Lower Egypt

Lower Egypt (Arabic: مصر السفلى‎ Miṣr as-Suflā, Coptic: ⲧⲥⲁϦⲏⲧ Tsakhit) is the northernmost region of Egypt, which consists of the fertile Nile Delta between Upper Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea, from El Aiyat, south of modern-day Cairo, and Dahshur. Historically, the Nile River split into seven branches of the delta in Lower Egypt. Lower Egypt was divided into nomes and began to advance as a civilization after 3600 BC.[1] Today, it contains two major channels that flow through the delta of the Nile River.

Lower Egypt ⲧⲥⲁϦⲏⲧ, ⲡⲥⲁⲙⲉⲛϩⲓⲧ مصر السفلى
Unknown–c. 3150 BC
Capital	Memphis
Common languages	Ancient Egyptian
Religion	Ancient Egyptian religion
Government	Monarchy
King
• Unknown	Unknown (first)
• c. 3150 BC	Unknown (last)
History
• Established	Unknown
• Disestablished	c. 3150 BC
Succeeded by Early Dynastic Period (Egypt)
Today part of	Egypt

Memphis

Map of Lower Egypt showing important sites that were occupied during the Protodynastic Period of Egypt (clickable map)

Deshret, the Red Crown of Lower Egypt

Map of Lower Egypt with its historical nomes

Name

In Ancient Egyptian Lower Egypt was known as mḥw and means "north".[2] Later on, during Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Greeks and Romans called it Κάτω Αἴγυπτος or Aegyptus Inferior both meaning "Lower Egypt". Native Coptic Egyptian population carried on using the old name related to north – Tsakhit (Coptic: ⲧⲥⲁϦⲏⲧ) or Psanamhit (Coptic: ⲡⲥⲁⲛⲉⲙϩⲓⲧ) "Northern part", which they also divided into three regions – western part called ⲛⲓⲫⲁⲓⲁⲧ Niphaiat ("Libyans"), central part called ⲡⲉⲧⲙⲟⲩⲣ Badmur ("the one which bounds, girds", Greek: Πτιμυρις[3]) and eastern one called ϯⲁⲣⲁⲃⲓⲁ Diarabia ("Arabia").[4]

Geography

In ancient times, Pliny the Elder, in Natural History (Book 5, chapter 11), said that upon reaching the delta the Nile split into seven branches (from east to west): the Pelusiac, the Tanitic, the Mendesian, the Phatnitic, the Sebennytic, the Bolbitine, and the Canopic. Today there are two principal channels that the Nile takes through the river delta: one in the west at Rashid and one in the east at Damietta.

The delta region is well watered, crisscrossed by channels and canals.

Owing primarily to its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, the climate in Lower Egypt is milder than that of Upper Egypt, the southern portion of the country. Temperatures are less extreme and rainfall is more abundant in Lower Egypt.

History

It was divided into twenty districts called nomes, the first of which was at el-Lisht. Because Lower Egypt was mostly undeveloped scrubland, filled with all types of plant life such as grasses and herbs, the organization of the nomes underwent several changes.

The capital of Lower Egypt was Memphis. Its patron goddess was the goddess Wadjet, depicted as a cobra. Lower Egypt was represented by the Red Crown Deshret, and its symbols were the papyrus and the bee. After unification the patron deities of both Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt were represented together as the Two Ladies, Wadjet and Nekhbet (depicted as a vulture), to protect all of the ancient Egyptians.

By approximately 3600 BC, Neolithic Egyptian societies along the Nile River had based their culture on the raising of crops and the domestication of animals.[5] Shortly after 3600 BC Egyptian society began to grow and advance rapidly toward refined civilization.[1] A new and distinctive pottery, which was related to the pottery in the Southern Levant, appeared during this time. Extensive use of copper became common during this time.[1] The Mesopotamian process of sun-dried bricks, and architectural building principles—including the use of the arch and recessed walls for decorative effect—became popular during this time.[1]

Concurrent with these cultural advances, a process of unification of the societies and towns of the upper Nile River, or Upper Egypt, occurred. At the same time the societies of the Nile Delta, or Lower Egypt also underwent a unification process.[1] Warfare between Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt occurred often.[1] During his reign in Upper Egypt, King Narmer defeated his enemies in the Delta and merged the kingdoms of Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt under his single rule.[6]

List of kings of the Predynastic Period of Lower Egypt

The Palermo stone, a royal annal written in the mid Fifth Dynasty (c. 2490 BC – c. 2350 BC) records a number of kings reigning over Lower Egypt before Narmer. These are completely unattested outside these inscriptions:

Name
Hsekiu[7]
Khayu[7]
Tiu[7]
Thesh[7]
Neheb[7]
Wazner[7]
Mekh[7]
(destroyed)[7]

In contrast, the following kings are attested through archeological finds from Sinai and Lower Egypt: Double Falcon, Crocodile.

List of nomes

Number	Egyptian Name	Capital	Modern name of capital site	English Translation
1	Inebu-hedj	Ineb Hedj / Men-nefer / Menfe (Memphis)	Mit Rahina	White Walls
2	Khensu	Khem (Letopolis)	Ausim	Cow's thigh
3	Ahment	Imu (Apis)	Kom el-Hisn	West
4	Sapi-Res	Ptkheka	Tanta	Southern shield
5	Sap-Meh	Zau (Sais)	Sa el-Hagar	Northern shield
6	Khaset	Khasu (Xois)	Sakha	Mountain bull
7	A-ment	(Hermopolis Parva, Metelis)	Damanhur	West harpoon
8	A-bt	Tjeku / Per-Atum (Heroonpolis, Pithom)	Tell el-Maskhuta	East harpoon
9	Ati	Djed (Busiris)	Abu Sir Bara	Andjeti
10	Ka-khem	Hut-hery-ib (Athribis)	Banha (Tell Atrib)	Black bull
11	Ka-heseb	Taremu (Leontopolis)	Tell el-Urydam	Heseb bull
12	Theb-ka	Tjebnutjer (Sebennytos)	Samanud	Calf and Cow
13	Heq-At	Iunu (Heliopolis)	Materiya (suburb of Cairo)	Prospering Sceptre
14	Khent-abt	Tjaru (Sile, Tanis)	Tell Abu Sefa	Eastmost
15	Tehut	Ba'h / Weprehwy (Hermopolis Parva)	Baqliya	Ibis
16	Kha	Djedet (Mendes)	Tell el-Rubˁ	Fish
17	Semabehdet	Semabehdet (Diospolis Inferior)	Tell el-Balamun	The throne
18	Am-Khent	Per-Bastet (Bubastis)	Tell Bastah (near Zagazig)	Prince of the South
19	Am-Pehu	Dja'net (Leontopolis Tanis)	Tell Nebesha or San el-Hagar	Prince of the North
20	Sopdu	Per-Sopdu	Saft el-Hinna	Plumed Falcon

See also

• Upper Egypt
• Middle Egypt
• Upper and Lower Egypt
• Nomes of Egypt
• Geography of Egypt
• Ancient Egypt

References

1. Carl Roebuck, The World of Ancient Times (Charles Scribner's Sons: New York, 1966) p. 52-53.
2. "TM Places". www.trismegistos.org. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
3. "TM Places". www.trismegistos.org. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
4. Champollion, Jean-François (1814). L'Égypte sous les pharaons, ou recherches sur la géographie, la religion, la langue, les écritures et l'histoire de l'Égypte avant l'invasion de Cambyse. Paris: Bure. p. 5.
5. Carl Roebuck, The World of Ancient Times (Charles Scribner's Sons Publishing: New York, 1966) p. 51.
6. Carl Roebuck, The World of Ancient Times (Charles Scribner's Sons Publishers: New York, 1966), p. 53.
7. Breasted (1909) p.36