Cult Center: Arsinoe (Crocodopolis)
A crocodile-god, he was worshipped in cities that depended on water, such as the oasis city of Arsinoe (Crocodilopolis), where the reptiles were kept in pools and adorned with jewels. Hundreds of the animals have been found mummified. He was worshipped to placate his sacred animals (the crocodiles).
He was portrayed as a man with the head of a crocodile, or sometimes simply as one. In the Book of the Dead, he assists in the birth of Horus and helps to destroy Seth. He also retrieved the Four Sons of Horus from the waters of Nun was the request of Re.
FROM: Sobek
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. Neith was the mother of Sobek, known as the crocodile god.
Sobek was most popular in the city of Arsinoe. In fact, the Greeks renamed the city Crocodilopolis. Ancient Egyptians would keep crocodiles in pools and temples. They ornamented the crocodiles with jewels in honor of their beloved god, Sobek. The people of ancient Egypt worshiped Sobek in order to appease him, the crocodiles, and to insure the fertility of their people and crops.
Sobek was called the Lord of Faiyum, and was considered the god who controlled the waters. The Nile was very important to the people of Egypt. Water was necessary for the survival of crops, the success of trade, and the livelihood of fishing. These waters were filled with crocodile, so it was a matter of common sense to appease them through the worship of their leader, Sobek.
According to legend, Sobek was a fourfold deity. He represented the four elemental gods, Ra of fire, Shu of air, Geb of earth, and Osiris of water. A crocodile, a man with the head of a crocodile, or a mummified crocodile are used as representations for Sobek. He is sometimes shown wearing a solar disk and horns like those of Amon-Ra. Throughout history, he has been known as Sebek, Sebek-Ra, Sobk, Suchos, Sobki, and Soknopais.
Sobek was revered for his ferocity and quick movement. It is said that he was the god who caught the four sons of Horus in a net, as they emerged from the waters in a lotus bloom.
FOR the REST: Egypt: The Crocodile God, Sobek
Sobek was most popular in the city of Arsinoe. In fact, the Greeks renamed the city Crocodilopolis. Ancient Egyptians would keep crocodiles in pools and temples. They ornamented the crocodiles with jewels in honor of their beloved god, Sobek. The people of ancient Egypt worshiped Sobek in order to appease him, the crocodiles, and to insure the fertility of their people and crops.
Sobek was called the Lord of Faiyum, and was considered the god who controlled the waters. The Nile was very important to the people of Egypt. Water was necessary for the survival of crops, the success of trade, and the livelihood of fishing. These waters were filled with crocodile, so it was a matter of common sense to appease them through the worship of their leader, Sobek.
According to legend, Sobek was a fourfold deity. He represented the four elemental gods, Ra of fire, Shu of air, Geb of earth, and Osiris of water. A crocodile, a man with the head of a crocodile, or a mummified crocodile are used as representations for Sobek. He is sometimes shown wearing a solar disk and horns like those of Amon-Ra. Throughout history, he has been known as Sebek, Sebek-Ra, Sobk, Suchos, Sobki, and Soknopais.
Sobek was revered for his ferocity and quick movement. It is said that he was the god who caught the four sons of Horus in a net, as they emerged from the waters in a lotus bloom.
FOR the REST: Egypt: The Crocodile God, Sobek
The distinctive crocodile-headed god, a god of water - the Nile came from his sweat and he 'made the herbage green'.
His main centres of worship were in the Faiyum and Kom Ombo in Upper Egypt (the temple at Kom Ombo stood on a stretch of the Nile which was infested with crocodiles, descendents of these ancient crocodiles were still in this area right up to the latter part of the 19th Century.
When the kings of the 12th Dynasty began to build at the Faiyum they favoured the Sobek cult (something that would continue on into the following 13th Dynasty with some rulers taking the name 'Sobekhotep' - 'Sobek is merciful').
Sobek can be identified with many gods - the first would be its close relantionship with Seth (so much so that Horus was shown in some scenes in his temple at Edfu slaying crocodiles) - the name ' Sobek' can be identified with 'Seth'.
However Sobek also has ties with the royal god Horus - the are scenes with crocodiles wearing a falcon's head wearing the double crown.
A further identification is between Sobek and Re - another form may be seen with the solar disk on its head.
The sacred lake of the temple of Sobek in the Faiyum was also home to a number of crocodiles, according to Strabo these crocodiles were decorated with jewels and fed by the priests of the temple.His main centres of worship were in the Faiyum and Kom Ombo in Upper Egypt (the temple at Kom Ombo stood on a stretch of the Nile which was infested with crocodiles, descendents of these ancient crocodiles were still in this area right up to the latter part of the 19th Century.
When the kings of the 12th Dynasty began to build at the Faiyum they favoured the Sobek cult (something that would continue on into the following 13th Dynasty with some rulers taking the name 'Sobekhotep' - 'Sobek is merciful').
Sobek can be identified with many gods - the first would be its close relantionship with Seth (so much so that Horus was shown in some scenes in his temple at Edfu slaying crocodiles) - the name ' Sobek' can be identified with 'Seth'.
However Sobek also has ties with the royal god Horus - the are scenes with crocodiles wearing a falcon's head wearing the double crown.
A further identification is between Sobek and Re - another form may be seen with the solar disk on its head.
FROM: Sobek
Sobek, God of Crocodiles, Power, Protection and Fertility by Caroline Seawright
Sobek - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Egyptian gods: Sobek, Sebek, Souchos
Sobek
Kemet.org Names of Netjer : Sebek
Neos Alexandria:
Who Is Sobek?
A Prayer to Sobek On His Festival Day
SOBEK
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