Michael A. Stecker
mike@mstecker.com


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x Temple of Philae


Agilika Island is seen from my cruise ship the Nile Emperor. This island in the middle of the Nile River is located between Luxor to the north and Aswan to the south. The Temple of Philae was dismantled and transferred to the island when flooding occurred due to building of the Aswan High Dam.

 

 


Intricate engravings on the wall of the Temple of Philae.  Two large wall carvings of the goddess Isis flank
the entrance while another can be seen on the pylon within.

 

 


The Temple of Philae on Agilika Island (about 500 meters from its original home on Philae island) was dedicated to the goddess Isis. Its earliest structures were built during the 30th Dynasty (4th century B.C.), while the remainder was built later during the Ptolemaic (Greek) and Roman periods. Its various shrines and sanctuaries include temples of Isis, Hathor, Harendotes and Augustus. The architecture of the temple is unusual as it represents the fusion of three great civilizations -- Egyptian, Greek and Roman.

 

 

At the temple of Kom Ombo Pharoah offers gifts to Sobek -- the crocodile god, while Isis looks on.

Sobek (He who causes to be fertile) was  called the Lord of Faiyum, and was considered the god who controlled the waters. With the body of a man and head of a crocodile, he was admired and feared for his ferocity. At the command of Ra he performed tasks such as catching with a net the four sons of Horus as they emerged from the waters in a lotus bloom. Sometimes identified with Seth when Seth took the form of a crocodile. It is said that in the Osiris legends, Horus takes the form of a crocodile in order to retrieve the parts of Osiris's body that were cast into the Nile by Seth.

 

 


The Temple Edfu is located 123 kms north of Aswan in southern
Egypt. It was built during the Ptolemic period and is devoted to
the hawk-like sun god Horus.