Sobek

Sobek (from the Temple of Kom Ombo)

or

Sobek
in hieroglyphs

Sobek was the ancient Egyptian god of the Nile. In art, he was shown with the head of a crocodile. In temples to Sobek, live crocodiles were kept in pools to honor him.

Jobs & Roles

Sobek was worshipped wherever the Nile was presenting difficulties. Sobek was the ancient Egyptian god of crocodiles and controlled the waters. Sobek’s role was to protect the pharaoh from evil but it differs with each person. He was the most popular god in Arsinoe (Crocodilopolis in Greek), and was considered the Lord of Faiyu (a place in Egypt).

Myths & stories

One day when Sobek was in the Nile, he saw Osiris’ (who was murdered by Set, the god of chaos) body. He was so hungry he could not resist eating part of it. His tongue was cut off as a punishment, which is why crocodiles have no tongues in Egyptian myths. He also caught the sons of Horus when they were born.

Physical Appearance

Sobek was seen as a crocodile headed man or very rarely a plain crocodile. Egyptians mummified crocodiles in honor of Sobek. Crocodiles were treated like household pets and were adorned with anklets and other decorative jewels. In temples people kept sacred crocodiles because they thought that they were images of Sobek on earth. The sacred crocodiles were a big attraction, the Egyptian’s believed that if the crocodiles were fed and they accepted their food, you would receive blessings from the God Sobek.

Family & friends

Sobek was a friend of Horus. Sobek’s mother Neith was considered the sister of Isis, who was Horus’s mother. This made Sobek the cousin of Horus, which was a very important fact because Horus was a major God. In other myths, Sobek was allied with Set. Set was also sometimes thought of as Sobek's father.

Sobek Media

This statue of Sobek was found at Amenemhat III's mortuary temple (which was connected to his pyramid at Hawara in the Faiyum), serving as a testament to this king's devotion to Sobek. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
This Late Period (c. 400–250 BCE ) statue shows Sobek bearing the falcon head of Re-Harakhti, illustrating the fusion of Sobek and Re into Sobek-Re. Walters Art Museum, Baltimore.
This relief from the Temple of Kom Ombo shows Sobek with typical attributes of kingship, including a was-sceptre and royal kilt. The ankh in his hand represents his role as an Osirian healer and his crown is a solar crown associated with one of the many forms of Ra.
This Roman period box shows a king making an offering to a solar form of Sobek. It is thought that this box could have been used in such offering rituals. Walters Art Museum, Baltimore.
Sovk (Suchus, Cronos, Satrune); by Jean-François Champollion; 1823–1825; Brooklyn Museum (New York City)
Sobek in his crocodile form; 1991-1802 BCE; Staatliche Sammlung für Ägyptische Kunst (Munich, Germany)
Mummified crocodiles of various ages, in honor of Sobek. Crocodile Museum, Temple of Kom Ombo
Mummified crocodiles, in the Crocodile Museum
A wall relief from Kom Ombo showing Sobek with solar attributes
Plaque with head and shoulders of a priestly figure and Sobek; 400-30 BCE; limestone; height: 27.5 cm, width: 25.5 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)