Set at Medinet Habu


At Medinet Habu, at "Pillar M where Thutmosis III stands before Seth, 'Lord of Upper Egypt, Lord of Heaven',
(photo credit: Dr. Karl H. Leser (Iufaa), who has a very educational website.

Dr. Leser explains, "All representations always show Thutmosis III before a divinity,". But sadly, "Almost all representations of the divinities were erased in the time of Akhnaton and restored in the 19th dynasty." Whether due to 'erasures' of Akhnaton, or to later 'heretics', or just the ravages of time, there's still quite a bit of damage, and forms are hard to read.

Thus, I enlarged the original and put a transparent layer over it to create a clarifying line drawing:

Here is another scene from Medinet Habu, which features Set and Horus blessing the accession of the pharoah, as many pharaohs have depicted:


Is it Rameses VII? In any case, it's likely one of the later Ramesses
Photo credit: Lori Francz, uncropped original underneath


© Alain Guilleux , Une promenade en Egypte


© Hans Kontkanen, 2010


Even though it's quite badly damaged, Set's distinctive form shows.


And here's another view taken by Arja Kontkanen, view nicely showing Horus underneath..


Arja Kontkanen has another view, showing a little more of what the other pillar obscures...

Here's a grayscale image of this scene in a a less damaged state, via Murnane's 'Guide to the Monuments of Medinet Habu'

"In the corner, on the east end of the north wall, the king stands between Horus and Seth (fig. 18): each god holds over the king's head a vase from which issue, not streams of water, but signs meaning 'life' and 'dominion,' and they recite a spell:
"I have purified you with life, stability and dominion; your purification is the purification of Thoth [var. 'Dewen-anwy'] and vice-versa.
"These gods are the masters of the four corners of the universe and the king both absorbs magical power from these quarters and extends his watchful regard towards them. This rite, which enabled the king to participate in ritual as a god, was perhaps performed in a little room that was built in this corner after the second court had been completed..." (From _United with Eternity: A Concise 'Guide to the Monuments of Medinet Habu_ by William J. Murnane, pages 26-27)

I learned of another scene at Medinet Habu that features Set, Ramesses III offers incense and a libation to Nut and Set.


Sadly, the image of Set has been hacked to bits. Crop of a photo by "kairoinfo4u" who gives "creative commons"


Fortunately, the tail in Set's hieroglyph has survived the mutilation.
"The beloved of Set, who has given kingship." - oip94.pdf


Nut's phrase closer to her image, which has also been damaged a bit.
"Words spoken by Nut the Great, who bore the gods."
- Medinet Habu - Vol. VIII The Eastern High Gate - oip94.pdf
Interestingly, she wears the horned crown, which usually is worn by Hathor.