Crocodile Gods of Egypt: Sobek and Ammut

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As one of the world’s largest reptiles, the Nile Crocodile inspired awe and dread in the Ancient Egyptians. He was called “Mouth of Terror” and “The One Who Seizes.” Death by crocodile was something the Egyptians dreaded since there was no body to entomb. As a fierce parent, he tenderly cares for and protects his young. Living along the banks of the Nile, the Nile crocodile represented the river in all its forms. The crocodile was both the life-giving power of the river and the force of destruction when it floods.

 

Two of the Egyptian Gods are crocodilian – Ammit (Ammut) and Sobek. They both deliver death to wrong doers. Sobek, the “Raging One,” is the Patron of the Military, while Ammit is the “Devourer of the Evil Dead.”

 

As the “Eater of the Dead,” Ammit is a composite God of Nile predators. She has the head of the crocodile, the neck and paws of the lion, and the body of the hippopotamus. The Book of the Dead tells of Ammit waiting patiently beside the Scales. After the Weighing of the Heart, She devours the hearts of wrong doers. Because of what She does, Ammit is known by the Egyptians as the “Punisher of Evil” and “Enforcer of Good.”

 

Sobek, the more complex God, is the first to emerge from the primeval waters of Creation. He is the God who created order out of chaos. Providing for the fertility of the land and waters, the “Lord of the Floating Islands” oversees the wetlands. He governs the marshes between the Nile and the desert as “The Lord of Marsh.” Sobek watches over the places of untold fertility in Egypt.

 

Sobek, as the Patron of the Military, protects soldiers in battle. Like a fierce parent, He infuses them with strength and courage. While balancing creation and destruction, Sobek guards the Pharaoh. With Anubis, He anoints the new king to govern Egypt. “The Protector of the Innocent,” Sobek will ward off evil demons.

 

Suggested Reading:

Geraldine Pinch, “Egyptian Mythology.”

Richard Wilknson, “The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt.”