126 Eagle God Horus

Museum Description: Horus

Room: 4/Case: None/Number: EA 1420

Scripture: Exodus 10:21

There is a fantastically vivid description of the ninth plague of darkness in this verse.  It mentions "a darkness so thick that is can be felt"!  The falcon headed god Horus was a solar god and god of light, so was humiliated by this plague.  Pharaoh was said to be the living incarnation of Horus, and the falcon symbol was used when writing his title.  Anyone who killed a falcon in Egypt, even by mistake, was to be put to death.  Horus was also part of a trinity with Osiris the father and Isis the mother.  He was often depicted as a child on the knee of Isis, in a strikingly similar pose to that of the 'Madonna and Child' used in Christendom.

Not Currently On Display