Sobek is known as the leader of crocodiles. He is the one who is believed to have risen from the dark waters which are the old waters of Nun Goddess and hence he control the waters and brings fertility to the fields. Sobek is called the father of the river Nile as it is believed that Nile was created from his sweat. This is how he is said to be the one who gave the world its order by giving birth to Nile. Some myths also associate Sobek with creating the world by laying eggs on the banks of the Nile.

Sobek is mostly pictured as a ferocious crocodile-headed man who wears a crown set of ram horn with a serpent and a sun disk and adorned with ostrich feathers. He also carries with him a water lily which symbolises rebirth.

Sobek’s mother is a war like goddess called Neith but there are three myths around who his father could be. Some believe Seth was his father and other believers worship him as the son of Khnum, the potter’s wheel God. The famous myth associates him as the son of Horus, the falcon headed God. It is said that Horus fertilized an egg with a crocodile’s help and gave birth to Sobek. Sobek’s wife was a snake Goddess by the name Renenutet and she protected the pharaohs’ crops. Their son was Khonsu, who was worshipped as a time and moon god.

Egyptians worshipped Sobek before they travelled on their boats in water and mummified crocodiles to seek his blessings. In the temples dedicated to Sobek, live crocodiles were kept in pools to honour him. Egyptians also thought that if they worshipped Sobek, they would have a great harvest. Hence many Egyptian tombs have mummified crocodiles for good luck to the surviving family members.

While Sobek had a violent side to his personality, he wasn’t evil. Sobek is also believed to be his father, Seth’s trusted companion when he went to war with Horus. Unfortunately Seth was defeated. That’s when Sobek got his army to transform themselves into crocodiles and escape Horus.