SOBEK _ The Crocodile God

Sobek is the ancient Egyptian crocodile god. He has an intimidating appearance, the head of a callous crocodile and the strong body of a man. His head brandishes the custom double crown of Amun, an embellished symbol of divine authority, featuring the horns of a ram wrapped by two uraeus cobra. This headdress features the red solar disc flanked by tall, illustrious plumes. A crown like this is reserved for only the most significant characters in Egypt. In his fully zoomorphic form, he is simply a giant, powerful crocodile, sometimes adorned with golden accessories. Sobek is the son of Neith, the prime creator, a goddess of war, architect of the universe and all gods. She was the mother of crocodiles and personification of primeval waters. In mythology, these first waters of creation were seen as the origin of life. Sobek emerged from the chaotic rapids to assume his position as the reptile god. He was the one who rose out of the primordial waters. In most myths, he remains childless. It's uncommon for such a prominent god to have no children. This is really unusual, especially considering who Sobek was. How could an Egyptian goddess look at this handsome devil's face and not be keen for some Sobek kids? No kids, but he wasn't necessarily single. One of his consorts was Renenutet, goddess of the harvest. Sobek really wanted children, but she never seemed to be interested. Renenutet was always reminding him about how she was such a busy lady these days and there was no way she had time for children. Oh no, not Sobek's apparently. Several myths have his other consort as Hathor. She was the one last hope for Sobek's genetic legacy. No luck with her either, no kids. Hathor, by the way, is a significant goddess of fertility. Yes, married to a goddess of fertility, the goddess of fertility, and still no children. Poor Sobek. If all of this isn't bad enough, his name is derived from an Egyptian word which means to impregnate. He was even called lord of semen in a few spells. I'm not finished though. They even name Sobek, the one who takes women from their husbands whenever he wishes according to his desire. Apparently Sobek was shooting blanks. That, or he was taking women from their husbands to get stuck on first base. Why there were never any little Sobeks running around the banks of the Nile, it truly is a mystery. People often wonder what exactly Sobek is the god of. Like many Egyptian gods, he didn't really have a specific role per se. On a super basic level, he was often closely associated with the colour green. When he wasn't being called the raging one, the great male being, or lord of semen, he went by green of plume. Some also saw him as protector and god of the Nile. In a lot of myths, he alone created the Nile by unleashing godly sized buckets of his sweat onto the dry desert. The river ran and lush green foliage sprouted along the Nile. Sobek single-handedly saturated the prosperous Nile with his perspiring paws, bringing new life to Egypt. This particular myth and the aquatic qualities of crocodiles could be why he was accepted as the god of water. At some points in Egypt, he even became a solar deity of sorts. Hold on, don't these two elements conflict as opposites in a way? And wasn't Ra the falcon already the god of the sun? Yeah, this is all true. Egyptians came up with a truly genius fix for this dichotomy. If Ra the falcon is already the sun god and Sobek the crocodile is already the water god, just put the sun god's head on the water god's body, boom, Sobek Ra. The sun god and the water god combined, too easy. Greeks and Egyptians often created these funny hybrid gods. For instance, Sobek also did a stint as Sobek Horus, another falcon-headed god. Sometimes, he was even depicted with the body of a crocodile and the head of a man. Whilst we're on the topic of strange duality, we have to talk about something. Egyptians and Crocodiles. There are some weird things about this duo that very few people ever discuss. So in some parts of Egypt, many crocodiles were worshipped like gods because of Sobek. We all kinda knew that, but here's where things get confusing. Whilst in some parts of Egypt crocodiles were gods, in other parts of Egypt, crocodiles were categorically hated and hunted for sport. You kill a crocodile in one area and you're celebrated. You kill a crocodile in another and you become the hunted. How can you have some parts of Egypt that absolutely detest crocodiles with every fibre of their being, and other parts who worship them as divine beings? To solve this mystery, we'll need to visit a famous ancient city. Undeniably, the most appropriately named city in history. Crocodilopolis. You probably know from its title what Crocodilopolis is all about. It's no mistake a city named Crocodilopolis worshipped a crocodile god. In Greek and later Latin, Crocodilopolis translates to Crocodile City and here, Sobek was worshipped religiously. Everyone wore crocodile amulets and jewellery. Crocodile styled rings were prized possessions. A gold signet ring with a crocodile theme commanded the highest level of respect. Little crocodile statues and trinkets were common household items collected for good luck. Crocodilopolis temples contained gigantic statues to honour their cold-blooded god. In this city, even Greeks and Romans paid their respects to Sobek through worship and offerings at his temples. Crocodilopolis is one of the major cities of the Egyptian Fayum, an area of the ancient Shadet. New people worshipped Sobek, like the people of Shadet. The Fayum people even hand raised special crocodiles on religious grounds. These rare crocodiles would grow into what Egyptians perceived as living incarnations of Sobek himself. They swam in man-made pools and freely roamed the neighbouring waters. This city was infested by crocodiles for obvious reasons. Whilst there were many, one particular crocodile stood out. The most sacred, biggest prehistoric beast in the city, this one-of-a-kind crocodile was named son of Sucos. He was one of one and was often covered in golden jewellery and semi-precious gemstones. Whilst intimidatingly imposing, this crocodile was raised from birth to be completely tame. He was still wild, but he had a friendly side apparently. Really, he may have been the most relaxed, chilled out crocodile in history. You could probably even climb into his gigantic toothy mouth and walk away with all of your limbs still attached. The biggest factor in the placidity and friendly demeanour of this guy was the fact that his voracious hunger was always completely satiated. He simply never experienced hunger, but not in the way you might be thinking. Our son of Sucos enjoyed a frequent diet of bread, meat and honey with milk. Every time a new guest arrived to his temple with a food offering, the tiny priest would have to chase the gigantic crocodile around the lake. Priests were obligated to feed him the offerings they were given by the temple's visitors. To not feed him a new offering would be disrespectful to Sobek himself. The son of Sucos was a slippery reptile and it wasn't easy to catch him. He was always running away from the little priests because he knew what would happen when they caught him. The only reason these priests were ever successful in catching our son of Sucos was because of how huge, slow and drunk he was. Drunk? When they eventually caught him, they opened his mouth and fed him offerings of sweet cakes and wine. You can see why he was such a massive beast. Here's where things get a little dodgy for our son of Sucos. Remember, we are in Krokodilopolis. There are frequent visitors who, for the most part, all brought offerings for our gigantic Krok. Assuredly, not an offering went to waste and our holy crocodile was very, very well fed, albeit with a diet full of sweet treats and alcohol. He was exceptionally well looked after, but it sounds like the Egyptian priest didn't acknowledge feeding a crocodile confectionary carbohydrates and liquor all day wasn't great for his longevity or, clearly, it's waistline. The son of Sucos would eventually be replaced by a new crocodile. This only happened once he died though. As he was seen as the son of Sobek himself, he received a royal burial when his time came. So, it was time for the special ceremony once the son of Sucos inevitably died of a heart attack. This included a regal mummification and baby crocodiles were placed in his mouth. Crocodiles transport their young by carrying them in their mouths in this way. They are one of the very few reptiles that actively care for their young. Egyptians saw this nurturing side of crocodiles. The savagery of these dinosaur-like creatures was certain, but so is how they cared for their young. Perhaps if crocodiles cared so much for their offspring, Sobek would also care for the well-being of Egypt so to speak. Should there be an animal on your side for protection, it best be powerful in some way. This is the kind of perception duality Sobek influenced. A supremely strong and fearsome deity with the ability to do massive damage, or to lovingly look after those close to him. A respectable juxtaposition. Sobek was mainly worshipped in areas of Egypt where crocodiles were abundant and posed a serious threat. Anywhere with open waters that a predatory crocodile may inhabit was a cause for concern. Fear and respect came hand in hand with Sobek, and the people of the faeum had a particularly strong connection to him. If you see crocodiles all day, it's only fitting your local hero aligns with this. To further this point of crocodile admiration, would you believe me if I told you that Sobek was seen as a god that created order? I know a vicious, unpredictable crocodile isn't the most likely candidate for such a claim. Why would an aggressive crocodile god be seen to create order? Chaos and unpredictability is the impression a croc leaves for most, but a fantastic myth in the Coffin Text reveals the story of Sobek restoring order to Egypt. Her aggressive expression is uncharacteristic, making it exceptionally frightening. Very seldom had anyone seen her in such a state. No one knew the source of this explosive anger, just that her son Horus was the perpetrator and she wanted to teach him a lesson. Isis casts a vicious magic spell to pin Horus down and remove both of his hands. In her rage, she sends them to the depths of the Nile river. They slowly sank to the bottom, making them almost impossible to retrieve. Horus is now handless. He looks defeated, but there is a part of him that is relieved. Whilst in this moment, he felt like a hostage to the magic of Isis. He was glad only his hands were removed, and not his head. These actions by Isis would not go unanswered though. Someone was watching. Ra was observing all of this from the skies above as a falcon. He took some time to think about the situation before he came to a decision. Ra was fair and believed in order over chaos. Naturally, he considered Isis actions unjust. He thought it was only reasonable that his friend and fellow falcon god Horus got his hands back. Ra had an issue though. Whilst he was proficient around water, the hands were now far too deep in the river for him to retrieve them. He knew there was only one other being who could access the depths of the Nile. Sobek. Most gods wanted as little as possible to do with Sobek. Unless he was crafting something or you caught him on a good day, he had a grisly demeanor and a short fuse. Sobek did have a few things going for him though. He was surprisingly creative, an amazing swimmer and clearly very handsome. Reluctantly on this occasion, Ra had no choice. He needed Sobek. He was however, very aware of the crocodile god's difficult disposition. Sobek wasn't the charitable type and it was unlikely he'd do a favor for nothing. Knowing this, Ra creates something to incentivize him. This would be a positive Sobek could not refuse. Crudgingly, it was time for Ra to visit the Nile. After a few close calls with the crocodiles of the Nile, Ra enters Sobek's palace. The entire temple was flooded. Of course it was flooded. He's standing in tepid knee high water and waits for Sobek to surface. It's dark inside, softly illuminated by Ra's red hot solar disk. Every little sound reverberates off the dark granite walls. Ra begins to feel the water beneath him moving. Sobek swiftly surfaces. Ra is caught completely off guard and goes into greeting autopilot. He asks Sobek how's your day been, how's the wife, how's the kids? Sobek still had water in his ears and didn't catch any of that fortunately. Without hesitation, he bluntly asks Ra, what do you want? Sobek's temporary deafness causes Ra to breathe a massive sigh of relief. He begins explaining the predicament to Sobek, knowing that he'd probably have to bargain for his help. He thought he'd simply try asking for the favor, hoping Sobek would understand. Ra was noble and preferred not to resort to bribes. Who knows, Sobek could have even been in a good mood, so he asks. Nope, bad mood as usual. Sobek abruptly refuses with a ferocious snap. He's as grumpy as ever and it's clear he isn't enjoying Ra's honorable company. It was time for plan B, Ra's trump card. Ra cautiously stretches out his close hand towards Sobek, watching the crocodile got intently. He reluctantly opens his clenched fist, presenting Sobek with the irresistible bribe. It's a stunning golden signet ring, no crocodilian god could refuse. The jaws of Sobek slowly separate, revealing his terrifying teeth. His pining eyes reflect the glistening object before him. Sobek looks possessed and Ra fears what the cold-blooded god is about to do. Fortunately, Sobek was simply overcome with uncontrollable desire for the golden trinket and he enthusiastically agrees to the quest. Ra begins telling Sobek that the hands are now located at the bottom of the river, but before he could finish, Sobek was gone. As soon as Sobek hits the water, an uneasy feeling washes over him. He had barely listened to Ra's words the moment he was presented with the special ring. His reptilian brain completely took over, he was overwhelmed by its marvel and forgot about what was living at the bottom of the Nile. Since the inception of the Nile's creation, he had not visited its depths for this wretched reason. As he swam deeper, he began to remember why he had only been down there once, one time in all these years. He had a strong feeling the reality of his dreaded memory would soon be confirmed. He pauses momentarily and considers turning back. After a moment to gather his thoughts, he continues swimming with the motivation of Ra's beautiful pride still fresh in his mind. He approaches the bottom of the Nile and lays eyes on the hands. They rest in complete darkness, under an intentionally piled prison of rocks. The inside of this cavernous dwelling would have been invisible to most, but Sobek's eyes were well equipped. The hands are right there, he could almost reach out and touch them. They are at the very bottom of the river as expected, but Sobek can't retrieve them. Even though they are right there in front of him, there is a formidable enemy preventing him from getting Ra's ring. A preventative force Sobek hates with all of his godly will. The green is sucked out of Sobek's scaly skin the moment he clearly sees what is guarding the hands. They were waiting at the bottom of the Nile for him. The reason Sobek couldn't get the hands of Horus was because they had taken the hands for themselves. They were Sobek's nemesis. The fish of chaos. These aren't just any fish though, they are the fastest in the Nile, as quick as lightning and intrepid daredevils. The one and only time he dared swim to the depths of the Nile, the fish trolled Sobek relentlessly. This miserable memory flashes through his mind. He remembers how uncontrollably furious they had made him, and the aftermath of frustrated destruction he caused to Egypt afterwards. The two fish simply loved creating chaos, they were the reason why he hadn't been this deep in a very long time. The flashback to his first encounter with the fish is overwritten by the glow of the glorious gold ring. He was unwaveringly determined to get that ring, but first he needed those damn hands. The fish could now see Sobek, so they enthusiastically exit the cave, holding the hands in their fins. The chase begins. When it came to swimming, Sobek was always the most skilled in the Nile river valley, but not in the company of these two fish. No matter how hard he tries, he can't catch them. Surprisingly, they are overjoyed to see Sobek again. They love nothing more than to torment the crocodile god. The fish were very aware that he never had a chance of outpacing them. The chaos of Sobek's frustrations delighted the daring duo. The chase continues until Sobek is moments away from conceding defeat and almost snaps. He is at the end of his fuse now and is about to implode, when he experiences a brilliant moment of inspiration. Instead of an implosion, a light bulb goes off in his head. His visions of chaos were replaced with a clarity of creativity. The golden finish line made him see clearly. For now, he would give up chase and return to the surface. As night falls, the fish go to sleep. He swims back down, deep into the river and diligently executes his plan. He makes sure not to get close enough to wake the sleeping fish, he didn't want to alert them yet. Sobek would now wait for the first warm light of the Aten to shine over the Nile. Sobek patiently waits and as soon as Kepri thrusts the first sun into the new sky, his eyes close to a squint and his sight narrows with tunnel vision. He puts his entire godly focus and will on the fish and thrusts himself into their rocky home. They hadn't seen him yet, but they soon would. Sobek was waiting for them this time. They instantly wake up, grab the hands and the chase begins once more. He swims as fast as he can. The fish cannot believe their luck. First, they both get the hands of a god. Now, they get two days of terrific back to back Sobek trolling. The pair is elated and continues to tease him. Whilst he gets closer than before, Sobek still can't catch them. They mercilessly mock him, but Sobek is unusually calm. Normally, he would have smoke coming out of his ears at this point and would be absolutely furious. Everything was going to plan though. The fish didn't know it, but this time, things were different. Sobek remains cool and continues his seemingly futile chase until everything suddenly comes to a halt. The fish stop dead in their tracks. It was as if the Nile itself had abruptly stopped flowing. Sobek's plan had worked. The night before, Sobek's creativity had led to a new invention. He knew he couldn't beat them with speed, so he beat them with creativity. His solution was a special fish trap. He invented the world's first fishing nets and had sprawled it across the bottom of the river. This genius contraption had done its job perfectly. The audacious fish of chaos had no idea what was coming. Sobek's creativity had triumphed over the chaotic nature of the Nile's fish. Our story ends with Sobek retrieving the hands from the net and returning them to Ra. He exchanges the hands for his gleaming gift. Ra looks down at the detached hands and then looks up at Sobek who was now wearing the ring. Ra's expression morphs from relief to confusion to total shock. He was staring straight at Sobek and couldn't believe what he was seeing. For the first time in history, in an unprecedented event, Sobek smiles. He was so happy, little crocodile tears had filled his eyes. Ra couldn't help himself and mirrored the joyous expression. He knew he should never do this, but reciprocating, he smiled at the crocodile. After this, Ra went to visit his buddy Horus and returned the hands. Horus was happy, he had his hands back. Ra was satisfied knowing that order had been restored and chaos defeated. Isis felt Horus had learned his lesson. The invaluable fishing net had even been invented for Egypt. Wait, we're forgetting something aren't we? You might be wondering what happened to those fish. I'll let Sobek explain. Sobek? Egyptians regarded many fish as creatures of chaos, animals that emerged from the disorder of the first primordial waters. As a god who frequently caught and ate fish, Sobek in a way was doing his part to establish order. This was one of the reasons fishermen and the people of the Nile worshipped Sobek. In a way, he was the patron god of the fishermen. All of the marshes from the Nile river valley to the edge of the desert were Lord Sobek's domain. He watched over these lands as from his skin, they were his creation. The Nile is arguably the very reason the Egyptian civilization even existed. They had great respect for this invaluable body of water. All Egyptians relied upon it in some way, so many carried a certain level of respect for its creator Sobek. If a being could create such a valuable resource for Egypt, surely he was an ally. Now this is where the other side of the Sobek coin comes into play. A lot of Egyptians had an incredibly hard time worshipping a god in the form of a crocodile, a scaled, savage, bloodthirsty predator. Let's keep it real, you'd probably have a hard time worshipping such a ghastly creature too. To me, these prehistoric monsters looked like they were plucked out of the bloody dinosaur age. Just their scales, their teeth, their dark beady eyes and their feet. Not alone here. Large groups of Egyptians shared this sentiment. When the canals and rivers dried up, crocodiles would go on a slaughterous rampage. They'd freely roam the fields and eat whatever or whoever would be unlucky enough to get in the way of their destructive path. Many pets, friends and family members became the snacks of Sobek. Worshipping what such a deity represents is a tough sell. The reality was, a lot of people hated crocodiles and weren't on board with any Sobek worship whatsoever. Countless crocodiles were diligently destroyed. Here's something that made it even worse for Sobek. He was associated with arguably the most evil ancient Egyptian god, Set. Being associated with Set was virtually a guarantee that most Egyptians wouldn't be very big fans. Any god that would kill and dismember Osiris was an enemy. Sobek's popularity did continue to grow however. Crocodilopolis steadily expanded, reaching nearly 30,000 inhabitants at its peak. Sobek's reputation hit a whole new level when several notable pharaohs began to push a strong pro-Sobek campaign. They were named in honour of the contentious god and sent ample funding to his temples. The later and destructive Greek Ptolemies built prominent Sobek temples. Apparently the Ptolemy temples had a creepy vibe, something about them just felt off. We'll talk about these nasty Ptolemies another time though. Anyway, in case you're curious, here's some Egyptian royalty linked to Sobek. There's of course Sobek Nefru. Her name meant the beauty of Sobek or beautiful Sobek. And there was Sobekhotep. Sobekhotep means Sobek is happy, Sobek is pleased, something along those lines. When a pharaoh is named after a god, they command the associated divine being to be venerated. When a pharaoh commands, you obey. As pharaohs propelled Sobek into popularity, he became more palatable. He rubbed shoulders with other beloved deities that were much more widely worshipped. Being linked with gods such as Horus and Ra was a great look for improving public perception. With this being said, it's easy to see why an erratic, terrifying creature like a crocodile would be this divisive. From almost the inception of ancient Egypt's myths, Sobek was put on a pedestal with a mighty gods. Whilst there were many crocodile gods worshipped in Egypt, almost all of them were derivative. When it came to powerful polarizing crocodile gods, there was truly only one. Sobek, the creator of the Nile, the crocodile god. 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