Philae Sacred Waters

Author: * Neseret Sekhmet - 21 Posts on this thread out of 21 Posts sitewide.
Date: Nov 20, 2006 - 08:54

Mirjam Nebet wrote: "...When the dismantling of the Isis temple on the original island of Philae was done, were there any traces of a sacred pool recorded? If so, it would have been rectangular? Were there any traces of a well, or would the priesthood just have used the water surrounding the island?

Is it known if there were temples with no pool, but where water from a well was used for purifying?

Is anything known about different shapes; if the reason for the rectangular shape was practical or did it also have some symbolic connotation?

I guess I´m generally very curious of what is known about these sacred lakes sofar, so maybe there is a publication you could reccommend?"

Let me answer the last question first: yes, there is a very good publication about sacred lakes and waters in ancient Egypt. It's in German, however. (Just FYI: most Egyptologists are required to be able to read English, French and German as part of their professional requirements). The publication is:

Geßler-Löhr, B. 1983. Die heiligen Seen ägyptischer Tempel. Ein Beitrage zur Deutung sakraler Baunkunst im alten Ägypten. Hildesheimer Ägyptologische Beiträge 21. A. Eggebrecht. Hildesheim: Gerstenberg Verlag.

At Philae, the "sacred waters" were neither a created pool or pond, but channled waters fed from the "Isheru waters." "Isheru" refers a locale in Nubia, and is a direct reference to Mut's title as the "Mistress of the Isheru," which in turn is a reference to the Myth of the Distant Goddess.* Thus, the "Isheru waters" were the Nubian flood waters which came yearly from the south, and which were canaled off the Nile at Philae, in a secret location which we presently do not know.

So, we don't have any real idea of where or the shape of the sacred canals at Philae were, as, archaeologically speaking, these canaled water lines at Philae have long since disappeared.

This is not an unusual situation. We know, using my research topic for an example, that canaled waters used to come directly into the Abydos Temple of Seti I, even flowing under the temple, which helped to feed water into the Osireion, but exactly where these canaled waters were is unknown.

* The Myth of the Distant Goddess: where the goddess who protected the Brow of Ra (referred to as an /ir.t/ goddess, a snake goddess who protected Ra by residing on his brow, alternately called Tefnut, Hathor, Isis, Satis, Sekhmet, Mut, etc.), grew angry at being replaced by another goddess and left Ra in a huff. When she did, so left the flood waters of the Nile which came every year.

Ra, disturbed that the land of Egypt suffered from the lack of flood, sent out (depending upon the version of the myth you find) Baba or Thoth, to cajole this angry goddess back to Egypt, and with her, the flood waters to give life back to Egypt. This was done by literally joking and making the goddess smile by means of humour. Once her good mood was restored, she returned to Egypt, and with her, annual Inundation.

You also asked:

"...Is anything known about different shapes; if the reason for the rectangular shape was practical or did it also have some symbolic connotation?"

Not of which I am aware: some pools were natural, which means the use water sources which alreayd existed. Other pools/lakes were manmade.

The manmade pools were often large, as examples of the king's largesse in giving funds to create them (later a king could boatst that he had made the largest of pools (or this or that) to please a certain god), or were enlarged/expanded by the temple staff to accommodate the water needs within the temple (purification for the temple priests, use in rituals within the temple, etc.).

I hope this answers your queries.

Katherine Griffis-Greenberg