Temple of Philae in Egypt Part II: The Approach to the Temple of Isis

Although the effects on the island of Philae is now in the nearby island of Philae Agilika amended, and is buried under the waters of the lake, which formed between the old Aswan Dam and the High Dam, the island of Philae neighboring Biggeh the West in ancient times, and the formation of a religious complex dedicated entirely to the worship of Osiris. Approaches rituals Biggeh, site Abaton, one of the alleged graves of Osiris. In the temples of Philae, and the regular visits every ten days of Isis on the island of Bigeh and the shrine of Osiris.
There are many myths about elephants, but the most famous is the story of how Isis found in the heart of Osiris here after his murder by his brother Seth. Every night there are sound and light, which tells the legends against the spectacular backdrop of the illuminated monuments - really magical experience.


Philae was dedicated to Isis, excellence, and a sister and wife of Osiris and the guardian of the rule of the Ptolemies. Although Isis was the highest honor the god himself, and the location of the island on the border between Egypt and Nubia mean Nubian communities also appeared in the island, represented by important buildings of worship.
There is some evidence on the island of Philae actual religious activity in honor of Amun, at the time of King Taharqa, who ruled Egypt between 689 and 664 BC. C. In 25 families, and perhaps built a granite altar to the god Amun. Perhaps Kush, to invade Egypt, and established a fort at Philae. Traces of houses built of brick in the trenches between the foundation stone temples at a later time, and to the west of the Nile in the measure as early Mammisi the date of this period.
Effects on the island is dominated by the Temple of Isis and its associated structures, which are concentrated in western and central Cuba, near or granite outcrop must have been originally chosen as the embodiment of the primitive hill where the first temple was said to rested. This hill had been received in a new location of the monuments of Agilika.
The altar at Amon Taharqa is the earliest evidence of structures in the island. Known history of the elephants do not belong to a further, and it was not even in Ptolemaic and Roman periods elephants grew in importance. Priests believed that a much longer history of their island, as noted above, the inscription on the border in Sehel Island Staten Island early in the breed 3rd, Djoser gave the country to the First Cataract reciprocating the island. (Dodekaschoinoi) during times of Ptolemy, who was in the gold mines in the valley Alaki within the administrative area.
However, the oldest known place of worship in honor of Isis, known by the Egyptians and Aset, was a small temple built in the period of the Saite Psammetik II. This was followed by a small temple for the rock of granite, which was built by Amasis. So far it appears that the Saite kings of the cult of Isis have been made in this area, and laid the foundation for his subsequent glorification of the island.
The next round of construction, and the preservation of monuments the oldest elephants, and dates from 30 families. From the old pier where boats and land in the southwest corner of the temple, and the structure of the first booth is Nectanebo I, but you may notice the first seat clear of the scene light and sound. Kiosk or Nectanebo lobby is a room with a screen walls are connected by graceful columns. Fourteen of the pillars of Hathor the original, only six remain. Screens between the columns to about six feet high, and crowned with cornices and rows of concave cobra - snakes. Screens are carved with inscriptions show Nectanebo offerings to the gods.
North Nectanebo Memorial, two balconies, one on the east side and one in the west of the courtyard in the open air which leads to the tower of the First Temple. In the western half of the gallery is the most complete, and crossed with the original Windows Biggeh facing the island. And scale down the slope of the Nile here. Corridor is about one hundred meters and contains thirty-one of thirty-two original columns. Tapas are the capitals of flowers, and is notable for its diversity with no two alike. More of the columns show sizes Tiberias gifts offered to the gods. Ceiling, which is mostly destroyed, decorated with stars and eagles and aviation, while the back wall of two rows of bas-reliefs of Tiberias August, and submit to the gods.
The eastern corridor is not complete. In the south adjacent to the temple or Arsenuphis Iry - myeloperoxidase - Nufer, just north of Nectanebo lobby. Arensnuphis black Nubian lion was seen by a fellow god Isis. The Temple was built by Ptolemy IV, and expanded by Ptolemy V. Here, and the inscriptions represent Ptolemy V by the gods Isis and others, and also of Ptolemy IV before Isis and Horus and Unnefer. Tomb was surrounded by walls that were demolished in some places, but the representation of Galilee adoring Osiris, Isis, HARS (Horus the elder) and Nephthys and Khanom, satış, Anket, Arsenuphis and Tefnut.
Partly under the eastern porch roof and columns of seventeen years, only six of whom completed the capital. Behind (north) and the Temple of Arsenuphis east of the eastern porch is a ruined chapel of Mandulis, another deity of Nubia. At the north end of the colonnade is the Temple of Imhotep. That, and shows Ptolemy V before deified Imhotep.
Beyond the Temple of Imhotep and the first edifice of the temple of Isis is the gate of Ptolemy II, with the representation of Pharaoh Ptolemy be developed by Isis.
Just opposite the main entrance to the tower of the Roman-style lions carved from pink granite, which was re-erected on this island, backed away from its old stand on the island of Philae. Obelisks were here once too, which was built by Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II and his second wife, Cleopatra III (which is certainly not the most famous Cleopatra VII). Base east of the obelisk inscription complaint over Real Madrid that the priests of Isis at Philae were obliged to reimburse the expenses of the civil and military authorities incurred during their stay on the island.
The pink granite obelisks do not miss us, but now you can find at Kingston Lacy in Dorset, United Kingdom. Obelisk from the east, which measures 6.7 meters long and weighing six tons, was found buried between his team and his Western counterpart was badly damaged and only a third of her departure. Were taken by Mr. Ralph Bankes to your garden. It is interesting, and they were an essential part in decoding the hieroglyphics. The Rosetta Stone of Ptolemy has a long inscription in hieroglyphics, demotic and Greek writing. Of the inscriptions, it was possible that the French Egyptologist Jean Francois Champollion to determine the form of hieroglyphics of his name, using the same method, "said Bankes hieroglyphic form of the name, Cleopatra, who was not known before. However, these obelisks, or at least in the east, has a story more interesting than this.
Two of the most avid collector of Egyptian antiquities at this time (1819) and the British Consul Henry Salt, and the Consul General of France, Bernardino Drovetti. Give money to local leaders in all parts of Egypt, who then made sure the other collectors and warned, failure to provide workers. Was urgent and, of course, they actually get on the obelisks and Salt Ralph Bankes was fortunate to be the agent, the giant Italian adventurer Giovanni Belzoni, known as the strong support for Egyptology.
Based on learning of this issue of the obelisks at Philae, Drovetti claimed belonged to him, but nicely Bankes gave for the property. Belzoni, an important and salt, transport, Drovetti thought it was impossible to find a way to move the obelisk from the first (in full, and one east) through the waterfall and renounced its claim on this basis. Given the size of the obelisk could be right.
The obelisk was in debt and the payment of rollers on a wooden platform for freight thick, "But, unfortunately," he writes Bezoni "when the obelisk gradually from the bank and leaned all his weight on that, in the dock, the obelisk and some men, it was slow and stately, and descended into a river. "
However, it was loaded with Belzoni and his men out of the mud and onto a boat for his visit to Cairo. But the story does not end at this point, because there Drovetti, does not appear, in the light up. Men Drovetti of Belzoni intercepted en route to Aswan, and it was only after an altercation which ended in time for the arrival of firearms Drovetti the same monument and allowed them to continue their journey. He was sent to England in May 1821, the Office are not erected in the park until 1827 Bankes. In the meantime, Bankes returned to Egypt in 1822 for the collection of broken west obelisk.
This leads us to the first tower, which is outside the Temple of Isis right.