The Temple of Philae in Aswan, dates back to the time of Nectanebo I (circa 370 BC) and the principal deity worshiped was Isis. The imposing buildings that stand today were erected by the Ptolemies in the last two centuries BC and by the Roman Emperors in the first three centuries AD. Many inscriptions show that pilgrims flocked to Philae in Greek and Roman times to pay homage to the mysterious and benign Isis, goddess of healing.
The construction of Egypt's High Dam project threatened to engulf the temple, but they were saved from this fate by the great international rescue operation sponsored by UNESCO and carried out between 1972 and 1980.
The island of Philae was surrounded by a cofferdam, and the area within this was drained; then a new site was prepared on the neighboring island of Agilika, the temples were broken up into sections, which were carefully numbered, and they were then re-erected in the same relative positions on Agilika.