Philae Temple of Isis
The
Philae Temple was constructed over a three-century period, by the Greek
Ptolemaic dynasty and the Roman Principate. The principal deity of the
temple complex was Isis, but other temples and shrines were dedicated
to her son Horus and the goddess Hathor. In Ptolemaic times Hathor was
associated with Isis, who was in turn associated with the Greek goddess
Aphrodite. For centuries the Philae temple complex was the holiest site
for Isis worshippers. The temple was officially closed down in the 6th
century A.D. by the Byzantine emperor Justinian. It was the last pagan
temple to exist in the Mediterranean world. Philae was a seat of the
Christian religion as well as of the ancient Egyptian faith. Ruins of
a Christian church were still discovered, and more than one adytum bore
traces of having been made to serve at different eras the purposes of
a chapel of Osiris and of Christ. The Philae temple was converted into
a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, until that was closed by Muslim
invaders in the 7th century.
Its
portico consisted of twelve columns, four in front and three deep. Their
capitals represented various forms and combinations of the palm-branch,
the dhoum-leaf, and the lotus-flower. These, as well as the sculptures
on the columns, the ceilings, and the walls, were painted with the most
vivid colors, which, owing to the dryness of the climate, have lost
little of their original brilliance.
In 1902, the Aswan Low Dam was completed on the Nile River by the British. This threatened many ancient landmarks, including the temple complex of Philae, with being submerged. The dam was heightened twice, from 190712 and from 192934, and the island of Philae was nearly always flooded. In fact, the complex was not underwater only when the dam's sluices were open, from July to October.
Philae Temple Sound and Light Show with Transport
It was postulated that the temples be relocated, piece by piece, to nearby islands, such as Bigeh or Elephantine. However, the temples' foundations and other architectural supporting structures were strengthened instead. Although the buildings were physically secure, the island's attractive vegetation and the colors of the temples' reliefs were washed away. Also, the bricks of the Philae temples soon became encrusted with silt and other debris carried by the Nile.
By 1960, UNESCO had decided to move many of the endangered sites along to Nile to safer ground. Philae's temple complex was moved, piece by piece, to Agilkai, 550 meters away, where it was reassembled and remains today.
For
Egypt travelers, the approach to the Philae Temple by water is quite
the most beautiful. Seen from the level of a small boat, the island,
with its palms, its colonnades, its pylons, seems to rise out of the
river like a mirage. Piled rocks frame it on either side, and the purple
mountains close up the distance. As the boat glides nearer between glistening
boulders, those sculptured towers rise higher and even higher against
the sky. They show no sign of ruin or age. All looks solid, stately,
perfect. One forgets for the moment that anything is changed. If a sound
of antique chanting were to be borne along the quiet air, if a procession
of white-robed priests bearing aloft the veiled ark of the God, were
to come sweeping round between the palms and pylons, we should not think
it strange.
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