Philae, Jewel of the Nile

The portal in the 1st Pylons lead to the Inner Court. Across this are the 2nd Pylons and the entrance into the main Temple of Isis. This inner court is surrounded on all sides, to the north by the Second Pylons, to the south by the First Pylons and flanked on the west by the mammissi and on the east by a ten-pillared colonnade where three small rooms are situated.

The Second Pylons with its porch leading into the Hypostyle Hall.
Here and there on the island renovation work is going on.

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 2nd Pylons looking out towards the Outer Court. Ptolemy VI extended the mamissi to meet the 2nd Pylons, and to the north a chapel was 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 decendancy from the God. The hieroglyphs on the walls 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 the mamissi is an antechamber, then two rooms in a row lead to a sanctum. On the walls of these rooms are the images of Horus wearing the double crown, and of Isis suckling the young Horus in the swamps of Chemmis.

On the eastern wall of the Mamissi are the images of the Pharao pulling the barque of Soker. Here are also rooms for the priests and a scrollroom with depictions of Djehuty (Thoth) both in the shape of the Ibis and the Baboon. The pillar heads on this side facing towards the Inner Court carry the face of the goddess Het-Hert (Hathor):

Looking across the court towards the Eastern Inner Colonnade, with its doors leading into the 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.(6)

Philae Island

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
Other:	The New Kingdom Temple	Ancient Priesthood	Daily Rituals	Gods & Goddesses	Egyptian Links

Aset, Great of Heka;

Egypt´s Aset or Rome´s Isis? Discover the difference!

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How did her son Heru win his father Wesir´s throne back from Set?

It´s All In Her Myths!

Akhet:

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Image sources:
Background: Description de l´Egypte.
Profile of Island - Temples of the Last Pharaos by Dieter Arnold
Mary Ann Sullivan at Digital Imaging Project