Philae Temples Part III: The First Great Pylon and Forecourt of The Temple of Isis

Work on the Temple of Isis at Philae on the island right now Agilika, is overwhelmingly to Ptolemy and Ptolemy is part of the policy for promoting the cult of Isis in the Kingdom and abroad. The essence of the Temple of Isis, and north across the hall, was built by Ptolemy II, just behind the old sanctuary of Amasis, who was later demolished.
The temple was primarily dedicated to Isis who was venerated here with her son Horus, and Harpocrates Greek. The name of Osiris is usually written within a cartouche with the words refer to "died" after that, and the name of Isis was also written within a cartouche. In this region and the rulers were considered divine.
The main entrance of the temple edifice is headed by the first Grande. Is 150 meters high and 60 feet, consisting of two towers and the door between them. There are deep grooves to reduce the flag poles on both sides of the entrance. The tower was initiated mainly Potlemy II Philadelphus and Ptolemy III, the completion of the first, although the decoration was done over a much longer period. In fact, were not really ended.
The front of the right or from the east tower, and is with a big personality of Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos which has a group of the enemies of Egypt by the hair and raises his club to smite them. This, of course, is a common pharaoh of Egyptian history dating back to early, and almost every repeated by the king. Is to the left of the Isis, and watch the King, together with the Falcons headed Horus, Hathor, Edfu. This scene above are patterns. On the right, Ptolemy XII and displays the crown of Upper Egypt and Lower of Horus and Nephthys. On the left, and offers incense to Isis and children, and Horus.
In the tower west of the tower, and Pharaoh seen in the same position, killing their enemies, once again, while Isis and Horus and Hathor look. Again, there are two types of patterns above, and one representing him in the presence of Unnefer (the name given to Osiris after his resurrection), and Isis, and the other showing the king before Isis and Hariesis. Unfortunately, these inscriptions were damaged heavily by the early Christians. Throughout the entire bottom of the first tower patterns from such small numbers of the River Nile with offers.
The front door of the tower before the first structure in itself, having been built by Nectanebo while he built a small church hall is now located at the beginning of this approach to the main temple. On both sides of the entrance, is a Coptic Christian crosses carved into the sandstone, and the thickness of the door Nectanebo patterns appear in the presence of different gods such as Isis. To the right is the French public record Dose victory over the Mamluks in 1799.
Beyond the first is the park of the edifice of the temple. Here in the rear walls of the tower, and the phrase is additional description. In the tower west of the right or Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos standing in front of Osiris, Isis and other deities, and under this representation are the sacred vessels, leading to the priests in the processions.
Tower to the left or to the east, Ptolemy XII, was found to Amun and death, and the other gods. There is a small door in the post leads to a room with inscriptions of Ptolemy IX Soter II before Isis, Horus and Hathor, while the Queen and Princess Cleopatra standing in front of Isis. Another inscription on the door of a small Ptolemy XII, together with the names of various other rules. This opens the door to a stairway leading to the surface in terms of a superb view of the island. In the southeastern corner of the courtyard, near the tower is the first work in the temples of Philae, on the altar of granite Taharqa, the Nubian king also ruled Egypt plant.
In the same arena on the left, or west side, is the birth of the house, or Mammisi, which is similar in plan and decoration of those of Edfu and Dendera. The birth of the home is a key feature for the construction of temples during the Ptolemaic period. The concept of birth, have emerged in the homes of representations in the temple of Deir el-Bahri in Luxor and the divine birth of Queen Hatshepsut and Amenhotep III. These presentations were the main reasons for the theology of the king, and grew to prominence with the spread of the worship of Osiris. The birth of the houses, and designed to celebrate the rituals related to the tradition of the child Horus, Osiris, and reached full development during the Ptolemaic era.
After the death of his father, Osiris and Horus became man and knocked his father enemies. Horus, and the pharaoh of Egypt, and became the ancestor of all the successive kings. It is therefore essential that all Pharaoh membership should be recognized as the true descendants of Horus.
Here on the campus of Mammisi Isis and Horus the falcon is provided using a double crown and stand in a forest of papyrus. Under this scene, Isis and Horus takes the child in her arms, surrounded by the gods for the protection of Thoth, and Djt, Nekhbet and Amun-Re.
And columns on three aspects of the house of birth, with a number of capitals of the columns topped with capitals rattle with flower heads of Hathor. Screen walls between the columns represent Ptolemy VI, VIII and X, and Roman Tiberius, in the presence of various gods.
And the right, or east side of the courtyard is decorated with an exhibition of elegant columns with crowns of flowers and palm fronds, which supports the Corniche, taking a row of cobra - snakes. Recording the assignment of the construction of an exhibition of Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II, but there are inscriptions on the walls representing Ptolemy XII before the gods. There are six doors leading through the back wall of the annex to the columns of small rooms used for different purposes such as storage of equipment of religion, and the preparation of incense, and home of the sacred books, and perhaps priestly insignia. A video camera and is believed to have been "library", dedicated to Thoth.
Peremptory before the second tower is a small Romanian church in the northeast corner, which was built on the rock of natural rock, and stand in the corner to the entrance from the outside.
Northern wall of the park, formed through the second edifice, which is 105 feet wide and great height of 40 feet. Appears in a different angle of the edifice first. Inclined plane of the shallow steps leading to the gate between the towers.
On the left, or west tower, Ptolemy XII offers incense and slaughter of animals is dedicated to Horus, Hathor and other gods. Above two inscriptions small, horribly mutilated, representing the king to present flowers to Horus and Nephthys, and offer incense and water falling on the altar in the presence of Osiris, Isis, and Horus.
On the right, or east tower, and there are similar scenes, but in much better shape.
At the base of the eastern tower, part of the base of the original granite island, and emerged from this was carved on the obelisk which Ptolemy VI and Cleopatra II in front of Isis and Horus. This was the witness faithfully transferred to the new island with the rest of the temple. Pattern refers to the granting Dodekaschoinoi efforts to Isis, which met the priests of Philae on the par with those Philly. Dodekaschoinoi is the Greek word which means "twelve schoinoi" A mirror schoinos seven miles. A measure of the region, but not for long, so this probably means that its assets to finance the foundation of the structure lasted for about seven miles along the Nile River, including land.
Both towers of the poles of the second edifice on the slots as the first edifice. Section between the two towers Euergetes II describes Ptolemy VIII, an extremely distorted, by a series of gods equally distorted. On the east side of the entrance is inscribed with the Christian Bishop Theodoros.
From here, the entrance leads to the second pillar from inside the main temple, and finally to the main sanctuary.