For more than 2,000 years, Egypt's Temple of Kom Ombo was one of the most important centers of crocodile worship. Dedicated to Sobek—the crocodile-headed god associated with the Nile, fertility and royal power—the temple received hundreds of mummified crocodiles as sacred offerings. Now, modern DNA testing and advanced imaging are uncovering remarkable secrets hidden inside these ancient reptiles.
Archaeologists have discovered hundreds of crocodile mummies at Kom Ombo, from hatchlings to fully grown adults. For decades, researchers debated whether these animals were raised specifically for religious rituals or captured from the wild. Two recent scientific studies have now provided surprising answers.
