Philae

The island of Philae (situated about four miles south of Elephantine) was the cult centre of Isis during the Ptolemaic Period. Although the island was only around 457 metres by 146 metres it was almost entirely covered with temples and monuments. The most impressive of the bunch was the temple complex dedicated to Isis herself.

The islands of Philae and Bigeh combined to form a temple complex in which the ritual focus was on the "Tomb of Osiris" on the island of Bigeh while Isis was worshipped on the larger island of Philae. Every tenth day Isis and her retinue of priests would travel to Bigeh to visit the tomb of Osiris. However, a number of Upper Egyptian or Nilotic deities and Nubian gods and goddesses were also represented.

In ancient times the temples and buildings of Philae were protected from the yearly flood waters of the inundation by sturdy granite foundations and high walls. However, when the Aswan Dam was built The Temple of Isis and the surrounding buildings were moved to the island of Agilika to preserve them. This was a massive effort funded by international donations much like the relocation of Abu Simbel and they did a fantastic job of rebuilding the complex. Although little damage was done to the stonework, most of the colour on the beautifully painted walls and pillars was washed away. The island of Philae itself is now entirely submerged!

The priests of Philae claimed that the island was the first bit of land to emerge from the waters of chaos when the world was created and that the source of the Nile lay close by, beneath the rocks of Bigeh (another small island nearby). However, it seems that Philae only became an important religious centre during the Ptolemaic Periods and the oldest known object on the island is an altar dedicated to Amun constructed by Taharqa of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty. As far as we know the earliest building dedicated to Isis was a small shrine built by Psamtik II during the Saite period.

There were also a number of Christian shrines on Philae and it is sometimes suggested that Christianity and Ancient Egyptian Polytheism may have been practiced simultaneously until the closure of the temple. Philae became the last outpost of the ancient Egyptian religion remaining open until the Byzantine Emperor Justinian ordered its closure in 550AD.

The island is well worth visiting if you are in Aswan. It is about 15 minutes south by car or bus and then you’ll need to cross by boat. The boat ride only takes around 15 minutes. There are some terrific intricate carvings and pillars and it is a large site with several buildings to explore. You can spend quite a while wandering here in the pleasant surroundings. The island has been fully landscaped to resemble the original site. It is a busy tourist site so there are often crowds of people exploring. There are also plenty of Egyptians looking to ply their wares as you approach.