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Decoration
The Taffeh temple has no decoration added during the initial construction phase. It is not known
whether the southern temple did have decoration as this temple was not as thoroughly studied
and published as the Taffeh temple and no longer exists today (Schneider 1979, 95-103; Raven
1979, 40).
The temple of Dendur has a lot of decoration in all parts of the temple. It mainly contains
decorative images representing various religiously and politically significant scenes, something that
is lacking in the temple of Taffeh and present in Shenhur on a much smaller scale. It is unknown
whether the burial chambers were decorated or not as they are never described in detail.
Decoration can be found on the pylon gate where the pharaoh is depicted making offerings to the
gods. The top of the gate has a depiction of the winged sun disk, a symbol of protection (Aldred
1978, 30-45; www.metmuseum.org, accessed on 27-3-2019).
The hypostyle hall is decorated with several scenes including those representing the pharaoh
offering to gods, Pihor and Pedesi as gods, a procession of marsh gods and the pharaoh and a
demon lion with reed stalks also possibly referring to protection and the marshland (Aldred 1978,
50).
The second room, the offering hall, has little decoration. The only decorated part is the doorway
leading into the sanctuary. Also in this room the pharaoh is shown offering to the gods. This was a
common scene to be depicted in the offering hall (www.metmuseum.org, accessed on 27-3-2019;
Wilkinson 2007, 69).
The sanctuary has little decoration in the room itself as well. I does have a stela depicting Pihor
and Pedesi with the gods of the temple, including Isis. This stela is in the shape of a false door. This
was meant as a way for the brothers to be able to enter the sanctuary and receive their offerings.
Aldred does not explicitly mention why this decoration was there, only that it proves certain claims
such as the brothers Pihor and Pedesi being treated as gods.
The decorative scenes could have been a way to religiously legitimise the rule of the Roman
emperor as well as a way for the emperor to show he knows of the Egyptian traditions and
honours them. Aside from that the fact that Pihor and Pedesi are treated as gods shows this
temple was meant to honour the brothers in the highest way possible, which supports the claim it
was a gift to their father, a Blemmey lord, as a reward for his loyalty. This is a political move,