Soknopaiou Nesos was a religious center of the god Soknopaios, an oracular and healing god in the shape of a crocodile with a falcon head. The settlement is located on the northern shore of Lake Qarun in the Faiyum Oasis in Egypt. It was occupied from ca. the third century BC to the third century AD. Today it is called „Dimê“.
Soknopaiou Nesos means the „Island of Soknopaios“.
Modern excavations unearthed impressive remains of the large temple complex dedicated to Soknopaios and countless papyri were discovered there, providing indight into the work of this sanctuary and the priests.
The image shows the ruins of the temenos enclosing the sacred space of the temple area.
Fotos of the ruins of Soknopaiou Nesos: Bruno Bazzani, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Statue of Soknopaios, steatite, dating uncertain, 3rd century BCE or later, to The Walters Art Museum, accession number 22.347, CC0 (Public Domain)
