The Deity Shemaa-nefer “Sma nfr” at Esna Temple

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 faculty of tourism and hotels, Suez Canal University

2 Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Suez Canal University

Abstract

Shemaa-nefer is the crocodile god who was mentioned at Esna Temple as “the son of goddess Neith”. His name means “the long and the good god” which agrees with the main figure of the god more than “the southern beautiful”. Shemaa-nefer was not only sacred at Upper Egypt.  His name was found among the deities’ names “Semenouphis, Samanouphis” in some of the Greek texts from the 2nd and 3rd centuries. His name appeared on one of the papyrus which was found at Elephantine. Another papyrus found at Esna mentioned the deity’s name, but it is now in Chicago[i]. This research aims to; (1)shed light on the deity Shemaa-nefer; (2) study the role of Shemaa-nefer at Esna; (3) study the relationship of Shemaa-nefer with the other deities.

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