Kom Ombo Temple

Continuing our Nile Cruise

Kom Ombo Temple

Kom Ombo Temple as painted by David Roberts

   The Motor Ship Queen Isis sailed from Aswan in the early morning giving an excellent opportunity to laze the time away whilst watching the ever-changing scenery of vivid green cultivated land bordered by arid yellow sandy desert. There are places where on can stand with one foot in a green pasture and the other foot in an arid desert. In some places the desert comes right down to the River Nile, save for a few bulrushes and palm trees.

The desert comes right down to the Nile

    We come upon what looks to be a village of houses but when we get close it turns out to be a well used rock quarry.

Ancient Quarries on the Nile

   In ancient times when the quarrymen cut away straight-sided slabs of stone they left behind high cliff faces that resembled stone dwellings, and one or two actually are temples and dedications to the local gods, but not dwellings.
   As we head downstream every bend in the river reveals more river traffic ahead and behind us, making the Nile Egypt's watery motorway.

The Nile is a motorway for ships

     At last we catch a glimpse of Kom Ombo and the Landing Stage.

Kom Ombo Temple

    Then we have to jockey for a position to land and go ashore.

Karnak Temple and Cruise Ship - viewed from the MS Queen Isis

Kom Ombo Picture Show

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     Kom Ombo is really two temples, and as such it is unique in Egypt. (I think). The dual entrance leads to the Temple of Haroesis (Horus) and the Temple of Sebek (Crocodile), and of course it is the crocodiles which are promoted here, and two quite large mummified specimens can be seen in an alcove to the side of the temple. Seemingly the live crocodile gods were quite tame, were adorned with golden jewellery and were fed by hand, by their priestly guardians.

   The temples are elaborately decorated with magnificent reliefs however there are quite a few alcoves where a touch of cleaning wouldn't go amiss.

    A traditional guardian made a splendid figure with a handgun discreetly hidden under his gown whilst by stark contrast was our Man in White and his submachine gun flaunted on full view for all to see.

The Nileometer of Cleopatra

   There is one place here which is a must do. On her trip up the Nile with Julius Caesar, Queen Cleopatra walked down into the vast depths of the Nileometer to check, perhaps bless, the water in the well. If you too want to stand in the footsteps of the Queen all you have to do is stand on the steps of the well where she stood 2000 years ago.

   On the river bank were a group of ducks, the ancestors of those whose image, drawn 2000 years ago, decorated the tombs of the Nobles, back in Luxor, which we would soon be seeing after an overnight sail back down river.

Ducks, wild or tame, cling to the banks of the Nile

   On our arrival in Luxor, after a hearty unch, we would be whisked off to Karnak Temple by coach for the Sound and Light Show.

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