Ancient Egyptians Put Gold Jewelry on Sacred Crocodiles

In the ancient Egyptian city of Shedet—known to the Greeks as Crocodileopolis—priests maintained a sacred crocodile named Petsuchos who lived a life of luxury that would make modern pets jealous. This wasn't just any reptile: Petsuchos wore gold rings in his ears and riveted bracelets on his forelegs, adorned with precious gems by devoted priests.

The practice stemmed from worship of Sobek, the crocodile-headed god of water, fertility, and pharaonic power. Petsuchos, whose name means "he who belongs to Sobek," was considered a living manifestation of the deity himself.

A Life of Divine Luxury

Petsuchos resided in a private pool within the temple complex, where his daily routine would astound modern zookeepers. Priests fed him choice cuts of meat, honey cakes, bread, and wine—a diet far superior to what most Egyptians ate. Worshippers brought food offerings, hoping to curry favor with Sobek through his sacred representative.

The jewelry wasn't merely decorative. Gold and gems symbolized the divine nature of these temple crocodiles, elevating them from feared predators to objects of veneration. When sacred crocodiles died, they were mummified with the same care given to human nobility and entombed with their golden adornments.

Crocodile Temples Across Egypt

Crocodileopolis wasn't alone in this practice. The temple of Kom Ombo also maintained pools of sacred crocodiles dedicated to Sobek. Archaeological evidence shows that entire crocodile families were sometimes mummified together, gold bracelets still affixed to their ankles.

This reverence seems paradoxical—ancient Egyptians genuinely feared crocodiles and hippos as deadly threats. But that's precisely why they worshipped them. By honoring these dangerous creatures as divine, Egyptians hoped to protect themselves from their wrath. Fear and reverence intertwined in a spiritual insurance policy.

The practice continued from Egypt's Old Kingdom through the Roman Period, spanning thousands of years. Greek and Roman visitors to Egypt documented their amazement at seeing jewel-encrusted crocodiles lounging in temple pools, a spectacle that seemed to epitomize the exotic mysticism of Egyptian religion.

So while your modern pet might sport a collar or two, ancient Egyptian temple crocodiles were quite literally dripping in gold—sacred beings whose bling reflected their divine status.