Horus
Egyptian · deity · old kingdom · deity
Egyptian falcon-headed sky god; son of Isis and Osiris. The living pharaoh IS Horus from the foundational doctrine of pharaonic kingship onward — Dynasty 0 already used "Horus-name" titulary. Mythologically the avenger of his father against Set; the Horus-Set conflict for kingship was structurally the original political-legitimation narrative of Upper-and-Lower Egypt unification. Wounded eye (the wedjat) restored by Thoth — the most ubiquitous protective amulet in Egyptian iconography. Edfu is the best-preserved Ptolemaic temple, dedicated to Horus of Behdet.
Parentage
Domains
- kingship pharaonic
- sky and sun
- avenger of father
- healing
Powers
- Embody pharaonic kingship as the living king
- Avenge Osiris and win the kingship from Set
- Hold the sun and moon as his two eyes across the sky
- Heal snakebite and scorpion-sting
Epithets
- ḥr-ꜣḫty
- ḥr-sꜣ-ꜣs.t
- ḥr nḏ-jt.f
- ḥr-pꜣ-ẖrd
- ḥr-bḥdty
- ḥr-m-ꜣḫt