NMC101 - Major Sites/Regions/Monuments

Abusir/Abu Gurob

 – Old Kingdom (5th Dynasty), Necropolis / Sun temple complex.

-        Site of royal pyramids of 5th Dynasty Kings.

-        Specifically associated with sun temples, and closely linked to the solar cult of Ra (kings emphasized Ra over Osiris in royal ideology.

-        Niussere’s sun temple is best preserved.

-        Shift away from massive pyramids toward solar monuments.

Abu Simbel

– New Kingdom (19th Dynasty), Rock-cut temple, located in Nubia, and built by Ramesses II.

-         Dedicated to Ra-Horakhty, Amun, Ptah, and Ramesses himself.

-        Designed as imperial propaganda, and interior solar alignment illuminates statues twice yearly.

Part of Egyptian effort to control Nubia

Abydos

– Early Dynastic/Late Period, Cult center / Necropolis, Cenotaphs built by Middle and New Kingdom Kings.

-        Major cult center of Osiris, and early royal burials (Dynasty 1).

-        Important pilgrimage cite.

-        Associated with legitimacy and kingship.

Alexandria

– Ptolemaic Period, Capital City of Ptolemaic City, founded by Alexander the Great.

-        Center of Greek administration and culture.

-        Site of the Library and Mouseion.

Not a traditional Egyptian religious center.

Amarna (Akhetaten)

– Amarna Period (18th Dynasty), Capital City, founded by Akhenaten.

-        Dedicated exclusively to the Aten, radical break from traditional religion.

-        Short lived occupation.

Unique art style (elongated forms, family scenes).

Amara West

– New Kingdom, Fortress / Administrative town, located in Nubia.

-        Egyptian administrative center.

-        Evidence of colonial control.

Amurru

– Late Bronze Age, Levantine kingdom.

-        Region contested between Egypt and Hatti.

-        Important in Armana Letters.

-        Shifts allegiance frequently, strategic buffer zone.

Assur/Assyria

 – Late Bronze/Iron Age, City/Empire.

-        Assur = religious center

-        Becomes major imperial power, threatens Egypt during Late Period.

-        Sack of Thebes under Assyrian kings.

Avaris/Tell el Dab’a

 – Second Intermediate Period, City / Royal Capital pf the Hyksos, located in the eastern Nile Delta.

-        Associated with Hyksos (15th dynasty), political center for foreign rulers controlling Lower Egypt.

-        Archeology shows Levantine style houses, burials, and weapons.

-        Evidence of interaction with Kerma (Nubia) and the Levant.

-        Built over an earlier Middle Kingdom settlement.

Babylon

 – Middle/Late Bronze Age, City / Imperial Age.

-        Major power in Mesopotamia, not ruled by Egypt.

-        Part of Egypt’s international diplomatic world.

-        Appears indirectly in Amarna period diplomacy.

Beni Hasan

 – Middle kingdom, Rock cut tomb necropolis.

-        Tombs of provincial governors (nomarchs), illustrates power during the Middle Kingdom.

-        Famous wall paintings (daily life, warfare, foreigners).

-        Shows social and economic life outside the royal court.

Buhen

 – Middle Kingdom (later reused), major Fortress located in Nubia.

-        Controlled trade and movement along the Nile.

-        Later rebuilt as a temple in the New Kingdom.

Part of a chain including Semna and Uronarti.

Buto

 – Predynastic/Early Dynastic, Ancient City.

-        Important Lower Egyptian center.

-        Linked to early kingship traditions, and a cult center of Wadjet (cobra goddess).

Byblos

 – Old Kingdom and onward, Levantine port city.

-        Egypts main source of cedar wood.

-        Long standing trade relationship, and had cultural and diplomatic importance.

-        Appears frequently in Egyptian texts.

Carchemish

 – Late Bronze Age, City/Regional Capital.

-        Strategic stronghold in Syria, important in Egypt-Hittite geopolitics.

-        Key site after Battle of Kadesh.

Dahshur

– Old Kingdom and Middle Kingdom.

-        Site of the Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid, with later Middle Kingdom pyramids nearby.

-        Associated with Sneferu.

-        Important experimentation in pyramid construction.

Deir el-Bahari

 – Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom, Mortuary temple complex.

-        Temple of Hatshepsut, earlier Middle Kingdom temple of Mentuhotep II.

-        Associated with royal ideology and legitimacy.

-        Terraced architectural style.

Deir el-Medina

– New Kingdom, Workers Village.

-        Home of artisans who built royal tombs (not the actual royal burial site).

-        Exceptionally rich textual evidence.

-        Evidence of strikes, daily life, and tomb robberies.

-        Workers served the Valley of the Kings.

Dra Abu el-Naga

 – Second Intermediate to Early New Kingdom, Necropolis.

-        Burial area for early 18th Dynasty elites.

-        Associated with Ahmose-period officials.

-        Pre-Valley of the Kings royal burials.

Dendara

– Ptolemaic to Roman, Temple complex.

-        Major cult center of Hathor.

Well preserved temple architecture, astronomical ceiling famous.

Edfu

– Ptolemaic Period, Temple complex.

-        Temple of Horus, one of the best reserved temples in Egypt.

-        Built under Greek rulers using Egyptian forms.

Elephantine

– Old Kingdom and onward, Island/frontier town, on Southern border of Egypt.

-        Administrative center for Nubia.

-        Cult of Khnum.

-        Important trade and military role.

Giza

 – Old Kingdom (4th Dynasty).

-        Associated with peak pyramid construction.

-        Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure, and includes the Great Sphinx.

Hatti (Hattusa)

– Late Bronze Age, Empire / Capital (Hattusa is Capital).

-        Hittite Empire.

-        Egypts major rival in the Levant.

-        Linked to Battle of Kadesh and peace treaty.

Hawara

 – Middle Kingdom, Pyramid complex, near the Fayum.

-        Pyramid of Amenemhat III.

-        Associated with the “Labyrinth.”

Hawara

– Middle Kingdom, Pyramid complex, near the Fayum.

-        Pyramid of Amenemhat III.

Associated with the “Labyrinth.”

Heliopolis

– Old Kingdom and onward, Religious center.

-        Major cult center of Ra.

-        Influential in royal ideology and solar theology.

-        No major standing monuments today.

Herakleopolis

- First Intermediate Period, City / Regional Capital of the 10th Dynasty.

-        Political rival of Thebes.

-        Represents division between north vs south.

Associated with instability before reunification.

Hermopolis

– Old Kingdom and onward, Religious center.

-        Major cult center of Thoth.

-        Associated with creation theology (Ogdoad).

Important intellectual and priestly center.

Hierakonpolis

 – Predynastic to Early Dynastic, Early City / Ceremonial center.

-        Major Predynastic Upper Egyptian center, and important ritual and elite activity.

-        Linked to early kingship and state formation.

Itj Tawy

– Middle Kingdom (12th Dynasty), Royal Capital, located near Fayum, and founded by Amenemhat I.

-        Political center of Middle Kingdom administration.

Strategically placed between Upper and Lower Egypt.

Kadesh

– New Kingdom, City / Battlefield.

-        Site of the Battle of Kadesh.

-        Contested between Egypt and the Hittite’s, resulted in eventual peace treaty.

-        Associated with Ramesses II.

Karnak

 – Middle Kingdom to Late Period, Temple complex.

-        Major cult center of Amun, and central to royal ideology.

-        Built up extensively in the New Kingdom.

-        Multiple pylons define the temple axes.

Kamose Stela found here.

Kurgus

– New Kingdom, Rock inscription site, located in Upper Nubia.

-        Inscriptions of Thutmose I.

Marks Egyptian military expansion.

Kom Ombo

– Ptolemaic Period, Temple complex.

-        Dual temple to Sobek and Horus.

-        Unique symmetrical layout.

-        Demonstrates continued Egyptian religious tradition under Greek rule.

Lahun/Kahun

 – Middle Kingdom, Pyramid town / Worker’s settlement.

-        Associated with Senwosret II.

-        Planned town for pyramid workers.

Important evidence for administration and daily life.

Luxor

 – New Kingdom, Temple complex.

-        Linked to royal renewal rituals, and important in kingship ideology.

Connected to Karnak via processional avenue.

Medinet Gurob

– New Kingdom, Palace / Settlement.

-        Associated with royal women.

-        Possibly a residence for queens and foreign wives.

-        Evidence of elite domestic life.

Medinet Habu

 – New Kingdom (20th Dynasty), Mortuary temple.

-        Mortuary temple of Ramesses III.

-        Records battles with Sea Peoples.

-        Key source of end of New Kingdom crises.

Megiddo

 – New Kingdom, City / Battlefield.

-        Site of Thutmose III’s major campaign.

-        Earliest recorded battle narrative.

-        Strategic control of Levantine routes.

Memphis

– Early Dynastic and onward, Administrative capital.

-        Long standing administrative center, remains significant even when not the capital.

-        Important religious role (Ptah).

Mendes

 – Third Intermediate Period, City, Capital during 21st Dynasty.

-        Delta power center.

Associated with fragmentation.

Naqada

– Predynastic, Predynastic site.

-        Key site for early cultural development.

-        Associated with elite burials.

Important for state formation.

Oxyrhyncus

 – Late Period to Roman, City.

-        Famous for papyri.

Administrative and cultural importance later on.

Persia

 – Late Period, Empire.

-        Conquered Egypt twice.

-        Rulers include Cambyses and Darius I.

-        Egypt becomes a satrapy.

Philae

 – Late Period to Roman, Temple complex.

-        Cult center of Isis.

-        Continued religious importance into Roman era.

Pi-Ramesse

 – New Kingdom (19th Dynasty), Royal capital located in the eastern Delta, founded by Ramesses II.

-        Military and administrative hub.

-        Later replaced by Tanis.

Per-Iru

– Middle Kingdom, Fortress / Border site.

Associated with border control, likely administrative and military role.

Punt

 – Old Kingdom to New Kingdom, Foreign land / Trade partner.

-        Source of incense, exotic goods.

Famous expedition under Hatshepsut.

-Location debated (Horn of Africa / Red Sea).

Sais

 – Late Period (26th Dynasty), City / Capital of Saite Dynasty.

-        Reunification under Psamtek I.

-        Revival of earlier traditions.

Saqqara

 – Old Kingdom and onward, Necropolis.

-        Step Pyramid of Djoser, early monumental architecture.

-        Continuous elite burial use.

-        Administrative tombs.

Semna

– Middle Kingdom, Fortress.

-        Nubian frontier fortress.

-        Associated with Senwosret III.

Control of Nile traffic.

Serabit el-Khadim

– Middle and New Kingdom, Mining site.

-        Turquoise mining in Sinai.

-        Hathor temple.

Early alphabetic inscriptions.

Soleb

 – New Kingdom, Temple complex, located in Nubia, built by Amenhotep III.

-        Amenhotep III Nubian temple.

-        Not occupied in the Middle Kingdom.

Tanis

 – Third Intermediate Period, City / Capital of 21st Dynasty.

-        Built using resumed blocks from Pi-Ramesse.

-        Important royal burials.

-        Delta capital after Ramessides.

Thebes

– Middle Kingdom to Late Period, City / Religious center, Capital during Middle and New Kingdom.

-        Cult center of Amun.

-        Political and religious heart of empire.

Tjaru

 – Middle Kingdom to New kingdom, Fortress / Border site.

-        Eastern frontier fortress in the northeastern Delta.

-        Controlled movement into the Levant.

-        Major military checkpoint.

Appears in New Kingdom campaign texts.

Tombos

– New Kingdom, Fortress / Settlement, Nubian site near the Third Cataract.

-        Evidence of Egyptian military presence.

-        Later mixed Egyptian-Nubian population.

New Kingdom Nubian expansion.

Uronarti

– Middle Kingdom, Fortress Island, built under Senwosret III.

-        Nubian frontier control.

Island location for strategic defense.

Valley of the Kings

 – New Kingdom, Royal necropolis.

-        Burial place for most New Kingdom kings.

-        Hidden tombs cut into the cliffs.

-        Worked by artisans from Deir al-Medina.

-        Tutenkhamun’s tomb is NOT the largest.

Valley of the Queens

– New Kingdom, Necropolis.

-        Burial place of queens and royal children.

-        Tomb of Nefertari is most famous.

-        Separate from kings’ burials.

Yam

– Old Kingdom, Nubian polity.

-        Trade partner south of Egypt, source of exotic goods.

-        Known for Harkhuf’s inscriptions.

Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham

 – New Kingdom, Fortress, Western desert/Mediterranean coast.

-        Associated with Ramesses II.

Western frontier defence.