KOM OMBO

Kom Ombo has a most alluring quality that’s hard to pinpoint exactly. It is by no means a large temple comparatively speaking; it has no large statues of the awe-inspiring magnitude of Abu Simbel and yet it radiates (at least for me) a mystical quality like no other site along the Nile.

A large part of it’s appeal must surely be in it’s location. Perched on a hilltop overlooking the river, it is one of the few sites that is entirely visible from your boat as you dock. It is surrounded by a bustling and colourful market on the shore, injecting the ancient ruins with life and is not one suspects, too far removed from the tradesmen who lived on the temple’s outskirts in antiquity. Kom Ombo has benefited from careful management and access to the temple is via a smooth pathway (built to blend in) which was a nice departure from some of the rocky climbs you will endure at other sites.

Part of the temple is dedicated to Sobek, the deification of the crocodile. The ancient Egyptians, with their dependence on and close contact with the river, often fell prey to the powerful jaws of crocodiles. Despite the danger they posed and probably because of this fact, Crocodiles were regarded as divine beings. Their status is evident from their mummification, a ritual afforded to very few animals (most of which were pets such as cats and dogs). In the Cairo museum, there are some very large mummified crocodiles on display the size of which are still terrifying, despite having been dead for a few thousand years. There are two smaller mummified crocodiles on display in glass cases at Kom Ombo itself, though these are located in a very small room which is crammed full of tourists at even the quietest of times.

The other interesting function of the temple was it’s role as a medical centre in ancient times. The medical knowledge of the Egyptians was impressively advanced and even included rudimentary surgery. A wall at the back of the temple depicts many of the instruments of the ancient doctors and in some cases it is quite striking how closely these instruments resemble their modern counterparts.

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