Temples of Philae on Agilika Island, Part I: Before the High Dam

One of the main sites visited by almost every tour to Egypt is what is described as elephants, elephants, but is actually on the island, there are now buried under Lake Nasser. The island was sometimes visible, sometimes not after the old Aswan High Dam was built, but it was permanently submerged by the Aswan High Dam.
Philae is the Greek translation of the name of almost local "Pilak" known from the hieroglyphic texts can be a shift in origin. The ancient Egyptians saw the elephants in their name and etymology with the meaning "the island of time [Ra], which created, but the history of the island is more than that.
What we know today as the elephants are the main source of the temple complex was moved from the island after the High Dam was built on the island of Agilika. Was the center of worship of the goddess Isis and her connection with Osiris, Horus, and the era, and during the Ptolemaic period of Egyptian history.
Today, there are two dams at Aswan, but of course, in ancient times, there was nothing. Dams, and occupied the island of Philae and function at the beginning or the end of the southern part of the First Cataract of the Nile, where the river acceleration of sixteen feet in the turbulent eddies and swirls of white water is located at a distance of three miles. Pharaohs and had tried several quiet or at least provide the best way to overcome these slopes. Pepi I built at least one channel, such as Merenre, as is the case in the era of the Old Kingdom, but in the later kings as well, as Sesostris III.
There are many islands in the region, and Amelia Edwards says hundreds, even Biggeh, Agilika the current location of the temple, a group of small islands in the Awad and Mohammed Al-Hasa, and under the waterfall (North), and Siheil Philly.
During the early days, the priests of Philae, "said the source of the Nile, and had been rock bottom Biggeh below, where half of the increased flow of the river north and the other half of the flow of the south. Competitors were the priests of Philly, who made the same claim. In fact, the river was on the island and then over hundreds of feet deep in places, with water from the confusion that can be developed and turned in all directions.
This water was dangerous to walk in ancient times, a fact of modern escape for Agilika visiting the island. Amelia Edwards, the brave Victorian Egyptologist saw it different from what we are doing today. It:
"In Aswan, one of the bids goodbye to Egypt and Nubia in through the doors for intervention - that is, in fact, no cataracts, but a series of slopes stretching over two thirds of the distance between the elephants and Philae, and the Nile - diverted from its original niche of catastrophe is not registered, and the nature of what led to a lot of scientific speculation - here is spread along a rocky basin bounded by sand tracks on the one hand, and granite cliffs on the other. with a myriad of islands, channels are divided into innumerable, foaming at the slopes, in the swirling water, rocks and worn, and now at the shallow depth now, now loitering, now here in a hurry drift asleep in a small hollow ribbed sand, and there are flying over the cycle from the cycle of hidden, rivers, and if viewed from the deck of dahabeeyah Heights or the beach, is everywhere to fight their way through the maze, and the paths that are not allocated or it seemed.
Of course, one can still get the light falls to the north of the old Aswan Dam. In ancient times, and presented to the passengers on the loyalties of elephants before proceeding through dangerous areas in the South Land "ghost".
Sehel the island and the island of more than 250 entries of pilgrims and tourists who come and go through the area, dating back to the Fourth Dynasty to the Ptolemaic period. Baby I cut channels through the waterfall to help the crew on their way to the calm waters above Philae. Harkhuf passed through here on their way to Nubia during the reign of Pepi II. Here also is a call Sehel Island Panel famine, registered at the time of Ptolemy, but relevant in the era of King Djoser of the ruling family in the 3rd. And confirms that the King decreed that large tracts of land on both sides of the river that runs south from Elephantine should be given to the Temple of Khnum, together with the tenth of all goods and livestock, as well as taxes on caravans and gold mines. There are identical decree in the temple of Philae, carved into the base of the tower east of the second edifice Grande.
This was the power of the gods, or at least believed in it, which, according to the inscription on the base of the obelisk stands in front of a huge tower, in the reign of Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II, III and his second wife, Cleopatra, priests complained that they are forced to pay the expenses of the civil authorities and military incurred during the period of residence at Philae. Priests are not providing adequate resources to continue the sacrifices and libations to the welfare of the royal family. Euergetes the second release of the priests from the payment of additional funds.
Philae Island lies about four miles south of Philly modern, and just over the old Aswan Dam. Only about 500 meters from north to south and 160 meters from east to west, which meant I was almost completely covered with temples and other effects. These were protected from flooding of the Nile in ancient times by high walls, floors and balconies. In fact, before construction of the dam first, the island has always stayed away from the rivers, and secure your base flood sediment foot granite troubled with abrasion.
Before the construction of the Aswan Dam, and the engineer in charge, said Capt. Henry Lyons, was asked to support the features elephants so that they can withstand immersion, what he did. The drilling is part of the site discovered the remains of some Christian churches.
After the construction of the old dam, formed a lake extending southward about 140 miles to the Sudanese border. In fact, the height of the dam was initially limited because of protests by people who want to preserve the elephants and other temples and monuments of the sinking. Winston Churchill's little interest in it. He pointed out that:
"This is the supply of 1,500 million cubic feet of water to the west of the Elders of Hathor is the worst and the most terrible massacres that have no meaning are increasingly offered on the altar of a false religion, and the state must fight and people are starving, so that teachers can rejoice, tourists find a place to scratch their names ".
So that the water level rises, structures and Philae were flooded every year from December to March, and had to be visited during this time by boat, via the kiosk of Trajan and the Tribunal Temple of Isis.
Did not go all serious as I think, however. Water rescue ended temples erosion by sand storms and helped to remove salt deposits that are harmful to the stone. Regular inspections of the site showed that suffered less damage than might be expected, with the exception of the painting, which was dragged along the new lake created by the dam from the Old English.
Then the dam and the start of construction, as is the case with a number of other monuments, south of Aswan, and other temples and monuments had to be removed or lost or underwater
In fact, elephants have not lost under the waters of Lake Nasser in himself, but was formed between the High Dam Lake and the old dam. The main building is located only in this region. Were overwhelmed by the almost constantly, but worse, this small lake is subject to the daily rise and fall of several meters, which is bound to be eroded completely temples.
This was achieved during the 1970s, when the monuments of Philae were moved to Agilkia to the north-west of the island of Philae. Were submerged by water and the implications for Philae, and was not to be the cofferdam built around the island and then pump the water. This work began in 1972 and was completed in 1980 as a cooperative effort between UNESCO and the Egyptian antiquity. The new site has been carefully landscaped like elephants as much as possible. Some 40,000 pieces, weighing 20,000 tons were transferred to the new location.