Egypt Attractions

Venue: Temple of Sebek and Horus    When: Daily

The double temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile god Sebek and the falcon-headed Horus, is one of the more magnificent temples left to us from the 18th Egyptian dynasty.

In more ancient times, when ferocious crocodiles still roamed the Nile, Kom Ombo was a sanctuary for the reptilian beasts. They used to come out to islets in the middle of the river and sun themselves in good weather. Ancient Egyptians believed that by adopting them as totem animals they could propitiate them and keep them from gobbling up humans who strayed into their territory.

The temple itself is still an impressive sight. Construction on the site was started in the second century BC, and finished largely by the end of the first century BC. It is actually a double temple, with one half devoted to each of the resident gods. The left, or northern half, was devoted to Horus and the southern side to Sebek. There may even have been two separate priesthoods at the site.

Today the temple has been severely damaged by the passage of time, but there are still pillars, arches and columnades, along with an impressively decorated hypostyle hall (a ceiling supported by columns).

The god Sebek, taken to be an underling of Seth, the god of darkness and the sworn enemy of Horus, was the patron of crocodiles and through subservience to his master, an enemy of Horus. Horus, on the other hand, was the falcon-headed sky-god of vengeance and righteousness, rightful heir and son of Osiris.