(This is a crop of a larger photo by Galen Frysinger who gives nonprofit use permission.)
The plaque obscures what was underneath, but the following photo reveals rows of ankhs grasping was scepters:
Here it is seen in the larger context...
The photographer goes by the name 'shutterbug257', and uses an Olympus C3100Z,C3020Z, and Olympus Camedia Master software
Original here, taken May 2007 and saved here
(Note, the cartouches are empty.)
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These ankhs grasping Was scepters adorn the Temple of Kom Ombo. Kom Ombo is also known as Kum Ombu, Kôm Ombo, Kawm Umbu, Omboi, Kawm Ombo, Ombos, and Kawm Umbū. It is now an agricultural town, but was originally an Egyptian city called Nubt, meaning City of Gold (not to be confused with the city north of Naqada that was also called Nubt/Ombos). Both the Naqada Nubt and this Nubt were Set's regions in ancient times. There is still remains of an ancient temple of Set at Naqada, but I don't know if such remains exist in Kom Ombo. However, the temple from which these was scepters come was built in Ptolemic times. "The temple was started by Ptolemy VI Philometor (180-145 BC) at the beginning of his reign and added to by other Ptolemys, most notably Ptolemy XIII (47-44 BC), who built the inner and outer hypostyle halls." (source Wikipedia) The temple is symmetrically divided between Sobek, the crocodile headed god, and Haroeris, also known as Horus the Elder. This symmetrical division means there are two entrances, two Great Courts and so forth. I hope to find a photo that shows just how the ankh and was scepters were used, if this is on both sides of the temple, or just in a specific area. Meanwhile, perhaps the unique ear detailing on the scepter will give us a clue of the identity of the Set animal. And here is a bit of my art this find inspired:
 (Click for larger)
 © ianandwendy.com
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