Bigeh

Bigeh (also Bigga, Biga, Bigge, Bigue; Arab بجح; ancient Egyptian Senmet and Iat - wabet; demotic Per- wab; Greek Abatos ) is an island in the First Cataract of the Nile in Egypt. It is located west of the submerged by the construction of the Aswan Dam Philae Island and south of the today known as Philae Island Agilkia. Bigeh belonged to the " islands of the Osirisgrabes " and was regarded in ancient Egyptian mythology so as primeval mound of creation. Osiris acted in this context as the patron of ancestors. In order not to disturb the " rest of creation" through music, hunting or fishing, any non-priestly person was prohibited from entering a tomb of Osiris - Nile island.

Modern finds

On the island of fragments of a statue from the Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 18 rock inscriptions and the remains of a former temple have been discovered so far. From this, there are today only parts of a Ptolemy XII. built porch and fragments of a dated under Augustus pylon. This temple was dedicated to Isis and Osiris. He was station temple with berth on the processional route from Hadrian's Gate on the west side of the former island of Philae on the water to the opposite temple described as a jetty on the island Bigeh and from there on a country lane to Abaton ( Osiris ).

By flooding the island of Philae after construction of the Aswan Dam and the relocation of the temple complex of Philae on the north-west lying island Agilkia in the years 1977-1980, this relation of the two temples can not be directly observed today. Under the Abaton was suspected once the source of the Nile. An arch in the gate, the obtained residue of the pylon, is evidence of a subsequent use of the temple as a church. At one known from hieroglyphic inscriptions Temple of Hathor Tefnut is no archeological evidence.

Local importance of deities

Khnum

Since the early 12th dynasty Khnum was considered a master of the island. He is being pushed back with the rise of the cult at Philae by the gods of the Osiris. In unternubischen temples a God with so-called war helmet was worshiped as the " Pharaoh of Bigga " since the Greco- Roman period. There were since the late period of the deity Pharaoh, which was equated with Horus as the son of Osiris. In front of him are remarkably often offered at Philae human sacrifice. In a Greek inscription on rock Sehel is a "God of Senis ( = Bigga ) " Petensenis called. Maybe there is a deified pharaoh.

The child god Hor -pa - chered led next to its name "Lord of Philae ," the nickname of " Lord of the Abatons ". The temple belonging to it lay on the procession near the pier. Augustus was Hor -pa - chered with his parents Isis and Osiris sacrifice. In addition, a king whose name was empty cartridge to see on a relief as he lays down Hathor of Bigge and Hor -pa - chered a wreath victims. The relief is in the meantime severely damaged.

Naming

In 2000, a bright spot on Jupiter's moon Ganymede, with the explanation " island on which there was the Egyptian Nile god " was named after Bigeh.