The Nomes (Provinces) of Ancient Egypt
by Jimmy Dunn
The term nome is actually of Greek origin (nomos) used to refer to the forty two traditional provinces of ancient Egypt. The actual ancient Egyptian term for these governmental divisions was sepat. Today, Egypt refers to its provinces as governates.
Some system of geographic division existed from at least the beginning of the Pharaonic period, though perhaps at first there were far fewer nomes than later on in Egyptian history. In the late 3rd Dynasty, perhaps during the reign of Huni, some scholars believe that a set of seven non-sepulchral step pyramids were erected at certain sites, which perhaps corresponded to proto-capitals of the nomes, located at Zawiyet el-Mayitin, Abydos, Naqada, el-Kula, Edfu, Seila and the island of Elephantine in the Nile River at modern Aswan.
These provincial capitals were also religious and economic centers serving the surrounding countryside, where the vast majority of Egyptians lived in small villages. Many had more than local importance, with the state investing in their development, above all by building temples. Some had strategic importance as fortresses defending a frontier or as staging points for invasions of foreign countries.
Hence, Nomes, together with their ruling nomarch, played an important role in ancient Egypt. Specifically, when the central power was weak and ineffective, the nomarchs often enlarged and embellished their provincial capitals, from which they supervised the maintenance of irrigation canals and dams, the local distribution of the Nile water and the dispensation of justice. When their powers were elevated in this manner, they also challenged, and sometimes overwhelmed the central power base of the king.
It should be clearly pointed out that some nomes shifted over time and that the location of others remains uncertain. The number of provinces in Upper Egypt seems to have been constant from the Old Kingdom onwards, whereas the number and position of the provinces in Lower Egypt varied, growing over time as marshes were converted to cultivated land and as the river branches of the Nile Delta shifted over the centuries.
However, for much of the dynastic period, there appears to have been twenty-two Upper Egyptian nomes and twenty Lower Egyptian nomes. Each nome was generally governed by its own regional ruler known as a nomarch, and each had its own symbol or sign, though those Lower Egypt appear to date later than those of Upper Egypt. Upper Egyptian nomes were also usually represented in the form of a standard, thus leading to provinces being described by such names as the "hare nome" or the "ibis nome". Lower Egyptian nomes appear to have had no counterpart of these standards.
The reliefs in many temples and shrines include a lower register along which groups of personifications of estates or nomes were record around the temple. At other times, statue groupings and columns might be used to represent the various nomes.
Lower Egypt
Lower Egypt | |
Nome Name: |
Nome 1: White fortress (White Wall)
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Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Horus before Inebhedj' (?) |
M
ajor Deities |
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City(s):/Tempes: |
Inebhedj/Mennefer (Greek Memphis, Arabic Mit Rahina)/Ptah, Hathor |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 2: Cow's thigh (Foreleg) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Khentykhem ('foremost of Khem') |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Khem (Greek Letopolis, Arabic Ausim)/Horus-foremost-of-Khem |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 3: West |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Hepy of Hut-Ihyt |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Imu (Arabic Komel-Hisn)/Hathor-Sekhmet |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 4: Southern shield |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
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Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 5: Northern shield |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Sau ('of Sais') |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
Sais was the capital of Egypt during the Late Dynastic Period and a Greek commercial center. |
Nome Name: |
Nome 6: Mountain bull |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
(entry unclear) |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Khasu (Greek Xois, Arabic Sakha)/Ra |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 7: West harpoon |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
'harpoon with cord'inscribed across provinces 7 and 8 |
Major Deities |
Ha |
City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 8: East harpoon |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
'harpoon with cord' inscribed across provinces 7 and 8 |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 9: Anezti (Andjti, anD.t,Andjety) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Osiris of Djedu |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Djedu (Greek Busiris, Arabic Abu Sir Bana)/Horus-Khentkhety |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 10: Black bull,(km-wr. Black Ox) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
(block missing or no entry) |
Major Deities |
Horus |
City(s):/Temples: |
Hutherib (Greek Athribis, Arabic Tell Atrib)/Osiris and Isis |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 11: Heseb bull (Ox count) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
(block missing or no entry) |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 12:Cow with calf(Calf and Cow) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
(block missing or no entry) |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Tjebennetjer (Greek Sebennytus, Arabic Samanud)/Inheret-Shu and Mehyt |
Notes: |
From Tjebennetjer comes the monolithic sanctuary shrine Cairo CG 70015, set up by king Nakhthorhebyt of D30 for Shu, Bast and Inheret |
Nome Name: |
Nome 13: Undamaged scepter ? (Prospering Sceptre) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
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Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Iunu (Greek Heliopolis, Arabic Matariya)/Ra-Atum, Hathor |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 14: East or anterior nome , (jm.tj-xntj, Foremost of the East) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
'[Horus?] (of?) [He]benu' (or '(of) Benu')/ |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Tjaru (Greek Sile, Arabic Qantara?)/Horus of Mesen? |
Notes: |
This is the frontier zone of the 'ways of Horus' leading from Egypt across N Sinai |
Nome Name: |
Nome 15:Ibis |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
(block missing or no entry) |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 16: Dolphin (Fish) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
'(of) Djedet' |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Djedet (Greek Mendes)/Banebdjedet |
Notes: |
The four sanctuary shrines at Djedet were set up by king Ahmose of Dynasty 26, with one for each of the four 'souls' immanent within Banebdjedet (Ra, Shu, Geb, Osiris) |
Nome Name: |
Nome 17: The throne (zmA-bHd.t, Behdet) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
(block missing or no entry) |
Major Deities |
Horus |
City(s):/Temples: |
Semabehdet (Arabic Balamun?)/Amun |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 18: Royal child upper nome (Prince of the South) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
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Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 19: Royal child lower nome (Prince of the North) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
(block missing or no entry) |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Imet (ArabicNebesha)/Wadjyt |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 20: East (Plumed Falcon) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
(block missing or no entry) |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Upper Egypt |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 1: Land of the arch or To Khentit:the frontier (Ta-Seti) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
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Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Abu (Greek Elephantine)/Khnum,Satet |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 2: Throne of Horus |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Horus of Behedet |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 3: The rural (Shrine) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
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Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Nekhen (Greek Hierakonpolis, Arabic Kom al-Ahmar)/Hous |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 4: The sceptre |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
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Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Perhathor (Greek Pathyris, Arabic Gebelein)/Hathor |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 5: The two falcons |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Min of Coptos |
Major Deities/ |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Shenhur (retains name in Arabic)/Isis |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 6: The crocodile |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Hathor of Iunet, and Iq |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Iunet (Greek Aphroditipolis, Arabic Dendera)/Hathor, Ihy/ |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 7: Sistrum |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
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Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Hut-Sekhem-Senusret (Arabic Hu)/ |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 8: Great land |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Khentamentiu |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Abdju (Greek Abydos, Arabic al-Arabah)/Osiris Khentamentiu |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 9: Minu (Min) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
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Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 10: Cobra |
Nome Symbol: | |
White Chapel Deity: |
Bau (or Seru?) |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 11: The Set animal (Seth) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
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Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Shashotep (Greek Apotheke, Arabic Shutb)/ |
Notes: |
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Nome Name:/p> |
Nome 12: Viper mountain |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Bat |
Major Deities |
Nemty |
City(s):/Temples: |
Hut-Sekhem-Senusret (Arabic Hu)/ |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 13: Upper pomegranate tree (Upper Sycamore and Viper) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Wepwawet |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Saut (Greek Lycopolis, Arabic Asyut)/Wepwawet |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 14: Lower pomegranate tree (Lower Sycamore and Viper) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Possibly Hathor |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 15: Hare |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Aha (early name for Bes), also Wenut |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 16: Oryx |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Horus of Hebenu |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Hebenu (Arabic Kom al-Ahmar?)/Horus? |
Notes: |
Note that Khnum is the deity of a town Herwer named in the Beni Hasan tomb inscriptions, in this district |
Nome Name: |
Nome 17: The black dog (Jackal) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Anubis of Henu |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
Saka (Arabic al-Qes?)/Bata? |
Nome Name: |
Nome 18: Falcon with spread wings (Nemty) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Nemty |
Major Deities |
Nemty |
City(s):/Temples: |
Hutnesut (Arabic Sharuna)/Horus-Dunanwy? |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 19: The pure sceptre (Two Sceptres) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Igay |
Major Deities |
Seth,Mormyrus fish |
City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 20: Upper laurel(Southern Sycamore) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
Empty |
Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 21: Lower laurel (Northern Sycamore) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
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Major Deities |
Khnum, Seneferu |
City(s):/Temples: |
Shenakhen/Semenuhor (Greek Akanthon, perhaps near Arabic Kafr Ammar and Kafr Tarkhan?)/ |
Notes: |
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Nome Name: |
Nome 22: Knife (wAD.t) |
Nome Symbol: |
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White Chapel Deity: |
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Major Deities |
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City(s):/Temples: |
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Notes: |
The White Chapel entry implies that the Fayum region was considered part of this province |
References:
Title |
Author |
Date |
Publisher |
Reference Number |
Ancient Gods Speak, The: A Guide to Egyptian Religion |
Redford, Donald B. |
2002 |
Oxford University Press |
ISBN 0-19-515401-0 |
Atlas of Ancient Egypt |
Baines, John; Malek, Jaromir |
1980 |
Les Livres De France |
None Stated |
Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt, The |
Wilkinson, Richard H. |
2003 |
Thames & Hudson, LTD |
ISBN 0-500-05120-8 |
Wilkinson, Richard H. |
2000 |
Thames and Hudson, Ltd |
ISBN 0-500-05100-3 |
|
Dictionary of Ancient Egypt, The |
Shaw, Ian; Nicholson, Paul |
1995 |
Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers |
ISBN 0-8109-3225-3 |
Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, A |
Hart, George |
1986 |
Routledge |
ISBN 0-415-05909-7v |
History of Ancient Egypt, A |
Grimal, Nicolas |
1988 |
Blackwell |
None Stated |
Shaw, Ian |
2000 |
Oxford University Press |
ISBN 0-19-815034-2 |