Temple Of Kom Ombo History
During the Ptolemaic period in Ancient Egypt, the town of Ombos was very important. It was in a prime position along the Nile between the Nubian trade routes and the gold mines in the eastern desert. Ombos was the capital of the Ombite nome during the Roman invasion and a favorite spot for the crocodiles to lay under the sun; today, this town is called Kom Ombo.
Where is Kom Ombo?
About 47 Km north of Aswan and 168 km south of Luxor, you’ll find this ancient town between Edfu and Aswan, right on the River Bank, lays Kom Ombo. The town was nothing but sand until De Morgan excavated and restored the temple of Kom Ombo in 1893; a real village started to form after.
History of Kom Ombo Temple
The Romans were very fond of Egyptian Mythology; they also knew how religious the Egyptians were, so they cared a lot about the Egyptian Deities. They built the unique Kom Ombo Temple that is dedicated to two Gods at the same time, which is very unusual. It was constructed during Ptolemy VII’s reign; later, Ptolemy the Seventh built the hypostyle hall, and then Emperor Trajan built the forecourt and outer walls.
Haroeris and Sobek
Kom Ombo temple was built in a unique double design in dedication to the Crocodile God Sobek, a form of the God Seth, and the Falcon God Haroeris, who is Horus, the elder one of the brothers of Osiris and Isis. It was very unusual to build such a temple, dedicating it to two gods, and one of them is known to be a form of evil. Even if Seth was a God who they thought to be evil, he was still very powerful, and they believed he would save them from any attacks.
Inside the Temple
The left side of the temple was for Haroeris, and the right side was for Sobek, and on the front walls, he appeared with his wife, Hathor, and his son, Khons. About 16 columns remain in the temple, and only their lower halves still exist. There is also a small pool inside the temple that used to be a sacred lake for raising crocodiles.
Near the Temple
Kom Ombo Temple is a very common attraction and a must-stop during a Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan; it is also easy to reach by car. When you are there, you can have a short walk to visit the Crocodile Museum, which has a collection of Mummification crocodiles. The museum is dark and air-conditioned, so it might be a good escape from the sun on a hot day.
