The dawn of astronomy: A study of the temple-worship and mythology of the ancient EgyptiansLockyer, Norman, Sir
Religion
The dawn of astronomy: A study of the temple-worship and mythology of the ancient Egyptians
Lockyer, Norman, Sir
Astronomy, Egyptian; Sun -- Mythology; Sun worship; Temples -- Egypt
(5) In the month-list at the Ramesseum the first month is dedicated to
Sirius, the third to Hathor. This is not, however, a final argument,
because _local_ cults may have been in question.
(6) "Set" seems to have been a generic name applied to the northern
(? circumpolar) constellations, perhaps because _Set_ = darkness, and
these stars, being _always visible_ in the night, may have in time
typified it. Taurt, the hippopotamus, was the wife of Set. The Thigh
was the thigh of Set, etc. γ Draconis was associated therefore with
Set, and the symbolism for Set-Hathor was the hippopotamus with horns
and disk. Now if, as is suggested, Sirius replaced γ Draconis, and the
cow replaced the hippopotamus, the cult of Set might be expected to
have declined; and as a matter of fact the decline of the worship of
Set, which was generally paramount under the earlier dynasties, and
even the obliteration of the emblems on the monuments, are among the
best-marked cases of the kind found in the inscriptions.
(7) The _Isis_ temple of Denderah was certainly oriented to Sirius; the
_Hathor_ temple was as certainly _not_ so oriented. And yet, in the
restorations in later times (say, Thothmes III.--Ptolemies), the cult
has been made Sirian, and the references are to the star which rises at
the rising of the Nile.
So far, then, mythology is with me; but there is a difficulty.
According to the orientation theory, the cult must follow the star;
this must be held to as far as possible. But suppose the processional
movement causes the initial function of a star to become inoperative,
must not the cult--which, as we assume, had chiefly to do with the
heralding of sunrise at one time of the year or other--change? And if
the same cult is conducted in connection with another star, will not
the old name probably be retained?
I do not see why the Egyptians should have hesitated to continue the
same cult under a different star when they apparently quite naturally
changed Orion from a form of Osiris (Sah-Osiris) and a mummy (as he
was represented when the light of his stars was quenched at dawn at
the rising of Sirius) to that of Sah-Horus (when in later times the
constellation itself rose heliacally).
And, moreover, the antagonism of rival priesthoods has to be
considered. It is extremely probable that the change of a Set temple at
Denderah into a Theban Hathor-temple was only one example of a system
generally adopted, at least in later times.
CHAPTER XXX.
THE TEMPLE-STARS.
The two preceding chapters should have suggested that if there be any
truth in the astronomical and mythological views therein put forth,
there should be other stars to deal with besides Sirius and γ Draconis,
and other temples besides those at Annu, Denderah and Thebes which have
to be studied.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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