Term
| Tanis (modern San al-Hagar) |
|
Definition
| largest tell in Egypt. Tanis= great city with huge fortress walls. obelisks from Tanis now all over Egypt. Series of unrobbed royal tombs (probably because “downtown” Tanis was a busy city, so they were watched over). 2nd most famous discovery. Royal tombs are close to everything, not hidden like in the Valley of the Kings. |
|
|
Term
| Bubastis (modern Tell Basta) |
|
Definition
| city of cat goddess Bastet. Tell = artificial hill, usually from humans building towns upon others. Is located in lower Egypt, the goddess of Tell Basta was a lion headed or cat headed female deity called bastet. There is no surviving temple at this site, by the land is marked by fields of columns and granite blocks. |
|
|
Term
| Avaris (modern Tell el-Dab’a) |
|
Definition
remains from New Kingdom Period & 2nd intermediate period. nothing at the actual site- is an ongoing dig. foreign rulers of Egypt were based here- Hyksos and the Canonites, which are the “bad guys” in the Old Testament.
Site of Pi-Ramesses, Temple of Seth. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a Nubian site at the southern end of the 1st cataract, it is now underwater due to the dam. This was a spot where one had to walk around the nile carrying their boat. The city Shellal had a wall around it. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Philae Island: Near Aswan, temples dating back to ptolemaic and early roman period. no evidence of anything on the island before 725 BC. Hathor Shrine, Isis Temple. Original Philae now underwater- drowned by dam. original site cut into pieces and moved next to it, new island renamed Philae. pair of temples on adjoining islands facing each other: Isis & Osirus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
opposite Aswan- Germans currently excavating it. is the southernmost town of ancient Egypt. uncovered a religious center of the city and series of temples from the 4th century BC. rock shrine built & built over 5-6 times in layers- shows how the cult evolved. first: Satet worshipers (goddess, dominant figure), then Khnum supercedes Satet, drew her cult in.
Granite quarries. site of ancient Yebu/Abu. mud brick town.
name elephantine: rocks look like elephant? or: egyptian name Yebu/Abu is associated with Ivory. or: ivory trade up nile may have inspired it.
central island: agricultural (nile flooding = good soil)
southern island: historically occupied. Aswan had little agri land, mostly granite quarries. west bank of nile is all desert. so: can only really grow food on Elephantine island and can only support so many people.
population in elephantine: in late periods of egyptian history, its population spills into East bank of nile, called Swenet.
South Elephantine is old kingdom houses. Old kingdom pyramid: stepped shape, cut out of blocks of stone. big as a room, from early 4th dynasty (like Giza pyramids). too small for burial. baby pyramids as royal markers? this one for 4th dynasty state.
Old kingdom houses layered with new kingdom, etc.
Elephantine’s Jewish Quarter of 600-400 BC, Dynasties XXVI-XXVII. traders selling documents, hebrew as the scholars’ language in that time. 200 years of records of jews at elephantine island. shows that the 26th dynasty in egypt may have taken care of a small jewish population- jews hired out as mercenaries, temple to Jewish god existed.
Significance: oldest example of a temple dedicated to a god other than the king. can see a cult dedicated to a principle deity as it develops over 300 years from old to middle to new kingdom. funerary complexes are mostly dedicated to king, the king is the major deity.
Elephantine: Satet Precinct: mud brick walls from Late period, 5th-6th dynasty (2300 BC and after). building built on top of oldest shrine in Elephantine. buildings all dedicated to goddess Satet, but different variations. rooms fill with sound when water rises. Temple of Satet (middle kingdom, king mentuhotep, 11th dynasty, 2000 BCE. many reconstructions, rebuilt by king senusret 1st, 12th dynasty, 1900 BCE with torus molding (rounded pole at corners), then boat shrine built middle kingdom by king senusret I. in unique pyramid. temple of satet rebuilt by new kingdom hatshepsut king/queen 18th dynasty, 1475 BCE. mostly sandstone, some lime. entrance offset. drew power of Satet by drawing into power of other female deities (khunum) as a guest of satet’s temple. khynum eventually supercedes Satet. Temple of Khunum- dynasty 30, 1350 BCE. evolution of gods.
Chapel of Heqaib (Hekaib), late old kingdom/middle kingdom, 1st intermediate period (2150-2000 BC). dedicated to “demi-god”, non-human. dynasty of local nobles, cult for him dealing w/ gods on part of elephantine people. site built post-mortem- people believed he was still active in afterlife. Qubbat al-Hawa: his tomb, far from town. tombs of Mekhnu & Sabni. 2 main doors, lead into offering chambers. have false doorway, and painted scenes on rock. also includes tomb of Harkhuf: most important historical tomb of upper egypt, 2300 BC. Tomb of Sirenput I, Sirenput II, Ka-kemkew.
Pharaonic Tombs are southern boundy of Egypt & Nubia.
Tomb of the Agakan: Shiite Imam. Agakan: british word for Imam. Monastery of St. Hadra- great church, coptic church/saint specific to Aswan. development of monasticism. saint gave up all posessions. hole in ceiling to tie beard to to stay awake to pray more. exterior walls, vaulted passageway. shows architecture of coptic egyptians- stone vaults, different religious roots & style. almost as old as pharaonic architecture. abandoned in 1200 AD. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Nome 1. site of ancient town/remains of the “double temple” of Suchos/Sobek and Karoeris/Horus the Elder. dedicated to two Gods. Hypostyle halls (hall with a lot of columns). sits on high bluff overlooking water- not typical of egyptians to place things appealingly with landscape. know little of temple that was here before the Greco-Roman temple. built in 3rd century (220-30 BC, time of Ptolemies, just like Philae). river comes right up to central entrance to temple proper. monument visible from river. few walls remain of hypostyle hall.
temple split in half by wall of reliefs. both have same axial pathway leading to area. each side claims its god is all powerful with no mention of god on other side of wall.
Haru: aka Horus the Elder
Sobek: great creator God, seen as solar disk in crown. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
200 BCE. Nome II. Mound of Edfu: site of ancient apollonopolis. patron deity: Horus of Mesen. distinguish Horus’ by linking to particular site.
Temple of Horus of Messen at Edfu: 2 wings of entrance vaguely suggest shape of pylon. temple distinguishes this Horus from other Horuses. image of sun sinking between 2 hills. sun in form of solar image in middle- no other image survives like Edfu because of remote location & sandstone, & town of Edfu situated on top of it.
example of domestication of gods: residence. has sanctuary, sacred boat, hypostyle halls.
Horus in Great Court, in falcon form. Temple is the great monument of Nome 2. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
two regions: southern/upper egypt=elephantine island (the land of the bow). elephantine was originally just southern border. elephantine became significant and was drawn into Nome 1. also around Kom Ombo, Wadi Kharit from east.
Extends to Elephantine. 2 main centers of population (aka two principal towns): 1. Elephantine, with principal deities Satet and Khunum. other deities include Anuket (goddess of the 1st cataract) and Isis and Osirus (objects of major cult centers at the south end of the 1st cataract in the ptolemaic period, Philae Island) 2. Nubt, aka modern Kom Ombo: principal deities Harwer (Horus the elder) and Sobek.
Elephantine was the choke-point in trade between Egypt & Nubia- a major customs point.
SilSila: “chain”, referring to the choke-point along the river as a boundary between nome 1&2. sandstone quarried here. also has West Bank Chapels and the source of all major stone buildings from Luxor south.
“The land of the bow” in southern Egypt, encompasses Aswan to Silsila. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
“The Throne of Horus”: 1. Edfu: surrounded by agricultural land- Wadi Ahad to East. today, has 75,000 people as an agricultural city. Mesen: ancient town, market center. Greeks: knew it as Apollonopolis (sun city)
Mound of Edfu: site of ancient apollonopolis. patron deity: Horus of Mesen. distinguish Horus’ by linking to particular site.
bird of prey: falcon, aka Horus. but: Horus is firstly a sun deity, hence “apollonopolis”. Nile flooded until Wadi Abad in East.
Also includes “Heb-Sed Court” of Saqqara, “Sun Temple” at abu gurob, sacred boat shrine of karnak
encompasses the cultuvated land surrounding the modern city of Edfu.
Ancient Mesen (greek apollonopolis) was the market center of nome 2.
has another close of land in on the nile about 40 KM north of edfu. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
“The Double Plume”. 2 centers of population:
1. North: Esna 2. South: El Kab (ancient Nekheb), hierakonpolis (nekhen), Kom al Ahmar.
El Kab: East of Nile. ancient cultural center in middle of town, which shifted positions over time. ancient cemetaries & nekheb. known as vulture city.
West of Nile: Kom al Ahmar (red cemetary), modern town. refers to red pottery of Roman period there. Ancient Nekhen: twins w/ nekheb. known as greek Hierakonpolis (falcon city). principal deity: falcon god, Horus, which is principal deity of entire Nome.
Has Desert Cemetary, Mound of Kom al-Ahmar (finding place of Narmer Palette- image of bashing in enemy pose, horus watching. set/seth on other side. emerged when 1st egyptian state emerging, king wearing upper and lower egypt crowns. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| modern Luxor, associated with Amun, Mont/Montu. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Lower Egyptian Goddess, of town of Buto. part of second of five “king names”, the “nebty” or “two ladies” name- cobra goddess. along with vulture goddess Nekhbet. means king has authority in both north and south. both 2 ladies name and horus name are from Hieraconpolis. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
part of Temple of Khnum & Neith at Esna. Ram headed=procreation/creation. at end of 6th-7th century BC, goddess Neith appears. was the center of power- kings promoted cults to her.
associated with Latus fish, hence “latopolis”- greek name for Esna. freshwater fish of Nile, can weigh more than 3 tons, 12-16 feet long. symbol of the power of the nile.
deity of Esna and 3rd nome. Mother goddess, the first great primordial creator-goddess. Portrayed as Nile perch, two bows placed back to back, the red crown of lower Egypt. Also became a deity at sais. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| god of Nome 5. picured on one side of the Narmer Palette. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Bubastis (modern Tell Basta): city of cat goddess Bastet. Tell = artificial hill, usually from humans building towns upon others. Is located in lower Egypt, the goddess of Tell Basta was a lion headed or cat headed female deity called bastet. There is no surviving temple at this site, by the land is marked by fields of columns and granite blocks. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
worshiped in Elephantine near Aswan. worshipers of Satet (goddess) eventually were drawn into Khnum. wore headdresses of upper and northern egypt. principal deity @ borderland to south. many temples built/rebuilt in elephantine. goddess of Nile, great deity of river. becomes a royal deity. temple where goddess could communicate with the river. Khnum began as “guest” of satet’s elephantine temple, eventually supercedes Satet- absorbed into Khnum’s role. Khnum: has horns extending out horizontally. shows evolution of gods.
Main deity of Elephantine, the temple of Satet was built by the middle/new kingdom king mentuhotep. Satet is associated with Nubia, regarded has the daughter of Khnum. Nile and hunting, portrayed as a gazelle. Deity of the 1st nome. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| wears unique headdress. great goddess of the Great Cataract. seated in a “cave of power”, which means snakes. pouring water = “source of the nile”. associated with the flooding of the Nile- 1st cataract that enters egypt. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| associated with Luxor/Nome 4 |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| associated with Luxor/Nome 4 |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
patron deity of El Kab and 3rd nome. God of the royal protectoress, was the vulture goddess. The white crown of upper Egypt. National emblem of the south and pharaonic state. great goddess of El Kab. name comes from feminized form of the name of the town (ancient Nekheb), associated with a vulture. greek name: eileithyaspolis. East of nile. in Chapel, image of Nekbet with wings spread. on kiosk of Tuthmosis III in Kathak, cobras are pictured behind the vulture goddess.
also: Nekhbet is part of the 2nd “king name”: the “Nebty” Name- “two ladies”. 1st lady: vulture, referring to upper egyptian goddess nekhbet. and cobra, lower egyptian goddess wadjet of town of Buto. means king has authority in both North and South. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Isis & Osirus are two gods, married. Osirus trapped in box by evil brother, killed in Mediterranean. Isis finds body, impregnates self. resulting son is HORUS. Horus kills Osirus’ evil brother. story written by Plutarch in 2 AD- no surviving record from ancient Egypt.
deity of the 1st nome, great god of half the temple at Kom Ombo. Sky god, right eye the sun, left eye the moon. Became associated with just the Sun, portrayed as a falcon. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
patron deity of Edfu in Nome II. consort is a form of goddess Hathor, not Isis. Temple of Horus of Messen at Edfu: 2 wings of entrance vaguely suggest shape of pylon. temple distinguishes this Horus from other Horuses. image of sun sinking between 2 hills. sun in form of solar image in middle- no other image survives like Edfu because of remote location & sandstone, & town of Edfu situated on top of it.
-5 king names: horus name is 1st, associated with Hieraconpolis, whose main deity was Horus. this is why hieraconpolis was probably the location of the beginning of the state.
deity of Edfu and 2nd nome, thought of god who came into being at the time of creation. Belief that Horus was son of Osiris and Isis. Was the god of kingship and protector of the living king, sky god too. Right eye the sund and left eye the moon face of the sky. Associated with the sun and also the great creator-god. Portrayed as a peregrine falcon. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a deity of Kom Ombo. the temple was dedicated half to him and half to Haroeris. Role with the nile, portrayed as a crocodile, deity of the 1st nome |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| deity of Kom Ombo, thought to be the son of Sobek and Hathor. Associated with the moon and healing, portrayed as the moon. God of the moon. Deity of the 1st nome |
|
|
Term
Essay Portion:
Nile River, its nature and relationship with agriculture in Ancient Egypt, inundation of Nile. |
|
Definition
-Nile: longest river in the world. source: mountains in Rwanda. white nile= lighter color. Ethiopia= blue nile, carries more topsoil. white & blue meet in Khartoum, Sudan for Nile Proper. don’t combine colors for 20-30 km. most soil in delta is from Ethiopia (blue nile). white nile is more popular, extends farther s. in ethiopia. blue nile: 4/7 of water that nile proper carries into egypt, 2/7 from white nile. nile passes through Nubia. 6 cataracts/rapids in sudan, 1 in Aswan, egypt. so: most water into egypt is from ethiopia. 85-90% of flood nile is from ethiopia blue/akbara rivers. Importance of Nile to Egypt derives from its source in Ethiopia- also where topsoil/particulate comes from.
--notes from 9/27/10 until 10/4/10
Since the egyptian afterlife is not seen as terrible, and they have hope for something, Egypt is marked as being different from other societies. Life was difficult in Egypt, but not as bad as in other places.
Nile goes from Lake Nasser & Luxor curve up to Cairo, then splits into two: Rosetta Nile to west and Damietta nile to east. at Asyut (south of Cairo), natural water course branches out and goes North to Bani Suef.
Regions of Modern Egypt are also determined by agriculture/Nile:
upper egypt: asyut to aswan. very narrow section of nile valley, not very agri friendly.
middle: cairo to asyut: more agri land, river wider, richest agri soil in country from 5000 years ago to today.
lower: delta stretches 150-200 miles. soil not as rich, but lots of it. now: center of agri Egypt, more amounts produced here.
Today: delta mostly broad/flat agri plain post 1840. in past, delta was a vast swamp & cornland. made herding animals easy.
Elephantine island example: nile flooding provided good soil on the central island of elephantine, which made it agricultural, and left the southern island for historical monuments. aswan had little agricultural land, so elephantine was agri and could only support so many people. |
|
|
Term
| Essay Portion: Ancient Egyptian religion as a reflection of the physical environment. |
|
Definition
many ancient egyptian gods have the same name- they represent the specific beliefs within provinces of Egypt. Nationalist type of God: divine national identity. God begins as principal deity in one area, is taken by person to state, nation, etc.
Justify overthrowing a dynasty by stating that the kings weren’t doing what the Gods wanted them to do, and were taking revenge through floods, drought, etc. by not controlling the Gods, kings showed they weren’t real gods. so: overthrow.
Gods of Egypt represent Nature and everything that affects you- disease, fertility, nature, agriculture, etc. metaphysical force: God associated w/ it.
but: no god of the sea- adopted Poseidon after interaction w/ greeks.
The great god of greece was zeus- lightning, storm god. egypt doesn’t get great storms like greece, so this was not their great god. Egypt only gets desert wind/sandstorms- desert gods associated with this: Seth. Sun god.
One way to look at cultures is through gods- differences, similarities. egyptian: river gods, greek have very minor river gods.
Gods as “powers/forces”. gods interacting w/ one another and impacting us- some did not affect us- the ones that had nothing to do with us.
-ancient religion: religion was the controlling power of forces which affect/influence/determine one’s life. had physical control (science, technology, medicine) and metaphysical control (religion & magic). (ex: nile river: no longer floods uncontrollably- controlled by technology. had to control other aspects somehow. if can’t control physical, use metaphysical to control all.
Control the Gods metaphysically through 1. identification (ID the ones you want to deal with, name whoever could have an impact on your life with names. often ID’d by animals that represent that force- crocodile, falcon, metaphors of nature). 2. Domestication (coax god into coming down to where we are, bring them into our realm of existence. building temples/houses of god for residence). 3. service (or bribery, coaxing means. trying to get them to do what you want).
Hierarchy of Powers (aka Gods): great gods= sun, desert, nile, sky, death, kingship, etc- varies slightly by the person and place. lesser gods= hundreds of minor forces, usually only relevant to you/your surroundings/needs. your hierarchy is a reflection of your surroundings & way of life.
may find same natural forces through egypt, but name may change. (ex: nome 2 edfu, known as horus, from HRU- “something you see far away in the sky”- also refers to birds of prey (falcon) and sun. Ra also refers to disk shape of sun. so: sun called Ra, Horus, etc.) distinctive hierarchy in each nome.
this localism is a defining characteristic of ancient egypt. greatest god of one temple is the true god- as long as you’re in that one temple/nome. most egyptians never travelled outside of their nome, so no problem. |
|
|
