"On the western border of the Fayum... on the lake of Moeris was the temple of Sobek of the Island, Soknopaios as it is called by the Greeks."
And yes, you CAN tie him also to the Greek lettering on the tapestry in the statue.
Sobek grew far beyond his Egyptian origins and became syncretized into Greek pantheons - he bore the names Soknopiaos and Sarapis as well.
In his role as a crocodile deity, he was connected with the very creation of the earth, rising like a mound from the primordial sea at Fayem, which I mentioned earlier being the place of his temple, in Karanis. This lake was regarded by the croc cult as being the birthplace of the world. The area was also called 'Crocodilopolis,' which sounds to me like a name you'd give a place in SimCity, but that's classical history for you!
As his role increased, changed, and spread throughout the early Greek world and his cult rose at Karanis (Heavily mixed of Egyptian/Greek influence), he came to absorb the aspects of several gods, at least as far as his temple cult was concerned. During Ptolemic times he was linked to Hades' Underworld, Zeus's leadership, and the god of health, Asklepios. He was linked to fecundity and fertility, as well.
Due to his varied role, he was ambiguous in nature, and maintained in his mythology a dark streak, underlined by his connection to Set. He could and did attack souls in the underworld as they undertook their Duat journey.
From Plutarch:
"Plutarch, writing at about the same time, found the reasons for deification to reside in the character and habits of the crocodile itself:
... it is said to be the only tongueless creature and thus a likeness of God. For the divine reason does not need a voice, and -
'passing on a noiseless path,
Guides mortal things aright;'"
Citations:
http://www.umich.edu/~kelseydb/Exhibits/Karanis83/KaranisExcavation/temple2.html
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/karanis.htm
http://www.touregypt.net/godsofegypt/Sobek.htm
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/sobeka.htm
And yes, you CAN tie him also to the Greek lettering on the tapestry in the statue.
Sobek grew far beyond his Egyptian origins and became syncretized into Greek pantheons - he bore the names Soknopiaos and Sarapis as well.
In his role as a crocodile deity, he was connected with the very creation of the earth, rising like a mound from the primordial sea at Fayem, which I mentioned earlier being the place of his temple, in Karanis. This lake was regarded by the croc cult as being the birthplace of the world. The area was also called 'Crocodilopolis,' which sounds to me like a name you'd give a place in SimCity, but that's classical history for you!
As his role increased, changed, and spread throughout the early Greek world and his cult rose at Karanis (Heavily mixed of Egyptian/Greek influence), he came to absorb the aspects of several gods, at least as far as his temple cult was concerned. During Ptolemic times he was linked to Hades' Underworld, Zeus's leadership, and the god of health, Asklepios. He was linked to fecundity and fertility, as well.
Due to his varied role, he was ambiguous in nature, and maintained in his mythology a dark streak, underlined by his connection to Set. He could and did attack souls in the underworld as they undertook their Duat journey.
From Plutarch:
"Plutarch, writing at about the same time, found the reasons for deification to reside in the character and habits of the crocodile itself:
... it is said to be the only tongueless creature and thus a likeness of God. For the divine reason does not need a voice, and -
'passing on a noiseless path,
Guides mortal things aright;'"
Citations:
http://www.umich.edu/~kelseydb/Exhibits/Karanis83/KaranisExcavation/temple2.html
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/karanis.htm
http://www.touregypt.net/godsofegypt/Sobek.htm
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/sobeka.htm
