Egypt was not as it is in the modern West. Set was
not demonized and always occupied an important
place in the cosmology. When Geb decided the out-
come of the struggle of Horus and Set, he placed
Horus as ruler over the living, Ausar as ruler over
the dead or underworld, and Set as ruler of the
deserts, chaos, and disorder. However, Horus was
celebrated as an archetype for that which brings
good, not just in the form of light over darkness,
but in all areas of life: personal, social, spiritual,
and political.
The dimensions to the archetypical Horus
extend beyond light and good because of his
membership in the triad with Auset and Ausar.
Horus as Divine Son derives from the actions of
his mother, Auset, who conceives Horus from
Ausar after he is killed. This miraculous concep-
tion would legitimize the Egyptian royalty as
Divine. Horus is the fulfiller because he satisfies
the duties of pharaoh left by the absent Ausar.
In some myths, he is presented as the resurrected
Ausar so that the identities of the two become
merged. As redeemer, he not only vindicates
Ausar, but all light in the presence of darkness or
good in the face of evil. Thus, Horus’ role as
redeemer combines all of his archetypal qualities:
As the bringer of light, he redeems any darkness;
as triumphant over Set, he redeems chaos; and as
avenging Ausar, he redeems his father.
Other Aspects of Horus/HeruThere is a temple dedicated to Horus located in
the upper Egyptian town of Edfu. At this temple,
he was worshipped as part of the triad of Hathor
and their child Harsomtus. This structure dates to
the New Kingdom; however, there are rock carv-
ings that date to 3100 BC. There is another tem-
ple dedicated to Horus in the town of Kom Ombo
north of modern-day Aswan. At this temple stand
colossal stone statues of falcons representing
Horus. In ancient times, Horus was associated
with the towns of Nekhen and Behdet.
In addition to the child with Hathor, there are
the other “children” attributed to Horus. The four
sons of Horus are deities who act as pathfinders at
the ascension of the dead and are responsible for
protecting the body of the deceased, particularly
the internal organs, from hunger and thirst. Their
association with Horus is described in the
Pyramid Text. Images of the sons are found atop
canopic jars that were placed inside mummified
bodies and their names located on the four
corners of coffins.Legacy of Horus/Heru
According to Charles Finch, Horus is the prefigu-
ration of the Greek concept of the hero. The word
herocould be a derivation of Horus. The fero-
cious battles with evil male relatives and the forces
of darkness to obtain redemption and glory are
the same activities in which many Greek heroes
engage. There are aspects of Horus that are also
found in Christianity. In the Old Testament story,
Moses is hidden in a basket and found floating in
a sea of reeds by the pharaoh’s daughter, who
rears him. The infant Horus is hidden in the
reed swamps of Lower Egypt, where he is nursed
by Isis.
In the New Testament, Jesus is the Divine
Child, who is born of a virgin, hidden from an evil
ruler, battles Satan in the desert, and emerges as
the legitimate ruler of the kingdom, much like the
life of Horus. In addition, Jesus is resurrected and
serves as the judge of the dead. Horus is the resur-
rected Ausar who is also Lord of the Underworld
and judge of the Dead. Jesus as the light of the
world parallels Heru-heb iaku, Heru, lord of light.
Speaking of light, Charles Finch also proposes
that the English wordhours, with its relationship
to day and time, reflect the ancient Kemet deity’s
association with light.Denise MartinSeealsoAusar; Auset; Ra; SetFurther Readings
Finch, C. S., III. (1998).Echoes of the Old Darkland.
Decatur, GA: Khenti.
Finch, C. S., III. (1998).The Star of Deep Beginnings:
The Genesis of African Science and Technology.
Decatur, GA: Khenti.
Lurker, M. (1995).An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods
and Symbols of Ancient Egypt. London: Thames and
Hudson.Heru, Horus 315