Denderah City and Temple

	Location	Upper Egypt - 60 km north of Thebes West bank of Nile
	Nome	The crocodile - the 6th Nome of Upper Egypt
	Type of Settlement	Religious Center
	Necropolis	Remains of Old Kingdom tombs scattered in the desert On the west end of the necropolis are brick-vaulted catacombs of Late Kingdom animal burials, primarily birds, dogs and cows.
	Local deity	Hathor
	Ancient name	Egyptian - Iunet Greek - Tentyris
	Historical Development	- The city was a religious center of Hathor worship, but never an important political center - The population of the town has, since antiquity, moved to Qena across the Nile on the east bank.
	The Temple	- One of the best preserved of all the temples in Egypt, dedicated to Hathor, and built by Ptolemy 8 Physcon and later elements were added by the Romans. - The complex included two birth houses, a sacred lake, two chapels dedicated to Osiris and Isis. - The complex was surrounded by high mud brick walls that were built in alternating concave and convex sections. This produced a wavy structure that is assumed to signify the primordial sea which surrounds the symbolic mound of birth and regeneration on which the temple was built. Architectural Layout: The facade consists of six Hathor -headed columns and a low screen wall. The facade top features a huge curved cornice. The first hypostyle hall containing 18 Hathor columns. The ceiling is divided into seven bands of astronomical figures featuring the goddess Nut, vultures, winged sun-discs and the zodiac. The walls are decorated with scenes of Pharaohs making offerings to Hathor. Smaller hypostyle hall - six smaller Hathor columns support the roof, the walls depict scenes of the Pharaoh involved in ritual foundation ceremonies. Six Store chambers Hall of offerings - here daily rituals were carried out by the priests and priestesses of Hathor Hall of the ennead - here the statues of gods were assembled on festival days The Sanctuary - contained the statue of Hathor.. On either side of the door the Pharaoh is depicted offering a copper mirror to the goddess. A passageway around the sanctuary contains eleven chapels dedicated to various divinities and religious symbols.