Sobek is an ancient Egyptian Crocodile god of the Nile. Sobek descended from Neith the Warrior goddess considered the mother of all the gods and creator of the world and Set god of war, chaos, storms and brother of Osiris, Isis, and Horus. Sobek controlled the waters and richness of the soil, therefore he was known by the Egyptians for his valor and multiplicative ability. The Pyramid Texts references Sobek, as the protector of the Egyptian pharaohs and their armies defending them from evil.
Sobek first appeared during the Old Kingdom in the lower Egyptian city of Sheydet. The name Sheydet in Greek is Crocodilopolis and means Crocodile City. A temple dedicated to Sobek was built in Crocodilopolis, the grounds included a live crocodile named Petsuchos (son of Sobek). Herodtus any person killed by a crocodile in Crocodilopolis was deemed godlike. Crocodile victims were embalmed and buried in a sacred coffin after a special funeral by Nile priests.
Egyptians believed if they fed crocodiles they would receive blessings from Sobek. In the past crocodiles were kept in pools and treated like pets. Crocodiles were revered so highly you can find bejeweled crocodiles, mummified crocodiles, and crocodile eggs all over Egypt. In the Old Kingdom, Sobek was often portrayed as a crocodile-headed man, and rarely in the form of a typical crocodile. The Middle and New Kingdoms have characteristics connecting him to Horus and Ra. Occasionally his body form is a crocodile with the head of a falcon wearing a double crown. Sobek-Ra is characterized as a crocodile adorned with a sun disk and tall plumes around his head. Mummified crocodiles and their eggs have been found in the tombs of ancient Egyptians.
A real-life Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus), is the basis for the god Sobek. Real male crocodiles from the region have been known to grow to over 16 feet long, and weigh as much as 1600 lbs. The females, who guard the crocodile eggs, are smaller, but fierce predators. Nile crocodiles eat pretty much anything they can sink their sharp teeth into, including large mammals. This reptile species is still responsible for multiple human deaths each year.
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