Grand Tour Ancient Egyptian Style Carved Soapstone Figure of Horus

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Grand Tour carving of Horus, ancient Egyptian god in the form of a falcon. Quite possibly much earlier in date, … Read more Grand Tour carving of Horus, ancient Egyptian god in the form of a falcon. Quite possibly much earlier in date, that is beyond my expertise. From a collection that did have ancient pieces, the label on the bottom denoting 26th Dynasty was there when purchased. Either way it is a fine carving with personality whose surface and patina show age.

To the ancient Egyptians, Horus was one of the most important deities. He was commonly depicted as a falcon-headed god with a double crown. The pharaohs of Egypt were associated with Horus since the pharaoh was considered to be the earthly embodiment of the god. In the beginning stages of the ancient Egyptian religion, Horus was believed to be the god of war and the sky, and was married to the goddess Hathor.

As the religion progressed, Horus was seen as the son of Osiris and Isis, as well as the opponent of Seth. This change in belief created the myth about Horus and Seth in which Seth was jealous of Osiris (his brother and king of the deities) because he himself wanted to be king. He murdered Osiris and split the body into pieces, which he scattered throughout Egypt. Isis, wife and sister of Osiris, searched and collected the pieces of her husband with the help of her sister, Nephthys. Isis brought Osiris back to life and he became the lord of the underworld and lord of the sacred land. Isis then gave birth to their son, Horus, and kept him hidden so he could one day defeat Seth. See less