EGYPTIAN SITES

A List in ABC Order

• The most commonly Used Name,
• Ancient Egyptian Name marked by an asterisk,
• Modern Arabic Name or Name of nearest modern settlement,
• Ancient Classical and Hellenistic Greek Name
• Imperial era name if the Roman or Ptolemaic name differs.

But first some personal comments and observations.
The purpose of this list is to provide brief notes, historical and geographic, where possible on each major site, that may aid further research by finding you information you can use for outlines or search parameters. Please note that this is NOT a travel guide. While I have included some details that might be useful for travellers such as the distance from the nearest modern Egyptian city or village, in many cases you may be better off seeing artifacts in museums, given the state of some sites, such as certain infamous mounds of mud brick rubble that only experts would recognise as pyramids. 150 years of enthusiastic amateur and professional treasure hunting, scavenging, thievery, plundering, and professional archaeology, has changed many of the exotic ruins shown in 19th century lithographs, such as the famous series by Roberts, into unholy messes, and that's on top of the pre-existing chaos caused by centuries of "recycling" by Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Copts, and Arabs, of stone and other materials.

Where I know of other sites, professional, academic, or amateur, with useful images, maps, or historical details, I give links to them. In some cases I have compiled notes and observations from my own perspective, based on material from several sources, to create a mini-essay of my own devising. I will also mention amateur, "UNorthodox", or parahistory sites, if the creator uses good quality pictures, maps, tables, or other references, or if I just find their ideas interesting even if I disagree with them.

Abadiya

Abadiya is a Naqada One site

ABU ROASH

Abusir

There are two places called Abusir. The first Abusir was a Ptolemaic Port city 45 K / 30 M West of Cairo called Taposiris Magna in ancient times. The other Abusir is part of the Saqqara Plateau necropolis. It is the Arabic name for a 5th Dynasty Pyramid and mortuary temple complex 12 K / 7.5 M South of Cairo. There are 4 pyramid complexes (pyramid plus linked temple). The pyramids are those of Sahure 2487 - 2475 B.C.E. 5th dynasty, Neferirkare 2475 - 2455 bce, Sahure's brother, Nyuserra 2445 - 2421 bce, Neferirkare's son, and that of Queen Khentkawes, wife of Neferirkare and motherof Nyuserra and Raneferef , also knwon as Neferefre, whose unfinished pyramid was converted to a mastabsa after his early death. Just NW of this site is Abu Ghorab with two Ra temples .

Abuqir

ABYDOS

*ABEDJU or ABT was the name of the Nome. The City was *Abtu or *Abedju or *Ibdju , COPTIC EBOT. This site is 10 K SW of Modern AL-BALYANA. The nearest local village is Al-araba Al-Madfunah. The Greek name Abydos comes from a city on the Hellespont with a similar sounding (to a Greek speaker) name.You might want to visit http://www.touregypt.net/abydos.htm which has photos or my Real Egypt Essay Abydos

Akhmim

Akhmim or Akhmin is the ARABIC name of *Khent-Min or *Apu or *Ipu. The GREEKS called it Panopolis and Khmenis. This city was the birthplace of the Late Antiquity poet Nonnus who wrote an Epic about the Greek deity Dionysus called the Dionysica. It was also a famous Linen manufacture centre and the site of discoveries of various fragments of Coptic papyri and tapestries. It is on the eastern bank across the river Nile from modern Sohag noted for the White and Red Coptic monasteries to the NW of this city. Deities: Bes and Khent-Min. The Greeks identified Bes with Pan because of amulets showing him wearing a lion tailed cloak and the leonine features of his dwarfish form which reminded them of Satyrs and the god PAN. In 1982 an 11 meter high statue of Queen Meret Amun daughter of Ramses 2 and a priestess fo Min was discovered here

Akoris

ALEXANDRIA

Arabic - EL ISKANDARIYA. While there seems to have been no prior settlement on this site, it is possible the construction and expansion of this GREEK city swallowed up an older Egyptian town or fishing village called *Raqote since the Egyptian "quarter" of the city was known as Rhakotis. Most of the sites and discoveries here date to the times of the Greeks and Romans such as the Catacombs of Kom AshShuqqfa and various other tombs and necropolises.

Tel El Amarna

El Amra

Antaeopolis

*Djew-Qa *Tjebu Modern Qaw El Kebir near Timna. The Greeks named this city after Antaeus a legendary giant who was a "Son of the Earth", a Libyan giant who battled Hercules. They somehow (mis)idenitified the Hawk God Anty with this legend?

Antinopolis

IMPERIAL A Roman built site near Modern Sheik Abada. Named after the Emperor Hadrian's teenage "favorite" (male concubine) who either drowned himself in a fit of adolescent angst / depression or offered himself to the Nile as a ritual sacrifice to avert ill fortune from Hadrian.

Aphroditopolis

*Per Hathor Greek Pathyris Arabic Gebelein "2 Hills or peaks" near Atfih. Settlement in this area dates back to the N1 period. The Coptic site of Kom Ishqaw is nearby.

Apollinopolis Magna

Apollinopolis Parva

ARMANT

*Annu-rest Heliopolis of the South *Iuny Iuny-montu Greek Hermonthis (House of Montu?) Coptic Ermont Arabic Armant
This major sanctuary of the god Montu on the western bank of the Nile is now is ruins as the masonry of the temple was scavenged extensively. Basically the building became a public quarry providing stone for the building of a nearby sugar factory! The Gate and part of the Front Wall survives. It was first built bu Thuthmosis 3 as a shrine and expanded by Seti 1 into a larger temple, then restored and extended by Rameses the 3rd. Montu was worshipped here not just as a Hawk God but also as the Sacred Bull Bekh / Onuphis. There was a revival of the Bull cult during the reign of Nectanebo 2 and again during the reign of Diocletian in late antiquity.

ASHMUNEIN

Arabic Name from *Khemenu The City of the Eight. Also spelt El-Eshmunein.

AS(S)ASIF

Assiut or Assyut

Or Asyut or Siut *Satiu and see Lykopolis and Zawty 375 K South of Cairo.

Aswan

ATHRIBIS

There were two places with this name. First a site in the Delta *Hwt Ib or Hwt-hry-ib also *Kem-wer. This is Tel Atrib is near Modern (Arabic) Benha. See also http://www.touregypt.net/Benha.htm The second Athribis is further south near Sohag City and the Wannina. It is a Ptolemaic site noted for its temple of Triphis *Hut-Repyt

Ausim

See Letopolis Do not confuse with KOM Ausim which is Karanis in theFaiyum.

AVARIS

*Pi-ramessu *Per-ramesses *Hwt-wrt Modern Tell El dab'a near Qantir. Founded in Dynasty 12 it was the capital of the Hyksos rulers (Dynasty 15) and was rebuilt and extended by the Rammessid dynasty. Various discoveries of artifacts from Syria and Plaestine suggest it begun as a trading post / emporium and was the nexus for a trading route or perhaps a customs barrier or controlled port?.

BAB

EL BADARI

A Predynastic Site in Upper Egypt near Sohag. Artifacts from Burials including Pottery and Ivory. The Neolithic Badarian Culture complex (4400-4000) is named after this site

BAHR

Batn Ihrit

Batn Ihrit is the modern name of Theadelphia, a Ptolemaic site featuring the ruins of a temple to a crocodile god the Greeks called Pnepheros (possibly *P'neb-hor in Egyptian?

BEHBEIT EL HAGAR

*Per Hebyt 8 K West of Modern Mansura Site of the Iseum, a famous Isis temple (unusually built of granite) built by Nectanebo (Dynasty 30). This city was the capital of the Sixth Nome of Lower Egypt and was also known by the Greeks as XOIS or Gynaecopolis.

Beni Hasan

20 K South of Minya near Modern El Fikriya on the East bank of the Nile is a necropolis of 39 11th and 12th dynasty tombs of nomarchs of the Oryz nome. The four most famous, that are open to public viewing, are the 11th dynasty tombs of Baqet, and his son Kheti, and the 12th dynasty tombs of Khnumhotep and Amenemhat. Amongst the many famous animal and bird images in these tombs, is one, of a canid claimed to be the image of an ancestral Corgi/ Basset/ Dachshund. This site is near Speos Artemidos which is a temple "built" by Hatshepsut, about 2 K walk away if that's the right word for a temple carved into rock (Speos is Greek for cave) It is dedicated to Pakhet, and noted for the peculiar style of its Hathor head columns. The locals call it Istabl Antar, Stable of Antar, after an Arab folk hero.

Biga

An island near Philae claimed to be the source of the Nile. The priests claimed the Nile issued forth from secret caves below the isle.

BIR

Birket Habu

BUBASTIS

Delta *Per-Bastet. Biblical Pi-beseth. Greek Boubastis. Coptic Boubasti.Tel Basta near Modern city of Zagazig. Site of the Bast temple described by Herodotus. This city was the capital of Egypt during the 22nd and 23rd dynasties.

Busiris

Delta near Samahud. *Per-Asar or Pa-osiris. House of Osiris *also called Djedu. Modern Arabic name is Abusir from Coptic Posiri. Deities Osiris Isis Andjety.

Buto

Delta Twin towns of Pe and Dep. Tell el-Farain or El-fara'un Mound of the Pharaohs. Near Modern Shaba and Wabasha Deity Wadjet.

CAIRO

CANOPUS

Sometimes spelt Canobus. *Pikuat. Modern Arabic ABUKIR or Abu Qir / Aboukir from a Coptic Saint - Father Cyrus. A Hellenistic pleasure resort noted for discoveries of Canopic jars and as the site of the Serapeum. This site is also famous for marine archaeologists due to the wreckage from a 19th century naval battle

Crocodilopolis

Cusae

(Roman) - Upper Egypt - *QIS. Arabic El-Qusiya. Coptic - Kosko. Greek Kousos. Capital of the 14th Nome.

Cynopolis

Dahsur

A Pyramid complex south of Saqqara and Cairo about 20 K or 12.5 M. The site of the 4th Dynasty BENT and RED pyramids of Snefru, also 12th Dynasty pyramids built by Senwosret 2 and other rulers.

Damanhur

(Arabic name) Delta *Imarut *Demit-en-hor. Greek Hermopolis Parva. Coptic Tuinhor. Do not confuse with New Age cult sites.

DEIR

Coptic term for monastery. Note usually the Coptic monastery if in ruins or abandoned was torn down to facilitate excavation of the Egyptian sites below however some temple forecourts have active Coptic monasteries, shrines, and chapels, and often also or alternatively Islamic mosques within or overlapping their walls.

Deir El BAH(a)RI

Deir El Madina or Medina

West Bank. Coptic "Monastery of the City", the city being Medinet Habu , ancient *Pa-demi, the Town, the workers' village founded by Ahmose (Dyn. 18) and his mother Ahmose-nefertari, who seem to have been revered as "patron saints" by the workers of this settlement, which included crafstfolk and service staff for the necropolis. The area around the ruins of the village also feature many Ramessid tombs and later Ptolemaic and Roman era burials. The workers' tombs are noted for their decorations being more spontaneous, colorful, and less formal than other tombs.

Deir El Shelwat

DELTA Area

Includes Sites such as Alexandria, Athribis, Avaris, Behbeit el Hagar, Bubastis , Buto, Canopus , Damanhur , Mendes, Naucratis, Pelusium , Sais , Tanis , and Terenuthis.

DENDERA

Near Qena (4 K West) which is 37 M North of Luxor. Arabic from Greek Tentyris *Tanetjeret - the goddess. Originally *IUNET the female pillar of Hathor. This site is also known as Tentyra. Deities: At Dendera Hathor is the consort of Horus and mother of Harsomtus.The site is famous for a Ptolemaic era temple of Hathor which unlike many temples is almost complete with almost no "recycling", or vandalizing by Coptic monks, or graffiti addicted tourists.

Dimai

DIOSPOLIS PARVA

*Hwt-sekhem. Coptic Hiw Modern Hiw-semaina. The Hellenistic settlement seems to have been built on top of or adjacent to an extensive necropolis area. Near Nag Hammadi.

Dra Abu El Naga

EDFU

*Wetjrset-her *Behdet *Djeba Coptic Etbo Greek Apollinopolis Magna. The current and impressive Horus temple is a Ptolemiaic (re)construction in an archaic style built over an earlier New Kingdom temple. Edfu is on the Left Bank of the Nile 62.5 Miles South of Luxor and was capital of Nome 2 of Upper Egypt.

ELEPHANTINE

*Abu *Yebu The "elephant" city and the island near Philae and Syene. Named after the ivory trade it was a centre for though some have pointed out the possiblity it was named after the shape of the rocks on one shore of the island. Deity: Triad of Khnum, Satet, and Anuket. The power of this southern cult triad was later weakened by their desert totem animals being identified with those of Seth. Apart from the temples on Philae on this island there are various local tombs and temples to Satet and Knhum plus chapels dedicated by Intef 2 and a small temple to Heqa-ib an Old Kingdom Nomarch. The Museum of Aswan stands on the island and displays finds from Aswan and Nubia such as the mummy of the sacred ram of Khnum and a very unusual rhinoceros palette. There is also a Nilometer with Greek inscriptions

EL KAB

*Nekheb or Nekheben Called Eileithyiapolis by the Greeks or Ilithyiapolis in Latin. 32 K South of ESNA. Noted for Predynatic discoveries. The masive mud brick walls of the predynastic settlement are still visible. There are also several temples and chapels.

ESNA

*Ta-sny "Perch city" Greek Latopolis after Lat the Perch Goddess. (Perch the fish species) Coptic Sne Arabic Isna. 55 K South of Luxor. Also known as *Iunyt. Deity: Khum In Greek Khnoumis. The temple of Khnum is the major attraction *Hnmw - the Creator - the Divine Potter. Consorrt Menhyt.

The Faiyum Area

Since the only place name starting with F is the Faiyum area - what I'm going to do is list the sites within this area and give a brief history and hopefully add a map later. The Faiyum area, roughly 70 k wide and 60 long, includes these sites - Kom Aushim, Qasres-Saghah, Dimai, Qasr Qarun, noted for a temple to Dionysus, Batn Ihrit, also known as Theadelphia, Medinet el Faiyum ( the modern city), Krocodilopolis, Medinet Madi also called Narmouthis, Kom Medinet, Kom Ghurah and Tell Umm el-Breigat. The Faiyum basin was known in ancient times as *Merwer or Sheresy. The Coptic name was Peiom. The actual lake now called Birket Qarun covered a much wider area in the Neolithic and Predynastic sites extending to the foot of the hills to the northwest. Sites that were that were once on the shoreline are now inland as the level of the lake's shoreline lake was 25 ft higher than the present. The shrinking of the lake was partly due to water being drained off for irrigation a continous process from ancient times to today. Major development in this area seems to have commenced during the Middle Kingdom period judging from the increase in buildings dating from the 12th dynasty onwards. The major deity of this area was Sobek the crocodile god and a tourist attraction during the Hellenistic period was crocodile feeding! I have read claims that the crocs were once so tame they wore gold jewellery and were handfed!

GEBEL

Also spelt Jebel in English - Arabic for Mountain, hill or Peak hence Gebelein *Yenerty - Two peaks (see Aphroditopolis)

Gezira

GIZA

During the Pyramid age a "suburb" of worker's housing sprawled along the western bank for several kilometers much as it does again today. The Area was referred to in ancient texts as Horemkhet (Horus in the Horizon) or as *Rosetau (also spelt Rasetau and Resetau - due to uncertainty about vowels. Everyone agrees Ancietn Egyptian need vowels but ...). See also my Cairo article.

Hebenu

Lower Egypt. Just Northeast of Modern Cairo. *ANU *IWNW Biblical ON. Most of Heliopolis was destroyed by the Persians. There is a modern suburb of Cairo known by the same name and also referred to as Matarea or Matariyeh.What little of left of the temples is called Tell Hisn and also Ain Shams - Spring of the Sun. Deity: The Sacred Bull Mnevis. Khepri the Scarab as part of the Atum-Re-Khepri Solar Triad.

Herakleopolis Magna

*Henen-nesut *Ninsu Coptic Hnes. Modern Ihnasya el Medina. 15 K West of Beni Suef. Upper Egypt. A capital during the 9th and 10th dynasties. Deity: Heryshaf or Herishef - a Ram god equated with Hercules/ Heracles by the Greeks. Plutarch called him Arsaphes. There was also a cult of the god Baba here.

Hermopolis Magna

*Unnu or *Khemenu or * Khnum also *Per-djehuty. Coptic Shmun. Modern El Ashmunein 8 k North of Mallawi. Its necropolis is Tuna el-Gebel 7 K further west. ( Same place as Tihna check ?) See Tihna or Tuna El Gebel Most of the surviving tombs and temples are Ptolemaic and Roman. Deity: Thoth and the Eight (Ogdoad) - 4 pairs of deities who created the world, Amon-Amaunet, Nun-Naunet, Heh-Hauhet, Kek-Kauket. Capital of the 15th Nome of upper Egypt. The site is noted for two giant statues of Thoth depicted as baboon rather than a ibis headed man, a temple gateway, and a Coptic basilica which was originally a Ptolemaic temple. Most of the artifacts have appaently been moved to a small museum at Mallawi which is not always accessible but this situation may have changed.

Hermopolis Parva

NW of Mallawi near el-Baqliya South of Mansura. *Ba'h or Tell el Nagus Noted for a Dynasty 26 Apries Thoth temple.

Hierakonopolis

See also Nekhen

Hiw

Hypselis

The Iseum

IUN or IWN

Column. This word and its ideograph is a common element in many ancient Egyptian place names. It means pillar or column and also Hall of Columns. Iwny = Armant, Iwnt = Denderah, Iwnyt = Esna, Iwnw=on Heliopolis, and Iwnw Shmw = Thebes.

Kanais

A roman fort on the Wadi Hammamat route thru the Eastern wadis to the RED SEA ports. Nearby is an ancient well still used by nomads and travellers and a rock cut shrine built by SETI 1 also petroglyph sites .

Karanis

Faiyum. Ptolemaic = Kom Aushim. Built by Ptolemy 2 for his mecenaries. Noted for temples to the crocodile gods Pnepheros ( = ?*P' nefer?) and Petesuchos and for papyri finds, the remains of a bathhouse and various Roman era inscriptions . 49 M and 79 K from Cairo. Kom Aushim has a museum.

KARNAK

KOM

A Coptic word borrowed into Arabic yet originally Greek (komee) which means usually means village in Classical Greek, Coptic, and Arabic, but was used by the Ptolemaic adminstration to denote any "Native" Egyptian settlement to distinguish them from Greek Polises and colonies. Larger towns and cities generally seem to have had separate Greek and Egyptian areas.

Kom Abu Billo

Western Delta Near Modern village of Tarraneh. Greek Terenuthis. Centre of a Hellenistic cult of Renenutet combined with Isis and worshipped as Hermouthis.

Komm El Atl

Kom El-Hisn

Kom Ghurat

Kom Ishqaw

Al or El-Khokha

Kom Medinet

Kom Ombo

Koptos

Modern Qift. *Gebtu or *Kebet *Kft *Gbtiw. This placename is the origin of the Greek term Kopt or Copt. A trade route starts here that crosses the Eastern desert to the Red Sea. Koptos is also an important Coptic Christian cultural centre. Its deity in ancient times was MIN.

KUS

El Lahun

Also called Kahun and Illahun. *Hetepsenwosret - Senswosret is Satisified. The village is near what little remains of A Dynasty 12 city noted for its Pyramid built by Senwosret 2.

LEONTOPOLIS

There are two Leontopolises or rather two Egyptian cities given tne same name in Greek.
1) Tell el-Muqdam *Taremu In the Delta near Mit Ghamr. Deity Mihos the Lion God son of Bast.
2) Tell el-Yahudiya near Cairo 20 K NE * Nay-ta-hut "Mound of the Jews" - named after a nearby Hellenistic settlement. This city had a temple and cult of Tefnut and Shu . One of Tefnut's manifestations is that of a lionness who hunts in the wilderness and is persuaded by her consort to return to the city.

Letopolis

LISHT

* Itj-tawy. "Siezer of the Two Lands." Dynasty 12 capital. Its pyramid complex developed by Amenemhet 1 and Senwosret 1 was built of stones recycled from OLD KINGDOM structures. The Dynasty 12 rulers shifted their power base away from Thebes back up towards the North, developing the Faiyum area and setting up a new capital.

LUXOR

Arabic El-Oksoror or Eluqsor" - the palaces . Greek Diospolis Magna. See THEBES or Go to link to be added !!! Museums temples shopping tombs fake antiquities giant statues authentic ruins and rubble and more tombs!

LYKOPOLIS

See Assiut or Assyut and Zawty - the Wolf City 375 K South of Cairo. Cappital of Nome 13. Deity: Wepawet, the White Wolf / Jackal Opener of the Ways called Ophois by the Greeks.

MALQATA

Also spelt Malkata - The name is said to be Arabic for place where things are picked up? This area is south of Medinet Habu and near the Birket Habu which is an ancient artifical lake built by Amenhotep 3 (another megabuilder type!) Malqata is the modern name given to the remains of Amenhotep's palace. Recent digs on this site have unearthed mosaics and tiles and wall paintings.
See Thebes Photographic Project and the
Malqata Palace Project , and the Egyptian Culture Centre

Tell El-Mas'khuta

*Per-Temu *Tjeku. This site was once identified with biblical Pithom but recent work has made this uncertain.

Medamud

Medina

Medinet El-Fayum

Literally Town (of) the Faiyum. Obelisk of Senusert. Transport hub for Faiyum area. 8 K SE of the city is the pyramid of Hawara.

Medinet Habu

*Djeme This area of Western Thebes was believed to be an earthly parallel to the Primeval Lake and Mound. It is the area near the Ramesses 3 temple complex (this building has the famous relief of R3 battling and defeating the Sea Peoples) next to the village of Kom Lolah. A fallen statue of Ramesses3 may be the inspiration for Shelley's Ozymandias' poem as Ramesses 3' God name was User-matt-re. This area is also noted for a Roman era cemetery, a temple to Amun in his serpent form as Kamutef, Late Roman and Coptic housing, the tomb of Montuemiset, and the Chapels of the Divine Adoratrices.

Medinet Madi

This site in the Faiyum is also known as Narmouthis and Maidum or Meidum. Deities Sobek Horus Renenutet. Noted for an unfinished pyramid and various Dynasty 3 and 4 sites such as the Tombs of Nefermaat, with its Goose frieze, and of Prince Rahotep and his wife Nofret

MEMPHIS

Mendes

Delat Tell el-Ruba *Anpet the fish city Deity: Banebdjedet a Ram god, the Male consort of Hatmehyt a fish goddess.

Merimda

MIDAN

El Mo'alla

Nabasha

Ancient *IMET The site was a Major ceremonial centre in the OLD Kingdom period and is near El-Huseinniya village

NAG

Nabta Playa

Nag El Deir

NAG EL MEDAMUD

See also Medamud *MADU 10 K North East from Luxor and connected by a canal to Karnak's Montu temple. For images visit this site at the Oriental Institute at Chicago University which sponsors the Thebes photographic Project. This area is noted for an unusual OLD Kingdom temple featuring twin mounds and a Late period temple dedicated to Montu, Rat-tawy and Harpocrates and the sacred bull of Montu. It has an unusual triple portal.

Nag Hammadi

Narmouthis

Faiyum. Kom Medinet Madi Near El Minya 30 SW Faiyum city 12th Dynasty temple to Sobek, Horus, and Renenutet built by Amenemhet 3 and 4.

NAQADA

Also spellt Nagada sometimes. NOT just an imaginary transuranic element on Stargate SG1! It's the name of the nearest modern village to a famous PreDynastic archeological site that became the name of the (4000 - 2977) period and culture. It's in Middle Egypt on the West bank of the Nile oppositie QUS. There are also 3 related Neolithic cultures named after this site in Upper Egypt. El- Amra is Naqada 1 is also known as Amratian. Naqada 2 is Gerza also called Gerzean and the period is marked by an expansion of this culture's style of art and artifacts further North and South to Abydos and Hierakonopolis and beyond. Naqada 3 is also called Dynasty 0.

NAUCRATIS

Western Delta on the Rosetta branch of the Nile. Near Modern Nebeira and Kom Gi'ef. Nearby El-Niqrash probably derives its name form this LATE period trading port. Naucratis is the Greek name. The Egyptian name may have been *Naju-keredj?Both these next two were in UPPER Egypt.

NEKHEB

Also called EL KAB 26 K between Esna and Edfu 53 k Soth of Luxor on the East bank. The Greek name was Eleithiapolis after the anicent birth goddess. The Egyptian deity was Nekhbet the she-vulture guardian of royalty. Thoth also had temples here. It was the capital of Nome 3 of Upper Egypt and continuously occupied from the Early dynasties up to the LATE period.

NEKHEN

Greek Hierakonopolis. Kom-el-Ahmar The Red Mound the Falcon God Nekheny's city. Discoveries here date back to the Protodynastic period including traces of a wooden shrine, mud brick OLD Kingdom temples and a Stone temple built by Tuthmosis 3. This was also one of the first cities in the world to have a wall, a massive fortification of mud brick still standing dspite centuries of erosion , such was its original size and mass. The Narmer Palette and the Scorpion Mace head was discovered here.

The OASES

I am not giving them extensive coverage for the same reason I skipped Nubia - ongoing explorations and discoveries which need specialist details and knowledge. However so I'll have an outline for later

Siwa

Bahariya

El Dakhla

El Kharga

Kom OMBO or OMBOS

* Nebet or Nubit the Golden City. * Pa-Sebek. Greek Ombos. Coptic Ombo Modern Tukh. 31.5 Miles North of Aswan facing modern QUS. Noted for a dual temple sacred to Horus the Elder / Haroeris and Sobek. The northern half was dedicated to Horus the Elder as Lord of the Two Lands and to a goddess known as Tasenet-nofret the Good sister a consort of Horus. This deity may be Hathor under another name. The southern part of the temple had shrines to Sobek, Hathor and Khonsu. A New Kingdom facience WAS scepter was found here and is now in the Victoria and Albert museum in London.

OXYRHYNCHUS

Upper Egypt * Per-Medjed Modern El-Bahnasa near Sandafa el Far and Beni Mazar. Famous for Papyrus discoveries, Capital of Nome 19.

Panopolis

See also Akhmim *IPU Nome captial *Khent-menu Greek Khemmis The Greeks equated Pan with Min because of both being depicted with an erect phallus.

Pelusium

Tel el Farame near modern Farma. A Delta trading depot in the Late Period. Most of the site has been "salvaged" for building stone.

Philae

The Egyptian name may be been * PI-LAK? Philae and the Aswan area abound in sites mostly built in the New Kingdom and Roman period but several date older. There's the famous Isis temple and shrines to Nubian gods like Arensnuphis and Mandulis. Philae is an island one of three the other two being Bigeh and Agilikia to which the structures on Philae were moved when the water level rose after the construction of the dams. If you can find them its worth while searching for sites or books reproducing David Roberts famous series of lithographs showing the sites' original appearance.

Qantir

QASR

El-Qeis

Qena Bend

Qift

Qis or Qus

SAIS

Sa el-Hagar *SAY Western Delta Deity: see my article on SAQQARA PLATEAU

This plateau has served as a burial site for the area around Memphis and Heliopolis since the Neolithic. It starts at Abu Roash site of a 4th Dynasty pyramid and spreads southwards past Abu Sir and Dahsur, site of the Red and Bent pyramids, and the famous sites of Giza beyond to Memphis. There are dozens of pyramids of varying sizes and in various states of preservation. Many of the structures, tombs, temples, or pyramids, were protected by a covering of sand, others are in poor condition due to limestone coverings being recycled for later buildings exposing the underlying mud brick to erosion. There is the Serapeum and the necropolis at Memphis plus various mastaba tombs. The actual village of Saqqara is west of Memphis and is named along with the plateau either after an Arab tribe who settled in the area or the god Sokar? The Pyramid texts were discovered here . Particularly notable sites amidst the many in this area include the Dynasty 5 tombs of Ptahhotep famous for its frieze of the cattle inspectors and the Dynasty 3 Step pyramid of Djoser the first pyramid built in stone, rather than stone over a mud brick core, and its temple complex. Other pyramids are those of Userkaf and Unas which look like they're pile sof rubble, so poor is their condition! Near the pyraimid of Unas are several tombs of interest including those of Queen Nebet and Princess Idut. There is also the Dynasty 18 tombs of Maya Horemkheb and Aparel along with the mastabas of Ni-ankh-khaum and Khunhotep, Mereruka and Kagemni. The Mastaba of Ti has wonderful paintings of scenes of life during the Old Kingdom. One little known relic of Ptolemaic times is the so called Circleof Philosophers, statues from a shrine set up by Ptolemy 1.

Sebennytos

Shenhur

A village 6 k south of QUS with an unusual Roman era temple. Its plan is an upside T with the hypostyle hall as the horizontal bar.

Shutb

Sile

SIWA

Soped

SYENE

*Sunnu or *Swenet . Greek Syene Coptic S(o)uan Arabic Aswan also spelt Assuan sometimes, the city and district of Elephantine. 886 K south of Cairo. Diety: primarily the traid of Khnum Satis and Anukis. On the left bank of the Nile is a Necropolis of 40 Old Kingdom rulers including the Tombs of Heqa-ib, Mekhu, Sabni, and Sirenpowet One and Two More modern places of interest include the Mausoleum of the Aga Khan, the Aswan Museum, Kitchener Island's gardens, the Dams, and the Coptic monastery of Saint Simeon also known as Deir Amba Samaan. A Nubian temple to Mandulis was moved to a site in this area from Talmis 40 K south.

Tanis

Taposiris Magna

EL TARIF

Village on the West Bank and nearby tomb area. Settlement in this are dates back to the Predynastic. There are 2 Dynasty 3 and 4 mastabas and various Dynasty 11 tombs including those of Henenet Kemsit Miyt Kawit Ashait Tem Neferu daughters and concubines, wives, of Montuhotep 2 and many of his courtiers in this area. These tombs are noted for having courtyards before the entry Saff Baqor. el Kisiya, El Dawaba, nomarchs, Inyotef saff?

Tebtynis

Terenuthis

Theadelphia

THEBAID

The area around Thebes also known as Said in Arabic hence the Coptic dialect Saidic. Settlement in this area dates back to the Paleolithic with the far western hills holding many stone shaping sites. See articles on Thebes Karnak Luxor and the West Bank (insert links!!!)

THEBES

Tihna or Tuna El Gebel

Greek Akoris Ptolemaic Ruins The Necropolis of Hermopolis actually about 5K from the village. Noted for a boundary dedication stele erected by Akhetaten and various catatombs and tombs of human and animal residents of Hermopolis. One book I read claims the catatombs may extend all the way back to Hermopolis .. 3K!!! Two tombs of outstanding interest are those of Petosiris, a High Priest of Thoth at the beginning of the Ptolemaic era, and the Roma era chapel of the tomb of Isadora

Thinis or This

Thmuis

Tod

* Djerty Tuphium 21 K South of Luxor on East Bank. The site of a famous "treasure" discovery on the 1920s. Traces of building from Dynasty 4 and 5, 11 and 12, and Late Ptolemaic.

Tukh

Valley of Kings

Valley of Queens

Arabic Biban El-Harim or El-Maliket Possibly * Ta-set Neferu in Egyptian? The Queens buried here include Rameses wife (one of 5) Nefertari and Titi . Several princes were also buried her including Amunherkhepshef a son of Ramses 3 and Khaemwaset another of his sons.

WADI

Arabic A Valley or gully carved by seasonal or past water flow. Wadyein - the Two Valleys An Arabic term for the Valley and Kings and Queens. A burial area for royalty from the 18th dynasty onwards.

WEST BANK

the area of the Thebaid on the West bank of the Nile facing Luxor - see separate file to be linked soon - roughly from El-Tarif and Drah abu el-naga westwards and southwards to Medinet habu and Deir el-shelwat including Qurna Deir Bahari and Malqata.

XOIS

Also known as BEHBEIT EL HAGAR * Khasut Gynaecopolis The Iseum Modern Sakha. A Major centre of the Isis cult along with Philae. It has the ruins of a LATE period temple that is unusual especially for the Delta area for being built of Granite.

Zawty

See Assiut or Assyut and Lykopolis and I've also seen it spelt Zowty! Capital of Nome 13 of Upper Egypt. The terminus of the 40 day road trading route Darb al-Arba'een across the desert from Sudan via the Al-Kharga Oasis

Zawty El Amuwat

SOME LINKS TO OTHER SITES OF INTEREST