Temple of Kom Ombo


The Temple of Kom Ombo, located in the town of Kom Ombo in Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, is a truly unique and fascinating structure. Built during the Ptolemaic dynasty between 180-47 BC, this double temple boasts an unusual design with two sets of gods and duplicated courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms. The southern half is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek while the northern part honors Haroeris along with other deities.

One striking feature of this temple is its perfect symmetry along its main axis. This attention to detail can also be seen in the decorations within the temple which showcase cultic liturgies from that time period. The theology of this temple combines both universalist and local themes.

Originally built during the New Kingdom period to honor these gods, it was later expanded and renovated by several Ptolemies including Ptolemy VI Philometor and Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator. However, due to natural disasters such as flooding from Nile river and earthquakes as well as human interference over time, much of the original structure has been destroyed or repurposed for other projects.

Fortunately, efforts have been made to preserve what remains of this ancient marvel. In 1893 Jacques de Morgan cleared debris and restored buildings on the southern part of plateau where Kom Ombo Temple stands. Additionally, visitors can explore The Crocodile Museum which displays some of the three hundred crocodile mummies discovered near the site.

In recent years, new discoveries at Kom Ombo have continued to pique interest in this historical landmark. In April 2018,the head bust statue belonging to Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius was unearthed during excavation work aimed at protecting against groundwater damage. And just months later in September 2018,a sandstone sphinx statue dating back to Ptolemaic Dynasty was found at the site.

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