Elephantine Island, Aswan Egypt - August 1981

Elephantine is an island on the Nile, forming part of the city of Aswan in Upper Egypt. The archaeological sites on the island became a World Heritage Site in 1979 along with other examples of Upper Egyptian architecture, as part of the "Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae" (despite Elephantine being neither Nubian, nor between Abu Simbel and Philae.)

 

According to the ancient Egyptian religion and Kushite religion, Elephantine was the dwelling place of Khnum, the ram-headed god of the cataracts, who guarded and controlled the waters of the Nile from caves beneath the island. He was worshipped here as part of a late triad of Egyptian deities. This "Elephantine Triad" included Satis and Anuket. Satis was worshipped from very early times as a war goddess and protector of this strategic region of Egypt. When seen as a fertility goddess, she personified the bountiful annual flooding of the Nile, which was identified as her daughter, Anuket. The cult of Satis originated in the ancient city of Aswan. Later, when the triad was formed, Khnum became identified as her consort and, thereby, was thought of as the father of Anuket. His role in myths changed later and another deity was assigned his duties with the river. At that time his role as a potter enabled him to be assigned a duty in the creation of human bodies.

 

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephantine

 

Kodachrome 64 @35mm prime lens.

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