ABSTRACT
THEoldestpartofthepresenttempleofDakkawasbuilt bythatKingErgameneswhohadthecouragetodefy thewholepriesthoodofMeroewhencommandedbythem tosubmittobesacrificed.Butthehistoryofthesite reachesbacktotheMiddleKingdomasshownbythesize ofthecemeteriesofthatperiodwhichexistinthedesert
tothewest.WherevertheEgyptianswenttheybuilt temples;andthoughonegenerationmightpulldownand destroytheworkofitspredecessors,itwasonlytobuild againinthefashionofthenewerperiod.Itwasnotfor nothingthattheEgyptianshadachievedsogreatareputationforpietyinthetimeofHerodotus,whosaysthat "theywerethefirsttoassignaltars,imagesandtemples tothegods."Itisthereforeextremelyprobablethata templeoftheMiddleKingdomonceexistedonthissite. TheGreeknameoftheplacewasPselkis,closelyfollowing theoriginalEgyptianformPer-Selk,"TheHouseofthe Scorpion".Thetempleisnot,however,dedicatedto theScorpion-goddess,asmighthavebeenexpected,but toThothofPnubs,thewordPnubsreferingtothattree whichherewasaccountedholy.
