The
ancient goddess of war,
Neith, was revered as the goddess of wisdom. At
different periods she was identified with Athena, noted as the sister of
Isis, and named the protector of
Duamutef.
Neith was the mother of
Sobek, known as the crocodile god.
Sobek was most popular in the city of Arsinoe. In fact, the Greeks
renamed the city Crocodilopolis. Ancient Egyptians would keep crocodiles
in pools and temples. They ornamented the crocodiles with jewels in
honor of their beloved god, Sobek. The people of ancient Egypt worshiped
Sobek in order to appease him, the crocodiles, and to insure the
fertility of their people and crops.
Sobek was called the Lord of Faiyum, and was considered the god who
controlled the waters. The Nile was very important to the people of
Egypt. Water was necessary for the survival of crops, the success of
trade, and the livelihood of fishing. These waters were filled with
crocodile, so it was a matter of common sense to appease them through
the worship of their leader, Sobek.
According to legend, Sobek was a fourfold deity. He represented the
four elemental gods, Ra of fire, Shu of air,
Geb of earth, and
Osiris of
water. A crocodile, a man with the head of a crocodile, or a mummified
crocodile are used as representations for Sobek. He is sometimes shown
wearing a solar disk and horns like those of Amon-Ra. Throughout
history, he has been known as Sebek, Sebek-Ra, Sobk, Suchos, Sobki, and
Soknopais.
Sobek
was revered for his ferocity and quick movement. It is said that he was
the god who caught the four sons of Horus in a net, as they emerged from
the waters in a lotus bloom.
Set was a god of hostility and chaos. Some people held the belief
that he was the epitome of evil. He was an adversary to Osiris and Horus. Sobek is considered to be a cohort of Horus. It is said that
Horus took the form of a crocodile to retrieve the parts of Osiris’
body that Set had discarded in the waters of Egypt. Set was later killed
after an eighty-year war with Horus, in which Set tore out the left eye
of Horus, and Horus tore out the testicles of Set.
The Book of the Dead suggests that Sobek’s closeness to Horus can
be traced back to his participation in the birth of this god. Sobek was
responsible for calling Isis and
Nephthys to aid in the protection of
the dead. He was the god from the “Dark Water.” It was believed, in
some sects, that Sobek was the creator of the world. These people
believed that he arose from the “Dark Water” and put the world in
order.
Later, Sobek was incorporated into the cult of Amun. Amun was a chief
god in the New Kingdom of Egypt. With his wife, Mut and his son,
Khonsu,
the scared family was formed with Amun as the head. They were known as
the Theban Triad. Amun was also associated with the sun god, Re. He was
venerated with as the god Amun-Re. During this time, Sobek was worshiped
as the manifestation of Amun-Re.
Animals
associated with the gods were revered in ancient Egypt. They were
considered sacred and protected. They were given elaborate and costly
burials when they died. Temples were built in their honor. Many
mummified crocodiles have been found in the tombs of Egypt. The dead
crocodiles were mummified with the use of natron or salt, then they were
wrapped in strips of cloth, just as the humans of the time. Archeologist
found all ages of crocodiles in the tombs. In fact, many tombs contained
not only young and adult crocodiles, but the eggs of crocodiles were
found, as well. In some cases over 50 eggs were found together, with
recognizable fetuses. This demonstrates the importance Egyptians placed
on the crocodile god, Sobek and his sacred animals.
In Egypt, Kom Ombo is 30 miles North of Aswan. This was once the
sanctuary for a large number of crocodiles, and the center of worship
for Sobek. Still standing, and open to the public for viewing, is the
temple that Sobek shared with the war god, Horace. This temple is most
unique in that it consists of twin parts that are attached but
completely separate. Each temple has its own entrance, halls, and
chapels.
Walls in one section of the temples are decorated with the images of
surgical instruments. The images of scalpels, pincers, forceps, and
other medical tools, shows that the ancient Egyptians were skilled
medical professionals. The temples were built during the Ptolemaic
period, between 300-380 BC.
On your visit to Egypt, you will want to visit the temples at Kom
Ombo. One chapel is open to visitors. You’ll see crocodile sarcophagi
and mummies excavated form the nearby City of the Dead. Step back in
time as you walk the path of those ancient Egyptians who worshiped and
feared the crocodile in honor of the crocodile god, Sobek.
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