The Shrine at the Temple of Isis at Philae

Coffin Texts: Spell 148:

"I am Isis, one more spirit-like and august than the gods".

The Innermost Sanctum

At the time of our visit, this seemed to be the most popular of all places in the temple to visist. People poured in without pause so it was no chance to get a good shot of the small room. Below is a photo culled from a very old guidebook:

What you see is not an altar. It´s a stand upon which the Bargue of Isis was situated
when it was not used to place the goddess in to be carried out in processions.

In the innermost room of the temple the statue of the deity was locked within a shrine - a cupboard made of granite or wood called naos. The lock was broken and the doors were opened by the officiating priest at morning, midday and evening, when rituals of offerings and worship were performed.

At festival days, the cult statue was carried out in procession from the temple, and said to go 'visiting' other temples or temporarily erected altars at so called 'way stations' along the processional path.

At Philae, the statue of Isis was carried once a week on board her bargue to make the short crossing to the island of Bigeh to visit the tomb of her spouse Osiris who was said to be buried there. Below is a naos taken from Phile and kept at the Louvren in Paris.

Granite Naos from Philae, at the Louvren. (author´s photo)

At Philae, the statue of Isis was carried once a week on board a bargue to make the short crossing to the island of Bigeh to visit the tomb of her spouse Osiris.

Festival Days:
Exact dates varied in ancient calendar as it was calculated by the rising of the Nile which varied from year to year. This calendar is composed of several different sources and the purpose is to show the variety and extent of festival days just for Isis - it is NOT historically reliable! They are all from Late Period sources.

Ancient Date	Modern Date	Ceremony/Ritual
end of July	4th of the Epagomenal Days	the Birthday of Aset
end of July	1st Thuti	Marriage of Isis and Osiris
begin - mid August	25th Thuti	Feast of Lights of Aset (Isis)
begin - mid August	26th Thuti	Aset gains the Horns of Het-Hert (Hathor)
end of August	13th Paopi	Day of Satisfying the Hearts of the Ennead
end of September	8th Hethara	Day of Going Forth of Aset (Isis)
begin of October	17th Hethara	Lamentations of Aset (Isis)and Nebet-Het (Nephthys) for Wasir (Osiris)
begin - mid October	24th Hethara	Day of Going Forth of Aset (Isis)
end of October	13th Koiak	Day of Going Forth of Het-Hert and the Ennead
begin-mid November	27th Koiak	Aset seeks the body of Wasir (Osiris)
mid November	28th Koiak	Aset grieves the loss of Wasir (Osiris)
mid November	29th Koiak	Aset rejoices as She finds Wasir (Osiris)
mid November	30th Koiak	The Ennead feast in the House of Ra, Heru and Wasir
end December	6th Mechir	Winter Solstice - Feast of Aset (Isis)
end December	10th Mechir	Birth of Heru (Horus), the child of Aset (Isis), Day of elevating the Great Netjer in all her names and manifestations.
begin January	23rd Mechir	Festival of Aset (Isis)
begin January	24th Mechir	Festival of Aset, Birth of Aion
begin-mid January	26th Mechir	Aset sees the face of Wesir (Osiris), Min Goes Forth to Gebtu
end March	8th Pachons	Festival of Aset

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

Philae - Jewel of the Nile

Inner Shrine

The Innermost Sanctum