It appears that there is very little known about the Temples of Setesh overall. I am already old enough to remember getting into modern polytheism and the Temples of Setesh being seen as a myth, with esotericism often being slower moving than even academia in my experience, and the god having an overall negative image. While some Temples were already known in Egyptology (such as via Petrie and Brunton), it is hard to imagine or remember how challenging it was to obtain such knowledge before the growth of the internet. It makes sense, time is not only unkind, but Setesh was actively targeted, in specific, after the 20th Dynasty. In my studies I have not found too much on the Temples of Setesh, and am always looking for more, but here I just wanted to compile some of what I have found. All credit goes to the amazing individuals cited, this is a bare bones introduction and the references contain more details such as dimensions, more thorough inventories, materials, and anything else not directly tied to to the god.
Temple of Nubt
This is likely the oldest Temple, with Nubt being one of the original sacred sites to Setesh. Petrie et al (1896) found pottery dating to at least the 4th Dynasty, as well as the 12th (66), though Petrie believed the Temple to have been built in the 18th. Ian Taylor (2016) argued that the 4th Dynasty pottery and mudbrick walls likely implies that the Temple had been worked on since the Old Kingdom (113), which fits considering it was one of the god’s original homes. The small Temple and related pyramid sat at the edge of the desert (Petrie 1896, 65), which Setesh was associated with. The site contained images of hippos (66) who were sacred to Setesh, as well as Setesh giving life to Horus, which was added in the 18th Dynasty by Thutmose III during his restoration of the Temple (67, 70) where the king was blessed as "beloved of Setesh" (68). Amenhotep II did further renovations in the 18th Dynasty. Ramses II worked on the Temple in the 19th Dynasty, and from these two Dynasties we find many beautiful items related to the god, including a copper ax, several tablets, and a seven foot tall Was Scepter (68). Ramses Ill may have been the last to work on the Temple, and during that time in the 20th Dynasty lintels were carved giving praise to Setesh, Amun, and Ra (70), who were often worshiped together in the New Kingdom. Setesh is also shown as a winged, bull headed god here (Martinez n.d., 11). An offering table from Seti I, showing Setesh on a throne and Seti before him “adoring the god four times,” possibly comes from this Temple or at least locale as well (Brand 2000, 211-212).
Temple of Setesh at Nubt: https://imgur.com/wphowZs
Pyramid and Temple Town at Nubt: https://imgur.com/9txVRHy
Lintel of Thutmose III at Nubt Temple: https://imgur.com/U9i2Ova
Setesh and Amun at the Nubt Temple: https://imgur.com/JigVL9w
Items related to Setesh at Nubt Temple: https://imgur.com/q51JEsA
Seti's table: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/549218 and https://www.joanlansberry.com/setfind/seti1.html
Temple of Dakhleh Oasis
Possibly now the most studied Temple of Setesh is that of Mut eI-Kharab, capital of the Dakhleh Oasis, where Setesh worship survived into the Late Period after being driven from the Nile area in the Third Intermediate Period. We have confirmation that the main Temple here was dedicated to Setesh as “Lord of the Oasis,” along with several other deities (Hope 2003, 51). This Temple was in full swing by at least the 21st Dynasty, possibly being founded in Dynasty 18 (73), though pottery at the site goes back to the 6th (51). The site may even date to the 4th Dynasty (73). Whether there was an official Temple there the whole time or not, worship of Setesh in the Oasis dates back to at least the Old Kingdom (73). Here the Libyan connections to Setesh (with one of his original forms, Ash, possibly being Libyan) were strengthened (74). As was common in the New Kingdom, Setesh was worshiped alongside and in relation to Amun, Atum, and Ra, as well as Thoth, who took over the positive aspects of Setesh once demonization hit the Oasis (74).
In their followup, Hope and Olaf (2011) confirm that the Temple was functioning at least in the Ramesside Period (143), and reinforce the strong connections between Setesh, Amun, and Ra (146). We even have confirmation of “prophets” to Setesh, and that the priesthoods were shared between these deities (146). Due to its isolation and separation from the Nile, the worship of Setesh survived here through the Roman Period without issue (153), providing one of the most “recent” insights into Temples of the god. Finally, Nephthys was worshiped at Mut el-Kharab alongside her consort, and the most common offering to them was wine (Long 2015, 98).
Temple of Matmar
The Temple of Setesh at Matmar was established during the 19th Dynasty, likely by Ramses II, when he tore down a Temple to the Aten at the same site (Brunton 1948, 65; Taylor 2016, 116). A stela of Setesh, Tauret, and Ptah was found here (Brunton 1948, 61), Setesh was shown as a winged deity with Hittite features (61), and we have written confirmation Setesh was the patron deity (62, 65). Within the Temple, Ramses was praised as "beloved of Setesh" (63), and the whole thing really highlights how important Setesh was in defeating Atenism. Within the Temple and city, the most frequently used colors for Setesh are red, blue, and yellow (61, 62, 65, 72). The city was also devoted to Setesh, and many had personal items revering the god, including plaques, scarabs, statues, ivory, items equating Setesh and Baal, and Setesh is even seen wearing the double crown (Brunton 1948, 65, 69, 72; Taylor 2016, 119). While it was not found in the Temple area, and predates it by many centuries (Dyn 5-10), I always found it interesting that we find one of the earliest uses of a pentagram I have seen for a personal symbol, as a potter's mark, here at Matmar (plate XXXIV).
Temple at Matmar: https://imgur.com/zTuyZev
Setesh Items: https://imgur.com/XgkLPqR
Setesh, Tauret, and Ptah: https://imgur.com/1E9hGet
Pottery Marks Dyn V-X: https://imgur.com/dMd4TY3
Temple of Avaris
While it is known that Setesh worship blossomed at Avaris under the Hyksos, the 400 Year Stela suggests this area was sacred to the god before the Hyksos even arrived or gained power. Indeed his worship may date to Dynasty 12 in the area (Martinez n.d., 21). Either way, the Hyksos king Apep built a temple to Setesh, his “father,” there (Martinez n.d., 21; Taylor 2016, 122), which may have been where Seti l and Ramses I served as priests to their patron. This Temple rested South of the other Temples (Martinez n.d., 21), as we would also see in Pi-Ramses.
Pi-Ramses, City of Setesh?
In Priests of Ancient Egypt (reprint, 2015), Serge Sauneron stated: “…wearied of Thebes and of its too enterprising priests, he went to build a new capital, Pi-Ramses, in the Eastern Delta, where he could worship at his ease the gods dearest to him, and accord to Amon only second place” (183-184). This city was located in the Nile Delta near Avaris, a sacred city of Setesh discussed above, tying its creation to the worship of the god. While technically founded in the 18th Dynasty, with the Temple of Setesh being restored by Seti I (Bard 1999, 953), the city became the capital under Ramses II, and was inhabited through the 20th Dynasty before demonization of the deity began (Taylor 2016, 123-124). The city was broken into four parts, each dedicated to a deity: Setesh in the South, Amun in the West, Wadjet the serpent goddess in the North, and Astarte in the East. Astarte was a Syrian goddess and foreign wife of Setesh with many deepening ties to the god in the New Kingdom, Setesh himself being the god of foreigners, and other foreign gods or forms were worshiped in the city, including Setesh as Baal (Bard 1999, 789; Taylor 2016, 124). Pi-Ramses housed many foreign citizens who all lived in peace with each other, including the formerly enemy Hittites (Bard 1999, 219, 788; Taylor 2016, 124). It has been theorized that part of the reason Pi-Ramses was abandoned was due to the demonization of Setesh (Bard 1999, 922). It is possibly from this Temple of Setesh that we get the 400 Year Stela, as it was found at Tanis but dates to at least Ramses II, so was likely moved when Setesh worship was driven out of Pi-Ramses. (921-922).
Misc Temples
“They see how Seth is fallen on his side, robbed of land in all his places, Sw laments, Wns mourns. Lamentations goes round in Oxyrhynchus. The oasis of Kharga and the oasis of Dakhla are in affliction. Disaster goes about in them. Cynopolis makes plaint; its lord is not in his territory. wADt (10th Nome of Upper Egypt) is a desolate place. Ombos is pulled down. Their temples are destroyed. All who belonged to them, are not. Their lord is not, he who thinks of enmity is not.” - Lamentation for Setesh from “Seth: God of Confusion” by Herman te Velde, page 115
There may have been a Temple of Setesh at Saka, where he was linked to Amun and worshiped as a Bull (Martinez n.d.,16). I believe this was related to Bata the Bull in the Tale of Two Brothers but am not 100% sure.
At Sw, said to be where Setesh was born, there was a Temple to the god starting in the 12th Dynasty (19). Ramses III made a record of there being such a Temple as well (19).
At Sepermeru there appears to have been Temples to both Setesh and Nephthys (17-18; Bard 1999, 718; Taylor 2016, 119).
A Temple to Setesh is said to have existed in Medjem (Martinez n.d., 22).
Finally, there is a Temple to Thoth in Ankh, which may have overwritten a Temple to Setesh there, or at least had a significant chapel/shrine to the deity (Taylor 2016, 146).
Praises from his Temples
”...Set of Nubit, son of Nut, very valorous, at the front of the sacred barque…” - Nubt
”Set Nubit lord of the South land, great god, Lord of Heaven, fair Child of Ra. Giving praise to thy Ka, Set, the very valorous…” - Nubt
”Homage to your Ka, Seth… [of Ombos, Lord of Upper Egypt, Great God].” - Mut el-Kharab
”Year 400, the fourth month of the season of Shammu, the fourth day of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Seth-Great-of-valor, son of Re whom he loves, Nubti, beloved by Re-Hor-akhty, may he live forever… Hail to thee, o Seth, son of Nut, great of strength in the boat of millions of years, in the bow of the ship of Re, the great screamer… [ mayest thou ] give me a good time for following your Ka…” - 400 Year Stela
References
Bard, Kathryn A. Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. London: Routledge, 1999.
Brand, Peter James. The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis. Leiden: Brill, 2000.
Brunton, Guy. Matmar. London: Bernard Quaritch LTD., 1948.
Hope, C. A. "The 2001-2 Excavations Mut El-Kharab in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt." The Artifact. Pacific Rim Archaeology 26 (2003): 51–76.
Hope, C. A., and Olaf Kaper. "Egyptian Interests in the Oases in the New Kingdom and a New Stela for Seth from Mut El-Kharab." Essay. In Ramesside Studies in Honour of K.A. Kitchen, edited by Mark Collier and S. R. Snape, 219–36. Bolton: Rutherford Press, 2011.
Kaper, Olaf. "Two Decorated Blocks from the Temple of Seth in Mut El-Kharab."
Long, Richard J. “Ancient Cultures at Monash University .” In Proceedings of a Conference Held between 18–20 October 2013 on Approaches to Studying the Ancient Past. Oxford, England: Archaeopress, 2015.
Martinez, Maria Jose Amor. "The Sites of Seth." Thesis, University of Manchester, n.d.
Monfort, R. (2011, June 6). Tour Egypt. The 400 year stela. https://www.touregypt.net/400yearstele.htm
Petrie, Flinders, James Edward Quibell, and F. C. J. Spurrell. Naqada and Ballas. London: Bernard Quaritch, 1896.
Sauneron, Serge S. Priests of Ancient Egypt - Classic Reprint. London: Forgotten Books, 2015.
Taylor, Ian Robert. "Deconstructing the Iconography of Seth." Dissertation, University of Birmingham, 2016.
Velde, Herman te. Seth, God of Confusion. Leiden: Brill, 1967.