He was the most popular god in Arsinoe (Crocodilopolis in Greek), and was considered the Lord of Faiyu (a place in Egypt). 'Sobek: The Idolatrous God of Pharaoh Amenemhet III. [4] However, he also displays grand benevolence in more than one celebrated myth. Sobek’s role was to protect the pharaoh from evil but it differs with each person. 1. Sobek, God of the Nile, is a guardian of the Egyptian pantheon in Smite. Some of his common epithets betray this nature succinctly, the most notable of which being: "he who loves robbery", "he who eats while he also mates", and "pointed of teeth". He was the most popular god in Arsinoe (Crocodilopolis in Greek), and was considered the Lord of Faiyu (a place in Egypt). To further his monster-like demeanor, Sobek is described as having eaten Osiris. Sobek (Sobeq, Sebek, Sochet, Suchos) was an ancient god of crocodiles, first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts.His worship lasted till Roman times, the people of Egypt worshiping him to gain his protection and strength, or reviling him and killing the crocodiles … [18], Outside the Faiyum, Kom Ombo, in southern Egypt, was the biggest cultic center of Sobek, particularly during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Similarly, Sobek’s father, the god Seth, was another feared and vilified god. Sobek-Horus persisted as a figure in the New Kingdom (1550–1069 BCE), but it was not until the last dynasties of Egypt that Sobek-Ra gained prominence. In the Pyramid Texts of the Old Kingdom pharaoh Unas, Aha is referred to as the “lord of Bakhu,” one of the mountains that supported Heaven. Silver, Carly. [13][14][15][16], Sobek Shedety, the patron of the Faiyum's centrally located capital, Crocodilopolis (or Egyptian "Shedet"), was the most prominent form of the god. High status chance. Pharaohs Amenemhat I and Senusret I built on the already existing worship of Sobek in Faiyum, and Senusret II constructed a pyramid at that site. The southern half of the temple was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world with Hathor, the ancient Egyptian goddess of joy, feminine love, and motherhood and Khonsu, the ancient Egyptian god of the moon. Sobek the Egyptian god, temple of Kom Ombo Worship. [10], Sobek first acquired a role as a solar deity through his connection to Horus, but this was further strengthened in later periods with the emergence of Sobek-Ra, a fusion of Sobek and Egypt's primary sun god, Ra. This practice was executed specifically at the main temple of Crocodilopolis. [5], It is from this association with healing that Sobek was considered a protective deity. [11] Specialized priests in the main temple at Shedet functioned solely to serve Sobek, boasting titles like "prophet of the crocodile-gods" and "one who buries of the bodies of the crocodile-gods of the Land of the Lake". The Nile River may have been Egypt’s lifeblood, but it also held one of its greatest dangers: crocodiles. The Crocodile God, Sobek By Catherine C. Harris. Unis will eat with his mouth, Unis will urinate and Unis will copulate with his penis. Sobek worshiped in Shedet (El Fayum) with Neit and Senuy, and in Kom Ombo, where he is the husband of Hathor and father of Khonsu. Little is known about Sobek's past. 1. In view of this account, Sobek has sometimes been portrayed as an a dark god – a messe… To further his monster-like demeanor, Sobek is described as having eaten Osiris. In this period, Sobek also underwent an important change: he was often fused with the falcon-headed god of divine kingship, Horus. Sobek is the Crocodile God or Lord of Faiyum Oasis from Faiyum. Silver, Carly. [10] In fact, though many scholars believe that the name of Sobek, Sbk, is derived from s-bAk, "to impregnate", others postulate that it is a participial form of the verb sbq,[7] an alternative writing of sAq, "to unite", thereby meaning Sbk could roughly translate to "he who unites (the dismembered limbs of Osiris)". [8], Though Sobek was worshipped in the Old Kingdom, he truly gained prominence in the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055–1650 BCE), most notably under the Twelfth Dynasty pharaoh, Amenemhat III. There were even several relatively obscure rulers named Sobekhotep who made up part of the succeeding Thirteenth Dynasty. Most Faiyum towns developed their own localized versions of the god, such as Soknebtunis at Tebtunis, Sokonnokonni at Bacchias, and Souxei at an unknown site in the area. The crocodile – one of the few reptiles that diligently care for their young – often transports its offspring in this manner. In the Pyramid Texts, Sobek's mama, Neith, is mentioned, and his attributes are discussed. Sobek is the ancient Egyptian god of power and strength and was Egypt’s undisputed lord of its extensive marshes and wetlands In time, he also became associated with medicine and surgery The first written reference to Sobek comes in the Pyramid Texts, the world’s oldest existing sacred texts Sobek enjoyed a longstanding presence in the ancient Egyptian pantheon, from the Old Kingdom of Egypt (c. 2686–2181 BCE) through the Roman period (c. 30 BCE – 350 CE). Sobek, the Crocodile God of Ancient Egypt. The people of ancient Egypt worshiped Sobek in order to appease both him and crocodiles in general, and also to ensure the fertility of their people and crops. Sobek rose to national prominence during the Twelfth Dynasty (1991-1786 B.C.). By this merger, Sobek was no longer just a local god of inundation and fertility but the creator god through his association with Re. ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/sobek-crocodile-god-of-ancient-egypt-118135. Sobek was the ancient Egyptian God of crocodiles and controlled the waters. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our. Shedet), Sobek remained a popular god throughout Egypt’s millennia-long history. As the Crocodile God, Sobek protected the Egyptian army, the pharaohs, and the ancient Egyptian people. Sobek Sobek (also known as Sebek, Sebek-Ra, Sobeq, Suchos, Sobki, and Soknopais) was the ancient god of crocodiles. [23], Many varied copies of the book exist and many scholars feel that it was produced in large quantities as a "best-seller" in antiquity. Therefore, Sobek controlled the waters, and also the fertility of the soil. They were a symbol of power, virility and fertility. He was merged with Re, the sun god, to constitute a crocodile form of that God known as Sebek-Re. Upon their deaths, they were mummified in a grand ritual display as sacred, but earthly, manifestations of their patron god. The people of ancient Egypt worshiped crocodiles while both loving and fearing them. Carly Silver is an ancient and classical history expert who has served as a tour guide, assistant editor for Harlequin Books, and teacher and lecturer in Brooklyn. [11] Most Faiyum towns developed their own localized versions of the god, such as Soknebtunis at Tebtunis, Sokonnokonni at Bacchias, and Souxei at an unknown site in the area. Sobek was worshipped wherever the Nile was presenting difficulties. 2. After his association with Horus and consequent adoption into the Osirian triad of Osiris, Isis, and Horus in the Middle Kingdom, Sobek became associated with Isis as a healer of the deceased Osiris (following his violent murder by Set in the central Osiris myth). Amenemhat and many of his dynastic contemporaries engaged in building projects to promote Sobek – projects that were often executed in the Faiyum. Most prominently worshiped in the Faiyum, an oasis in Upper Egypt (a.k.a. Later: Sobek is green of plumage (An obvious reference to th… His main cult centres were at Crocodilopolis (Shedyet) in Lower Egypt and Thebes & Kom Ombo (Ombos) in Upper Egypt. Sobek was most popular in the city of Arsinoe. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Like crocodiles, Sobek was famous for his appetite and could be violent. Additionally, Sobek was often seen as the god of military prowess, fertility, and pharaonic power. Sobek was also associated with pharaonic power, fertility, and military prowess, but served additionally as a protective deity with apotropaic qualities, invoked particularly for protection against the dangers presented by the Nile. She was an absolutely frightening goddess. Sobek was known as Suchos in Greek. The integral relationship between the Faiyum and Sobek is highlighted via this text, and his far reaching influence is seen in localities that are outside the Faiyum as well; a portion of the book is copied on the Upper Egyptian (meaning southern Egyptian) Temple of Kom Ombo. Sobek is the ancient Egyptian god of power, virility, fertility, and strength. High ammo reserves. Sobek, The God of Pharaoh Book of Abraham Insight #7 T he opening chapter of the Book of Abraham identifies “the god of Pharaoh” as being one of the idolatrous gods worshipped by Abraham’s kinsmen (Abraham 1:6, 9, 13, 17). He was worshipped across Ancient Egypt, especially in a region called Faiyum, which lies on the shores of a large lake. [17], Sobek is, above all else, an aggressive and animalistic deity who lives up to the vicious reputation of his patron animal, the large and violent Nile crocodile/West African crocodile. The Ancient Egyptians kept crocodile… [24], Sobek in his crocodile form; 1991-1802 BCE; Staatliche Sammlung für Ägyptische Kunst (Munich, Germany), Mummified crocodiles of various ages, in honor of Sobek; Crocodile Museum (Aswan, Egypt), Mummified crocodiles, in the Crocodile Museum, A wall relief from Kom Ombo showing Sobek with solar attributes, Statue of Sobek and Amenhotep III; 1550-1292 BCE; calcite; Luxor Museum (Luxor, Egypt), Plaque with head and shoulders of a priestly figure and Sobek; 400-30 BCE; limestone; height: 27.5 cm, width: 25.5 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City), Fragment of a relief of Sobek; 400-30 BCE; limestone; height: 6 cm, width: 8.7 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art, Amulet of Soknopaios; 305-31 BCE; green faience; 2.7 x 7.9 cm; Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles, California), Ancient Egyptian deities in popular culture § Sobek, "Kom Ombo Temple – Discovering Ancient Egypt", "Protecting Pets and Cleaning Crocodiles: The Animal Mummy Project", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sobek&oldid=1009819800, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2019, Articles having same image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, O'Connor, David. ', This page was last edited on 2 March 2021, at 12:56. There, mummified crocodiles were employed as cult images of Petsuchos. But only where pharaohs are concerned. Sobek was revered for his ferocity and quick movements; however, he was an unpredictable deity, as were his crocodile counterparts, He was sometimes associated with chaos. The Texts state: From this passage, it is clear that Sobek was involved in fertility. Lo… Sobek-Re, in his crocodile form crowned with the solar disc and uraeus (the symbolic cobra), became the creator who rose from the primeval waters, Nun, and formed the rest of the gods and the world. In the Middle Kingdom-era Hymn to Hapy, Sobek—who was the god of the Nile's inundation—bares his teeth as the Nile floods and fertilizes Egypt. Can use the Sobek-exclusive Shattering Justice and Acid Shells mods.Disadvantages: 1. [17] For the Greco-Roman period, the settlements Bakchias, Narmouthis, Soknopaiou Nesos, Tebtunis and Theadelphia at the edges of the Faiyum provide numerous papyri, ostraca and inscriptions that relate to temples and priests of Sobek and his local incarnations: The sources from these five settlements are central to study cult practice, temple economy and social networks of priestly families under Roman rule. The Faiyum was the prime domain of this god, who took on the fearsome appearance of the crocodile, honored throughout Egypt as a sacred animal. Sobek was the ancient Egyptian god of crocodiles and controlled the waters. It is thought that the effort to expand Sobek's main temple was initially driven by Ptolemy II. These giant reptiles were represented in Egypt’s pantheon, too, in the form of the god Sobek. Can reach 100% status chance per pellet with Scattering Inferno, Frigid Blast, Shell Shock, Toxic Barrage, and Shattering Justice. It was not uncommon, particularly in Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt, for crocodiles to be preserved as mummies to present at Sobek's cultic centers. In fact, cannibalization of gods by other gods … [4][5] The spell, which praises the pharaoh as the living incarnation of the crocodile god, reads: Unis is Sobek, green of plumage, with alert face and raised fore, the splashing one who came from the thigh and tail of the great goddess in the sunlight ... Unis has appeared as Sobek, Neith's son. In, Tait, John. Sobek (also called Sebek, Sochet, Sobk, Sobki, Soknopais, and in Greek, Suchos (Σοῦχος)) was the deification of crocodiles, as crocodiles were deeply feared in the nation so dependent on the Nile.Egyptians who worked or travelled on the Nile hoped that if they prayed to Sobek, the crocodile god, he would protect them from being attacked by crocodiles. Here are some texts: So clearly Neith is linked as Sobek mother. [20] Sobek was also offered mummified crocodile eggs, meant to emphasize the cyclical nature of his solar attributes as Sobek-Ra. Seth was the god of chaos, destruction and war. Sobek was the protector of the army and the defender of Pharaohs. A universal god whose center of worhsip was the Faiyum The text also focuses heavily on Sobek's central role in creation as a manifestation of Ra, as he is said to have risen from the primal waters of Lake Moeris, not unlike the Ogdoad in the traditional creation myth of Hermopolis. Sobek is the Ancient Egyptian Crocodile God of the Nile. Legend has it that one of Egypt’s first kings, Aha, built a temple to Sobek in the Faiyum. Sobek’s role was to protect the pharaoh from evil but it differs with each person. The main city in the region was called Crocodilopolis by the Ancient Greeks, in honor of the god. [3] He is associated with the Nile crocodile or the West African crocodile and is represented either in its form or as a human with a crocodile head. "Sobek, the Crocodile God of Ancient Egypt." In addition, he had both aided and fought Horusin the past. Pharaoh Amenemhat III dubbed himself “beloved of Sobek of Shedet” and added splendid additions to the crocodile god’s temple there. 5. [9] The fusion added a finer level of complexity to the god's nature, as he was adopted into the divine triad of Horus and his two parents: Osiris and Isis. Sobek’s name is found in the Pyramid Texts, the oldest known corpus of ancient Egyptian religious texts. Crocodopolis (the City of the Crocodile) and Shedet. His fierceness was able to ward off evil while simultaneously defending the innocent. The Nile, by the way, was full of the aggressive and fearless creatures. Amenemhat III had taken a particular interest in the Faiyum of Egypt, a region heavily associated with Sobek. Crocodiles weren’t always seen as benevolent, however, they were sometimes thought to be messengers of Set, god of destruction. In the Unas Pyramid Texts, Utterance 317, for instance, the pharaoh Unas is said to be “Sobek with green feather, with watchful face, with uplifted brow”. The front of this box shows a king making an offering to the crocodile-god Sobek… "Sobek, the Crocodile God of Ancient Egypt." In Figure 9 of Facsimile 1 … To top it off, the first female ruler of Egypt, Sobekneferu (“the Beauty of Sobek”), hailed from this dynasty. This brought Sobek even closer with the kings of Egypt, thereby giving him a place of greater prominence in the Egyptian pantheon. There, mummified crocodiles were employed as cult images of Petsuchos. Egyptian Here the crocodile god Sobek, associated with water and the Nile River, wears an elaborate crown adorned with horns, feathers, and a uraeus (sacred serpent). His appearance portrayed as a crocodile headed man with a headdress of feathers and a sun disk. Silver, Carly. His strength and courage allowed the Pharaoh to overcome obstacles and also protected him from evil magic. Sobek is a fluid god who represented many things in Egyptian mythology. Sobek was the god of the crocodiles, and his depictions showed him with a crocodile head. High Impact damage – effective against shields. Egyptian Strength God. Neith was the mother of Sobek, known as the crocodile god. For his associations with the Nile, people saw him as a deity of fertility on earth. He is first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts and his worship continued until the Roman period. Osiris, god of the afterlife, the dead, and the underworld agency that granted all life, including sprouting vegetation and the fertile flooding of the Nile River; Renenutet, goddess of the true name, the harvest and fertile fields; Sobek, god of the river, warfare and fertility; Sopdet, goddess of the fertility of the soil The Pyramid Texts are a series of incantations found in the pyramids, in hieroglyphs you can find on the internet some translations, and even hiero yphs, if you can decipher them [the institute of Chicago provides a whole bunch of them]. Also known as Sobek, Sochet, Suchos. The ancient goddess of war, Neith, was revered as the goddess of wisdom.At different periods she was identified with Athena, noted as the sister of Isis, and named the protector of Duamutef. At Karanis, two forms of the god were worshipped: Pnepheros and Petsuchos. The Old Kingdom is the time of the Pyramids (forget once and for all those Hollywoodian movies depicting Ramses building Pyramids with tons of slaves). Sobek’s mother Neith was worshipped by the Egyptians as an ancient goddess of war. [22][17] These mummified crocodiles have been found with baby crocodiles in their mouths and on their backs. He is first known from several different Pyramid Texts of the Old Kingdom, particularly from spell PT 317. Crocodile God of Might and Power. Extensive building programs honoring Sobek were realized in Shedet, as it was the capital of the entire Arsinoite nome and consequently the most important city in the region. Even in Greco-Roman times, Sobek was honored. Sebek may have been an early fertility god or associated with death and burial before becoming a major deity and patron of kings in the Middle Kingdom (c. 1938– c. 1630 bce). This weapon deals primarily Impact damage.Advantages: 1. In his Geography, Strabo discusses the Faiyum, of Arsinoe, a.k.a. [20], In Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt, a local monograph called the Book of the Faiyum centered on Sobek with a considerable portion devoted to the journey made by Sobek-Ra each day with the movement of the sun through the sky. Unis is lord of semen, who takes women from their husbands to the place Unis likes according to his heart's fancy. 3. Sobek was a major god of Egypt and had political backing leading that led to large followings and cult centers where Sobek was honored with great festivals and processions. He says: The croc was also venerated around Kom Ombo—at a temple complex built by the Ptolemies and near the city of Thebes, where there was a cemetery full of crocodile mummies. He served Ra during his tenure as king and later Osiris. At Karanis, two forms of the god were worshipped: Pnepheros and Petsuchos. The prestige of both Sobek and Sobek-Ra endured in this time period and tributes to him attained greater prominence – both through the expansion of his dedicated cultic sites and a concerted scholarly effort to make him the subject of religious doctrine. "From Topography to Cosmos: Ancient Egypt's Multiple Maps". The name Sobek also called in various spelling such as Sebek, Sochet, Sobk, Sobki or Soknopais. referring to Sobek as an Egyptian god, the word con- tains a hieroglyphic determinative of a seated god.3 Sobek is depicted primarily in two ways, either as a man with a crocodile head or just simply as a croco- ThoughtCo. [11][12], The entire Faiyum region – the "Land of the Lake" in Egyptian (specifically referring to Lake Moeris) – served as a cult center of Sobek. "The 'Book of the Fayum': Mystery in a Known Landscape". He was thus made a subject of personal piety and a common recipient of votive offerings, particularly in the later periods of ancient Egyptian history. https://www.thoughtco.com/sobek-crocodile-god-of-ancient-egypt-118135 (accessed March 21, 2021). Re asked Sobek to retrieve them, and he did so by inventing a fishing trap. Large magazine size. Egyptian Mythology - Sobek: The Crocodile God#EgyptianMythology #Mythology #SeeUinHistory #History #MythologyExplained Meet Sobek, the Crocodile God Part of the appeal of Kom Ombo is its unique setup: It’s actually two temples, divided right down the middle, each a symmetrical mirror of the other. Sobek was the crocodile god of lakes and the River Nile. The entire Faiyum region – the "Land of the Lake" in Egyptian (specifically referring to Lake Moeris) – served as a cult center of Sobek. Step Pyramid of Djoser - Ancient Egypt's First Monumental Pyramid, About Persian and Egyptian Types of Columns, The Symbolism Behind the Double Crown of Egypt, Egyptian View of Death and Their Pyramids, Old Kingdom: Ancient Egypt's Old Kingdom Period, Monsters and Mythical Creatures of Ancient Egypt, Politics and the Political System of the Ancient Maya, Osiris: Lord of the Underworld in Egyptian Mythology, The Ptolemies: Dynastic Egypt From Alexander to Cleopatra, Pharaoh Hatshepsut's Temple of Deir el-Bahri in Egypt. His cult center was in Shedet – Arsinoe Crocodilopolis, then in Kom Ombo, Thebes and Lake Moeris. Sobek (also called Sebek) was an ancient Egyptian deity with a complex and fluid nature. Egyptian gods were commonly depicted with human bodies and animal heads. [21] Likewise, crocodiles were raised on religious grounds as living incarnations of Sobek. Most commonly, he was associated with the protection of mankind from the dangers of the Nile. The worship of Sobek by the ancient Egyptians may be traced all the way back to the Old Kingdom. In the Middle Kingdom-era Hymn to Hapy, Sobek—who was the god of the Nile's inundation—bares his teeth as the Nile floods and fertilizes Egypt. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/sobek-crocodile-god-of-ancient-egypt-118135. His festival was celebrated on the 4th of the month of khoiak. The practice of preserving this aspect of the animal's behavior via mummification is likely intended to emphasize the protective and nurturing aspects of the fierce Sobek, as he protects the Egyptian people in the same manner that the crocodile protects its young. High base damage per pellet. The dedication on the plinth of this lovely statuette informs us that it is Sobek of Shedet-Crocodilopolis. Apart from being the lord of the crocodiles, he was also associated with strength and power. Sobek helped Osiris’s son, Horus, when, Isis (Horus' mother), cut his hands off. [19] The temple at this site was called the "Per-Sobek", meaning the "house of Sobek". The rest of us have to fight our own battles. Sebek is depicted as a large crocodile, and has all the dangerous attributes you might expect: cunning, treachery, deceit and sharp pointy teeth. In fact, cannibalization of gods by other gods wasn’t uncommon. Sobek is believed to have been born to very powerful parents – the goddess Neith and the god Seth.
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