Lower Egypt

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this
article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (April 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template
message)
Lower Egypt is located in Egypt MemphisMemphis
Map of Upper 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

Lower Egypt (Egyptian Arabic ??? ???????? Ma?r El Sofla) is the northernmost region
of Egypt the fertile Nile Delta, between Upper Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea
from El Aiyat, south of modern-day Cairo, and Dahshur.

Contents [hide]
1 Geography
2 History
3 List of kings of the Predynastic Period of Lower Egypt
4 List of nomes
5 See also
6 References
Geography[edit]
In ancient times, Pliny the Elder (N.H. 5.11) 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's 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.

The climate in Lower Egypt is milder than that of Upper Egypt owing primarily to
its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. Temperatures are less extreme and rainfall
is more abundant.

History[edit]
Lower Egypt was known as Ta-Mehu which means land of papyrus. It was divided into
twenty districts called nomes, the first of which was at el-Lisht. Because Lower
Egypt was mostly undeveloped scrubland, undeveloped for human life and 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 cobra goddess
Wadjet. Lower Egypt was represented by the Low Red Crown Deshret, and its symbols
were the papyrus and the bee.

By about 3600 BC, neolithic Egyptian societies along the Nile River had based their
culture on the raising of crops and the domestication of animals.[1] Shortly after
3600 BC Egyptian society began to grow and advance rapidly toward refined
civilization.[2] 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.[2] The Mesopotamian process of sun-dried bricks, and
architectural building principlesincluding the use of the arch and recessed walls
for decorative effectbecame popular during this time.[2]

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.
[2] Warfare between Upper and Lower Egypt occurred often.[2] During his reign in
Upper Egypt, King Narmer defeated his enemies on the Delta and merged both the
Kingdom of Upper and Lower Egypt under his single rule.[3]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lower Egypt.

List of kings of the Predynastic Period of Lower Egypt[edit]
Dynasties of Ancient Egypt
All years are BC
Early[show]
Old Kingdom[show]
First Intermediate[show]
Middle Kingdom[show]
Second Intermediate[show]
New Kingdom[show]
Third Intermediate[show]
Late Period[show]
Ptolemaic (Hellenistic)[show]
v t e
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[4]
Khayu[4]
Tiu[4]
Thesh[4]
Neheb[4]
Wazner[4]
Mekh[4]
(destroyed)[4]
In contrast the following kings are attested through archeological finds from Sinai
and Lower Egypt Double Falcon, Crocodile.

List of nomes[edit]
Part of a series on the
History of Egypt
All Gizah Pyramids.jpg
Prehistoric Egypt pre3100 BC
Ancient Egypt
Early Dynastic Period 31002686 BC
Old Kingdom 26862181 BC
1st Intermediate Period 21812055 BC
Middle Kingdom 20551650 BC
2nd Intermediate Period 16501550 BC
New Kingdom 15501069 BC
3rd Intermediate Period 1069664 BC
Late Period 664332 BC
Classical antiquity
Macedonian and Ptolemaic Egypt 33230 BC
Roman and Byzantine Egypt 30 BC641 AD
Sasanian Egypt 619629
Middle Ages
Islamic Egypt 641969
Fatimid Egypt 9691171
Ayyubid Egypt 11711250
Mamluk Egypt 12501517
Early modern
Ottoman Egypt 15171867
French occupation 17981801
Egypt under Muhammad Ali 18051882
Khedivate of Egypt 18671914
Modern Egypt
British occupation 18821922
Sultanate of Egypt 19141922
Kingdom of Egypt 19221953
Republic 1953present
Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt portal
v t e
Number Egyptian Name Capital Modern name of capital site Translation
1 Aneb-Hetch Ineb Hedj Men-nefer Menfe (Memphis)