Why did the ancient Egyptian god Sebek have the head of a crocodile.

God of the watery abyss, personification of the Nile flood. Worshiped in the form of a crocodile.

One of the oldest gods of Ancient Egypt, most often depicted as a man with the head of a crocodile.

Reverse versions of his image are also known - a crocodile with a human head. In the hieroglyphic record, the image of Sebek is represented as a crocodile lying on a pedestal of honor, similar to how Anubis was depicted as a dog on a pedestal. Single option correct pronunciation no, his two names are most widespread: Sebek and Sobek.

Historians believe that the cult of this god originated in the lower reaches of the Nile, where numerous branches of the delta gave shelter to a huge number of crocodiles. Chroniclers of all times and nations depicted these reptiles as essential feature Egypt, along with ibises and snakes.

However, one should not immediately assume that the sheer number of these reptiles was the reason for their deification. The number of rats and sparrows that have lived near humans at all times is simply incalculable, but no one has made deities out of these representatives of the animal world. Although, it must be said that the same rats have caused much more trouble to humanity than crocodiles.

Of course, a crocodile can attack an unwary person and kill him; in the water it is very fast, and can even watch for a victim on the shore. However, the same ancient Egyptians were constantly engaged in catching crocodiles, including in order to choose one of them as Sebek and worship him. Surviving images indicate that the crocodile chosen as an avatar of the god was decorated with earrings in his ears and bracelets on his paws. It is unlikely that the reptile endured the decoration procedure with stoic equanimity.

However, all such “Sebeks” sported gold and silver. However, here it was possible to do without quotation marks: there could well have been several Sebeks, the ancient Egyptian religion allowed this. Each of the sacred animals was considered a receptacle for the spirit of a deity, and when the next Sebek ended his stay on Earth due to natural old age, he was mummified and buried with honor, and a new one was found in return. The signs by which an individual crocodile was identified among others remain unknown, but only near Kiman Faris (formerly Shedit, Crocodilopolis - in ancient Greek) archaeologists found more than 2000 mummies of crocodiles. The lifespan of the average crocodile is comparable to that of a human, and “comparable” in the sense that it is slightly longer.

If we take into account the fact that not all mummies have survived to this day and assume that the Egyptians would not have slaughtered Sobek every year, but would have waited if not natural death, then, at least until he grows old, the result is a chain of Sebeks more than 20 thousand years long. But maybe the Egyptians mummified all the crocodiles they came across, who knows?

All of the above testifies to the honor that surrounded Sobek. Despite such, frankly speaking, an unpleasant avatar, he was by no means an evil deity. He wasn't even cruel. Sebek was considered “the giver of life, from whose feet the Nile flows” (quote from the Book of the Dead). He was the god of fertility along with Osiris, the master fresh water and the Nile, in particular, as well as all the creatures living in the rivers.

Both fishermen and hunters who hunt in the reed thickets prayed to him. He was asked to help souls of the dead on their way to the halls of Osiris. Records have been preserved in which a certain man turns to Sebek, as an oracle, and asks him to tell him whether a certain woman will belong to him. Obviously, Sebek, according to the ancient Egyptians, had influence on many sides human life. Moreover, in one of the hymns of praise, he is awarded the title of “listening to prayers,” which was not noted for any of the other gods of Ancient Egypt.

Sebek - inventor

One of the legends tells an interesting story about how the net for catching fish was invented. Two of the sons of Horus - Hapi and Amset - for some reason were hiding from Ra in the Nile, and for some reason he could not find them himself. Or considered it beneath his dignity. Ra gave instructions to Sebek to find his great-great-great-grandchildren (this is exactly the relationship these naughty offspring had with Ra). Sebek began to sift the waters of the Nile and the bottom silt through his fingers and found who he was looking for. “This is how the network appeared,” the legend ends. The narration is neither smooth nor harmonious, but the general meaning seems to be clear.

Pedigree

Sebek's origins are obscure. There are two main versions (according to the number of known sources). First: Sebeka created or gave birth to Ra, like other gods of the first generation. Second: Sebek, like Ra and everyone else, gave birth to the primary ocean Nun. There is also historical evidence calling him the son of Neith, but such sources are very few. And absolutely nothing is known about whether he had a wife. Here is such a mysterious god, reminiscent in his habits of a cunning counterintelligence agent in the service of Ra, but enjoying the sympathy of mortals, as evidenced by the ubiquity of miniature amulets.

Sebek and people

12th Dynasty Pharaoh Amenemhet III built in Fayum majestic temple in honor of Sebek he built a labyrinth nearby. According to historians, religious ceremonies dedicated to the crocodile-headed god were held in this labyrinth. The system is reminiscent of the Temple of Osiris in Abydos - there is also a temple with a nearby underground labyrinth. Numerous mummies of crocodiles were discovered in the Fayum labyrinth.

The fact that Sebek was a very popular deity is also evidenced by the fact that his name was often used in personal correspondence: for example, at the end of the letter they wrote “May Sebek protect you.” Replace “Sebek” with “Lord” and this phrase could easily be inserted into any letter of the 18th century.

Temples of Sebek existed not only in the Nile Delta region; a fairly well-preserved temple in Kom Ombo (Ombos), located closer to the upper reaches of the river, is known.

For lovers of technological theories in the field ancient mythology It will be interesting to know that archaeologists found a papyrus with as many as 12 hymns dedicated to just one item - the crown of Sebek. Its main advantage was that it “sparkling like the sun, destroys all his enemies.” It is somewhat reminiscent of the legend of Akhenaten, who single-handedly dispersed the forty thousand army of his enemies with the rays emitted by his crown.

It is also curious that during the final resurrection of Osiris, his reproductive organ disappeared somewhere and was eaten by a certain crocodile. Did Sebek also take part in this story? Moreover, there are known statues depicting Sebek carrying the mummy of Osiris on his back.

If in Ancient Egypt and there was an animal worthy of entering the pantheon, then it was undoubtedly the crocodile. Under the name Sebek (or Sobek), he quickly became a highly revered, formidable and trustworthy deity.

The Egyptians believed that this reptile was one of the first to be created. Until recently, it was found in abundance in the swamps of the Delta and on the banks of the Nile. Today, the Nile crocodile (Crocodilus niloticus), OR, meseh, is endangered. It can be said that he is doubly worthy of protection: being an endangered species and, at the same time, a living god who saw Ra create the earth. The best known images of Sebek were found in Kom Ombo. These expressive portraits depict a furious god, sometimes becoming a victim of his own gluttony. However, Sebek was not only a formidable, but also a highly respected god of the Egyptian pantheon.

His images

Sebek can take the form of a crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile. Sometimes only his head was depicted - this was enough to make it clear who they were talking about. Of course, his image was attributed magical properties. Due to numerous identifications, Sebek began to be depicted in more complex guises that brought him closer to other gods: he could be a crocodile with the head of a falcon (connection with Horus), a ram (Khnum) or even a lion. It is not surprising that the image of such a strange creature made a strong impression on those who saw it.

Sebek is crowned, which speaks of his high position in the hierarchy of gods. Most often, Egyptian artists depicted him wearing a solar crown, consisting of two feathers, a solar disk resting on two horizontal horns, and two uraei guards. This unusual crown was worn by two gods: Sebek and Tatenen. Sebek could also be depicted wearing an atef crown; this attribute was considered honorable, because it belonged to Osiris himself.

Myths about Sebek

Despite his terrifying appearance, Sebek preferred to stay away from events. He was rarely mentioned, appearing only on exceptional occasions. However, Sebek came out of the most difficult situations with honor, unless, of course, his insatiable appetite made him forget about everything in the world!

Of course, reptiles have an outstanding appetite, even divine ones, but Sebek was not just a crocodile god, in some cases he became one of the incarnations of the solar god Ra. Does this seem surprising to you? In vain!

Sebek family

According to the myths that have come down to us thanks to ancient written sources, Sebek was born from the union of Neith, the Sais goddess, and Senui, a little-known god of the Egyptian pantheon. However, in Ancient Egypt everything is not constant! Thus, in the Late Period, the mother of the crocodile god was no longer considered Neith, but the divine cow Meheturet.

In official mythology, Sebek had neither a wife nor children. However, in the Late Period, again, the Egyptians gave this god a family, without which the great dynasties of the pharaohs left him. It was called the Kom Ombo triad, after the famous temple in Upper Egypt where its images were found. As you might guess, this triad, in addition to Sebek himself, included his wife and son: the goddess Hathor and Khonsu (the moon god, later identified with Thoth). Nevertheless, Sebek cannot be called an exemplary family man: he had many divine friends, in particular, Renenutet, the “snake-nurse”, who was associated with the crocodile god in the Fayum region, as well as Nekhbet in El-Kab and Rattawy in Gebel. Silsile.

We also remember another trend in ancient Egyptian religion: the identification and syncretism of the image of the gods. The image of Sebek did not escape this tradition and greatly benefited from it.

He was given an unheard of privilege: the crocodile god became close to Ra himself in the form of a dual deity, especially revered in the era of the New Kingdom: Sebek-Ra! Apparently, this identification occurred in very ancient times and was due to the ancient, “primordial”, as the texts say, origin of the crocodile. By the way, Sebek’s love for water element explained by the fact that he was the first being to emerge from Nun, the primordial ocean from which the whole world was born. It was from these life-giving waters that Sebek-Ra arose, who soon became a kind of demiurge in the eyes of the Egyptians! This is where Sobek’s numerous epithets come from: “king of the gods,” “eldest of the gods,” and even “lord of eternity.” Identification with the sun god also explains the origin of the amazing solar crown with which Sebek was crowned. Respect for the crocodile only increased over time, so that in the end the priests even proclaimed him “the god of the universe.”

Appetite of the Gods

Like people, gods need food. And in large quantities too! They are very fond of bread (a staple food in Ancient Egypt) and do not disdain beer (which was a real national drink at that time), so sometimes they even get drunk! Seth and Hathor were considered the main fans of this intoxicating drink. Meat, on the contrary, was not highly valued by most gods, which is why Sebek so horrified his fellow pantheon members. However, he was not the only meat eater. For the warrior god Montu, “bread is hearts and water is blood,” as the texts tell us. And the lioness goddesses (and among them Sekhmet) “ate both raw and cooked”!

Fisher God

Despite the fact that Sebek was far from last in the ancient Egyptian pantheon, the crocodile god took almost no part in the affairs of other gods. Nevertheless, Sebek was regularly sent to earth, instructing him to find in the waters of the Nile what the other gods had thrown there. Two episodes are best known.

The first is connected with the history of the enmity between Set and Horus. Seth tried to rape his own nephew. During their struggle, Horus's hands were defiled by his uncle's seed. Isis, unable to overcome her disgust, cut off her son’s hands and threw them into the Nile! Ra, who learned about the incident, immediately sent Sebek to search for them. However, the hands of a god are not the same as the hands of a mortal! They continued to live independently of the body, so it was very difficult to catch them... However, Sebek, who knew the waters of the river well and was fluent in all methods of fishing, managed to fish them out after a long pursuit. He returned the hands of Ra, and he put them to Horus, but before that he made a second pair, which were kept as a relic in the sacred city of Nekhen.

Fisherman, but insatiable!

Having once encountered an enemy horde, Sebek attacked it and devoured everyone alive! Proud of his feat, he showed the heads of his enemies to the other gods. They were horrified... But even greater horror seized them when Sebek was about to devour the heads: “Don’t let him eat them, bring him bread!” - they exclaimed. One can imagine the grief of poor Sebek, who was deprived of such a feast. After all, he was constantly tormented by hunger! This is evidenced by another episode telling how Ra searched for Sebek in the waters of the Nile. He, like the previous story, is associated with the misadventures of Set, who, jealous of Osiris, killed him, dismembered him and threw him into the Nile. Sebek dived for the body, tempted by the tasty morsel! The gods, extremely outraged by this behavior, punished him by cutting off his tongue. That's why, the Egyptians said, crocodiles don't have a tongue!

Cult of Sebek

The inhabitants of Ancient Egypt experienced conflicting feelings towards Sebek: on the one hand, his appearance inspired them with fear, but on the other, his abilities aroused nothing but admiration. Everyone worshiped the crocodile god, both in the north, in the region of lakes and swamps, where crocodiles lived in abundance, and in the south, where one of the most beautiful temples in the country was dedicated to Sebek.

The great Nile carries its life-giving waters across all of Egypt from south to north. Popular belief, according to which Sebek was the god of fertility, it was said that the more crocodiles on the banks, the stronger the river flood will be, and the more more abundant harvest. That is why places of worship dedicated to Sebek were most often located where there was a lot of water: primarily along the Nile, as well as in the swampy delta of the river (in the north) and in the area of ​​the Faiyum oasis, which was fed by the waters of Lake Merida (in the north). western Egypt).

Sebek and water

In Sais, hometown of the goddess Neith, who was considered the mother of Sebek, he was called the one who “makes greenery grow on the banks.” This role cannot be underestimated, because we remember that the bulk of the agricultural resources of Ancient Egypt were concentrated precisely on the banks of the Nile.

Sebek was worshiped, first of all, as the lord of the waters, which, in general, is not surprising, because this impressive lizard is an excellent swimmer and feels much more confident in the water than on land. In the Fayum oasis, the Egyptians dedicated numerous sanctuaries to him. One of the cities was even named after him: the ancient Greeks translated this name as Crocodilopolis (city of the crocodile)! In each of the settlements on the shores of Lake Meridov, Sebek was given new epithets. For example, in one of them he was called Pneferos (beautiful-faced), while in others he was called Soknebtunis (Sebek, lord of Tebtunis); thirdly, he was Soknopaios, that is, “lord of the island.” The crocodile, the terror of Egyptian fishermen, was revered as the incarnation of the god Sebek.

It is worth noting that this god of fertility participated in many religious rituals. So, for example, shortly before the flood of the Nile, at the very beginning of the month of Akhet (July), the priests threw figurines of crocodiles sculpted from wax into the waters of the river. Thanks to magical rituals that made a strong impression on the common people, they came to life and crawled ashore, foreshadowing a life-giving flood.

It is noteworthy that Sebek was also revered because of his identification with the god Ra in the form of Sebek-Ra.

Worship of Sebek-Ra

We have already said that due to the unusual appearance of the crocodile, Sebek very early began to be considered a primordial creature who witnessed, and even participated in, the act of creation. The crocodile's element is water, but it can also move on land, so it was compared to the creatures that emerged from Nun, the primordial ocean, to conquer the earth's surface. And since the Egyptians believed that all things were created at the behest of Ra, they quite naturally identified him with the crocodile god Sebek in the image of the twofold Sebek-Ra.

The priests in the sanctuaries of the Fayum oasis often greeted Sebek with these words: “Greetings to you, O Sebek, lord of Crocodilopolis, Ra and Horus, almighty god! Hail to you, risen from the primordial waters, O Horus, ruler of Egypt, bull of bulls, embodiment of masculinity, lord of the floating islands!”

In addition, the cult attributed to Sebek some features of a solar deity. The most significant and most remarkable of them, undoubtedly, can be called his amazing crown. The symbol of Sebek’s connection with Ra was the solar disk adorning the very center of this crown and resting on ram’s horns, which are guarded by two cobras. Two long ostrich feathers hang over the entire structure. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most beautiful crowns ever worn by the ancient Egyptian gods.

How were sacred crocodiles caught?

How did the Egyptians catch the sacred crocodiles who lived in captivity outside the walls of the temples of Sebek? The Greek historian Herodotus tells us about very in an unusual way: a large hook was tied to the end of a long rope, onto which the hunter hooked a piece of pork carcass. This rope was then thrown into the water. On the shore, his assistant lured the crocodile, making the little pig squeal. And the crocodile swallowed the hook, thinking that he was biting a pig. With everyone's efforts they pulled him to the shore, where, in order to neutralize the predator, they threw dirt at him, trying to get it in his eyes. The blinded crocodile was then tied tightly and quickly transported to a new location.

Sacred crocodiles

The Greek historian Herodotus, talking about his journey to Egypt, mentions the breeding of sacred crocodiles, which was carried out by priests in the temples of Sebek. For example, the sanctuary of Thebes was famous for its animals raised in captivity. While the crocodile was alive, it was fed in abundance and cared for in every possible way, but even after death it received all the privileges granted to sacred animals. His corpse was carefully embalmed and buried in a real small tomb, which the not too rich Egyptians could well envy. This custom became especially widespread in the Late Period, in particular in the Crocodilopolis of Fayum, in Techne and Kom Ombo, where entire necropolises of crocodiles were found. We also know that the Egyptians made crocodile heads, most often by carving them out of limestone and painting them with black paint; they were probably used in magical rituals. These heads also date from the Late Period.

Kom Ombo Temple

You probably noticed the mention of Horus in the above-quoted address of the priests of Crocodilopolis. The connection between Sebek and the great falcon god was embodied in one of the most beautiful temples of ancient Egyptian civilization: the sanctuary of Kom Ombo, located near modern Aswan, in Upper Egypt, and built under the Ptolemies. The magnificent ensemble, dedicated to two gods at the same time, is very original from the point of view of not only religion, but also architecture. This, without exaggeration, is the most unique structure of Ancient Egypt! The architects who worked on it had to please both deities, and at the same time make the temple similar to other Egyptian sanctuaries. Therefore, the traditional elements of the building were preserved (pylon, courtyard, hypostyle hall, offering hall, sanctuary), but all rooms were systematically doubled, starting with the pylon with double gates at the entrance to the temple. Nevertheless, the only outer wall enclosing the temple area created an impression of unity. Two parallel entrances led to two sanctuaries: the sanctuary of Horus (in the form of Haroeris) was located in the north, and the sanctuary of Sebek in the south. It is interesting to note that for the Egyptians the south was more important than the north.

Sebek lived here with his divine wife Hathor and his son Khonsu: they were called the Kom-Ombo triad. This triad was one of the most famous in the country. On the magnificent bas-reliefs, Sebek is depicted surrounded by loved ones. But in other sanctuaries, unlike Kom Ombo, where the crocodile god coexisted peacefully with Horus, everything was different...

Unwelcome Guest

In contrast to Kom Ombo, the crocodile, be it Sebek or a simple reptile, was not allowed into some places. As an example, we can take Dendera, the temple where the goddess Hathor, the companion of Horus of Edfu, was honored, whom she invariably visited every year. For Sebek, the gates of Dendera were closed. It was even believed that the residents of this city need not be afraid that this formidable predator would attack them!

In one of the bas-reliefs of the Temple of Hathor, the falcon Horus is depicted next to Isis (his mother) and Nephthys (his aunt), and at their feet lie crocodiles pierced by arrows. Finally, archaeologists found numerous steles called the “Tombstone of Horus,” or “Horus on Crocodiles.” These basalt or diorite sculptures depict the young god Horus defeating snakes and scorpions and trampling crocodiles underfoot. Healing properties were attributed to such monuments.

In Edfu, during the famous holidays held in honor of Horus and Hathor, the priests made figurines of crocodiles, which were publicly destroyed.

In the region of Elephantine, the crocodile was by no means considered a sacred animal; moreover, it was hunted and eaten! Apparently, people believed that crocodile meat would impart its strength and fertility to them.

Crocodile and exploits in the name of love

Victory over a crocodile, a dangerous animal, was considered a feat for a man, which could be accomplished, including in the name of love. Here's how the ancient poem tells about it: “I keep the love of my beloved, who lives on the other bank, in myself [...], but the crocodile is there (in the middle of the river), on the sandbank. Entering the water, I struggle with the current [...] And finally I find a crocodile, and he is like a mouse to me, because my love has strengthened me..."

Don't confuse Sebek with Seth!

There is no point in paying black ingratitude to someone who has helped Horus more than once! After all, we remember that it was Sebek who fished out the hands of the falcon god from the Nile. However, despite his good deeds, the crocodile constantly had to fight against a bad reputation. Of course, this carnivore, potentially dangerous to humans, quite rightly inspired fear. However, poor Sebek suffered most of all not because of his gluttony, but because of the identification of the crocodile with Set, and in his most unsightly form. The crocodile, as one of the incarnations of Set, became a sandbank in the Duat, on which the boat of the god Ra, traveling at night through the Underworld, could land at any moment. However, Sebek was not at all an opponent of order, quite the opposite!

Healing statues “mountain on crocodiles”

Most often on these monuments the young god Horus was depicted standing on a crocodile and clutching snakes in his hands. The Egyptians believed that spells carved in stone had the power to healing power, saving people from scorpion and snake bites. They say that some of them healed the child of Horus, who was almost killed by poison. For mere mortals seeking healing, it was considered sufficient to pour water on the statue, then collect it and drink it. The healing power of the texts was transferred to water, which, in turn, returned health to a person. Similar products were found most different sizes; some of them were so tiny that they were worn around the neck as protective amulets!

The deification of animals and the forces of nature is a common feature of all ancient civilizations, but some cults are based on modern man especially strong impression. In the era of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, the role of sacred animals was assigned to perhaps the most repulsive and terrible creatures on the planet - Nile crocodiles.

Sebek - crocodile god, ruler of the Nile

The role of the Nile in the development of the culture of Ancient Egypt cannot be overestimated - this river determined the very existence of the peoples who settled along its banks. Stretching for almost seven thousand kilometers from south to north, the Nile fed the Egyptians, and river floods provided good harvests in the fields adjacent to the river, and the lack of spills doomed people to starvation. Since the time of the pharaohs, there have been special structures - nilomers, whose purpose was to determine the river level to predict the next harvest.

It is not surprising, therefore, the desire to earn the favor of such powerful forces by giving special ritual character interaction with a permanent resident of the Nile and, to some extent, its owner - the crocodile. By the behavior and movement of these animals, the Egyptians, among other things, determined the arrival of floods.

God Sebek (or Sobek), who was depicted as a man with the head of a crocodile, is one of the oldest and main gods of the Egyptian pantheon. He was recognized not only as the ruler of the Nile and the ruler of its floods, bestowing fertility and abundance, but also as a deity personifying time and eternity. Sebek was depicted with the head of a crocodile and wearing a magnificent crown.

City of Gadov

The cult of Sebek manifested itself especially clearly in Crocodilopolis, or the City of Gads, located southwest of the ancient capital of Egypt, Memphis. The name “Crocodilopolis” was given to the settlement by the Greeks, who came to these lands in the 4th century BC with Alexander the Great. The Egyptians themselves called this city Shedit (Shedet).

Situated in the Faiyum Oasis, a wide valley famous for its fertility throughout Ancient Egypt, near Lake Merida, Shedit became a place of worship of the god Sebek and his living incarnations - crocodiles.

In the 19th century BC, the 12th Dynasty pharaoh Amenemhat III built a pyramid for himself near the city of Shedit. Adjacent to the pyramid was the Labyrinth - a sacred structure that has not survived to this day, a temple complex where Sobek’s son, Petsuchos, lived. Which of the crocodiles would have the honor of becoming a divine offspring was determined by the priests - according to rules that are currently unknown. The crocodile lived in the Labyrinth, where, in addition to the pond and sand, there were many rooms located on different levels - according to ancient sources, in particular, according to the stories of Herodotus, the number of rooms allegedly reached several thousand. The estimated area of ​​rooms and passages of the Labyrinth reached 70 thousand square meters.

Serving the crocodile

The priests offered Petsuchos meat, bread with honey, and wine as food, and the one who accidentally fell victim to the crocodile’s mouth himself acquired divine status, his remains were embalmed and placed in a sacred tomb. Drinking water from the pond in which such a crocodile lived was considered great luck and provided the patronage of the deity.

After the death of the “son of Sebek,” his body was mummified and buried nearby. In total, several thousand such mummies were discovered, in particular in the Kom el-Breighat cemetery. The crocodile, chosen by the same priests, became the new incarnation of God.

The information that has reached our time about the cult of crocodiles in Shedita is extremely scarce and is based, as a rule, on the notes of the Greeks who visited here. The ancient scientist Strabo, who visited Egypt in the first century BC, left the following memories:
« Our host, one of officials, who initiated us into the mysteries there, came with us to the lake, taking from dinner some flatbread, fried meat and a jug of wine mixed with honey. We found a crocodile lying on the shore of the lake. When the priests approached the animal, one of them opened its mouth, and the other inserted a cake, then meat, and then poured in the honey mixture. Then the animal jumped into the lake and swam to the other side. But when another stranger approached, also carrying with him an offering of the firstfruits, the priests took gifts from him; then they ran around the lake and, having found a crocodile, in the same way gave the food they had brought to the animal».

Under Ptolemy II, Crocodilopolis was renamed Arsinoe - in honor of the ruler's wife.
El-Fayoum is one of the least studied areas of Egypt by archaeologists, so it is quite possible that in the foreseeable future additional arguments will be received that confirm or refute the legends about the Labyrinth of Crocodilopolis.

However, the cult of the crocodile god Sebek can be traced to other areas of Ancient Egypt - in particular, in Kom Ombo, the city that was formerly the name Nubet, there is a temple dedicated to Sebek, where since 2012 it has been displaying crocodile mummies from nearby burials.

The meeting with the sacred crocodile is a vivid fragment of I. Efremov’s work “Thais of Athens” - Fr.

The oldest god of ancient Egyptian mythology, he had the appearance of a man with a crocodile head. Sometimes he is depicted differently - as a crocodile with a human head. The hieroglyphic inscription represents the god as a crocodile who sits in honor on a pedestal, which is similar to the spelling of the name of the god Anubis, depicted as a dog. There is no agreement on the correct way to pronounce the name of God. The two most common options are Sebek and Sobek.

God of fertility and the Nile

According to historians, the origin of the cult of Sebek occurred in the lowlands of the Nile River, where in numerous branches of the delta lived great amount crocodiles. Many chroniclers highlight these reptiles as an integral Egyptian symbol, like ibises and snakes. Unfortunately, in modern times, widespread urbanization has led to the extinction of crocodiles in the Nile.

But this does not mean that the deification of crocodiles occurred because of their number. Rats or sparrows are found in even larger numbers, and it is simply impossible to count them. They live next to people all the time, but no one has ever made them deities. This is even though the damage caused by rats is much greater than the damage caused by crocodiles.

Of course, the power of a crocodile allows it to suddenly rush at its prey; it is very fast, both in water and on land. This animal can easily kill a person, and there are many such cases when a careless hunter fell into the mouth of a crocodile. But catching these reptiles has always been common among the ancient Egyptians. They depicted Sebek with the help of one of the captured crocodiles and worshiped him.

The surviving image shows that the crocodile, which served as an avatar of the deity, was decorated with bracelets and earrings. We cannot agree that the animal was pleased to endure all the procedures, and he steadfastly wore all the jewelry. As the results of archaeological searches show, gold and silver were the constant attributes of all such Sebeks, because there were several such reptiles.

The sacred animal was represented as a container where the spirit of God was placed. Natural old age and death, which invariably occurred, were not a problem for the ancient Egyptians. The reptile was made into a mummy and buried. A new crocodile came to replace it, which was also decorated and prayed to. What characteristics were used to select the animal? this moment unknown.

Near the settlement of Kiman Faris, which was previously called Shedit (translated from ancient Greek as Crocodilopolis), archaeologists found about two thousand mummified reptiles. Some of them are exhibited in. According to statistics, a crocodile lives about the same as a human, even a little longer. If you make a certain calculation, taking into account that not all crocodiles were found, and Sebek’s avatar actually died a natural death, then the time period comes out to be about twenty thousand years. But, who knows, maybe in Ancient Egypt all crocodiles were turned into mummies.

The described facts indicate that Sebek was always held in high esteem in all ancient eras. An unpleasant avatar did not mean that the god himself was evil. You can't even call him cruel. Sebek is “the giver of life, his feet give people the waters of the Nile.” Similar words are written in the Book of the Dead. Like Osiris, Sebek is the god of fertility, he is the owner of the Nile River, all fresh water and animals living in the rivers. The prayers of fishermen and hunters were directed to Sebek, because the reed thickets were the main place of their fishing. He helped the souls of dead people make their way to Osiris.

There is a record that testifies to one man’s request to God to help him in the fight for a woman. The deity controlled many aspects of Egyptian life. One of the songs contains words in which Sebek is given the title of “god who hears prayers,” no ancient Egyptian god does not bear such a title.

God Sobek - inventor

There is a legend that tells about the invention of a fishing net. Hapi and Amseta - two sons of the god Horus hid in the waters of the Nile from the god Ra, who could not find him. Or maybe he was too proud for that. God instructed Sebek to complete the task so that he would find the great-great-great-grandchildren whose brothers were Ra. With the help of his hands, Sebek sifted the entire Nile through his fingers, and he managed to find the fugitives. This is how the fishing net arose. Of course, this narrative lacks smoothness and harmony, but the meaning of the legend is clear.

Bloodline of God

The history of the origin of the deity is rather vague. Two options are being considered. The first is that Ra was the creator or parent of God. The second - Sebek was generated by the primary ocean Nun. Based on some historical evidence, it is assumed that he is the son of Neith, but there is almost no data on this. There is no information about Sebek’s wife. So mysterious is the deity, who was like a cunning guard, faithfully serving Ra. He was also highly revered by mortals, who distributed miniature amulets with his image everywhere.

Sebek and the ancient Egyptians

Sebek was revered back in the days Ancient kingdom– the era of construction and. It is mentioned in one of the spells of the “pyramid texts”.

Amenemhet III, who was the pharaoh of the twelfth dynasty, built a large temple in the city of Fayyum. It was dedicated to the god with the head of a crocodile. Not far from the temple, they built a labyrinth where they performed religious rituals, which were dedicated to the god Sebek. The system of the temple resembles the building in Abydos, where Osiris was worshiped; the labyrinth there was also part of the temple. Mummified crocodiles were discovered in Fayoum. The popularity of the deity is also confirmed by the fact that the wishes “May Sebek protect you” were often written in letters.

Many temples were located near the Nile Delta, but other places are also known where structures were erected to worship the deity. For example, in Kom Ombo (Ombos), which is located at the headwaters of the Nile, the remains of a temple have also been preserved, and an excursion to it is now an integral part of tourist cruises on the Nile. Temples of Sebek and mummified crocodiles are found even in, which has never been a cultural center.

Followers technological theory in the field of ancient myths will be interested in the fact that archaeologists have found papyri containing twelve hymns in which the crown of the god Sebek was praised. Its main advantage was that it destroyed all enemies, because it sparkled brightly, like the sun.

Likewise, Akhenaten, according to legend, dispersed an army of forty thousand soldiers. And he did this thanks to the crown, or rather the rays emanating from it.

One story is interesting. Osiris, when he finally resurrected, was left without a reproductive organ. According to legend, he was eaten by a crocodile. I wonder if Sebek was also involved in this incident? In addition, there are several statues that depict a mummified Osiris located on Sobek's back.

Sebek is still popular today. If you look at what interesting things you can find, then figurines of ancient gods will be one of the first places on the list of souvenirs. And the palm in the list of gods in that case is worn by Anubis with the head of a jackal and Sebek, made in the most bizarre forms.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, a special place is occupied by the god Sebek - the lord of the water element, the god of water, on whom the flood of the Nile depends. Its zoomorphic form was a crocodile. There were 2 forms of his images: with the head of a crocodile and a human body, or vice versa - with the head of a man and the body of a crocodile. On hieroglyphs he was depicted lying on an honorary pedestal. In terms of pronunciation of his name, there are also 2 options: Sobek and Sebek.

Crocodiles were considered an avatar of the god Sebek. To do this, the Egyptians caught crocodiles en masse, chose the best one, recognized him as the incarnation of a deity and decorated the reptile’s paws with bracelets and ears with earrings. For this purpose, silver and gold jewelry and jewelry were chosen. There were cases when several crocodiles were chosen at once for worship. However, most often the Egyptians waited for the natural death of one crocodile in order to again choose the avatar of the god among the young reptiles. The dead crocodile was carefully mummified.

More than 2 thousand mummies of these sacred reptiles were discovered near Kiman Faris (Crocodilopolis). If we calculate mathematically, taking as a basis the lifespan of an ordinary crocodile (which was often longer than the lifespan of a human), we can assume that the tradition of choosing and worshiping Sebek crocodiles goes back about 20 thousand years. All this may indicate the high veneration of this deity in Egyptian society.

In ancient Egyptian mythology there is information about the veneration of the crocodile Petsukhos as a real embodiment of the god Sebek. The Egyptians believed that he lived in a lake that was adjacent to the main sanctuary of the deity. They drank water from this lake to gain magical protection and protection from Sebek, and also fed the crocodile Petsukhos with various delicacies.

good deity

Despite the frightening avatar of the crocodile, Sebek himself, in the minds of the Egyptians, was not evil or even cruel. This can be judged at least based on the fact that he:

• gave life;
• monitored the Nile floods;
• brought a good harvest;
• provided life for all river creatures.

Fishermen, as well as hunters who hunted in the reeds, turned to Sebek in their prayers. He was asked for assistance in transporting dead souls to the palace of the god Osiris.

There is some evidence that Sebek was even approached as a fortuneteller. And unlike other ancient Egyptian gods, he receives the title of an attentive and listening god to prayers.

Versions of origin

There is no consensus among Egyptologists and other scientists regarding the origin of Sebek. According to one version, he (like other primary gods) was born by the god Ra. According to the second version, he (like the god Ra himself) was given birth to by Geb and Nut. There is also another version that he is the son of Neith, who was revered as the great mother of other gods, the mistress of war and hunting, the water and sea elements, and the mother of the terrifying serpent Apophis. However, nothing is known about Sebek’s wife. This may indicate the secrecy and cunning of Sobek in the ideas of the ancient Egyptians.

Inventor of fishing nets

According to one surviving legend, the Egyptian god Ra once tried to find the two sons of the god Horus - Amset and Hapi. They hid from Ra in the Nile. The god Ra himself could not find these two sons of Horus, and therefore he ordered Sebek to find his own great-great-great-grandchildren. He began to sift the silt of the Nile through his fingers. So he found Amset and Hapi. And thus the idea of ​​fishing nets arose.

There are other episodes when Ra instructed Sebek to find something in the Nile. So, one day Sebek went in search of the severed hands of the god Horus, which were thrown into the Nile. The hands lived on their own and were very difficult to catch. But Sebek, after pursuing them as a fisherman, managed to fish them out and return Ra. God Ra made a second pair, which, as a relic, was kept for a long time in the city of Nekhen.

Sebek and his veneration

The popularity of Sebek among the Egyptians is evidenced not only by the mummification of crocodiles. This is evidenced by some facts:

• his name constantly appears in the most ancient Egyptian correspondence found;
• archaeologists find separate papyri dedicated to the glorification of individual objects of Sebek (for example, 12 hymns to his crown alone in one of the papyri);
• Sebek had a crown, which indicates high role in the divine hierarchy;
• statues have been preserved in which Sebek carries the mummy of Osiris on his back, and according to legend, the missing reproductive organ of Osiris was eaten by a certain crocodile (which indicates the great role of Sebek in the life of Osiris);
• The Egyptians often attributed magical and healing properties to images of Sebek;
• the people believed that the more crocodiles there were on the banks of the Nile, the better the flood and harvest would be;
• During the 2nd millennium BC, pharaohs often called themselves Sebekhotep, which literally translates as “Sebek is pleased.”

Sebek and the water element

Sebek was called the one who forces greenery to grow on water banks. The main agricultural resources were located on the banks of the Nile. And it is not surprising that he, as the lord of the waters, was worshiped and numerous sanctuaries were built. This is how the city of Crocodilopolis arose (which literally translates as the city of the crocodile). There are also many variations of the names of the god Sebek: Pneferos (beautiful-faced), Soknebtunis (lord of Tebtunis); Soknopayos (lord of the island), etc. Many water religious rites associated with the god Sebek are also known. So, in early July, ancient Egyptian priests threw wax figurines of crocodiles into the river. People believed that thanks to magic, the figurines came to life and crawled ashore in the form of living reptiles, which foreshadowed good luck and fertility.

Sobek's Gluttony

Legends about his insatiability are also associated with the god Sebek. According to one story, he single-handedly attacked an enemy horde and devoured them alive. After this, Sebek showed the bitten off heads to the other gods, threatening them too. Then the other gods offered to bring him a lot of bread to satisfy his endless hunger. According to another story, Set killed Osiris, dismembered his body, and threw the pieces into the Nile. Then Sebek wanted to profit from pieces of the body and rushed into the Nile. For this impudent behavior, the other gods cut off Sebek's tongue as punishment. For this reason, crocodiles lack a tongue.

There is also a mythological version about the hiding of the evil god Set in the body of Sebek to avoid retribution for the murder of the god Osiris.

Kom Ombo Temple

The Kom Ombo Temple is one of the most important evidence of the veneration of the god Sebek in Ancient Egypt. It is located near Aswan and is dedicated to two gods: Horus and Sebek. It is very original from an architectural point of view, because... the goal was to please two great gods at once, while preserving the typical architectural canons (sanctuary, courtyard, pylon, hall of offerings). In the temple, all parts were doubled, but the feeling of unity was preserved due to outer wall temple. There were also two parallel sanctuaries to both gods: in the north - Horus, in the south - Sebek. By the way, this is another fact confirming the importance of Sebek - the south was more important to the Egyptians than the north. Sebek was depicted on the walls of the temple, surrounded by his family.

Killing the sacred crocodile in the name of love

On special occasions, men sought to prove their love to their beloved by killing the most dangerous and powerful crocodile. This was considered a feat. But at the same time, such killing of a sacred animal was allowed only in the name of love.

Healing statues of the god Horus standing on crocodiles

The ancient Egyptians often turned to special statues for help, in which the god Horus stood on crocodiles and held snakes in his hands. The Egyptians believed that spells carved on stone could provide a person with magical power from snake and scorpion bites. For such protection, you just need to pour water on this statue, then collect this water and drink it. It was believed that magical power from the text passes to water through the stone. For this reason, the Egyptians everywhere made miniature stone amulets to provide themselves with magical protection.