Dendara - Divine Triad

The Divine Triad of Dendara

The goddess Hathor stands in front of her consort, the god Horus with their son Ihy before her. The divine triad (or family unit) of Dendara is carved in sunk relief on the south exterior wall of the Temple of Hathor.

From right to left: Ihy is represented as a child in the typical Egyptian way. He is naked and wears the sidelock of hair (barely visible) indicative of his youth. Appropriate to his role as the Uniter of the Two Lands, he wears the Double Crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. In his left hand he carries a sistrum--a rattle-like instrument used to ward off evil spirits. The sistrum was especially associated with his mother Hathor, goddess of love and music. In his right hand he holds a menat (also associated with Hathor)--a beaded collar necklace with counterpoise which could also serve as a percussion instrument.

Hathor is pictured as a woman wearing a crown of cow horns holding a sun disk. Horus, god of the sky, combines the body of a man with the head of falcon. He also wears the Double Crown of Egypt.

Notice the lion's head spout (top left) which helped drain the roof of the temple when it rained.