The Temple at Denderah near Luxor dedicated to Hathor which was a graeco-roman site used by Queen Cleopatra, famous for zodiac
Dedicated to Hathor, the Lady of the Underworld, Goddess of love, joy and happiness, this is one of the most complete temple complexes in Egypt famous for the sculptured Denderah zodiac a widely known Egyptian bas-relief from the ceiling of the portico of a chapel dedicated to Osiris in the Hathor temple at Denderah, containing images of Taurus (the bull) and the Libra (the scales). This chapel was begun in the late Ptolemaic period; its portico was added by the emperor Tiberius. This led Jean-François Champollion to date the relief correctly to the Greco-Roman accepted date for the relief is 50 BC, since it shows the stars and planets in the positions they would have been seen at that date. The relief has been conjectured to be the basis on which later astronomy systems were based. It is now on display at the Musée du Louvre, Paris. The zodiac is a map of the stars showing the 12 constellations of the zodiacal band forming 36 decans of ten days each, and the planets. These decans are groups of first-magnitude stars. These were used in the ancient Egyptian calendar, which was based on lunar cycles of around 30 days and on the heliacal rising of the star Sothis (Sirius).Its representation of the zodiac in circular form is unique in ancient Egyptian art. More typical are the rectangular zodiacs which decorate the same temple's portico. The celestial arch is represented by a disc held up by four pillars of the sky in the form of women, between which are inserted falcon-headed spirits. Some of these are represented in the same forms as their familiar names whilst others are shown in a more Egyptian form: Aquarius is represented as the flood god Hapy, holding two vases which gush water. Cleopatra is associated with this temple. Her son by Julius Caesar was born in the temple grounds in the Caesarium, where he arrived as a result of being cut from his mother’s womb, hereafter called a caesarean section.
Size: 5050px × 3354px
Location: The Temple at Denderah near Luxor in Egypt
Photo credit: © Brenda Kean / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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