The Temple of Kom Ombo is built during the reign of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, to honor the deities of Sobek with the crocodile head, god of fertility, and creator of the world, and the ancient Horus with the head of a falcon.
The Temple of Kom Ombo Egypt
Where exactly is the Temple of Kom Ombo located?
The Temple of Kom Ombo is located in Kom Ombo, in the northern Aswan Governorate in southern Egypt, and was built during the reign of Ptolemy VI to worship the gods Sobik and Horus. Recently, the temple area has gained importance, restoration, and renovation.
The Temple of Kom Ombo is surrounded by fields of sugar cane and corn, making Kom Ombo a pleasant agricultural town that now houses many Nubians who were displaced when the water of the Nile flooded their villages after the construction of the High Dam.
When was Kom Ombo Temple built and why?
It was built during the Ptolemaic dynasty, 180-47 B.C. But some additions were made later during the Roman period. The now existing temple was started by Ptolemy VI Philometor (180-145 BC) at the beginning of his reign and has been modified by other Ptolemies, especially Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator (51-47 BC). A temple was already built in the New Kingdom to worship two gods, the god Sobek the crocodile, (god of fertility and creator of the world) and Horus the falcon god (Lord of the Two Lands), however, this site gained importance during the Ptolemaic Kingdom.
The texts and reliefs in the temple refer to the cult of liturgies that were worshipped in that period. The temple itself had a specific theology. The characters invoked the gods of Kom Ombo and its legend. Two themes were present in this temple: the universalist theme and the local theme. The two theologies combine to form the specific theology of this temple.
Temple of Kom Ombo
What is the significance of the Temple of Kom Ombo?
Kom Ombo consists of two temples, the Sobek Temple and the Hours Temple. The construction is unique because of its double design, meaning that there were duplicate entrances, courtyards, halls, chapels, and shrines for two gods: Sobek and Hours.
The temple is a testament to the importance that ancient Egyptian priests placed on the natural cycles and crocodiles of the Nile. The temple is visited to see mummified crocodiles, clay coffins, and spectacular reliefs on the walls.
Witness the glory of the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to Sobek and Horus the Elder, and behold the awe of the hypostyle halls and sanctuaries Con Gate 2 Egypt.
