Kom Ombo Temple (10/23/2023)

Monday October 23, 2023

After sailing downstream/north from Aswan, we arrived in Kom Ombo, a distance of about 48 km/30 miles. Our second included shore excursion of the day was to the Kom Ombo Temple, a very short walk

from the ship.

Stairs to the Kom Ombo Temple (180-47 BCE)

This temple is unique as a double temple dedicated to
two gods, the crocodile god Sobek and Horus

Double pediments with the sun disk flanked by
cobras and outspread wings

We first went to the rear of the outer corridor, which
in ancient times was the place for births and healing;
this relief shows women on birthing stools to the left,
and on the right is an inventory of implements
thought to be used in medical procedures

Reliefs of perhaps physical ailments or treatments
included two penises, one with five drops (or less) perhaps
meaning infertility and one with seven drops (or more)
meaning a child can be conceived, according to our guide

Temple cat (KSS)

The double-crowning of Ptolemy XII by the
goddesses of Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt

Relief of Cleopatra III, Cleopatra II, and Ptolemy VIII
who is receiving the curved Sword of Victory

The crocodile god Sobek

Our guide used a stone to scratch out the hieroglyphs
(starting top right) for the numbers 1, 10, 100, 1,000,
10,000, frog for 100,000, sitting person for 1 million and ?

We then had free time until the Viking Aton was set to depart!

The ibis god Thoth and Horus bless or purify Ptolemy XIII
as the crocodile god Sobek watches

Rekhyt bird symbolizes the common people with arms
raised in adoration and  wings back in submission

Is this the king throwing natron/a
carbonate salt in a purification ceremony?

Cleopatra II and Ptolemy VIII giving thanks to Horus and Hathor

Perhaps the pool where live crrocodiles were kept

The Nilometer to measure the depth of the river

Nilometer to show how deep it was (KSS)

Crocodile mummies in the Crocodile Museum

Bronze figurine (c 724-333 BCE) of Sobek

Crocodile mummies (c 30 BCE-450 CE), wrapped in linens

Dinner: Beetroot Quinoa Salad with feta cheese

Grilled Grouper Fillet topped with a green and black olive
tapenade, accompanied by parsley purée and fava beans

Two desserts! Chocolate Brownie with vanilla ice cream
and drizzled with a butterscotch caramel sauce,
and Sago Pudding (like tapioca, but comes from the
pith of a sago palm) with almonds and pistachios

Next: Edfu: Temple of Horus.