There are four doors in it (Pure Corridor). Details of the places on to which the doors open: one leads eastwards (east Portal) and is used by the Aqi-priests when they come back from the Sacred Lake to perform their duty; it is used to bring out offerings released (for consumption), to hand them out to the overseers of the chapels of the God with the Dappled Plumage; another one, a miraculous work, (northeast Portal) leads to the Pure Well, to the Pure Magazine and to the Slaughterhouse of Horus of the choicest cuts of meat, to get fresh pure water for the temple, and for the divine offering to the Falcon at the appropriate time; two more open right and left, and they are sited in the Pronaos and lead into the Court of Offerings.
Altogether, four doors on its west and east sides (Court of Offerings) allow the multitudes to enter and go out. One of them (southeast Portal) is magnificently decorated and situated opposite the Door of the Golden One, The Mistress of Dendera, and it is her perfect way to enter Her house to the unit with her image in the Sanctuary and to proceed to Her boat to make her way to Behdet at the appropriate time.
– The Great Building Inscription of the Edfu Temple Translated by Dieter Kurth
About the Portals
While the Great Inscribed Portal was only used for entrance during Festival occasions, entry to the Court of Offerings was gained by four portals, two each on the east and west sides. These were used to go in and out and enlarge the congregation. The Portal of the Golden One was used explicitly by Hathor’s procession when she came from Dendera during the Festival of the Perfect Embrace.
On the temple’s east side are two portals from the Pure Corridor. One door leads to different structures the priesthood uses, such as the Sacred Lake, where the priests would wash and purify, and the Per Ankh, the temple library. The other portal leads to the Pure Well, the Slaughterhouse of Horus, where the animals were slaughtered, the meat offerings were prepared, and the Pure Magazine, which was prepared, divided, and consecrated.
The Temple of Horus at Edfu features several significant portals for architectural and symbolic purposes. The most prominent portal is the central entrance pylon, which stands 36 meters high and is adorned with reliefs depicting Horus triumphing over Seth. This gateway represents the transition from the mortal world into the temple’s sacred space.
Beyond the pylon, the temple has additional portals leading into different sections:
- The Great Doorway to the Hypostyle Hall: This entrance marks the transition from the open courtyard into the covered hall, symbolizing a deeper journey into the divine realm.
- The Sanctuary Portal: The innermost doorway leads to the naos, where the sacred statue of Horus was housed. This portal was considered the most sacred, granting access to the god’s dwelling.
- Side Portals: Smaller doorways along the temple’s perimeter allowed for processions and ritual movements, ensuring the temple functioned as a dynamic religious center.
Each portal was not merely an architectural feature but a symbolic threshold, reinforcing the temple’s role as a cosmic space where divine and earthly realms intersected.
The smaller doorways along the temple’s perimeter facilitated processions and ritual movements. These portals ensured the temple functioned as a dynamic religious center, allowing priests and devotees to engage in sacred ceremonies.
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