Elephantine Island is the largest island in the Aswan area and a popular tourist destination in Egypt. This popularity was due to its location on the first rapids of the Nile, which served as a natural boundary between Egypt and Nubia. There was a city at the southern end of Elephantine, which was connected to the mainland by a bridge.
Elephantine is Greek for "elephant." In ancient times, the island and the city on it were called Abu, or Yabu, which also means "elephant". It is believed that the island got this name due to the ivory trade. The second version of the origin of the name is that there are large boulders in the river near the banks, which from afar look like elephants bathing. The island is very beautiful, and although many of its sites are in ruins, there is still much to see.
One of the main attractions is the nilometer, one of three along the river, it was used to measure water levels until the late nineteenth century. Ancient Egyptians used this gauge to estimate the overflow of the Nile in order to predict flood levels and estimate taxes for the upcoming harvest.
A German archaeological institute has been excavating in the city for many years. Among its findings are the mummy of a sacred ram and the ruins of the temple of Khnum. The island of Elephantine was the centre of this cult, and the structure dates from the period of Queen Hatshepsut of the 18th dynasty. There are also ruins of the temple of Satet, the female counterpart of Khnum. These gods have been honoured here since the most ancient times. The granite portals are the remains of a temple built by Alexander - it is the only major structure that has stood the test of time. In its front part, which is orientated east-west, around fragments of columns from the period of Ramses II, the pavement leading to the Roman promenade has been restored.
In addition, bakeries used for several centuries have been discovered in the palace square of Elephantine. Bread production was carried out on an industrial scale, as evidenced by the thousands of bread moulds and the discovered ostracons with lists of customers. On the northern outskirts, behind the modern Nubian village, the remains of a small granite step pyramid can be seen, its exact purpose is unknown.
The most significant finds from the search expeditions are placed in the Aswan Museum. Mummies, weapons, pottery, crockery and figurines are on display.
Elephantine Island can be reached by feluga or motorboat from any pier on the Corniche Quay.
