The Temple of Isis is located on the eastern bank of Aswan Governorate, next to the eastern fence of the city. Part of the temple was built during the reigns of Ptolemy III and Ptolemy IV but was later on converted into a church, most likely to venerate Saint Mary. The temple is one of the most important archaeological discoveries due to the fact that it was found preserved in great conditions since its discovery in 1871. The temple remains standing tall with its four magnificent walls and roof with distinctive granite panels.
There are two entrances to the temple on the western side; where the main entrance is located in the middle of the facade and the other at the far left of the main entrance. Towards the back wall of the main hall of the temple, one can admire the wonderful scenes depicting the king making offerings to the gods (Satet – Anqet – Khnum) known as the Aswan trinity. During the restoration work of the mission, numerous Coptic inscriptions were revealed, as well as a rare architectural drawing illustrating the original layout of the temple on the walls. This can all be admired in addition to the remains of Roman and Islamic brick dwellings.
In the middle of the temple’s façade is the majestic main gate, decorated with colorful scenes and texts, and above which one can find the winged sun disk featured in the middle. The entrance leads to a transverse hall containing three rooms in the middle of the hall of the Holy of Holies.
This section contains three imposing granite altars in the hall, two of which are located on the northern corridor of the main hall, whilst the other altar is situated on the southern corridor in addition to another one inside the Chamber of the Holy of Holies. All of these altars contain the titles of King Ptolemy IV inscribed on them. Some pictorial scenes are featured on the southern pillar of the hall representing a group of saints, thus confirming that the temple was used as a church in later periods.
The Chamber of the Holy of Holies is located in the middle of the temple accessible through an entrance topped by the winged sun disk. In addition, it is decorated with a series of wonderful scenes, some of which illustrate beer being served to Isis, whilst other ones represent the goddess Maat being presented to the god Khnum, as well as another scene depicting pure water being poured on the goddess Isis
Source: Ministry of Antiquities
