Located on the roof of the Hathor Temple at Dendera this kiosk was used during the celebration of the New Year's Festival.
On the eve of New Year a golden statue of the soul (ba) of Hathor was brought up here from a crypt below the southern wall in a solemn procession.
The statue, together with images of other gods, was placed below a cloth which was suspended over the Hathor headed columns of the kiosk.
During the first day of the New Year the cloth was removed at some time so that the rays of the sun could touch the statue, thus rejuvenating its vital energy.
Images of guardian deities decorating the exterior walls of the kiosk protected Hathor's soul statute from the bad spirits of the year's last day.
This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the later Ptolemaic period (first century BC).
Photo by Mick Palarczyk.
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Manal Raafat
