We went to see the Kom Ombo Temple  which is located 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Aswan near the Nile River.

This temple was built in the 2nd century BC and is unique because its ‘double’ design meant that there were courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated for two sets of gods.  We explored the temple admiring the features including some interesting hieroglyphs  and carvings.

After walking through the temple and exploring the different rooms and areas, we decided to visit the Crocodile Museum section of the Temple. Inside the museum we saw some mummified crocodiles.

It was common to have mummified crocodiles as well as other animals during that time period. The ancient Egyptians  thought that crocodiles were mighty and depicted God Sobek. Cats were respected in ancient Egypt: They were characterized as nimble, maternal and poise.  The ancient Egyptians frequently donated mummified animals to temples because of their sacred qualities. The animals were thought to be gifts to the gods.

A large mummified crocodile at the Kom Ombo Museum

The history is quite interesting, basically the Egyptians believed that crocodiles depicted the God Sobek. The crocodiles were seen as both strong and mighty, to be feared and respected. The crocodile was known for being powerful. They would depict this in their statues, carvings and hieroglyphs.

We explored the museum and found it very informative. The Egyptian culture and history has many interesting components. We enjoyed the visit to this Temple and Museum.

“الإحساس بالفكاهة هو القطب الذي يضيف التوازن إلى خطواتنا ونحن نسير على حبل مشدود للحياة.”