKiosk.jpg, Kiosk of Hathor on the temple roof File:Roof of the Hathor Temple at Dendera (IV).jpg, Close-up of a column on the Kiosk File:Denderah intérieur mammisi c.jpg, Digitally manipulated photograph of an interior wall in the Mammisi, highlighting the bas-relief

References

External links

Dendera Temple complex
satellite-sightseer.com.

(French)
High-resolution Images of Dendera Temple Ceiling

Bibliography

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* United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. “''Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict with Regulations for the Execution of the Convention''.” 1954. ague Convention Paperworkhttps://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/1954_Convention_EN_2020.pdf * Verner, Miroslav; Bryson-Gustova, Anna (2013). "Dendera: The Heliopolis of Hathor". ''Temple of the World: Sanctuaries, Cults, and Mysteries of Ancient Egypt''. Translated by Bryson-Gustova, Anna. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press. pp. 442–481. {{coord, 26, 8, 30, N, 32, 40, 13, E, display=title Egyptian temples Former religious buildings and structures in Egypt 1st-century BC religious buildings and structures Hellenistic architecture 23rd-century BC establishments Buildings and structures completed in the 23rd century BC Hathor