The city of reptiles Crocodilopolis: How the Egyptians worshiped a god with a reptilian head and why they need thousands of crocodile mummies. Crocodile: Egyptian mythology

The temple at Kom Ombo was built under the Ptolemies from 180 to 47 AD. BC, however, it may have more ancient roots. The temple is located on the right bank of the Nile, 40 kilometers north of Aswan. Usually it is visited by tourists, who necessarily stop here, traveling along the Nile on a motor ship.

Sebek, a god depicted with the head of a crocodile, is considered a creator god and protector from evil forces. His wife (according to one version) is considered Hathor - the goddess of love and beauty, and his son - Khonsu - the god of the moon and wisdom. True, Hathor is also considered the wife of Horus. The main place of worship for Sebek is considered to be Fayum Lake in northern Egypt, where the city of Crocodipolis (Shedit) was located, but practically nothing remained of it, except for several thousand mummies of crocodiles. Therefore, the temple of Sebek, and even in Upper Egypt, is the only one, and therefore unique.

However, the uniqueness of the Kom Ombo temple does not end there, it is a double temple, the right side of which is dedicated to the god Horus, that is, the god of the sun and sky, one of the main gods in the Egyptian pantheon. As in the case of Sebek, both his wife and his son found a place in the temple. According to some myths, Horus and Sebek are brothers, which explains such a filling of the temple.

After the construction of the temple, almost nothing is known about it, after the spread of Christianity in Egypt, Copts used it for some time, but then it was finally abandoned. Since the temple was located near the Nile, the river during floods destroyed the gate of the temple and part of the facade. And in 1893 it was accidentally discovered by a French archaeologist, the temple was covered with sand to the very roof.

On the other side of the temple, there is still a decent-sized dune

On the right are the remains of the gate

In the foreground is all that remains of the pylon.

Just in case, I give you a drawing of the plan of the temple.

From the courtyard with columns around the perimeter, only the bases of the columns remained

The entrance to the temple, as you can see, is double - on the left for Sebek, on the right for Horus

As you can see from the plan and from the first photos of the facade of the temple, the temple is quite badly destroyed, for Egypt it is rather poor state of preservation, although the central halls, having lost their roof, are still more or less preserved. But what has definitely survived well is the drawings and images on the walls, some are carved as if yesterday.

Entrance to a part of the temple of Sebek

Angle Mountain

Sebek

The main part of the graffiti talks about the gods, and in some parts there is a listing of what was donated to the sanctuary

Corridor on the right

Hypostyle hall

To the left of the image of the goddess Sekhmet there is a calendar, only a small piece got into the frame, and so there is a whole wall

The calendar

On some parts of the krum, mostly ceiling beams, there are traces of the original color painting

Lobby in front of the altar

View from the end of the temple

At the end of the temple there were, as I understand it, two altar stones. Only one has survived to this day. It is located in the part of Sebek

At the very end of the temple is a row small spaces closed with an iron grating, but you can look there

As befits Egyptian temples, they were surrounded by a wall along the outer perimeter; here, reliefs are well preserved on the walls of the temple.

Passage to the left of the temple

Passage behind the temple

Star. Similar adorned the vaults of the tombs in the pyramids 2.5 thousand years before the construction of this temple

Passage to the right of the temple

To the left of the main rear of the temple and behind the temple, some kind of excavation is being actively carried out, but if you cannot walk behind the temple on the hill, then on the site on the left you can. There is a small temple of Sebek (ruins), as well as two nilometers.

Nilometers played an important function in the life of the ancient Egyptians, firstly, a deep hole clearly showed the water level in the river, and secondly, taxes were levied on this basis - drought - less, spill - more.

Another nilometer, it seems, was at the entrance to the complex.

The purpose of these structures (steps) and the small house behind it is unknown, some believe that this is a source of water, others believe that sacred animals, that is, crocodiles, lived here.

Temple, left view

To the right of the temple, near the small temple of Hathor, the head of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and a headless statue were found

Mini Temple of Hathor

View of the temple on the right

Of the interesting drawings in the temple, one can note the image of surgical instruments, but, unfortunately, I did not pay attention to them.

But this animal got into my collection of interesting images - a mixture of a bee, a cat and a goat.

The photo shows that several police officers and caretakers are on duty in the temple. But the one rare case when specifically they did not try to sell their guide services to us.

Like all other sites in Egypt, the temple is open until sunset. The ticket price is 80 Egyptian pounds, for students 40 pounds. The ticket price also includes the Sobek Museum, a small hall where the mummy of crocodiles and a number of ritual accessories are exhibited. The price is £ 50 here, but no one really follows.

In the New Kingdom, the residence of totem animals at temples was a frequent tradition. In the case of crocodiles, they lived at the temples all their lives, they were cared for and well fed, and when they died, they were mummified and buried. Crocodiles from this museum were found in the Hathor temple at the main temple, as well as in the El-Shatb necropolis nearby

Bronze statuette of Sebek

Accessories for mummification of crocodiles

Crocodile mummies

Crocodile mummies - layout

Crocodile eggs

On the embankment, motor ships with tourists are waiting for crowds of merchants. I was one of the actively trying to breed for the purchase. Offered a T-shirt for 5 pounds (30 cents), the price is great, I thought to get some hands on, said what size I needed and left to watch the temple. At the exit, the seller was waiting for me, only now he wanted 200 pounds (12 dollars) for a T-shirt. And about 5 pounds, he confessed that it was like British pounds. Such a divorce for simpletons in the hope that, like, I will appreciate his efforts and buy it anyway. In the end, the last price he offered me was, I think, 80 pounds - 5 dollars. You can buy it if you need it, but I didn't need it.

The cruise ship is moored off the coast

Embankment in front of the temple

If you are staying in Aswan, I recommend a small Nubian-style hotel for your stay.

The oldest god of ancient Egyptian mythology, he had the appearance of a man with a crocodile head. Sometimes he is portrayed differently - as a crocodile with a human head. The hieroglyphic record represents the god as a crocodile, who sits honorably on a pedestal, which is similar to the spelling of the name of the god Anubis, depicted as a dog. There is no agreement on how to pronounce the name of God correctly. The two most common options are Sebek and Sobek.

God of fertility and the Nile

According to historians, the birth of the cult of Sebek took place in the lowlands of the Nile River, where a huge number of crocodiles lived in the numerous branches of the delta. Many chroniclers singled out these reptiles as an integral Egyptian symbol, like ibises and snakes. Unfortunately, in modern day widespread urbanization has led to the extinction of crocodiles in the Nile.

But this does not mean that the deification of crocodiles happened because of their number. Rats or sparrows are found in more large quantities, and it is simply unrealistic to count them. They live next to people all the time, but no one has made them deities. And this even though the harm caused by rats is much greater than the harm caused by crocodiles.

Of course, the power of the crocodile allows him to suddenly rush at his prey, he is very fast, both in water and on land. This animal can kill a person with ease, and there are many such cases when an unwary hunter fell into the mouth of a crocodile. But catching these reptiles has always been common among the ancient Egyptians. They and Sebek were portrayed with the help of one of the captured crocodiles and worshiped him.

The extant image shows that the crocodile, who served as the avatar of the deity, was adorned with bracelets and earrings. One cannot agree that the animal was pleased to endure all the procedures, and he steadfastly wore all the jewelry. As the results of the searches of archaeologists show, gold and silver were invariable attributes of all such Sebeks, because there were several such reptiles.

The sacred animal was presented as a receptacle for the spirit of the god. Natural old age and death, which invariably came, were not a problem for the ancient Egyptians. A mummy was made of a reptile and buried. A new crocodile came to replace, which was also decorated and prayed to him. What were the criteria for choosing an animal, on this moment unknown.

Near the settlement of Kiman-Faris, which was previously called Shedit (translated from ancient Greek - Crocodilopolis), archaeologists have found about two thousand mummified reptiles. Some of them are on display at. According to statistics, a crocodile lives about the same as a person, even a little more. If you make a certain calculation, take into account that not all crocodiles were found, and the avatar of Sebek really died a natural death, then a time period of about twenty thousand years comes out. But, who knows, maybe in ancient Egypt all crocodiles were turned into mummies.

The described facts indicate that Sebek was always held in high esteem in all ancient times. An unpleasant avatar didn't mean that God himself was evil. It cannot even be called cruel. Sebek is “the giver of life, his feet give people the waters of the Nile”. Something like this is written in the Book of the Dead. Like Osiris, Sebek is the god of fertility, he is the owner of the Nile River, all fresh water and animals living in rivers. The prayers of fishermen and hunters were directed to Sebek, because reed thickets were the main place of their fishing. He helped the souls of dead people to go the way to Osiris.

There is a record that testifies to the petition of one man to God to help him in the struggle for a woman. The deity ruled over many aspects of the life of the Egyptians. One of the songs contains words in which Sebek is given the title of "God who hears prayers", none of the ancient Egyptian god does not bear such a title.

God Sebek - the inventor

There is a legend that tells about the invention of a fishing net. Hapi and Amset - two sons of the god Horus hid in the waters of the Nile from the god Ra, who could not find him in any way. Or he was too proud for that. God instructed Sebek to complete the task so that he would find the great-great-great-grandchildren, whom the brothers were Ra. With the help of his hands, Sebek sifted through the entire Nile through his fingers, and he managed to find the fugitives. This is how the fishing net came into being. Of course, this narrative lacks fluidity and harmony, but the meaning of the legend is clear.

Bloodline of God

The history of the origin of the deity is rather vague. Two options are being considered. First, Ra was the creator or parent of God. Second - Sebek was spawned by the primordial ocean Nun. Based on some historical evidence, it is assumed that he is the son of Nate, but there is almost no evidence of this. There is no information about Sebek's wife either. So mysterious is the deity, who was like a cunning guard, faithfully serving Ra. He was also greatly revered by mortals who distributed miniature amulets with his image everywhere.

Sebek and the ancient Egyptians

Sebek was revered back in the days of the Old Kingdom - the era of construction and. He is mentioned in one of the "pyramid texts" spells.

Amenemhat III, who was the pharaoh of the twelfth dynasty, erected a large temple in the city of Fayyum. He was dedicated to the god with the head of a crocodile. Not far from the temple, a labyrinth was built, where they practiced religious rituals that were dedicated to the god Sebek. The system of the temple resembles the building in Abydos, where Osiris was worshiped, the labyrinth there was also part of the temple. Mummified crocodiles were found in Fayyum. The popularity of the deity is also confirmed by the fact that letters were often written with the wishes "May Sebek keep you."

Many temples were located along the Nile delta, but other places are also known where buildings were erected to worship the deity. For example, in Kom Ombo (Ombos), which is located at the head of the Nile, the remains of a temple are also preserved, and an excursion to the Nile is now an integral part of tourist cruises on the Nile. Temples of Sebek and mummified crocodiles are found even in, which has never been a cultural center.

Technologists in the field of ancient myths will be interested in the fact that archaeologists have found papyri containing twelve hymns that praised the crown of the god Sebek. Her main advantage was that she destroyed all enemies, because she shone brightly like the sun.

Likewise, according to legend, Akhenaten dispersed an army of forty thousand soldiers. And he did it thanks to the crown, or rather the rays emanating from it.

One story is curious. Osiris, when finally resurrected, was left without a reproductive organ. According to legend, it was eaten by one crocodile. I wonder if Sebek was also involved in this incident? In addition, there are several statues that depict the mummified Osiris, located on the back of Sebek.

Sebek is popular today. If you look at what you can find interesting, then the figurines of the ancient gods will be on one of the first places in the list of souvenirs. And the palm in the list of gods, in that case, is worn by Anubis with a jackal's head and Sebek, made in the most bizarre forms.

Sebek is the god of the abyss of water, the personification of the Nile flood. Revered in the form of a crocodile. One of the oldest gods of Ancient Egypt, most often depicted as a man with the head of a crocodile. The reverse versions of its image are also known - a crocodile with human head... In the hieroglyphic notation, the image of Sebek is presented in the form of a crocodile lying on an honorary pedestal, similar to how Anubis was portrayed as a dog on a pedestal. Single option correct pronunciation no, his two names are most widespread: Sebek and Sobek.
Both fishermen and hunters, who fish in the reed thickets, prayed to him. He was asked to help the souls of the dead on their way to the palaces of Osiris. Records have been preserved in which a man turns to Sebek, as to an oracle, and asks to inform him if any woman will belong to him. Obviously, Sebek, according to the ancient Egyptians, had an influence on so many sides. human life... Moreover, in one of the praising hymns, he is awarded the title of "listening to prayers", which was not noticed for any of the other gods of Ancient Egypt.

Sebek's origins are obscure. There are two main versions (according to the number of known sources). First: Sebek created or gave birth to Ra, like other gods of the first generation. Second: Sebek, like Ra, and everyone else, gave birth to the primary ocean of Nun. There is also historical evidence claiming him to be the son of Neith, but there are very few such sources. And absolutely nothing is known about whether he had a wife. Here is such a mysterious god, reminiscent of his habits of a cunning counterintelligence agent in the service of Ra, but enjoying the sympathy of mortals, as evidenced by the widespread distribution of miniature amulets.

If in ancient Egypt there was an animal worthy of entering the pantheon, then it is undoubtedly a crocodile. Under the name Sebek, he quickly became a highly revered, formidable and trustworthy deity. The Egyptians believed that this reptile was one of the first to be created. Until recently, it was found in abundance in the swamps of the Delta and on the banks of the Nile.
The best known images of Sebek were found at Kom Ombo. These expressive portraits depict a furious god, sometimes a victim of his own gluttony. However, Sebek was not only a formidable, but also a highly respected god of the Egyptian pantheon. Sebek can take the guise of a crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile. Of course, magical properties were attributed to his image.

Most often, Egyptian artists depicted him in a solar crown, consisting of two feathers, a solar disk resting on two horizontal horns, and two Ureian guardians. This unusual crown was worn by two gods: Sebek and Tatenen. Also, Sebek could be depicted wearing the atef crown; this attribute was considered honorable, because it belonged to Osiris himself.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, a special place is occupied by the god Sebek - the lord of the water element, the god of water, on whom the flood of the Nile depends. Its zoomorphic form was a crocodile. There were 2 forms of his images: with the head of a crocodile and a human body, or vice versa - with the head of a man and the body of a crocodile. On the hieroglyphs, he was depicted lying on an honorary pedestal. In terms of pronunciation of his name, there are also 2 options: Sobek and Sebek.

Crocodiles were considered the avatar of the god Sebek. To do this, the Egyptians massively caught crocodiles, chose the best, recognized him as the embodiment of a deity and decorated the reptile's paws with bracelets, and the ears with earrings. For this, silver and gold jewelry and jewelry were selected. There were times when several crocodiles were chosen at once for worship. However, more often than not, the Egyptians expected the natural death of one crocodile in order to re-select the avatar of the god among the young reptiles. The deceased crocodile was carefully mummified.

More than 2 thousand mummies of these sacred reptiles were found near Kiman-Faris (Crocodilopolis). If you calculate mathematically, taking as a basis the lifespan of an ordinary crocodile (which was often longer than the lifespan of a person), then we can assume that the tradition of choosing and worshiping crocodiles-Sebek is about 20 thousand years old. All this may indicate the high veneration of this deity in Egyptian society.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, there is information about the veneration of the crocodile Petsuhos as a real embodiment of the god Sebek. The Egyptians believed that he lived in the lake, which was adjacent to the main sanctuary of the deity. From this lake, they drank water to gain magical protection and protection from Sebek, and also fed the crocodile Petsuhos with various delicacies.

Good deity

Despite the frightening crocodile avatar, Sebek himself was not evil or even cruel in the views of the Egyptians. This can be judged at least on the basis that he:

• bestowed life;
• watched the floods of the Nile;
• brought a good harvest;
• provided life for all river creatures.

Fishermen turned to Sebek in their prayers, as well as hunters who hunted in the reeds. He was asked for assistance in transporting dead souls to the palaces of the god Osiris.

There is some evidence that Sebek was even addressed as a fortuneteller. And unlike other ancient Egyptian gods, he receives the title of an attentive and listening god.

Versions of origin

Among Egyptologists and other scientists there is no consensus regarding the origin of Sebek. According to one version, the god Ra gave birth to him (like other primary gods). According to the second version, Geb and Nut gave birth to him (like the god Ra himself). There is also another version that he is the son of Neith, who was revered as the great mother of other gods, the mistress of war and hunting, water and sea elements, the mother of the terrifying serpent Apophis. At the same time, nothing is known about Sebek's wife. This may indicate the secrecy and cunning of Sebek in the ideas of the ancient Egyptians.

Inventor of fishing nets

According to one extant legend, the Egyptian god Ra once tried to find the two sons of the god Horus - Amset and Hapi. They hid from Ra in the Nile. The god Ra himself could not find these two sons of Horus, and therefore he instructed Sebek to find his own great-great-great-grandchildren. He began to sift through the Nile sludge through his fingers. So he found Amset and Hapi. And thus the idea of ​​fishing nets was born.

There are other episodes when Ra instructed Sebek to find something in the Nile. So, one day Sebek went in search of the severed hands of the god Horus, which were thrown into the Nile. The hands lived by themselves and were very difficult to catch. But Sebek managed, after pursuing them as a fisherman, to fish out and return Ra. The god Ra made the second pair, which, as a relic, was kept for a long time in the city of Nehen.

Sebek and his veneration

The popularity of Sebek among the Egyptians is not only the mummification of crocodiles. This is evidenced by some facts:

• his name constantly pops up in the found ancient Egyptian correspondence;
• archaeologists find separate papyri dedicated to chanting individual items Sebek (for example, 12 hymns only to his crown in one of the papyri);
• Sebek had a crown, which indicates a high role in the divine hierarchy;
• there are statues on which Sebek is carrying the mummy of Osiris on his back, and according to legend, a certain crocodile ate the missing reproductive organ of Osiris (which testifies to the great role of Sebek in the life of Osiris);
• the Egyptians often attached magical and healing properties to the images of Sebek;
• the people believed that the more crocodiles there are on the banks of the Nile, the better the flooding and harvest will be;
• during the II millennium BC, the pharaohs often called themselves Sebekhotep, which literally translates as “Sebek is satisfied”.

Sebek and the water element

Sebek was called the one who forces greenery to grow on water banks. The main agricultural resources were located on the banks of the Nile. And it is not surprising that he, as the ruler of the waters, was worshiped and built numerous sanctuaries. This is how the city of Crocodilopolis (which literally translates as the city of the crocodile) arose. There are also many variations of the names of the god Sebek: Pneferos (beautiful-faced), Soknebtunis (ruler of Tebtunis); Soknopayos (lord of the island) and others. There are also many water religious rites associated with the god Sebek. So, in early July, the ancient Egyptian priests threw wax figures of crocodiles into the river. People believed that thanks to magic, the figures came to life and crawled ashore in the form of living reptiles, which portended good luck and fertility.

Sebek's Gluttony

Legends about his insatiability are also associated with the god Sebek. According to one story, he single-handedly attacked the enemy horde and devoured it alive. After that, Sebek demonstrated the bitten off heads to other gods, threatening them too. Then other gods offered to bring him a lot of bread to satisfy his endless hunger. According to another story, Seth killed Osiris, dismembered his body, and threw the pieces into the Nile. Then Sebek wanted to profit from pieces of the body and rushed into the Nile. For this impudent behavior, the other gods cut off Sebek's tongue as punishment. For this reason, crocodiles have no tongue.

There is also a mythological version about the shelter of the evil god Set in the body of Sebek to avoid retribution for the murder of the god Osiris.

Temple of Kom Ombo

The Temple of Kom Ombo is one of the most important evidences of the worship of the god Sebek in Ancient Egypt. It is located near Aswan and is dedicated to two gods at once: Horus and Sebek. It is very original in terms of architecture, since the goal was to please two great gods at once, while preserving the typical architectural canons (sanctuary, courtyard, pylon, hall of offerings). In the temple, all parts were doubled, but the feeling of unity was preserved due to outer wall temple. Also, two sanctuaries were located in parallel to both gods: in the north - Horus, in the south - Sebek. By the way, this is another fact in confirming the importance of Sebek - the south was more important for the Egyptians than the north. Sebek was depicted on the walls of the temple, surrounded by his family.

Killing a sacred crocodile in the name of love

On special occasions, men sought to prove their love to their beloved by killing the most dangerous and powerful crocodile. This was considered a feat. But at the same time, such a murder of a sacred animal was allowed only in the name of love.

Healing statues of the god Horus standing on crocodiles

The ancient Egyptians often turned to special statues for help, on which the god Horus stood on crocodiles and held snakes in his hands. The Egyptians believed that spells carved in stone could provide a person magic power from snake and scorpion bites. For such protection, you just need to pour water on this statue, then collect this water and drink. It was believed that the magical power from the text passes to the water through the stone. For this reason, the Egyptians made miniature stone amulets everywhere to provide themselves with magical protection.

The most ancient inhabitants of our planet are characterized by the deification of the forces of nature and animals. The latter were endowed with holiness, worshiped with offerings and sacrifices. Ancient Egypt was no exception. In this state, not only cute and harmless animals were endowed with divine features, but also reptiles that have a terrifying appearance and pose a mortal danger. It is about crocodiles.

Historical information has long been confirmed crucial role Nile in the life of the Egyptians. The existence of the river, stretching like a life-giving thread from north to south, made it possible for ancient peoples to settle along its banks, their life depended on the floods of the Nile. Regular floods made the fields adjacent to the river fertile, which provided residents good harvest and guaranteed no hunger. To predict the harvest, the Egyptians monitored the rise in the water level in the Nile using the nilomers they built.

Dependence on the forces of nature caused people to worship their power, the desire to earn the favor of the gods - the protectors of the Nile and its inhabitants. The largest and most unusual creatures that have lived in the Nile for a long time - crocodiles - were considered its keepers and masters of the river. By their behavior, the Egyptians could determine the time of the flood.

Worship of Sebek

Egyptian civilization had a wide pantheon of gods. An important place in this row was occupied by the god Sebek. He was portrayed as a man with a crocodile's head topped with a magnificent crown. Sebek was the ruler of the river-nurse, the ruler of the movement of its waters, and personified eternity.

On the territory of Ancient Egypt in the Fayyum valley there was a city of Shedit, later called Crocodilopolis by the Greeks who came there. The site, located in a fertile valley around Lake Merida, was the center of worship for Sebek. Crocodiles were considered the living embodiment of God.

Not far from Shedit, Pharaoh Amenemhat III built a whole complex dedicated to crocodiles. In addition to the traditional erection of a pyramid, the ruler was ordered to build a sacred structure, similar to a labyrinth - for the residence of the son of Sebek, the earthly representative of God, the crocodile. The territory of the building has not been preserved, there are only remains of ruins. According to Herodotus, the area of ​​the labyrinth was about 70 thousand square meters. meters, there were several levels, many rooms, where the crocodile chosen by the priests, the son of Sebek, could walk.

Serving the Chosen Crocodile

For the realization of a dignified life, priests were assigned to the crocodile, bringing food and treats. After the death of the "master of the labyrinth," all the same priests mummified the body of the deceased animal and chose the next crocodile.

If a person died from a river predator, it was considered a great success: he received the protection of God and, after embalming, was honored to be buried in a sacred grave.

To this day, the area of ​​the Fayum Valley has not been fully explored. In the future, we will be able to find out if there really was a labyrinth in Crocodilopolis, or if it was just a meaningful myth. The worship of the crocodile god throughout Egypt is evidenced by the temple of Sebek in the city of Kom-Ombo, not far from which a whole burial with crocodile mummies was found.