ANCIENT EGYPT MAP

These maps of ancient Egypt seek to highlight representative aspects of the country: historical development, locations of major constructions, Egypt as we know it today and the always important River Nile, that contributed to the growth of the ancient Egyptian civilization

Location:

Northern Africa. Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea in the north, Israel in the east, Sudan in the south and Libya in the west.

Area: Total: 1,001,450 sq km (slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico)

Land: 995,450 sq km

Water: 6,000 sq km

Climate: Desert: hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Elevation: Lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m

Highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

The two sides of the Nile used to have different functions in ancient Egypt.: The West was the land of the dead, where tombs and funerary temples were, and the East would be the land of the living where homes and villages were plus the cult temples of the gods.

Some of the most important sites of ancient Lower Egypt:

Rosetta - where the Rosetta Stone was discovered.

Alexandria - Capital city of the Greco-Roman Period of ancient Egypt.

Leontopolis - Cult center of Lionine deities such as the goddess Sekhmet.

Bubastis - Cult center of the cat goddess Bastet.

Heliopolis - One of ancient Egypt's main cult centers and home of the Ennead cosmology.

Giza - Home of the three most famous ancient pyramids and the Great sphinx.

Memphis - One of ancient Egypt's most important capital cities.

Sakkara - Home of the Step Pyramid of Djoser.

Dahshur - Home of the Bent and Red Pyramids of Snefru.

Meidum - Home of the Pyramid of Meidum.

Some of the most important sites of ancient Upper Egypt:

Hermopolis - home of the Ogdoad cosmology (it was a border town between Upper and Lower Egypt).

El-Amarna - home of the city of Akhenaten, as well as palaces, temples and tombs.

Abdydos - Cult center of Osiris and Isis.

Dendera - site of the gorgeous Temple of Hathor.

Neqada - Local center of the god Seth.

Thebes - one of ancient Egypt's greatest capital cities, now located in greater Luxor area.

Esna - Cult center of the god Khnum and his triad.

Heirakonpolis or Nekhen - Capital city and and cult center of the god Horus of Nekhen.

Edfu - home of the Ptolemaic Temple of Horus.

Sehel and Elephantine Islands - Cult centers of the Nile goddesses Satet and Anuket.

Philae - Home of the Ptolemaic Temple of Isis.

Abu Simbel - Home to some of the most majestic ancient temples build by Ramesses II.