Crocodiles were common along the Nile River, and ancient Egyptian writings indicate that many people were killed by the animals. Nonetheless, in some places these animals were revered as the physical manifestation of the god Sobek. In the Faiyum (an oasis west of the Nile near the Delta), for example, they were kept in sacred pools, where priests not only fed them but also sometimes bedecked them with jewels. Crocodiles kept in this manner were mummified and perhaps also entombed after death. The largest number of entombed crocodiles has been found in the Faiyum's capital city, Crocodilopolis, and Kom Ombo near Aswan, both of which were cult centers dedicated to the god Sobek. However, in some other cities the crocodile was associated with the destroyer god Seth rather than with Sobek, and in such places the animal was typically hated and slaughtered in large numbers.

See also: Faiyum ; Kom Ombo ; Seth ; Sobek .