Let the Nile Water Carries You To Follow The Steps OF Osiris Nile procession In Philae Temple Where Pharoans Stand in Majestic
The suspense tour to the Philae Temple, which is one of the masterpieces of the temples, will begin with riding a water taxi to live the magic of the Nile, and once arriving at Agelica Island, make your camera ready to take the shot of one of the most important sightseeing’s in the world when the Philae Temple appears with its majestic look.
Actually, this scene will print in your mind before your camera. At this point, when the Philae Temple catches your eyes and takes you to the magical world, do not miss to live the event with the ancient Egyptians. You sail in the same road the Osiris god statue navigated to visit the statue of Isis goddess.
Among the king, the queen, priests, and nobles, the Osiris Nile procession crossed. He was coming from Abydos in Sohag along around 500 KM to visit Isis. Via all this distance, the pharaohs wait, where your ship or Nile taxi crosses at the same area.
The Philae Temple will be your first stop in Aswan. So, it will be the first time to meet the Nubians and listen to their unique language and their stunning culture.
That is why Philae Temple is named the jewel of the temples. It is in a magical location in the middle of the Nile.
It is one of the oldest ancient Egyptian Nubian temples. The visitors to that area could not express the beauty, amazement, and calmness that Philae Temple left in their souls when viewing it.
But a danger had faced this majestic temple. So the Egyptian government’s efforts had come as quickly as possible to save it from drowning.
The Fact of flooding the Nile the Philae Temple!
Since the construction of the Aswan Dam in 1902, the Nile waters began to besiege the island. That matter became more dangerous for the artifacts especially after thinking about building the High Dam. The studies indicated that the construction of the dam would surround the temples between the old and new dam and expose them to partial drowning. So operations began to rescue the temples of Philae.
So, the Egyptian government had divided and reassembled all the Philae islands on the island of Agelica. It is far 500 meters from the original place, Philae Island. To find a group of huge temples adorns Agelica now.
The Egyptian government had dismantled Philae Temple into 40 thousand stone blocks. They numbered these stones to reconstruct them again in the same old form on the new island of “Agelica with the use of the latest science in restoration.” This island has an area of 13 thousand meters. The floor tiles of the temple are the original floor of the temple.
Be a Witness via Eras Of 3 Civilization Seeing Pharaonic Treasure & Rare Monuments Including A Church Narrate A Conflict
While the fresh air touches your face, since Agelica enjoys a moderate, dry climate because it is located on the Eastern bank of the Nile, which made it- one of the most suitable places in the winter and the summer weather in it so refreshing, the unique monuments and the rare architectural treasures from the Pharaonic era and the Greek and Roman periods will charm you. In addition, the monuments from the Christian era, including rare Coptic monuments that will amaze you. That made Philae Temple a living example of the fusion of ancient Egyptian religions. Amid all these majesties, do not ignore to enjoy with many trees, roses, and palm trees that bear fruits.
Philae Temple bears the character of the three civilizations. The ancient Egyptians built it in the early 4th century BC and the Ptolemies and Romans added to its construction, besides the first Christians also had added to it in the 3rd century AD. As well as the distinction of its temple group that it includes the last text written in Hieroglyphic script in 394 AD and the last text written in Demotic script 480 AD.
How amazing you will feel when reading all these texts to uncover the secrets of history with the accompany of our Egyptologist tour guide!
The Power of Isis Over The Eras
The Nubian King Taharqa “Family 25” built the first cabin for “Isis” on the island in 700 BC. Then King “Nectanebo” built another cabin to worship the goddess “Isis,” the goddess of love and beauty, where it was believed that she found the heart of Osiris after he was killed and cut by his brother “Set.” So, the temple of Philae was originally built to worship the goddess “Isis.”
There are stone blocks bearing the name “Basmatik II” and “Ahmose II.” The construction of temples, shrines, gates and other things for this goddess continued through the ages. So, is clear evidence of the power and popularity of this goddess, who came to dominate Egyptian beliefs in the late ages and the Greek and Roman eras.
So, from Egypt, the worship of the gods Isis extended to Greece, Rome, and various parts of the empire. Even when Roman rule came to Egypt, the rulers tried to beautify the Holy Island. Tiberius and others added monuments and inscriptions. Claudius, Trajan, Hadrian, and Diocletian also built new buildings on the island. The work continued until the fourth century AD.
Due to the intensity of the control of the Isis worship on the island of Philae, this led to an extension of that worship over many centuries; it challenged the decree of Emperor Theodosius I, issued in 391 AD, which imposed Christianity on all parts of the Roman Empire. In the year 550 AD, under the rule of Justinian, Christianity arrived on the island of Philae. So a new page began in the temple history.
The Christianity Era Inside Philae Temple!
So, at some of the temples and monuments inside the Philae Temple, you will find the destruction triggered after the persecution of the Christians by the Roman Emperors. And the whole temple of Philae was converted to a church during the reign of Emperor Justinian (527-565 AD).
During this period Christianity faced persecution from the Romans. So the Christians decided to escape and go far away from the Emperor. That was why they had chosen the Philae temple as it was already a worship place.
That will explain to you once you leave the 1st hypostyle, which is an open courtyard, to go to the closed hypostyle, seeing a cross there. Also, it is enough to illustrate why “basilica,” the first style of the church is similar to the style of the Philae temple.
Its buildings also include a temple of Hathor, which is the last monument of Ptolemies and was completed before 116 BC by Iorgetes II. Other Ptolemies added inscriptions to The Philae Temple Aswan, which are considered masterpieces of the temple.
That is why when you walk through Philae Temple Aswan, you will be a witness to many historical religious events through the ages, which are evident in creative inscriptions mixed with the fragrant scent of the Nile and its imaginative outlook.
The Historical Story of Isis and Osiris
The name of the temple has come from the Greek word Philo, which means love. It is the temple that commemorates the greatest love story in history, “Isis and Osiris.”
That story was more than a thousand years before the story of Romeo and Juliet. That mythic sacrificial love that made Isis and Osiris gods among the ancient Egyptians. All people loved them and their son Horus and hated the god Set for his evil action and his attempt to kill his brother.
Isis and Osiris ruled Egypt with love, justice, and mercy, and Egypt enjoyed prosperity in all its quarters. Isis lived with Osiris and her young “Horus” in the happiest days of her life. But hatred and jealousy possessed the heart of “Set.” Set was the younger brother of Osiris. He killed Isis and raped the throne and cut his body into 42 parts. Then he scattered his body parts all over Egypt.
So that no one would be able to gather Osiris. The rule of “Set” was an unjust era. He spread chaos and evil until the kingdom collapsed.
But Isis searched for the body of Osiris all over Egypt. She already had enabled to gather Osiris with the help of the god “Thoth,” the god of magic and healing, and the god “Anubis,” the god of embalming. Osiris remained a mummified corpse until the child “Horus” grew up. The Horus restored his father’s throne and love and goodness triumphed over evil.
