Life in ancient Egypt was heavily influenced by the annual flooding of the Nile, which endowed the land with its fertility. Consequently, it is natural to observe these elements reflected in the spiritual beliefs of the Egyptians, particularly through the worship of the crocodile deity, Sobek. Emerging initially as a local god, Sobek attained remarkable significance during the Middle Kingdom, with his narrative shaping contemporary politics, illustrating the Egyptians’ approach to integrating and evolving their deities, and marking a significant shift in his divine role.
The reverence for Sobek likely ranks among the oldest in ancient Egyptian spirituality, first evidenced on a seal that dates back to King Narmer’s reign, the inaugural monarch of the first dynasty. This seal depicts crocodiles confronting a uniquely designed shrine that ultimately became emblematic of Shedet, a city corresponding to present-day Fayum. During the Old Kingdom, Sobek was recognized as one of the prominent gods of Egyptian mythology, frequently referenced in the funerary Pyramid Texts. Nevertheless, his significance during this period primarily revolved around his cult based in Shedet.
After the Old Kingdom’s decline, Sobek’s following grew significantly at Sumenu, located within the Theban district. This god’s cult had existed since the Heracleopolitan period, during the reign of dynasties nine and ten, when the Delta ruled Egypt. This era concluded with the Theban rulers of dynasty 11 gaining dominion over both Upper and Lower Egypt, heralding the inception of the Middle Kingdom. Sobek’s worship at Sumenu rivaled that at Shedet, particularly flourishing during Amenemhat II’s rule.
The true elevation of Sobek’s status, however, was not merely due to his emergence across various regions; rather, it was marked by the fusion of his identity with that of the sun god, Re, in the reign of Montuhotep II, the Middle Kingdom’s inaugural monarch. Such combinations of deities, local and broader, were frequent during these times. The hybrid name Sobek-Re was first inscribed at the entrance of the Theban tomb of an official named Daga, who served during Montuhotep II’s period. The Coffin Texts, which served as funerary scriptures in the Middle Kingdom, characterized Sobek as “he who rises in the east and sets in the west.”
Through this amalgamation, Sobek transitioned from being a mere local entity associated with fertility and inundation to a pivotal creator god alongside Re. In his crocodilian form, adorned with the solar disc and uraeus (the emblematic cobra), Sobek was perceived as the original creator emanating from the primeval waters known as Nun, bringing forth the rest of the deities and the world itself. This transformative role frequently appeared within the hymns dedicated to Sobek, composed during the latter part of the Middle Kingdom. Whether Sobek’s rising popularity prompted his merger with Re or if it stemmed from a strategic move by his priesthood remains an unanswered query.
At Shedet, the administrative kernel of the twelfth dynasty, a new development unfolded within Sobek’s cult. Amenemhat II began to invoke an earlier dynastic synthesis of Sobek with the god Horus. Early depictions represented Horus as a crocodile on artifacts from the reign of Khasekhmwy, who belonged to the second dynasty. It was Amenemhat II who initially recognized the fusion between Sobek and Horus as an ideal representation of kingly divinity. However, it was under Amenemhat III’s reign that the significance of “Sobek of Shedet-Horus residing in Shedet” reached its zenith.
This deity, Sobek-Horus of Shedet, embraced titles such as “Lord of the White Crown,” and “he who resides in the great palace,” affirming associations with kingship rather than divine beings. The nomenclature of Horus in this integrated form was depicted within a serekh, akin to royal insignia. Historically, the king was regarded as the earthly embodiment of Horus, and with the introduction of Sobek-Horus, the monarch fused with Sobek, thereby intertwining their identities.
The connection of Sobek with divine rulership is vividly illustrated in the “Baptism of the Pharaoh,” a noteworthy scene from Amenemhat III’s temple in Madinet Madi, located in Fayum. This scene, one of the earliest of its various forms, captures Sobek and Anubis bestowing ankh symbols of life upon Amenemhat III, marking his initiation into eternal kingship—an act often linked to the state god’s divine conception of the ruler.
As the Middle Kingdom drew to a close, Sobek acquired the title “Sobek of Shedet-Re-Horus, the powerful god.” His worship spread to 52 locations across Egypt. Furthermore, the kings during the 13th dynasty consistently intertwined Sobek’s name with their own royal titles, as indicated by the common name Sobekhotep.
The Second Intermediate Period marked a decline in Sobek’s prominence, although his cult persisted in various towns, he was no longer revered as one of the major state deities. However, Sobek’s association with divine authority experienced a revival in the New Kingdom, with temples dedicated to him and Horus established within the same precinct at Kom Ombo. Amenhotep III advocated for Sobek’s worship throughout regions such as Gebel el-Silsila and Dahamsha, where a divine crocodile breeding center was instituted.
Throughout the ages, Sobek evolved from a local god to a creator deity, Sobek-Re, and positioned himself as a symbol of divine kingship as Sobek-Horus. The rulers of Dynasty 12, particularly Amenemhat III, achieved divine recognition not only as Horus on Earth but also through their amalgamation with Sobek. The reasons behind Sobek’s resurgence in significance—whether due to his prior connection to Re or as part of a strategized religious initiative by the priests—remain speculative. Nevertheless, the fascinating evolution of Sobek offers intricate insights into the socio-political dynamics surrounding the worship of gods in ancient Egypt.
