Sky God. Horus, in the form of a falcon, or falconheaded human, is one of the oldest gods of the Egyptian pantheon. He was the god of the sky, whose right eye was associated with the sun, and whose left eye was the moon. A Dynasty 1 (circa 3000-2800 B.C.E.) comb shows the sky as the two wings of a bird, probably Horus. He was also associated with the king, and from Dynasty 1 onward one of the king's names was preceded by the Horus falcon, making the king the earthly embodiment of the cosmic Horus.

Battle with Seth. In the earliest version of the myths surrounding Horus, he was involved in a struggle with his brother, Seth, for the rulership of Egypt. This conflict is apparently a reflection of the political situation in which the city of Hierakonpolis (a major cult center for...