Philae, Jewel of the Nile

or the birth-house, is situated at the western end of the inner court, just behind the First Pylons. This is a view from the Second Pylons looking out towards the Outer Court. With Ptolemy VI it was extended to meet the 2nd pylon, and to the north was a chapel added. The mamissi is dedicated to the birth of Heru (Gr: Horus.) When the birthday of Heru is celebrated, the King partakes in the rituals, thus securing his legitimate descendancy from the God. The hieroglyphs are hymns depicting this wandering.





Just on the backside of the First Pylon is a relief of the Barque of Isis carried in procession by priests:

Inside there is first an antechamber, then two rooms in a row leads to the sanctum. In these rooms are depictions of Horus wearing the double crown, and of Isis suckling the young Horus in the marshes of Chemmis.

On the eastern wall of the Mamissi are images of Pharao dragging the barque of Soker. Here are also rooms for the priests and a scrollroom with images of Djehuty (Gr: Thoth) in his Ibis and Baboon shape. It was too dark inside to take any photos but below is one showing how the ceiling is covered with Nekhbet spreading her wings.Notice also the columnheads everywhere decorated with the face of Hethert.

Looking across the court towards the Eastern Inner Colonnade, with its doors leading into small rooms. Here are five rooms each of two storeys. One of them was used by priests, probably as a gathering place or perhaps for purifying, another functioned as a laboratory for sacred unguents and oils, and one was a library.


The oval shaped stone at the base of the Second Pylon is a stele for
Ptolemy VI Philometor and Cleopatra II.

Next:
Hypostyle Hall.

Philae Island:	Around the Island	Temple of Isis	Temple of Hathor	Island of Bigeh	Philae Main
Philae History:	Ancient Philae	Historic Philae	Destruction of Philae	Rescue Project I	Temple Inscriptions
Temple of Isis:	Outer Court	Birth House	Hypostyle Hall	Inner Shrine	Aretalogy
Great Isis:	Egyptian Aset	Roman Isis	Lady of Philae	Names & Symbols	Aset in Ancient Texts
Isis in Myth:	Isis & the Name of Re	Isis, Osiris & Set	The Seven Scorpions	In Chemmis	Contendings of Horus & Set
Other:	The New Kingdom Temple	Ancient Priesthood	Daily Rituals	Egyptian Links