Research under extreme conditions
03/03/2026The Würzburg Chair of Egyptology has been researching the Horus Temple for a good ten years. This special photo was taken in the process.
It can get pretty hot in the Temple of Horus at Edfu in Egypt - up to 50 degrees Celsius in summer. Work is no fun then. In February, when this photo was taken, it is much more pleasant. But the nights are very cold.
The feet in the picture belong to two research assistants from the Chair of Egyptology at the University of Würzburg - Victoria Altmann-Wendling and Allister Humphrey. What are they doing here? They are comparing facsimile drawings of the inscriptions and reliefs in the inner core of the temple with reality.
These drawings were based on photos taken by research teams during previous visits to the temple. Before the drawings are scientifically published, they are now meticulously checked to ensure that all the details are correct. The two scientists should not be afraid of heights: The rooms are up to nine metres high and the scaffolding naturally reaches up to the ceiling.
The Temple of Horus at Edfu is the best-preserved temple in Egypt. It was built between 237 and 57 BC and 'decorated' with a complex system of inscriptions and images. Images and hieroglyphic design intertwine and make the temple what it is: an image of the cosmos according to Egyptian imagination.
The Würzburg Chair of Egyptology has been researching the Horus Temple for a good ten years. The work will continue in the coming years.
More information on the research project
