- The Crocodile Museum is located at Kom Ombo, which is a town and Temple of the same name, built beside the Nile, 31 miles (50km) north of Aswan in Egypt.
- Kom Ombo is the site of a double temple built between 180-47 BCE, and the Sobek Necropolis, which held the crocodile mummies.
Description
- The museum contains 40 crocodile mummies (over 300 were found nearby).
- When a crocodile was mummified, gold and ivory teeth and eyes were inserted, and these are on display.
- It is thought that the Priests kept a live crocodile, considered sacred, in the Temple, and that when it died it was mummified.
The Kom Ombo Double Temple
- This is a Double Temple begun by Ptolemy VI Philometor (c.180 BCE) and completed in 47 BCE. Later additions were made during the Roman Period.
- The Northern Temple is dedicated to both Haroeris or Horus the Elder, also known as the ‘Good Doctor’.
- The Southern Temple is dedicated to the crocodile God, Sobek, creator of the World and God of the Underworld.
- The Double Temple is completely symmetrical.
- The sick made a pilgrimage here in the hope of becoming cured.
- The Roman outer corridor was added later, along with a Roman decorated Forecourt.
The Sobek Necropolis
- This is a cemetery located at el-Shatb.
- In addition to human remains, excavations revealed a large amount of animal mummies, mostly crocodile mummies ranging from 6-16 feet (2-5m) in size.
- The Ancient Egyptians brought votive offerings to the Temple, amongst which were mummified crocodile eggs, which were also found at the Necropolis.
Crocodile Museum