Temple of Isis at Philae

The temple was primarily dedicated to Isis but her husband Osiris and her son Horus were also worshipped there. Both Isis and Osiris are seen as deified rulers and so their names appear within a cartouche. The current Temple of Isis is a notably Ptolemaic structure. The main body of the building was built by Ptolemy II, (behind the ancient shrine of Amasis which was then demolished).

West and East Colonnades

To the north of the Kiosk of Nectanebo, there are two colonnades leading towards the first pylon of the Temple of Isis. The western colonnade is in better condition and still retains some of the original which used to offer a view of the island of Biggeh. It is around 90 metres (100 yards long) and thirty-one of the original thirty-two columns remain. Although all of the column capitals are floral, no two are exactly alike. Many of the columns depict Roman Emperor Tiberius making offerings to the gods, and there are two rows of bas-relief depictions of Tiberius and Augustus in the rear wall. The remains of the decoration of stars and vultures can still be seen on parts of the ceiling. At the north end of the western colonnade, there is a nilometer cut into the cliff. The eastern colonnade was never completed. At the south end it is attached to the small temple of Ary-hes-nefer (Arsenuphis or Anhur).

Gate of Ptolemy

The Gate of Ptolemy II Philadelphus lies between the Temple of Imhotep and the first pylon of the Temple of Isis. The gate is decorated with images of the Pharaoh being led forward by Isis.

In front of the main gateway to the first pylon stand two Roman style lions carved from pink granite. They would have originally been joined by two large pink granite obelisks constructed by Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II and Cleopatra III (his second wife). The base of one of these obelisks contains an inscription in which the priests of Isis at Philae complain to the pharaoh that they had to refund the expenses of civil and military authorities incurred during their stay on the island! Unfortunately, the obelisks were "liberated" by the British Consul Henry Salt and his colleague Giovanni Belzoni in 1918 and now stand in a garden in Dorset. The obelisks were used to help decipher hieroglyphs along with the famous Rosetta stone

First Pylon

The gateway was constructed by Nectanebo and so predates the rest of the first pylon. Nectanebo makes an appearance with a number of gods, but there are also post dynastic inscriptions on the gateway. Coptic Christians cut a number of crosses into the stone, and a French inscription records over the Mamelukes in 1799.

The first pylon consists of two 60 foot towers with a gate between them. There are grooves cut into each side of the pylon to support flag poles. Construction of the pylon was begun by Ptolemy II Philadelphus and finished by Ptolemy III Euergetes I, but decorations were also added by their successors.

Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysus is depicted on the eastern tower holding a number of enemies of Egypt by the hair while holding his mace high above his head in the traditional "smiting" pose. He is accompanied by Isis, Horus of Edfu and Hathor. There are two smaller scenes above this depiction; on the left the pharaoh offers the crown of Upper and Lower Egypt to Horus of Edfu and Nephthys; and on the right he offers incense to Isis and Horus the child.

The pharaoh is also depicted "smiting" his enemies on the western tower in the presence of Isis, Horus of Edfu and Hathor. Above this scene the pharaoh appears with Unnefer (or "wennefer" a form of Osiris) and Isis and also with Isis and Horus the child. These decorations were badly damaged by early Coptic Christians.

At the base of the first pylon a series of small personified Nile figures present offerings.

Outer Courtyard

The First Pylon leads to an inner courtyard in which the Mammissi of Isis is located (on the west). On the eastern side of the courtyard there is a colonnade with access to a few small storerooms and in the north the Second Pylon provides access to the main structure of the Temple of Isis.

Colonnade and Storerooms

Behind the colonnade on the eastern wall of the courtyard there are five storerooms, each two stories high. Some of these rooms may have been used as storerooms and one at least seems to have been a library while another was used for storing and mixing the precious oils and incenses used in the temple. However, it is also suggested that they were used for ritual purification rites.

Mammisi (birth house)

The birth-house is surrounded on three sides by a colonnade of floral topped columns each crowned with a sistrum and Hathor-headed capital. The walls flanking the columns depict the pharaohs Ptolemy VI, VIII and X and the Roman Emperor Tiberius along with a number of gods.

The Mammisi (birth house) was a common feature of Ptolemaic temples and the examplke on Philae is similar in layout and decoration to examples at Dendera and Edfu. In the sanctuary of the mammisi of Isis, Horus is depicted as hawk awearing the Double Crown and standing in a thicket of papyrus. Below that scene, Isis carries the newly born Horus in her arms, under the protection of Thoth, Wadjet, Nekhbet and Amun-Ra.

Second Pylon

The second pylon is approximately 105 foot wide and 40 foot high and (unusually) is not set parallel to the First Pylon. A series of small steps lead to the gateway between the two towers.

On the western tower, Ptolemy XII offers incense and animals to a number of gods including Horus, Hathor. There are two scenes above this which have unfortunately been quite badly damaged. One depicts the pharaoh offering a garland of flowers to Horus and Nephthys , the other depicts the king offering incense and pouring cleansing water on an altar in the presence of Osiris, Isis and Horus. A staircase in the western tower leads to the roof and the "Osirian Chambers". The eastern tower has very similar decorations but is in much better condition. Both towers have grooves for flagpoles just like those on the First Pylon.

Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II and a number of gods make an appearance in the decorations on the passageway between the towers, but unfortunately the depiction has been quite badly defaced. On the east side of the doorway there is a later inscription dedicated to the Christian Bishop Theodorus.

Near the base of the eastern tower, a piece of the granite foundation of the original island protruded from the ground (and has been moved to the new island). Ptolemy VI Philometor had this outcrop of granite carved into a stele on which he appears with queen Cleopatra II standing in front of Isis and Horus. The inscription refers to the grant of land to the temple which placed the priests of Philae on a similar standing to those of Elephantine. The grant is known as the "Dodekaschoinoi" which is Greek for "twelve schoinoi" (in which a "schoinos" is a piece of land around seven miles along the riverbank).

Inner Courtyard

The gateway through the Second Pylon leads to a small open court and hypostyle hall. There was originally a colonnade on the east and west sides of the courtyard, but only ten columns remain. The pillars are beautifully painted and decorated to resemble a variety of plants and flowers. They are though to represent the first plants that grew from the primeval mound. The ceiling of the hypostyle hall is decorated with the twin vulture goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjet (representing upper and lower Egypt) and the barques of day and night.

A number of reliefs in the courtyard have been defaced and replaced with Coptic Christian crosses and a Christian altar was erected in the courtyard at about 500 AD. There were, in fact, several Christian churches here, including those dedicated to the Virgin Mary (usurping Isis) and Saint Stephen (usurping the position of Horus. There is also another inscription by Bishop Theodorus on the doorway of a room on the right of the hall in which he takes credit for his "good work" in defacing the ancient monument. A similar inscription records the "archaeological" expedition sent by Pope Gregory XVI of 1841 during which further ancient reliefs were no doubt destroyed.

Sanctuary

There are three small antechambers with small rooms set off them and then the sanctuary itself. The sanctuary is a small chamber with two small windows. It still contains the pedestal installed by Ptolemy III Euergetes I and his wife Berenice which would have supported the image of Isis in her sacred barque. This statue of the goddess would have been carried out in processions from the temple on her ceremonial barque to make the short crossing to the island of Bigeh to visit the tomb of her husband, Osiris.

Dendera Temple

The Temple of Hathor at Dendera, on the Nile north of Luxor, is one of the latest Egyptian temples. Dedicated to the wife of the god Horus, it was built in Roman times and its decorations include Roman emperors alongside Egyptian gods. Along with Abydos further north, Dendera is a popular day trip from Luxor.

 

History

The Temple of Hathor was built between 30 BC and 14 AD, making it one of the youngest Egyptian temples. However, it was built on top of an older temple, the date of which remains unclear. It is probable that the design of the later temple is based on that of the older one.

Dendera was an ancient healing center, comparable to a Greek Asklepion or the Catholic Lourdes. Hathor, wife of Horus, was the goddess of the sky, fertility and healing, and the rituals performed by her priestesses included the use of a sistrum, or rattle.

What to See

The Temple of Hathor is boxy in shape and surrounded by a portico with thick columns and walls about half as tall as the roof. There are many reliefs of figures and rituals on the exterior of the temple, including pharaohs, Egyptian deities, and Roman emperors.

Inside, the most fascinating sight is the roof chapel dedicated to Osiris, which contains a sundial and circular zodiac. The zodiac, a replica of the original that is now in the Louvre, consists of two superimposed constellations. One is centered on the geographical north pole, the other on the true north pole. An axis passes through Pisces, confirming what we know from archaeological evidence: it was built in the age of Pisces, just over 2,000 years ago.

Interestingly, two hieroglyphs on the edge of the zodiac seem to indicate that another axis passed through the beginning of the age of Taurus (about 4,000 BC; a thousand years before dynastic Egypt). This may be a clue to the great age of the first temple that stood here.

Among the many other structures here are the remains of a 5th-century Christian basilica, an excellent example of early Coptic church architecture. There is also a sanatorium, where pilgrims could bathe in the sacred waters or take holy water - which had been run over magical texts to infuse it with power - home with them.

Esna Temple

The town of Esna (Iunyt or Ta-senet to the ancient Egyptians and Latopolis to the Greeks) is roughly 50 km south of Luxor (ancient Thebes). It seems that the first temple (or shrine) in Esna was built during the reign of Thuthmosis III (during the New Kingdom), but the present temple dates from the Greco-Roman period, when the town of Esna became the capital of the third nome of Upper Egypt

The temple of Esna is primarily dedicated to Khnum (a god of the Nile who moulded the "ka" on his potters wheel) but was also dedicated to a number of other deities, most notably Neith (the ancient goddess of war and weaving) and Heka ( the personification of magic) Satet (a goddess of the Nile) and Menhet (the lion goddess who was the wife of Khnum at Esna).

The temple was built almost nine metres below ground level and although the hypostyle hall was excavated by Marriett, the rest of the temple is still buried underneath the modern town. As a result the temple appears to sit in a large pit hollowed out from the town. Although some masonry blocks attesting to the construction during the reign of Thuthmosis III have been reused at the site, the oldest complete part of the temple is the back wall of the hypostyle hall which was built during the Ptolemaic period and features depictions of Ptolemy VI Philometer and Ptolemy VIII Euergetes. The rest of the excavated building was built by a series of Roman Emperors from Claudius (41-54 AD) Decius to Decius (249-251 AD).. 

The roof of the hypostyle hall is supported by twenty four columns with beautifully carved and painted floral capitals in a variety of designs (see below). The columns are decorated with texts describing the religious festival and depict several Roman emperors before the ancient Egyptian gods. For example, one depicts the Emperor Trajan dancing before the goddess Menhet.

On the northern wall of the hall the pharaoh is depicted catching wild birds - symbolically representing him subduing evil spirits. At the east corner there is a strange hymn to Khnum in which the name of the god is written using the hieroglyph of a crocodile. At the opposite corner the hymn is repeated but with the name of the god written with the more traditional ram head. The decorations also include a number of calendars and the ceiling is decorated with Egyptian astronomical figures on the northern side and Roman zodiacal signs on the southern side.

Sphinx Temples

The Great Sphinx is a colossal stone statue located next to the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Carved out of limestone, the Sphinx has the facial features of a man and the body of a recumbent lion; it is approximately 240 feet (73 m) long and 66 feet (20 m) high.

 

History

The Sphinx was built in about 2530 BC by the pharaoh Khafre (4th king of Fourth dynasty, c. 2575–c. 2465 BC), the builder and occupant of the second Giza pyramid. The sphinx's face is a portrait of the king and the sphinx continued to be a royal portrait type through most of Egyptian history.

The Sphinx is thought to be primarily a guardian figure, protecting the tomb of the Khafre by warding off evil spirits. Arabs know the Sphinx of Giza by the name of Abu al-Hawl, or "Father of Terror."

The Sphinx's face was mainly damaged during French occupation around 1800, when Mameluke troops used it for target practice for their field cannons, but its body has been weathered by the elements for thousands of years (more on this below).

Myth & Mystery

A number of mysteries surround the Great Sphinx, perhaps even more than the pyramids. First, it is not known why the builders chose such heavy blocks to chip off the Sphinx for the temple or how they moved them to build the temple.

Second, the Sphinx was widely believed to have been an oracle. Between its paws is a 15th-century BC stone tablet recounting a vision given to a prince who slept in the shadow of the Sphinx (and perhaps sought its divine aid) and later became a pharaoh through its intercession.

Weathered by Water?

But the most interesting mysteries of the Sphinx (or at least those producing the most provocative theories) have to do with how it came to be weathered. The most obvious answer is that it was by millenia of desert winds.

But when geologist Robert Schoch and Egyptologist John Anthony West examined it in 1990, Schloch concluded it had been weathered by rainfall, not by wind and sand. If that's true, its date of construction might be closer to 7000 BC.

Similarly, when the maverick Egyptologist R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz visited Giza in the 1930s, he immediately declared that the Sphinx had been weathered by water, not by wind. But instead of suggesting rainfall, Schwaller proposed that the Sphinx had been worn by seawater and that its origins lay in the ocean.

Connections with Atlantis?

Schwaller also suggested that the Sphinx was far older than its accepted date of about 2500 BC. The current date for the beginnings of Egyptian civilization is about 3000 BC, which means that the Egyptians developed their sophisticated science, mathematics and building skills in a mere 500 years. He proposed that Egyptian knowledge was not a new development, but a legacy from a far older civilization, possibly Plato's Lost City of Atlantis.

Temples at Philae

The Egyptian island of Philae was the center for worship of the goddess Isis and attracted pilgrims from all over the ancient world.

The original island is now completely submerged under the waters of Lake Nasser. But in a spectacular rescue operation, the great temples and monuments of Philae were pulled out of the water and re-erected on a nearby island, now renamed Philae.

 

History

The earliest building on the island of Philae was a small temple to Isis built in about 370 BC by Napktnebef Kheperkare (Nectanebo I). This was later expanded into a great Temple of Isis by a number of rulers, most notably Ptolemy II Philadelphius (285-246 BC) and Diocletian (284-305 AD).

Philae was one of the last outposts of Egyptian religion, surviving two centuries after the Roman Empire converted to Christianity. The sacred island attracted many Greek and Roman pilgrims, who came to pray for healing from the mysterious Egyptian goddess Isis. Even after their defeat by Emperor Marcian in 451 AD, Nubian priests were permitted to make offerings to Isis on Philae.

The temples of Philae were finally closed in 535 AD by order of Emperor Justinian. Some of the chambers were converted for Christian worship and a Coptic community lived on the island until the coming of Islam.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Philae was renowned for its beauty and became a popular tourist destination for well-to-do Europeans. But with the building of the Aswan Dam, the island was submerged for most of the year and Philae began to lose its charm. The gray coloring of the lower part of the temples still shows the effect of their annual immersion during this period.

When the High Dam project threatened to engulf Philae completely, the temples were saved by a great international rescue operation sponsored by UNESCO, which took place between 1972 and 1980. The island of Philae was surrounded by a coffer dam and drained, while a new site was prepared on the neighboring island of Agilka. The temples were broken up into sections and carefully numbered, then re-erected in the same relative positions on Agilka.

Two Coptic churches, a Coptic monastery, the ruins of a Temple of Augustus, and a large Roman city gate were left where they stood on the submerged island of Philae and not transferred to Agilka. It is hoped to recover them at a later date.

What to See

The largest and most important temple on Philae is the great Temple of Isis, which is oriented south to north. It was entered on the south through the Hall of Nectanebo.

The Hall of Nectanebo leads into the large Outer Court, which dates from the end of the Ptolemaic period or the reign of Augustus. It is enclosed by a wall known as the first pylon on the north and colonnades on the east and west sides. Here can also be seen a section of the solid embankment wall that apparently enclosed the main part of the island and was interrupted at several points by steps leading down to the water.

The first pylon is 150ft (45.5m) wide and 60ft (18m) high. It consists of two towers and a central doorway, which was decorated with reliefs by Nectanebo. On the front of the east tower is a huge figure of Ptolemy XII grasping a band of enemies by the hair and raising his club to smite them, with Isis, the falcon headed Horus of Edfu and Hathor on the left. Above are two reliefs of Ptolemy XII presenting the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt to Horus and Nephthys (right) and offering incense to Isis and Harpocrates (left). There are similar reliefs on the west tower; at the foot are demotic and Greek inscriptions.

A doorway in this tower, with reliefs by Philometor, leads directly to the entrance to the Birth House. In front of the pylon were originally two granite obelisks erected by Euergetes II and two granite lions.

The east colonnade is unfinished, with only 6 of 16 columns completed. The others are roughly hewn with unfinished capitals. In the rear wall of the east colonnade are five doors which led into various chapels. The west colonnade is 305ft (93m) long and has 31 (originally 32) plant columns 17ft (5.10m) high, with capitals in a variety of forms. Most columns bear reliefs of the Emperor Tiberius making offerings to the gods. The roof of the colonnade is decorated with stars and flying vultures. On the rear wall are two rows of reliefs depicting the emperor, usually Augustus or Tiberius, dedicating gifts to the gods. From the colonnade a subterranean staircase leads down to a small Nilometer.

West of the forecourt, just behind the first pylon, is the Birth House (Mammisi). This was dedicated to Hathor-Isis in honor of the birth of her son Horus and was where the king conducted rituals securing his legitimate decendancy from Horus. It is surrounded on all four sides by colonnades, the columns in which have foliage capitals surmounted by sistrum capitals. The walls, columns and screens between the columns are covered with reliefs and inscriptions, mostly by Euergetes II, Ptolemy XII, Augustus and Tiberius. Most notable are the reliefs in the last chamber, which depict Horus as a falcon in the swamps of the Delta, Isis suckling Horus in the swamps, and other scenes from Horus' childhood.

The second pylon is 105ft (32m) wide and 40ft (12m) high and covered in reliefs. Those on the central doorway are by Euergetes II. On the lower part of the east tower is a large figure of Ptolemy XII dedicating sacrificial animals to Horus and Hathor. Above are two small reliefs depicting the King presenting a garland to Horus and Nephthys (right) and offering incense to Osiris, Isis and Horus and pouring water on the altar (left). The natural granite at the foot of the tower has been smoothed to form a stela, with a six line inscription and reliefs relating to a grant of land made by Philometor in 157 BC. The west tower has similar reliefs, which have been deliberately defaced.

In front of the second pylon are the foundations of a small chapel. The second pylon can be climbed by a staircase on the north side of the west tower, from the top of which it is possible to cross the central doorway to the east tower. Within the central doorway are some very faded early Christian paintings.

Behind the second pylon is the Temple of Isis itself, which consists of a court, a vestibule, several antechambers and the inner sanctum where the sacred image of Isis was kept. The walls are covered with reliefs and inscriptions depicting various Ptolemies (Philadelphus, Euergetes II, etc.) and Roman Emperors (Augustus, Tiberius, Antoninus Pius) making offerings or performing other ritual acts. They are very similar to the reliefs in other temples of the period, particularly those of Dendera and Edfu.

The vestibule of the Temple of Isis has eight columns and was originally separated from the court by screens between the columns on the front. The vestibule and court were later transformed into a Christian church: Coptic crosses are incised in the walls and a Greek inscription states that "this good work" was done in the time of Bishop Theodore (during the reign of Justinian). Above the door is an inscription commemorating the archeological expedition sent to Philae in 1841 by Pope Gregory XVI.

The striking Hypostyle Hall conisists of ten huge pillars. Once beautifully painted, the pillars symbolize the first plants, trees and flowers of the earth which began to grow on the Primeval Mound (symbolized by the temple floor). On the ceiling (representing the sky), are images of the Day Boat and the Night Boat, and of the vultures of Upper and Lower Egypt.

About 55 yards (50m) east of the Temple of Isis is the little Temple of Hathor, built by Philometor and Euergetes II in honor of Hathor-Aphrodite. The vestibule and the sanctuary (now destroyed) were later added by Augustus.

The columns of the vestibule are decorated with reliefs of flute-players and harpists, Bes with a tambourine, Bes dancing and playing a harp, monkeys playing the lyre, priests bearing an antelope, and other charming scenes. On the screens between the columns, Augustus is shown making offerings to personifications of Hathor. The best-preserved part of the structure is the main temple chamber, on the front of which are two plant columns linked to the walls by screens.

Southeast of the Temple of Hathor on the riverbank is perhaps the most attractive building on the island, the Kiosk of Trajan. It dates from the Roman Imperial period, but was left unfinished: the capitals of the plant columns were intended to be surmounted by sistrum capitals.

Getting There

Travel by road from Aswan to the landing stage 4mi (6km) south; then hire a boat to the island of Philae.

Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor

The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut is the focal point of the Deir el-Bahri (“Northern Monastery”) complex of mortuary temples and tombs located on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the city of Luxor (ancient Thebes).

Hatshepsut was a rare female pharoah. Her temple, known as Djeser-Djeseru ("Splendor of Splendors "), was designed and implemented by Senemut, the pharaoh's royal steward, for her posthumous worship.

 

History

Maatkare Hatshepsut or Hatchepsut (late 16th century BC – c. 1482 BC) was the fifth Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Ancient Egypt. She is generally regarded by modern Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, ruling longer than any female ruler of an indigenous dynasty.

Hatshepsut was the daughter of Pharaoh Tuthmosis I and the wife of his successor Tuthmosis II, who died before she bore a son. Rather than step aside for the secondary wife who had borne him an heir, the plucky queen became co-regent of her stepson, the young Tuthmosis III. Soon she assumed absolute power.

To legitmize her powerful position, Hatshepsut had herself depicted with a pharaoh's kilt and beard. She was a prolific builder, commissioning hundreds of construction projects throughout both Upper and Lower Egypt. Under her reign, Egypt's trade networks began to be rebuilt, after their disruption during the Hyksos occupation of Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period.

She is believed to have ruled from 1503 to 1482 BC. Josephus writes that she reigned 21 years and 9 months. Hatshepsut is regarded variously as the earliest known queen regnant in history, as the first known female to take the title Pharaoh, and the first great woman in history, although all of these claims have been contested.

After Hatshepsut's death, Tuthmosis III became pharaoh. Perhaps fearing a challenge to his legitimacy as a successor, he immediately chiseled all images of Hatshepsut off temples, monuments and obelisks, consigning her remarkable reign to oblivion until its rediscovery by modern archaeologists.

In more recent history, tragedy struck in November 1997 when 58 tourists and four guards were killed by terrorists on the Middle Terrace. They hijacked a coach to get away, but the driver deliberately crashed it by the Valley of the Queens and villagers chased them down before the police arrived. All the sites in the area are now heavily guarded with multiple fences, security checkpoints and guards. There have been no attacks on tourists in Egypt since then.

What to See

A 100-foot causeway leads to the temple, which consists of three terraced courtyards covered in sculptural reliefs. Originally, sphinxes probably lined the path from the Nile to the base of the temple. The terraces have a severe, almost Communist appearance now, but in Hatshepsut's time they were softened and cooled by myrrh trees, green gardens, and fountains. The queen herself acquired the trees on a famous journey to the Land of Punt, which is depicted in one of the colonnades of the Middle Terrace.

Pairs of lions flanked the top and bottom of the ramp to the Middle Terrace; one of each survives today.

The right side of the terrace contains the Birth Colonnade, featuring faded reliefs of Hatshepsut's divine origins. From left: her parents Tuthmosis I and Queen Ahmosis sit with their knees touching; gods lead Ahmosis into the birth chamber; the god Khnum creates Hatshepsut and her ka (both depicted as boys) on a potter's wheel; Bes and Heqet (a frog deity) look on; goddesses nurse her; and Thoth records details of her reign.

At the end of the Birth Colonnade and down some steps is the Chapel of Anubis, with fluted columns and colorful murals. Over the niche on the right, Thutmosis III is shown offering wine to Sokaris (a sun god with a falcon's head). Hathor is on the facing wall. Other walls depict Hatshepsut (defaced after her death) and Tuthmosis making offerings to Anubis (the dog-headed god).

The left side of the terrace is occupied by the Punt Colonnade, whose faint reliefs depict Hatshepsut's journey to the Land of Punt (the birthplace of Amun) to bring back myrrh trees for her temple. The destination is believed to be in modern-day Somalia. From left: Amun commissions the journey; Egyptian boats sail from the Red Sea Coast and are welcomed by the king of Punt and his very fat wife (maybe afflicted by elephantiasis). The Egyptians offer metal axes and other goods and leave with myrrh trees, ebony, ivory, cinnamoon wood and panther skins. The last relief shows the trees being planted at the temple.

At the end of the Punt Colonnade is the Chapel of Hathor, with capitals in the shape of the goddess' face and sacred rattle (sistrum). In the first chamber, Hathor appears in bovine and human forms and suckles Hatshepsut (not defaced here) on the left wall. The next chamber has remarkably colorful reliefs of festival processions.

Inside the gated sanctuary of the Chapel of Hathor are reliefs of Hatshepsut (also preserved from destruction) worshipping the bovine Hathor on the left and a portrait of Senenmut on the right. Senenmut was the queen's favorite courtier, who fell from grace for mysterious reasons after 15 years of closeness with her and her daughter Neferure - whom he may have fathered. When this sanctuary was first discovered, it contained stacks of baskets full of wooden penises, perhaps used in fertility rituals.

On the top terrace is the Djeser-Djeseru ("Splendor of Splendors"), a colonnaded structure built into a cliff face that rises sharply above it. From a distance, the temple looks like the Egyptian hieroglyphic for Nun, a four-step pyramid representing the primordial mound from which Amun was born. The Upper Terrace is reached via a ramp flanked with vultures' heads. This terrace has only recently opened to visitors after years of excavations and restorations by Polish and Egyptian archaeologists. From there is a fine view of the Nile Valley.

The Sanctuary of Hatshepsut is on the left; it bears reliefs of priests and offerings. On the other side is the Sanctuary of the Sun, an open court with a central altar. In the center in the far back is the Sanctuary of Amun, dug into the cliff and aligned so that it points towards Hatshepsut's tomb in the Valley of the Kings. In the time of the Ptolemies, this was extended and dedicated to Imhotep and Amenhotep.

Temple of Sobek and Haroeris (Kom Ombo Template)

The Temple of Sobek and Haroeris in Kom Ombo (also known simply as Kom Ombo Temple) dates from about 180 BC during the Ptolemaic era, with additions made into Roman times. It stands right on the bank of the Nile between Edfu and Aswan, making it a convenient stop for river cruises.

 

History

In ancient times, Kom Ombo stood on an important crossroads between the caravan route from Nubia and trails from the gold mines in the eastern desert. During the reign of Ptolemy VI Philometor (180-145 BC), it became a training depot for African war elephants, which were used to fight the fierce pachyderms of the Seleucid empire.

The temple at Kom Ombo was also built at this time, under Ptolemy VI. Since this bend in the Nile was a favored spot for crocodiles to bask in the sun and threaten locals, it is natural that the temple would be dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god. But it is unusual in having a double dedication: it also honors Haroeris, a form of the falcon-headed god Horus.

The hypostyle halls were added under Ptolemy XIII (51-47 BC); the Roman emperor Trajan (53-117 AD) added the forecourt and outer enclosure walls.

Today, Kom Ombo is home to many Nubians who were displaced from their ancestral homes by the rise of Lake Nasser caused by Aswan Dam. Tourism is not the only industry in Kom Ombo: sugar cane is harvested on the river banks and there are felucca-building yards here.

What to See

The Kom Ombo Temple is unusual in that it is a double temple, with one side dedicated to the god Haroesis and the other side to Sobek. The design is almost perfectly symmetrical, with two side-by-side sanctuaries and two parallel passageways leading through the outer parts of the temple.

The right side is dedicated to Sobek-Re (the crocodile god combined with the sun god Re), along with his wife (a form of Hathor) and their son Khonsu-Hor. Sobek is associated with Seth, the enemy of Horus. In the myth of Horus and Osiris, Seth and his followers changed themselves into crocodiles to escape. The ancient Egyptians believed that by honoring the fearsome crocodile as a god, they would be safe from attacks.

The left side is dedicated to Haroeris, the "Good Doctor" (a form of the falcon-headed god Horus the Elder) along with his consort Ta-Sent-Nefer, the "Good Sister" (another form of Hathor).

Entrance to the temple complex is via the Gate of Neos Dionysos, only half of which still stands. Its date is not certain, since scholars different on which Ptolemy should be identified with the title of Neos Dionysos. But the general consensus is that he is Ptolemy XII (81-50 BC), the father of Cleopatra.

Like other Egyptian temples, Kom Ombo had a great pylon, but this was washed away by the Nile long ago. Most of the forecourt is gone as well, with only low walls and stumps of pillars remaining. This section was added in the Roman era under Trajan.

The main sight at Kom Ombo is the beautiful Outer Hypostyle Hall, with 15 thick columns topped with floral capitals and a cornice decorated with carved winged sun-discs. The bases of the columns bear the heraldic lily of Upper Egypt and the papyrus symbol of the Nile Delta. Significant portions of the roof remain, which are decorated with flying vultures and astronomical imagery.

On the outer wall on the left, Neos Dionysos is shown being purified by Thoth and Horus; on the right a similar scene occurs in the presence of Sobek (whose face has been destroyed).

On the inner wall on the right (east) are especially fine carvings of Neos Dionysos being crowned before Haroeris, Sobek (patrons of the temple), Wadjet and Nekhbet (the goddess of the north and south).

The west side of the inner wall has Neos Dionysos appearing before Isis, Horus the Elder, and a lion-headed god. In the back of the hall, the king makes offerings to the same deities.

The Inner Hypostyle Hall is older and has 10 slender columns. There is a relief of Sobek in his snake form on the south wall between the portals; in the southwest corner, Ptolemy II receives the sword of victory (hps) from Haroeris in the presence of the king's wife and sister. Ptolemy II is also shown making offerings to various gods on the shafts of the columns, while his elder brother makes offerings to Haroeris a the back of the hall. Between the back doors is a hieroglyphic list of temple deities and festivals.

Beyond the hypostyle halls are three successive vestibules, rectangular and roofless, decorated by Ptolemy VI. The first vestibule contains reliefs showing the foundation of the temple with Sheshat (goddess of writing) making measurements (on the left back wall) and offerings and libations to Sobek (right back wall).

The second vestibule is the Hall of Offerings; only priests were admitted here. The chamber on the right was used to store vestments and sacred texts. Reliefs on the southern wall include offerings to Haroeris (east), a women giving birth (center) and a description of the temple and dedication to Sobek (west).

Through a wide single doorway from the Hall of Offerings are the doors to the parallel sanctuaries. On the wall in between the doors is a relief of Ptolemy, wearing a Macedonian cloak, and his wife being presented with a palm stalk with a sign representing the years of his reign. The gods present are Sobek's son Khonsu (wearing a blue crescent and red disc), Haroeris and Sobek.

Little remains of the sanctuaries themselves, but this allows a glimpse of the secret corridor between them. It is thought that the priest would speak for the gods from here. The corridor's entrance is through a underground crypt in the central shrine in the northern inner corridor.

The outer corridor between the Ptolemaic temple and the Roman enclosure wall bears reliefs including Marcus Aurelius offering a pectoral to Ta-Sent-Nefer, the Good Sister and wife of Haroeris (back left) and depictions of surgical tools (to the right of Aurelius), which are quite sophisticated for 2,000 years ago.

Worth visiting in the temple grounds is the Sacred Wall just west of the Outer Hypostyle Hall. This large round well has two stairways descending to its depths and was used as a Nilometer: priests would calculate taxes for the year by measuring the depth of the Nile.

A small pool nearby was used for raising sacred crocodiles. In the Chapel of Hathor near the entrance are three crocodile mummies, which were uncovered during nearby roadworks in the 1970s.

The Birth House of Ptolemy VII was mostly washed away by the Nile in the 19th century, but a doorway remains intact. See the Edfu Temple for an example of a surviving birth house, which was an element unique to Ptolemaic temples. A few faint reliefs can still be seen, including one showing Ptolemy IX and two gods in a papyrus thicket, observed by an ithyphallic Min-Amun-Re holding lettuce (symbolizing fertility).