Gods of Ancient Egypt - list and description. Sebek-ra - beautiful-faced crocodile

Deification of animals and forces of nature - common feature all ancient civilizations, but some cults produce on modern man especially strong impression. In the era of the pharaohs ancient egypt the role of sacred animals was assigned to perhaps the most repulsive and terrible creatures on the planet - the Nile crocodiles.

Sebek - crocodile god, ruler of the Nile

The role of the Nile in the development of the culture of Ancient Egypt cannot be overestimated - this river determined the very existence of the peoples who settled along its banks. Stretching almost seven thousand kilometers from south to north, the Nile fed the Egyptians, the floods of the river provided good harvests in the fields adjacent to the river, and the lack of floods doomed people to starvation. Since the time of the pharaohs, there have been special structures - nilomers, whose purpose was to determine the level of the river in order to predict the next harvest.

It is not surprising, therefore, that the desire to earn the favor of such powerful forces, giving a special ritual character to interaction with a permanent resident of the Nile and, to some extent, its owner, a crocodile. By the behavior and movement of these animals, the Egyptians, among other things, determined the arrival of floods.

The god Sebek (or Sobek), who was depicted as a man with the head of a crocodile, is one of the oldest and main gods of the Egyptian pantheon. He was recognized not only as the ruler of the Nile and the ruler of its floods, bestowing fertility and abundance, but also as a deity personifying time and eternity. Sobek was depicted with the head of a crocodile and in a magnificent crown.

City of Gadov

The cult of Sebek manifested itself especially brightly in Crocodilopolis, or the City of Reptiles, located southwest of the ancient capital of Egypt, Memphis. The name "Crocodilopolis" was given to the settlement by the Greeks who came to these lands in the 4th century BC with Alexander the Great. The Egyptians themselves called this city Shedit (Shedet).

Located in the Faiyum oasis, a wide valley famous for its fertility throughout ancient Egypt, near Lake Merida, Shedit became a place of worship for the god Sebek and his living incarnations - crocodiles.

In the 19th century BC, the XII dynasty pharaoh Amenemhat III built a pyramid for himself near the city of Shedit. The Labyrinth adjoined the pyramid - a sacred building that has not survived to this day, a temple complex where the son of Sobek, Petsukhos, lived. Which of the crocodiles would have the honor of becoming a divine offspring was determined by the priests - according to rules that are currently unknown. The crocodile lived in the Labyrinth, where, in addition to the pond and sand, there were many rooms located on different levels- according to ancient sources, in particular, according to the stories of Herodotus, the number of rooms allegedly reached several thousand. The estimated area of ​​the rooms and passages of the Labyrinth reached 70 thousand square meters.

Serving the crocodile

The priests brought meat, bread with honey, wine as food to Petsuhos, and the one who accidentally fell victim to a crocodile's mouth acquired a divine status himself, his remains were embalmed and placed in a sacred tomb. Drinking water from a pond in which such a crocodile lived was considered a great success and provided the patronage of the deity.

After the death of the "son of Sebek", his body was mummified and buried nearby. In total, several thousand such mummies were discovered, in particular, in the Kom el Breigat cemetery. The crocodile, chosen by the same priests, became the new incarnation of the god.

Information about the crocodile cult in Shedit that has come down to our time is extremely scarce and is based, as a rule, on the notes of the Greeks who visited this place. The ancient scholar Strabo, who visited Egypt in the first century BC, left the following memories:
« Our host, one of officials, who initiated us there in the mysteries, came with us to the lake, taking from dinner some kind of cake, fried meat and a jug of wine mixed with honey. We caught the crocodile lying on the lake. When the priests approached the animal, one of them opened its mouth, and the other put a cake into it, then meat, and then poured in the honey mixture. Then the animal jumped into the lake and swam to the other side. But when another stranger approached, also carrying with him an offering of the firstfruits, the priests took gifts from him; then they ran around the lake and, finding a crocodile, similarly gave the animal the food they had brought.».

Under Ptolemy II, Crocodilopolis was renamed Arsinoe - in honor of the ruler's wife.
El Faiyum is one of the least studied areas of Egypt by archaeologists, so it is quite possible that in the foreseeable future additional arguments will be received confirming or refuting the legends about the Labyrinth of Crocodilopolis.

However, the cult of the crocodile god Sebek can also be traced to other areas of Ancient Egypt - in particular, in Kom Ombo, the city that used to be called Nubet, there is a temple dedicated to Sebek, where a demonstration of crocodile mummies has been open since 2012 from nearby graves.

The meeting with the sacred crocodile is a vivid fragment of I. Efremov's work "Thais of Athens" - Fr.

Crocodiles and Egyptian mythology

Egyptian mythology could not pass by such an animal as the Nile crocodile. This is a large reptile, reaching a length of 6 meters, the weight of the largest individuals exceeds a ton.

The Nile crocodile caused sacred awe among the ancient Egyptians - their whole life was connected with the Nile, and it was the crocodiles that were the real owners of the river. With one stroke of its powerful tail, a hungry crocodile could capsize a fishing boat and drag an unlucky fisherman under the water.

And on land, near water and swamps, it was impossible to feel safe - crocodiles, including the Nile, can even run at a kind of gallop, showing amazing agility for such, at first glance, clumsy animals outside the water.

Terrible jaws with huge teeth, closing with great force, break the bones of large animals and split the shells of turtles. It is interesting that the teeth of crocodiles change many times during their life - new and sharp ones grow to replace the old and worn ones.

A crocodile can go without food for a very long time. long time- up to a year, no mammal can compare with it in this. And one more feature - crocodiles do not have a language in the usual sense - its tongue is spread out along mandible and stuck to it tightly.

That is, unlike a number of animals endowed with largely fantastic features, crocodiles have such real-life qualities and properties that simply could not help but make them important characters in Egyptian myths, starting from ancient times.

The first mention of Sebek

The Egyptian god with the head of a crocodile has been revered since ancient times.

In Kom Ombo, the temple of Sebek is unique in that it is part of a double temple built in the Greco-Roman era. The northern part is dedicated to the triad of gods headed by Horus (Horus, Tasenetnofret and their son Panebtavi), and the southern part is dedicated to the triad of gods headed by the crocodile god (Sebek, Hathor and their son Khonsu).

In addition to these large temples, there were numerous shrines and smaller temples throughout Egypt dedicated to the Egyptian god of water. Among them, the temples in Gebel el-Silsil and Gebelin should be noted.

Ambivalence towards crocodiles

The Greek writer Herodotus noted that crocodiles were revered as sacred animals in some parts of Egypt. Temple complexes dedicated to the crocodile god included special pools in which sacred reptiles lived.

Their heads were adorned with earrings, and their paws were decorated with bracelets with precious stones. After death, their bodies were mummified and buried in a special cemetery (such a cemetery was found in Kom Ombo).

However, there were areas in Egypt where crocodiles were hunted and killed.

This polarity found its explanation and reflection in myths. The Egyptian god Sebek is very multifaceted and ambiguous in them. It can merge with the image of Amon or the solar god Ra, sometimes in the form of the god Sebek-Ra, can act as a hypostasis of the god Khnum or Osiris, and can assimilate with the image of Set - the worst enemy of Osiris and Horus.

In other myths, Sebek shares the title of “King of Egypt” with Horus and helps him (in particular, he finds in the waters of the Nile and brings his hands, cut off from Horus in a fit of anger by his mother Isis, which then Isis herself returns to the place with the help of magic) .

Mythological consciousness does not obey the laws of formal logic, and there is no contradiction for him that the same god can be both good and evil.

Sebek - patron of the pharaohs

When the pharaohs of the XII dynasty, who originated from Fayum, began to rule in Egypt during the Middle Kingdom, Sebek began to be revered as the patron god of the pharaohs.

The legendary female pharaoh from this dynasty bore the name Sebekneferu - "Sebek is beautiful" (c. 1790-1786 BC). Her pyramid complex, built in Mazgun (4 km south of Dashur), is one of the last pyramids erected in Egypt.

The tradition to include the name of Sobek in their names was continued by the pharaohs of the XIII dynasty, many of whom were called Sebekhotep - "Sabek contented" (Sebekhotep I, II, III, IV, V).

Some pharaohs of the 17th dynasty (c. 1650 - 1567 BC) also bore similar names - Sebekemsaf I and Sebekemsaf II. The inclusion of the name of the god in the name of the pharaoh speaks of the great importance of the cult of Sebek in that period.

With the onset of the New Kingdom period, the Egyptian pharaohs no longer bear the name of the crocodile god. However, a statue depicting the relatively small ninth pharaoh of the XVIII dynasty Amenhotep III (c. 1402 - 1364 BC) and the much larger Sebek sitting next to him (now in the Luxor Museum), suggests that the crocodile god during this period did not lose his functions as the patron and protector of the Egyptian pharaohs. These same features remained with him almost until the end of the era of the pharaohs, including the kings-pharaohs of the Greco-Roman period.

Family ties of the crocodile god

If Neith was considered Sebek's mother, then with the rest family ties more and more difficult. The wife of the crocodile god could be Hathor, sometimes the goddess of the harvest Renenutet.

His son from the goddess Hathor in the triad of Kom Ombo was the god Khonsu, and in the Fayum oasis from the matrimonial union with Renenutet, his son was the god Horus.

In a number of myths, Horus himself appears in the form of a crocodile during the search in the Nile for parts of the body of his father Osiris, who was treacherously killed and dismembered by the cruel Set.

Why don't crocodiles have a tongue?

And Egyptian myths give their answer to this question.

When Set killed and chopped up Osiris, he scattered the parts of the body of his murdered brother throughout Egypt, and threw his phallus into the waters of the Nile.

Sebek, despite the repeated warnings of the gods not to eat meat, neglected these words and, seeing the phallus, swallowed it.

Although he did not know at that moment who this part of the body belonged to, the punishment of the gods was cruel - Sebek cut off his tongue.

That is why, as the Egyptians believed, crocodiles do not have a language.

Egyptian god with crocodile head

Since many mythological images are associated with Sebek, his images differ significantly.

Traditionally, Sebek was depicted as a man with the head of a crocodile, with a headdress that includes a disk of the sun with high feathers, uraeus (sometimes two), often fanciful horns.

Characteristic for such an image of the crocodile god is the presence of a tripartite wig.

A little less often, an atef crown (a high pin-shaped crown with two feathers on the sides) or a combined crown of Upper and Lower Egypt is depicted as a headdress.

The Egyptian god of water could also be depicted in a zoomorphic form - in the form of a crocodile with a similar headdress.

In the image of Sobek-Ra, he is depicted as a crocodile with a solar disk and a uraeus on his head.

As Horus, he could be depicted as a crocodile with the head of a falcon.

In addition, the Egyptian god Sebek could be depicted with the head of a ram, lion or bull.

Protective amulets in the form of a crocodile were widespread in Egypt, not only among the nobility, but also among ordinary people.

In the Greco-Roman period, the solar aspects in Sebek were so significant that the Greeks often identified him with Helios - Greek god sun.

In ancient Egyptian mythology a special place is occupied by the god Sebek - the lord of the water element, the god of water, on which the flood of the Nile depends. Its zoomorphic form was the crocodile. There were 2 forms of his images: with the head of a crocodile and human body, or vice versa - with a human head and a crocodile body. In hieroglyphs, he was depicted lying on an honorary pedestal. In terms of pronunciation of his name, there are also 2 options: Sobek and Sebek.

Crocodiles were considered an avatar of the god Sebek. To do this, the Egyptians massively caught crocodiles, chose the best, recognized him as the embodiment of a deity and decorated the reptile's paws with bracelets and earrings with earrings. For this, silver and gold jewelry and jewelry were chosen. There were cases when several crocodiles were chosen for worship at once. Most often, however, the Egyptians waited for the natural death of one crocodile in order to re-select the avatar of the god among the young reptiles. The deceased crocodile was carefully mummified.

More than 2,000 mummies of these sacred reptiles have been found near Kiman-Faris (Crocodilepolis). If we calculate mathematically, taking as a basis the lifespan of an ordinary crocodile (which was often longer than the lifespan of a person), then we can assume that the tradition of choosing and worshiping Sebek crocodiles has about 20 thousand years. All this may testify to the high veneration of this deity in Egyptian society.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, there is information about the veneration of the crocodile Petsuhos as the real incarnation of the god Sebek. The Egyptians believed that he lived in the lake, which adjoined the main sanctuary of the deity. From this lake they drank water to gain magical protection and protection from Sebek, and also fed the crocodile Petsuhos with various delicacies.

good deity

Despite the frightening crocodile avatar, Sebek himself, in the minds of the Egyptians, was not evil or even cruel. This can be judged at least on the basis of the fact that he:

• gave life;
• watched the floods of the Nile;
• brought a good harvest;
• provided life for all river creatures.

Fishermen, as well as hunters who hunted in the reeds, turned to Sebek in their prayers. He was asked to assist in the transportation of dead souls to the halls of the god Osiris.

There is some evidence that Sebek was even addressed as a soothsayer. And unlike other ancient Egyptian gods, he receives the title of an attentive and listening god to prayers.

Versions of origin

There is no consensus among Egyptologists and other scholars regarding the origin of Sebek. According to one version, he (as well as other primary gods) was born by the god Ra. According to the second version, Geb and Nut gave birth to him (like the god Ra himself). There is also another version that he is the son of Neith, who was revered as the great mother of other gods, the mistress of war and hunting, the water and sea elements, the mother of the terrifying serpent Apep. At the same time, nothing is known about Sebek's wife. This may indicate the secrecy and cunning of Sebek in the views of the ancient Egyptians.

Inventor of fishing nets

According to one surviving legend, the Egyptian god Ra once tried to find the two sons of the god Horus, Amset and Hapi. They hid from Ra in the Nile. The god Ra himself could not find these two sons of Horus, and therefore he instructed Sebek to find his own great-great-great-grandchildren. He began to sift the mud of the Nile through his fingers. So he found Amset and Hapi. And thus the idea of ​​fishing nets was born.

There are other episodes when Ra instructed Sebek to find something in the Nile. So, once Sebek went in search of the severed hands of the god Horus, which were thrown into the Nile. The hands lived on their own and were very difficult to catch. But Sebek managed, after pursuing them as a fisherman, to fish out and return Ra. God Ra made a second pair, which, like a relic, was stored in the city of Nekhen for a long time.

Sebek and his veneration

The popularity of Sebek among the Egyptians is not only the mummification of crocodiles. Some facts testify to this:

• his name constantly pops up in the ancient Egyptian correspondence found;
• archaeologists find separate papyri dedicated to the chanting of individual objects of Sebek (for example, 12 hymns only to his crown in one of the papyri);
• Sebek had a crown, which indicates a high role in the divine hierarchy;
• statues have survived, on which Sebek carries the mummy of Osiris on his back, and according to legend, the missing reproductive organ Osiris was eaten by a certain crocodile (which testifies to the great role of Sebek in the life of Osiris);
• Egyptians often attached magical and healing properties to images of Sebek;
• the people believed that the more crocodiles there were on the banks of the Nile, the better the flood and harvest would be;
• during the 2nd millennium BC, the pharaohs often called themselves Sebekhotep, which literally translates as "Sebek is pleased."

Sebek and the water element

Sebek was called the one who forces the greenery to grow on the water banks. The main agricultural resources were on the banks of the Nile. And it is not surprising that he, as the lord of the waters, was worshiped and numerous sanctuaries were built. This is how the city of Crocodilopolis arose (which literally translates as the city of the crocodile). There are also many variations of the names of the god Sebek: Pneferos (beautiful-faced), Soknebtunis (lord of Tebtunis); Soknopayos (lord of the island) and others. There are also many water religious rites associated with the god Sebek. So, in early July, the ancient Egyptian priests threw wax figures of crocodiles into the river. People believed that thanks to magic, the figurines came to life and crawled ashore in the form of living reptiles, which foreshadowed good luck and fertility.

Gluttony of Sebek

Legends about his insatiability are also associated with the god Sebek. According to one story, he single-handedly attacked an enemy horde and ate them alive. After that, Sebek showed the bitten heads to other gods, threatening them too. Then other gods offered to bring him a lot of bread to satisfy his endless hunger. According to another story, Set killed Osiris, dismembered his body, and threw the pieces into the Nile. Then Sebek wanted to profit from the pieces of the body and rushed into the Nile. For this impudent behavior, the other gods cut off Sebek's tongue as punishment. For this reason, crocodiles do not have a tongue.

There is also a mythological version about the shelter of the evil god Set in the body of Sebek to avoid retribution for the murder of the god Osiris.

Temple of Kom Ombo

The Temple of Kom Ombo is one of the most important evidence of the veneration of the god Sebek in ancient Egypt. It is located near Aswan and is dedicated to two gods at once: Horus and Sebek. It is very original in terms of architecture, because. the goal was to please two great gods at once, while retaining typical architectural canons (sanctuary, courtyard, pylon, hall of offerings). In the temple, all parts doubled, but a sense of unity was maintained due to the outer wall of the temple. Also, two sanctuaries to both gods were located in parallel: in the north - Horus, in the south - Sebek. By the way, this is another fact confirming the importance of Sebek - the south of the Egyptians was more important than the north. Sebek was depicted on the walls of the temple, surrounded by his family.

Killing a sacred crocodile in the name of love

AT special occasions men sought to prove their love to their beloved by killing the most dangerous and powerful crocodile. This was considered a feat. But at the same time, such a killing of a sacred animal was allowed only in the name of love.

Healing statues of the god Horus standing on crocodiles

The ancient Egyptians often turned to special statues for help, on which the god Horus stood on crocodiles and held snakes in his hands. The Egyptians believed that spells carved in stone could provide a person magic power from snake and scorpion bites. For such protection, you just need to pour water on this statue, then collect this water and drink it. It was believed that the magical power from the text passes to the water through the stone. For this reason, the Egyptians everywhere made miniature stone amulets to provide themselves with magical protection.

God of the watery deep, the personification of the flood of the Nile. Revered in the form of a crocodile.

One of the oldest gods of Ancient Egypt, most often depicted as a man with the head of a crocodile.

Reverse versions of his image are also known - a crocodile with a human head. In the hieroglyphic record, the image of Sebek is presented in the form of a crocodile lying on an honorary pedestal, similar to how Anubis was depicted as a dog on a pedestal. There is no single variant of the correct pronunciation; two of his names are most widely used: Sebek and Sobek.

Historians believe that the cult of this god originated in the lower reaches of the Nile, where the numerous branches of the delta gave shelter to a huge number of crocodiles. Chroniclers of all times and nations have depicted these reptiles as an integral feature of Egypt, along with ibises and snakes.

However, it is not immediately worth assuming that only the number of these reptiles caused their deification. The number of rats and sparrows that have lived next to man at all times is simply incalculable, but no one has made deities out of these representatives of the animal world. Although, I must say that the same rats caused humanity much more trouble than crocodiles.

Of course, a crocodile can attack a careless person and kill him, he is very fast in the water, he can watch for the victim on the shore. However, the same ancient Egyptians were constantly engaged in catching crocodiles, including in order to choose one of them as Sebek and worship him. The surviving images indicate that the crocodile chosen as the avatar of the god was decorated with earrings in his ears and bracelets on his paws. It is unlikely that the reptile endured the decoration procedure stoically and imperturbably.

Nevertheless, all such "Sebeks" flaunted in gold and silver. However, here it was possible to do without quotes: there could well have been several Sebeks, the ancient Egyptian religion allowed this. Each of the sacred animals was considered the receptacle of the spirit of the deity, and when the next Sebek ended his stay on Earth due to natural old age, he was honorably mummified and buried, and in return they found a new one. The signs by which an individual crocodile was calculated among others remain unknown, but more than 2,000 crocodile mummies were found by archaeologists only near Kiman Faris (the former Shedit, Krokodilopol - in ancient Greek). The lifespan of an average crocodile is comparable to that of a human, and "comparable" in the sense that it is slightly longer.

If we take into account the fact that not all mummies have survived to this day and assume that the Egyptians would not have slaughtered Sebek every year, but waited, if not for natural death, then at least until he gets old, we get a chain of Sebeks more than 20 thousand years long. But maybe the Egyptians mummified all the crocodiles that came to hand, who knows?

All of the above testifies to the honor that surrounded Sebek. Despite such, frankly, an unpleasant avatar, he was by no means an evil deity. He wasn't even cruel. Sebek was considered "the giver of life, from whose feet the Nile flows" (quote from the book of the dead). He was the god of fertility along with Osiris, the master fresh water and the Nile in particular, as well as all the creatures living in the rivers.

Both fishermen and hunters prayed to him, leading their trade in reed thickets. He was asked to help the souls of the dead on their way to the halls of Osiris. Records have been preserved in which a certain man addresses Sebek, as if to an oracle, and asks him to tell him whether any woman will belong to him. Obviously, Sebek, according to the ancient Egyptians, had an influence on many aspects of human life. Moreover, in one of the praising hymns, he is honored with the title of “listening to prayers,” which was not noticed by any of the other gods of Ancient Egypt.

Sebek - inventor

One of the legends tells a curious story about how the fishing net was invented. Two of the sons of Horus - Hapi and Amset - for some reason hid from Ra in the Nile, and for some reason he could not find them himself. Or considered beneath his dignity. Ra instructed Sebek to find his great-great-great-grandchildren (it was in this relationship that these disobedient offspring were with Ra). Sebek began to sift the waters of the Nile and the bottom silt through the fingers of his hands and found who he was looking for. “That's how the network appeared” - the legend ends. The narrative is neither smooth nor harmonious, but the general meaning seems to be clear.

Pedigree

The origin of Sebek is obscure. There are two main versions (according to the number of known sources). First: Sebek created or gave birth to Ra, like other gods of the first generation. Second: Sebek, like Ra, and all the others, gave birth to the primary ocean Nun. There is also historical evidence that calls him the son of Neith, but there are very few such sources. And nothing is known about whether he had a wife. Here is such a mysterious god, reminiscent of his habits of a cunning counterintelligence officer in the service of Ra, but enjoying sympathy from mortals, as evidenced by the widespread distribution of miniature amulets.

Sebek and people

The pharaoh of the 12th dynasty Amenemhat III erected a majestic temple in honor of Sebek in Faiyum and built a labyrinth nearby. According to historians, religious ceremonies dedicated to the crocodile-headed god were held in this labyrinth. The system resembles the temple of Osiris in Abydos - there is also a temple with an underground labyrinth located nearby. In the Fayum labyrinth, numerous mummies of crocodiles were discovered.

The fact that Sebek was a very popular deity is also evidenced by the fact that his name was very often used in personal correspondence: for example, at the end of the letter they wrote “May Sebek keep you”. Replace "Sebek" with "Lord" - and this phrase could well be inserted into any letter of the 18th century.

The temples of Sebek existed not only in the Nile Delta region, a rather well-preserved temple in Kom-Ombo (Ombos), located closer to the upper reaches of the river, is known.

Fans of technological theories in the field ancient mythology it will be interesting to know that archaeologists have found a papyrus with 12 hymns dedicated to just one subject - the crown of Sebek. Its main advantage was that it "sparkling like the sun, destroys all its enemies." It is somewhat reminiscent of the legend of Akhenaten, who single-handedly dispersed the forty thousandth army of his enemies with the rays emitted by his crown.

It is also curious that during the final resurrection of Osiris, his reproductive organ disappeared somewhere, which was eaten by a certain crocodile. Didn't Sebek take part in this story too? Moreover, there are statues depicting Sebek carrying the mummy of Osiris on his back.

If in ancient Egypt there was an animal worthy of entering the pantheon, then this is undoubtedly a crocodile. Under the name Sebek (or Sobek), he quickly became a highly revered, formidable and trustworthy deity.

The Egyptians believed that this reptile was one of the first created. Until recently, it was found in abundance in the swamps of the Delta and on the banks of the Nile. Today, the Nile crocodile (Crocodilus niloticus), OR, meseh, is endangered. We can say that he is doubly worthy of protection: being an endangered species and, at the same time, a living god who saw how Ra created the earth. The best images of Sebek known to us were found in Kom Ombo. These expressive portraits depict a furious god, sometimes becoming a victim of his own gluttony. However, Sebek was not only formidable, but also a highly respected god of the Egyptian pantheon.

His images

Sebek can take the form of a crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile. Sometimes only his head was depicted - this was enough to make it clear who he was talking about. Of course, his image was attributed magical properties. Due to numerous identifications, Sebek began to be depicted in more complex guises that bring him closer to other gods: he can be a crocodile with the head of a falcon (connection with Horus), a ram (Khnum), or even a lion. It is not surprising that the image of such a strange creature made a strong impression on those who saw it.

Sebek is crowned with a crown, which indicates his high position in the hierarchy of the gods. Most often, Egyptian artists depicted him in a solar crown, consisting of two feathers, a solar disk resting on two horizontal horns, and two uraean guards. This unusual crown was worn by two gods: Sebek and Tatenen. Also, Sebek could be depicted in the atef crown; this attribute was considered honorary, because it belonged to Osiris himself.

Myths about Sebek

Despite his intimidating appearance, Sebek preferred to stay away from events. He was rarely mentioned, he appeared only in exceptional cases. However, Sebek came out of the most difficult situations, unless, of course, an insatiable appetite made him forget about everything in the world!

Of course, reptiles have an outstanding appetite, even divine ones, but Sebek was not just a crocodile god, in some cases he became one of the incarnations of the solar god Ra. Does this seem surprising to you? In vain!

Sebek family

According to the myths that have come down to us thanks to ancient written sources, Sebek was born from the union of Neith, the Sais goddess, and Senui, a little-known god of the Egyptian pantheon. However, in ancient Egypt, everything is impermanent! So, in the Late Period, the mother of the crocodile god was no longer considered Neith, but the divine cow Mekheturet.

In official mythology, Sebek had neither a wife nor children. However, in the Late Period, again, the Egyptians gave this god a family, without which the great dynasties of the pharaohs left him. She received the name of the Kom-Ombo triad, in honor of the famous temple in Upper Egypt, where her images were found. As you might guess, this triad, in addition to Sebek himself, included his wife and son: the goddess Hathor and Khonsu (the moon god, later identified with Thoth). Nevertheless, Sebek cannot be called an exemplary family man: he had many divine friends, in particular, Renenutet, the “nurse snake”, which was associated with the crocodile god in the Faiyum region, as well as Nekhbet in El-Kab and Rattawi in Gebel- Silsile.

We also remember another trend in the ancient Egyptian religion: the identification and syncretism of the image of the gods. The image of Sebek did not escape this tradition and greatly benefited from it.

He was given an unheard of privilege: the crocodile god became close to Ra himself in the form of a dual deity, especially revered in the era of the New Kingdom: Sebek-Ra! Apparently, this identification occurred in the most ancient times and was due to the ancient, "original", as the texts say, the origin of the crocodile. By the way, Sebek's love for the water element is explained by the fact that he was the first creature that came out of Nun, the primary ocean from which the whole world was born. It was from these life-giving waters that Sebek-Ra arose, who soon became a kind of demiurge in the eyes of the Egyptians! This is where the numerous epithets of Sebek came from: “king of the gods”, “eldest of the gods” and even “lord of eternity”. Identification with the sun god also explains the origin of the amazing solar crown with which Sobek is crowned. Respect for the crocodile only increased over time, so that in the end the priests even proclaimed him "the god of the universe."

The Appetite of the Gods

Like humans, gods need food. And in large quantities too! They are very fond of bread (a staple food in ancient Egypt) and do not disdain beer (which at that time was a real national drink), so sometimes they even get drunk! Set and Hathor were considered the main fans of this intoxicating drink. Meat, on the contrary, was not highly valued by most of the gods, which is why Sebek so horrified his fellow pantheon. However, he was not the only meat-eater. For the warrior god Montu, "bread is hearts and water is blood," as the texts tell us. And the lioness goddesses (including Sekhmet) “ate both raw and cooked”!

Angler God

Despite the fact that Sebek was far from the last in the ancient Egyptian pantheon, the crocodile god almost did not take part in the affairs of other gods. Nevertheless, Sebek was regularly sent to earth, instructing him to find in the waters of the Nile what other gods had thrown there. Two episodes are best known.

The first is connected with the history of the enmity between Set and Horus. Seth tried to rape his own nephew. During their struggle, Horus' hands were defiled by his uncle's seed. Isis, unable to overcome her disgust, cut off her son's hands and threw them into the Nile! Ra, who learned about the incident, immediately sent Sebek in search of them. However, the hands of a god are not the same as the hands of a mortal! They continued to live independently of the body, so it was very difficult to catch them ... Nevertheless, Sebek, who knew the waters of the river well and was fluent in all ways fishing, after a long pursuit managed to fish them out. He returned the hands of Ra, and he put them on Horus, but before that he made a second pair, which was kept as a relic in the holy city of Nekhen.

Fisherman, but insatiable!

Having once met an enemy horde, Sebek attacked it and ate everyone alive! Proud of his feat, he showed the heads of his enemies to other gods. They were horrified ... But they were even more horrified when Sebek was about to devour the heads: “Don’t let him eat them, bring him bread!” they exclaimed. One can imagine the grief of poor Sebek, who lost such a feast. After all, he was constantly tormented by hunger! Another episode testifies to this, telling how Ra searched for Sebek in the waters of the Nile. He, like the previous story, is connected with the misadventures of Set, who, jealous of Osiris, killed him, dismembered him and threw him into the Nile. Sebek dived for the body, tempted by a tidbit! Extremely outraged by this behavior, the gods punished him by cutting off his tongue. That's why, the Egyptians said, crocodiles don't have a language!

Cult of Sebek

The inhabitants of Ancient Egypt had conflicting feelings towards Sebek: on the one hand, his appearance inspired fear in them, but on the other hand, his abilities aroused nothing but admiration. Everyone worshiped the crocodile god, both in the north, in the land of lakes and swamps, where crocodiles lived in abundance, and in the south, where one of the most beautiful temples in the country.

Through the whole of Egypt, from south to north, the great Nile carries its life-giving waters. Popular belief, according to which Sebek was the god of fertility, said that the more crocodiles on the banks, the stronger the flood of the river, and the more abundant the harvest. That is why the places of worship dedicated to Sebek were most often located where there was a lot of water: first of all, along the Nile, as well as in the marshy delta of the river (in the north) and in the region of the Faiyum oasis, which was fed by the waters of Lake Merida (in the north- west of Egypt).

Sebek and water

In Sais, the hometown of the goddess Neith, who was considered the mother of Sebek, he was called the one who "makes greenery grow on the banks." This role cannot be underestimated, because we remember that the main part of the agricultural resources of Ancient Egypt was concentrated precisely on the banks of the Nile.

Sebek was worshiped primarily as the lord of the waters, which, in general, is not surprising, because this impressive lizard is an excellent swimmer and feels much more confident in the water than on land. In the Faiyum oasis, the Egyptians dedicated numerous sanctuaries to him. One of the cities was even named after him: the ancient Greeks translated this name as Krokodilopol (the city of the crocodile)! In each of the settlements on the shores of Lake Merida, Sebek was given new epithets. For example, in one of them he was called Pneferos (beautiful-faced), while in others he was called Soknebtunis (Sebek, lord of Tebtunis); in still others, he was Soknopayos, that is, "lord of the island." The crocodile, the thunderstorm of Egyptian fishermen, was revered as the incarnation of the god Sebek.

It is worth noting that this god of fertility participated in many religious ceremonies. So, for example, shortly before the flood of the Nile, at the very beginning of the month of Akhet (July), the priests threw figures of crocodiles fashioned from wax into the waters of the river. Thanks to magical rituals that made a strong impression on the common people, they came to life and crawled ashore, foreshadowing a life-giving flood.

It is noteworthy that Sebek was also revered because of the identification with the god Ra in the form of Sebek-Ra.

Worship of Sebek-Ra

We have already discussed that due to unusual appearance crocodile Sebek very early began to be considered a primordial creature that was a witness, and even a participant in the act of creation. The element of the crocodile is water, but it can also move on land, so it was compared with creatures that came out of Nun, the primary ocean, to conquer the earth's firmament. And since the Egyptians believed that everything that exists was created at the behest of Ra, they quite naturally identified him with the crocodile god Sebek in the image of the dual Sebek-Ra.

Priests in the sanctuaries of the Faiyum oasis often greeted Sebek with these words: “Hello to you, O Sebek, lord of Crocodilopolis, Ra and Horus, almighty god! Hail, risen from the primordial waters, O Horus, lord of Egypt, bull of bulls, embodiment of masculinity, lord of the floating islands!

In addition, the cult attributed to Sebek some features of the solar deity. The most significant and most remarkable of them, of course, can be called his amazing crown. The symbol of Sebek's connection with Ra was the solar disk, which adorns the very center of this crown and rests on ram's horns, which are guarded by two cobras. Two long ostrich feathers lean over the entire structure. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most beautiful crowns worn by the ancient Egyptian gods.

How sacred crocodiles were caught

How did the Egyptians catch the sacred crocodiles that lived in captivity outside the walls of the temples of Sebek? The Greek historian Herodotus tells us about a very unusual way: a large hook was tied to the end of a long rope, on which the hunter hooked a piece of pork carcass. Then this rope was thrown into the water. On the shore, his assistant lured the crocodile, forcing the little pig to squeal. And the crocodile swallowed the hook, thinking that he was biting a piglet. With the general efforts, they pulled him ashore, where, in order to neutralize the predator, they threw mud at him, trying to get into his eyes. Then the blinded crocodile was tightly tied up and quickly transported to a new location.

sacred crocodiles

The Greek historian Herodotus, talking about his trip to Egypt, mentions the breeding of sacred crocodiles, which was done by the priests in the temples of Sebek. So, for example, the sanctuary of Thebes was famous for its animals raised in captivity. While the crocodile was alive, he was fed plenty and taken care of in every possible way, but even after death he received all the privileges that were supposed to be sacred animals. His corpse was diligently embalmed and buried in a real small tomb, which the not too rich Egyptians could well envy. This custom was particularly widespread in the Late Period, in particular, in the Faiyum Crocodilopolis, in Techna and Kom Ombo, where entire necropolises of crocodiles were found. We also know that the Egyptians made the heads of crocodiles, most often by carving them out of limestone and painting them with black paint; they were probably used in magical rituals. These heads also date from the Late Period.

Temple of Kom Ombo

You probably noticed Horus mentioned in the address of the priests of Crocodilopolis quoted above. The connection between Sebek and the great falcon god was embodied in one of the most beautiful temples of ancient Egyptian civilization: the sanctuary of Kom Ombo, located near modern Aswan, in Upper Egypt, and built under the Ptolemies. The magnificent ensemble, dedicated to two gods at the same time, is very original in terms of not only religion, but also architecture. This, without exaggeration, is the most unique building of Ancient Egypt! The architects who worked on it had to please both deities, and at the same time make the temple look like other Egyptian sanctuaries. Therefore, the traditional elements of the building were retained (pylon, courtyard, hypostyle hall, offering hall, sanctuary), but all rooms were systematically doubled, starting with a pylon with double gates at the entrance to the temple. Nevertheless, the only outer wall enclosing the territory of the temple created an impression of unity. Two parallel input led to two sanctuaries: the sanctuary of Horus (in the guise of Haroeris) was located in the north, and the sanctuary of Sebek was in the south. It is interesting to note that the south was more important to the Egyptians than the north.

Sebek lived here with his divine wife Hathor and son Khonsu: they were called the Kom-Ombo triad. This triad was one of the most famous in the country. On the magnificent bas-reliefs, Sebek is depicted surrounded by relatives. But in other sanctuaries, unlike Kom Ombo, where the crocodile god peacefully coexisted with Horus, everything was different...

unwanted guest

In contrast to Kom Ombo, in some places the crocodile, be it Sebek or a simple reptile, was not allowed. As an example, we can take Dendera, the temple where the goddess Hathor, the companion of Horus from Edfu, was honored, whom she invariably visited every year. For Sebek, the gates of Dendera were closed. It was even believed that the inhabitants of this city could not be afraid that this formidable predator would attack them!

On one of the bas-reliefs of the Temple of Hathor, the falcon of Horus is depicted next to Isis (his mother) and Nephthys (his aunt), and crocodiles pierced by arrows lie at their feet. And finally, archaeologists have found numerous stelae, called the "Tombstone of Horus", or "Horus on Crocodiles." These basalt or diorite sculptures depict the young god Horus defeating snakes and scorpions and trampling crocodiles underfoot. Healing properties were attributed to such monuments.

In Edfu, during the famous festivals held in honor of Horus and Hathor, the priests made figurines of crocodiles, which were publicly destroyed.

In the region of Elephantine, the crocodile was by no means considered a sacred animal, moreover, it was hunted and eaten! Obviously, people believed that with the meat of a crocodile they would be given its strength and fertility.

Crocodile and exploits in the name of love

The victory over a crocodile, a dangerous animal, for a man was considered a feat that could be performed, including in the name of love. Here is how an ancient poem tells about it: “The love of my beloved, who lives on the other side, I keep in myself [...], but the crocodile is there (in the middle of the river), on a sandbar. Entering the water, I struggle with the current [...] And finally, I find a crocodile, and he is like a mouse to me, because my love has strengthened me ... "

Don't confuse Sebek with Set!

It is not worth paying black ingratitude to someone who has helped Horus more than once! After all, we remember that it was Sebek who fished out the hands of the falcon god from the Nile. However, despite its good deeds, the crocodile constantly had to deal with a bad reputation. Of course, this carnivore, potentially dangerous to humans, quite rightly inspired fear. Nevertheless, poor Sebek suffered most of all not because of his gluttony, but because of the identification of the crocodile with Set, and in his most unattractive incarnation. The crocodile, as one of the incarnations of Set, became a sandbar in the Duat, on which the boat of the god Ra, who traveled at night through the Underworld, could land at any moment. However, Sebek was not at all an opponent of order, quite the opposite!

Healing statues "mountain on crocodiles"

Most often on these monuments, the young god Horus was depicted standing on a crocodile and clutching snakes in his hands. The Egyptians believed that spells carved in stone had healing power, saving people from the stings of scorpions and snakes. It is said that some of them healed the child of Horus, who was nearly killed by the poison. For mere mortals seeking healing, it was considered sufficient to pour water on the statue and then collect it and drink it. The healing power of the texts was transferred to the water, which, in turn, returned the person to health. Similar products met the most different sizes; some of them were so tiny that they were worn around the neck like protective amulets!

SEBEK SEBEK

(œbk). Suhos (Greek Σοΰχος), in Egyptian mythology, the god of water and the flood of the Nile. According to the Pyramid Texts, S. is the son of Data. His sacred animal is the crocodile. He was depicted as a man, a crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile. The center of the cult of S. is the Faiyum oasis, the city of Krokodilopol. The heyday of the cult of S. refers to the period of the XII dynasty (19-18 centuries BC), whose capital was located near Faiyum. The name S. was included as a component in the theophore names of the pharaohs of the 13th dynasty. It was believed that S. gives abundance and fertility. In a number of texts, S. is regarded as a protector of gods and people (there was an idea that his ferocity frightens off the forces of darkness), but often he acts as a god, hostile Ra and Osiris. FROM the development of religious syncretism, S. was identified with Ra, Khnum, Amon, Khonsu, Min. AT late period the accompanying S. goddess appeared - “the great mistress Sebektet”.
R.R.

(Source: "Myths of the peoples of the world".)

Sebek

(Dry)

in Egyptian mythology, the god of water and the flood of the Nile. According to the Pyramid Texts, Sebek is the son of Neit. His sacred animal is the crocodile. He was depicted as a man. crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile. The center of the cult of Sebek belongs to the period of truth. XII dynasty (19 - 18 centuries BC), whose capital was near Fayum. The name Sebek was included as a component in the theophoric names of the pharaohs of the XIII dynasty. It was believed that Sebek gives abundance and fertility. In a number of texts, Sebek was seen as a protector of the gods of 11 people (there was an idea that his ferocity frightens off the forces of darkness), but often acts as a god hostile to Ra and Osiris. With the development of the religion of syncretism, Sebek was identified with Ra. Khnum, Amon, Khonsu, Min. In the late period, the goddess accompanying Sebek appeared - "the great mistress Sebektet."

V. D. Smooth "Ancient World" Volume 2

(Source: Ancient Egyptian Dictionary Reference.)

SEBEK

in Egyptian mythology, the god of water and the flood of the Nile. He was depicted as a crocodile or as a man with the head of a crocodile. Worshipers of Sebek made human sacrifices to crocodiles. If a person became an accidental victim of a crocodile, the Egyptians believed that it was Sebek who called him to his service.

(Source: Dictionary of Spirits and Gods of Norse, Egyptian, Greek, Irish, Japanese, Maya and Aztec Mythologies.)

Synonyms:

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God of water and flood of the Nile Mythology: Ancient Egyptian ... Wikipedia

In Egyptian mythology, the deity of fertility, the god of water, commanding the floods of the Nile. The center of the cult is the city of Shedit (Greek: Crocodilopolis) in the Fayum oasis. Depicted as a crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

SEBEK, in Egyptian mythology, the deity of fertility, the god of water, commanding the floods of the Nile. The center of the cult is the city of Shedit (Greek: Crocodilopolis) in the Fayum oasis. Depicted as a crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Exist., Number of synonyms: 1 god (375) ASIS Synonym Dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary

- (Greek Σεΰχος) an ancient Egyptian cosmic deity with the head of a crocodile, compared either with the earth god Keb, or with the solar deity Ra, in the form of S. Ra, or with Osiris. It was revered mainly in Fayum, on the shores of Lake Merida, in ... ...

Sebek- Suhos in Egypt. myth. god of water and flood of the Nile. acc. Pyramid Texts, S. son of Neith. His priest. animal crocodile. He is an image. in the form of a man, a crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile. The center of the cult of S. refers to the period of rule. XII… … Ancient world. encyclopedic Dictionary Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron