Decipher Egyptian Gods Through Pictures (Part 2): Philae

👁 Who are on the Left Tower (the West Pylon)

The Bottom Row (The “Heavy Hitters”) – The Pharaoh (Ptolemy XII), the giant wearing the Atef crown (the tall one with feathers on the sides) and swinging the mace. Then The Goddess Isis, with the cow horns and solar disc on her head. She is holding a scepter and an ankh (the key of life), essentially “signing off” on the King’s victory.

The Top Row: First Triad – The Pharaoh (Ptolemy XII) offering a jar of wine, Horus, the falcon-headed god who is the first one to receive a gift because he is the prince of the island, and Hathor, usually shown behind Horus here to represent joy and motherhood.

The Top Row: Second Triad – The Pharaoh (Ptolemy XII) performing a second ritual, Isis seated with her husband Osiris, and human-headed Osiris, the father of Horus and husband of Isis, wearing the Atef Crown.

👁 Who are on the Right Tower (the East Pylon)

While the left tower was about “don’t mess with me,” the Right Tower (East Pylon) is a much softer, family-focused scene. Here, the King isn’t swinging a mace; he’s bringing gifts to the gods of the house.

The Bottom Row (The “Triple Threat”) – The Queen (Cleopatra VII’s Ancestor) depicted performing the rituals herself. Then the “Bird Man” (Horus), standing behind his mother, Isis, wearing the Double Crown. The giant figure to the right is Isis, the “boss” of the island, receiving the offering from the Queen.

The Top Row: First Triad – Isis, the “hostess” of the temple, sitting on her throne, followed by Hathor, here to represent joy and motherhood, and the Pharaoh (Ptolemy XII), approaching the two seated goddesses to bring them a gift.

The Top Row: Second Triad – Isis again (it’s her temple anyway), supporting her husband Osiris, followed by human-headed Osiris, the father of Horus and husband of Isis, wearing the Atef Crown. Finally the Pharaoh (Ptolemy XII), performing a second ritual.

🎯 Trivia Worth Knowing: The Flagpole Slots

Do you see those long, vertical “hollows” cut into the face of the towers? Those aren’t for drainage! In ancient times, they held massive wooden flagpoles—likely tipped with gold or electrum. Imagine giant, colorful banners fluttering 60 feet in the air above the crowd. It would have looked more like a grand palace entrance than a quiet temple.

🎯 Why is the Goddess in the middle?

This is a “Power Flip.” In most Egyptian temples, the male god (like Amun or Ra) sits on the throne and the goddess stands behind him. But because Philae is Isis’s Island, she takes the seat of honor in the middle, and her son Horus stands behind her to protect her. To the Greeks and Romans, Isis wasn’t just a local Egyptian goddess; she was the “Queen of all Elements” and the “Lady of the Stars.” They saw her as a version of their own goddesses (like Demeter or Aphrodite) but much more powerful.

The Greek queens of Egypt (all named Cleopatra, Berenice, or Arsinoe) were often seen as the living “Image of Isis” on earth.

👁 The “Bouquet” Capitals

Look at the very top of each column (the capitals). Notice how each one is slightly different?

The Meaning: Walking through this colonnade was meant to feel like walking through a primordial marsh. In Egyptian mythology, the world began as a swamp of creation. By walking past these “stone plants,” you were symbolically leaving the chaotic world and entering the sacred space where life began.

The Inspiration: During the Greco-Roman period, architects moved away from simple designs and started carving elaborate “composite” capitals. They represent different water plants found along the Nile, like papyrus, lotus, and palm fronds.

👁 The “Open Papyrus”

If you look closely at the shafts of the columns in the foreground, you’ll see vertical, wavy ridges. Because the Roman Empire eventually converted to Christianity and shut down the pagan temples, the workers literally dropped their tools. You are looking at a “Work in Progress” that has been paused for nearly 2,000 years. Many of these columns are actually unfinished. The stone was brought to the island and “rough-cut,” with the plan to carve detailed hieroglyphs and smooth reliefs later.

Look at the column individually. The column right in front of you features a Papyrus capital in full bloom. This represents the papyrus plant when its head is fully open. In Egyptian art, the papyrus was a symbol of Lower Egypt and the concept of “flourishing.” Notice that it flares out wide, like a bell or an umbrella.

Move your eyes to the next pillar. This one is noticeably different—it looks sharper and more “feathery.” It mimics the spreading branches of a Date Palm, a symbol of longevity and the sun. While papyrus represents the marsh, the palm represents the fertile banks that provided food and shade.

The third one is the most complex. It’s a “mix-and-match” design that the Greeks and Romans loved. Note that it combines lotus buds at the base with papyrus flowers peeking out from behind. By mixing the plants together, the architects were making a grand statement that all of nature was bowing down to the goddess Isis.

🤔 Does Philae Have The Most Columns

While Philae is famous for its long, elegant walkways, it doesn’t actually hold the record for the most columns in Egypt. That title belongs to the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, which boasts a staggering 134 massive pillars.

Philae is essentially a collection of several small temples and structures, so the columns are spread out. The West Colonnade has 31 columns still standing. The East Colonnade has 17. If you count every standing pillar across the island, you’re looking at roughly 80 to 90 columns.

🌊 The “Drowning” Temple

When the first Aswan Low Dam was built in 1902, the water levels rose and partially flooded the island. For decades, tourists would take rowboats between the columns of the West Colonnade. While it looked romantic, the Nile was slowly eating the stone away.

When the High Dam was built in the 1960s, the situation became critical: the temple was going to be completely and permanently submerged. To save it, UNESCO and the Egyptian government performed a massive “Lego” operation – they used explosives and heavy machinery to reshape Agilkia Island (the new island) to look exactly like the original Philae Island, so the temple would sit in its correct orientation.

They built a giant wall (a cofferdam) around the island and pumped the water out so the temple could dry for the first time in years. Every single stone—roughly 40,000 blocks—was cleaned, numbered, and sliced into manageable pieces. Some of these blocks weighed up to 25 tons!

🧐 The “Mystery Slab” at the Bottom

The most interesting thing in this photo is that giant, rounded stone sitting at the base of the wall. That is a Stela (an ancient stone billboard). These were used to record important decrees or historical events. Because this one is rounded at the top, it’s often called a “lunette stela.” It’s covered in hundreds of tiny lines of hieroglyphs that would have acted like the “official press release” for the temple’s construction or a royal donation.

It’s famous because it contains a decree written in two languages. It helped archaeologists confirm some of the translations they found on the actual Rosetta Stone!

🎯 The Square Hole and The Shadow Line

Look at the very top left of the pylon tower. There is a square window/hole. That wasn’t just for ventilation. It leads to a narrow, internal staircase that goes all the way to the roof of the pylon. High-ranking priests would climb up there to perform astronomical observations or to watch the sunrise over the Nile.

Also, notice the diagonal shadow cutting across the wall?

Ancient Egyptian architects were masters of light. They often designed these pylons so that at certain times of the day (like the summer solstice), the shadows would align perfectly with the carved figures, making them “pop” out or disappear in a dramatic way.

🕵️‍♂️ Why There Is A First and A Second Pylon

In Egyptian temple architecture, the use of multiple pylons (ceremonial gateways) like those at Philae serves both a practical and a deeply spiritual purpose. Think of them as the “chapters” of a book; as you pass through each one, the story changes and the world of the “outside” fades away.

Ancient Egyptian temples were designed based on the concept of the “Onion” Effect, “Creating Gradual Sacredness.” The First Pylon is the boundary between the common world and the temple. It’s large and aggressive (like the “Smiting Scene” you saw) to keep out chaos and “purify” anyone entering. The Second Pylon acts as a second filter. Once you pass through the First Pylon, you are in the Forecourt. Passing through the Second Pylon brings you into the Hypostyle Hall and eventually the Sanctuary.

The further you go, the darker, quieter, and more exclusive the temple becomes. By the time you reach the area behind the Second Pylon, only the highest priests and the King were traditionally allowed to enter.

✍️ Second Pylon Before the First Pylon Was Finished

In Philae, the Second Pylon was actually started before the First Pylon was finished in its current form. Ptolemy VI began the Second Pylon, but as the temple grew in fame and wealth, later rulers (Ptolemy XII) decided the temple needed a even grander “front door,” so they built the First Pylon further out. The two pylons as a “Physical Volume Knob.” The First Pylon turns down the noise of the Nile and the markets. The Second Pylon turns down the light. By the time you pass the second gate, you aren’t just in a building anymore—you’re in the ‘House of the Goddess’ where the outside world no longer exists.

🏛️ The “Divine” Birth

The word Mammisi is Coptic for “Birth House.” These were built to celebrate the birth of the god Horus. By building these, the Ptolemaic kings (who were actually Greek) were essentially telling the Egyptian people, “The gods birthed me, too,” to prove they were the rightful rulers.

🕵️‍♂️ The Original “Hidden Camera”

In some Mammisis, there are small secret chambers or “crypts” built into the thick walls. These were used to store precious temple treasures or cult statues away from public view.

🎶 A Multi-Tasking Temple

While dedicated to Isis, the Birth House at Philae also heavily features Hathor, the goddess of music, love, and joy. You can often find her face on the tops of the columns (capitals) inside, identifiable by her distinctive cow ears.

✍️ The Roman Touch

Even though the temple is ancient Egyptian in style, Roman Emperors like Augustus and Tiberius added their own carvings here to keep the tradition going and stay on the good side of the local priesthood.

🧐 The “Royal Review”

The row of smaller carvings at the very top (above the horizontal band) acts like a “Heavenly Header” for the scene below. These aren’t just decorative borders; they represent the gods who are witnessing and blessing the offerings.

The Seated Gods: You can see several figures sitting on small, square thrones. These are various local deities of the First Cataract. They are facing toward the center, essentially “accepting” the delivery of Nile water and plants that the Hapi figures are bringing in the main scene.

The Standing Pharaoh: Look for the smaller figure standing in front of the seated gods. He is usually depicted with one hand raised in a salute. This is the King acting as the middleman between the Nile (Hapi) and the Gods.

The Bird (The Horus/Ra Symbol): Toward the right of that top strip, you’ll see a hawk or falcon. That is Horus of Edfu (the Behdety), appearing as a protective symbol to ensure the ritual is done correctly.

🧩 The Divine “Cartouche”

Look closely at the vertical rectangular boxes between the seated figures. Those are the names of the gods. In the Roman era (when this part of Philae was finished), they used very complex, “cryptic” hieroglyphs that only the highest priests could read.

🧐 Why Are There Seven Lines?

Don’t just look at the gods; look at what’s falling from their fingers. Look at the seven tall, vertical stems they are holding. Those are stylized lotus and papyrus stalks. Notice how the plants “flop” over at the top. This represents the weight of the blossoms and the richness of the Nile.

The number seven was highly significant in Egyptian magic. It represented completeness (like the 7 stars of the Big Dipper or the 7 Hathors who predicted a child’s fate). By having seven lines of symbols dripping from their hands, the artist is saying that the Nile provides total and complete prosperity.

✍️ The Four Sacred Barcode

The seven lines of symbols has four distinct shapes —Life (Ankh), Power (Was), Eternity (Shen), and Peace (Hotep)—act like a divine barcode. It’s the ancient way of showing that the Nile doesn’t just bring water; it brings a complete ‘starter pack’ for a successful civilization.

1. The Ankh (The Loop) — 𓋹, a cross with a rounded loop at the top. This is the “big one.” It signifies that the water being brought by Hapi isn’t just liquid—it is the biological spark that keeps Egypt alive.

2. The “Hept” / Offering Loaf (The Semi-Circle) — 𓊵, a small dome shaped semi-circle sitting on a mat. This is the root of the word Hotep (as in Imhotep). It signifies that the offerings are “sufficient” and that the gods are happy.

3. The Shen Ring (The Circle) — 𓍹, a simple elongated heart shaped circle resting on a flat horizontal line. The word Shen comes from the root meaning “to encircle.” It represents the sun’s path and the idea that the Nile’s cycle will continue forever.

4. The Was-Scepter (The Staff) — 𓌂, a long, straight line with a small “animal head” at the top and a forked “U” tilted “hook” at the bottom. This tells the reader that the Nile flood is what gives the King the power to rule. Without food from the river, there is no kingdom.

🧩 The Roman Connection

Even though it looks 100% Egyptian, this was actually built by the Roman Emperor Trajan (around 100 AD). If you look at the low walls between the columns (the “screen walls”), you’ll notice they are mostly blank. Only two of them were ever carved with scenes of Trajan offering gifts to Isis and Horus. The rest are smooth stone, waiting for a carver who never arrived.

The Style: You can see the Roman influence in how “open” it is. Traditional Egyptian temples are dark and enclosed, but the Romans loved air, light, and symmetry.

🎯 The “Missing” Roof

Look up at the top of the columns. You can see the massive stone cross-beams that still span the distance between the pillars.

The Mystery: It’s debated whether the kiosk ever had a solid stone roof. Most archaeologists believe it was originally covered with wooden beams and colorful fabric awnings to keep the sun off the sacred barque while still letting the Nile breeze flow through.

✍️ The “Nile View”

This is the best spot on the island for a photo because it perfectly frames the blue water of the Nile between the ancient stone.

Trajan’s Kiosk is the ultimate ancient ‘gazebos.’ Built by a Roman Emperor who never actually visited Philae, it stands as a beautiful half-finished bridge between Roman ambition and Egyptian faith.

🧩 The High-Water Mark

When the first Aswan Low Dam was built in 1902, the water levels rose and partially flooded the Philae island. The Philae temple one sees now is moved piece by from Philae island to the new home, the Agilkia Island.

Look closely at the bottom third of the wall, do you see how the stone is a slightly different color or looks more “pitted”?

That is the original water line.

Even though the temple was cleaned and moved, the decades it spent underwater left a permanent “bathtub ring” on the stone. It’s a literal scar from its time beneath the Nile.

🧐 Did it happen at Philae?

Technically, the “finding” happened all over Egypt, but Philae is the grand finale of the story.

The Mourning Place: Philae was built as the place where Isis could stay and perform rituals to look after her husband’s tomb on Bigeh. Every ten days, the statue of Isis was carried from the temple you visited over to Bigeh to “visit” him.

The Burial Ground: The island in the picture that you can see from Trajan’s Kiosk is called Bigeh Island. According to local legend, that is where the left leg of Osiris was found and buried. Because a piece of him was there, the island was considered so holy that no human (except high priests) was allowed to step foot on it.

✍️ The 14th Piece Mystery

Why did the story end with a missing piece? Because a Lepidotus fish (a type of Nile carp) supposedly ate it. To this day, the area is famous for its Nile Perch, but for 3,000 years, the priests at Philae refused to touch them out of respect for Osiris.

𖤍 The Bird’s Eye View

Ancient artists often drew Isis with wings attached to her arms. They believed she chose a Kestrel (a small falcon) as her shape because of its ability to “hover” in the wind—allowing her to stay perfectly still over a rocky island while searching for her husband’s remains.

🧩 The Mummy and The Falcon

In Egyptian reliefs, Osiris is one of the easiest gods to identify because he breaks the “standard” rules of how figures are drawn. While other gods look like they are ready for action, Osiris is always depicted in a state of frozen, eternal peace, the Mummy.

When Isis was trying to bring Osiris back to life, she took the form of a bird (a kite or kestrel) to flap her wings over him and “breathe” life back into him. However, Osiris actually chose to stay as the Lord of the Dead. He stayed as the first “mummy,” ruling the underworld while his son Horus ruled the earth.

Horus is the “Bird Man” you saw all over the walls. He was born to avenge his father. He chose the form of the falcon because it is the supreme predator of the sky—the perfect symbol for a king who was going to hunt down his uncle Seth.