Kom Ombo
The Town of Kom Ombo is located about 41 miles south of Idfu. Kom Ombo is the ancient site of Ombos, which is from the ancient Egyptian word 'nubt', which means 'City of Gold'. It has been occupied since prehistoric times. In ancient Egypt, the city was important to the caravan routes from Nubia and various gold mines. The local industry is primarily agriculture, including irrigated sugar cane and corn. Besides the native Egyptians, there is a large population of Nubians who were displaced from their land when Lake Nasser was created. It is a nice place to visit, but is usually a day trip from Aswan.
The major attraction here is the Temple of Kom Ombo, located on a hill west of the village. There is a wonderful view of the countryside from the Temple, and south of here is the Roman Chapel of Hathor. It was dedicated to the wife of Horus, and is used to store mummified crocodiles form the nearby animal necropolis and a few sarcophagi.
Last Updated: June 27th, 2011