Hathor at the Temples of Philae

This is our entry in Where’s my backpack?’s Travel Theme: Cream.

In late February 2013, we took a cruise up the Nile River from Luxor to Aswan in Egypt. One of our stops was to visit the Temples of Philae on Agilika Island. The Temple of Isis is the largest temple of Philae.  This cream-colored temple is dedicated to Isis, Hathor, and other gods related to childbirth and midwifery.  Hathor, usually depicted as a cow goddess, is one of the most important and loved deities of Ancient Egypt.  In some stories, Hathor is the wife of Horus, who is the son of Isis and Osiris.  Part of the Temple of Isis is the Mammisi, or birth house. One scene on the wall of the Sanctuary of the Mammisi is Isis carrying her baby son Horus.  Around three sides of the Mammisi are columns topped with capitals showing the face of Hathor.

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Hathor in the Temple of Isis

This photo was taken on February 27, 2013. Specs are:

Olympus TG-1, ISO 100, f/6.3 , 1/250 sec, 18 mm