Herakleopolis Magna

Heracleopolis Magna

Herakleopolis Magna, a site south of Meidum at the entrance to the Faiyum, now Ihnasiyah el-Medineh, originally called Nen-nesut, Nenen-nesut, or Ninsu by the Egyptians, Herakleopolis was the capital of the twentieth nome of Upper Egypt and the cult center for Harsaphes (Her-shef). 

Herakleopolis dominion has been named that figure in telling to the Greek idol hero "Herakles" who Greeks paired with the main region idol "Hershef" or "Hersphes" which represents the head of a drive. Most of the region is located on the island between the Nile and Bahr Youssef, and bounded on the north by  Arsinoite dominion, and Oxyrhynchites from the south and  it  match  Herakleopolis  region  with  current  Beni  Suef province, and even beyond. This region has a great grandness since  prehistoric  times;  through  private  historic  ages  when  it became  the  capital  Herakleopolis  Magna  "Ehnasya"  is  the political capital of the country in the "Ehnasya age" during the epoch of the two families ninth and tenth, and continued until the Graeco-Romans time.

Ruined columns at
Herakleopolis Magna

The  place  was  occupied  as  early  as  the  1st Dynasty (2920–2770 B.C.E.) but rose to prominence in the First  Intermediate  Period  (2134–2040  B.C.E.).  The  name Herakleopolis Magna was added upon the site by the swayer of the Ptolemaic Period (304–30 B.C.E.). In the First Intermediate  Period,  Herakleopolis  was  the  home  of  the Khety (Aktoy)  clan.  During  the  Khety  period  of  rule (2134–2040  B.C.E.),  a  canal  linked  Herakleopolis  Magna to  Memphis.  Montuhotep  II  rounded  the  site  in  2040 B.C.E. when he started his campaign to reunify Egypt.

Harsaphes's temple,  a  ram-headed  deity,  was restored  at  Herakleopolis  Magna  by  Ramses II (1290–1224 B.C.E.). A granite triad of Ramses II, Ptah, and Harsaphes was also erected in Herakleopolis Magna. An  Old  Kingdom  (2575–2134  B.C.E.)  enshrine  and  a necropolis, Gebel El-Sidmant, are on the site.

Hawara

Pyramid of Amenemhat III at Hawara

Hawara  was  a  royal  necropolis  in  the  south area  of  the  Faiyum used  by  the Dynasty 12.  The pyramidal  complex  of  Amenemhet III (1844–1797 B.C.E.), a monument named the Labyrinth that served as the mortuary temple of the pyramid, was raised on the site.  The  temple  reportedly  contained  3000  chambers related by ranging passages, shafts, and corridors on subterranean  levels.  The  burial  chamber  was  designed out of a single part of quartzite, estimated by Herodotus in Egypt c. 450 B.C.E., as weighing different tons.

The  Labyrinth  had  twelve  covered  courts,  facing  south and north. Herodotus toured the upper and lower levels and named the complex. All of the walls were decorated with reliefs, and white marble columns were used throughout. No causeway or valley temple was erected. Sobekneferu (1787–1783  B.C.E.),  a  manageable  daughter  of Amenemhet  III,  completed  the  pyramid  for  her  father. Little rests of the structure. A nearby necropolis contained wax portraits and tombs dating to the later Greco-Roman Periods.

Hawara is the place of the massive pyramid of Amenemhat III, a twelve Dynasty (Middle Kingdom, 1204–1604 B.C.E.) pharaoh. The complex  was  knew in ancient times for its great labyrinth, a temple complex peripheral the pyramid, described by ancient travelers as a vast, obscure maze of streets and buildings.  According to legend, it inspired Dedalus  to create the labyrinth of Crete.  Among other things, the Hawara labyrinth was the location of a temple to Sobek, the feared  local crocodile deity.  

Hawara was also a necropolis – nowadays famous for its strikingly realistic funerary portraits.  Funerals were apparently a major business in Hawara, and most of the people involved in the takes in this case were connected to this industry.  Calling themselves “god’s sealants and embalmers,” they owned parts in the necropolis  of Hawara and nearby burial grounds, these parts were, in fact, transferable, just like real property.

El-Lahun (Kahun)

cartouche of Senusret II,
beside the pyramid of
Senusret II

A community structure at El-Lahun, started by Senwosret II (1897–1878  B.C.E.)  of  the Dynasty 12 (1991–1783 B.C.E.), Kahun was the abode of the workers  and  artisans  involved  in  royal  mortuary  monuments.  The  site  was  involved  by  a  gated  mud-brick wall and widespread into three residential areas. A temple of Anubis was also found on the site, and a cache of varied papyri was  discovered  in  the  temple. Named  Hotep-Senwosret, “Senwosret Is Satisfied,” and placed at the opening of the Faiyum, the site is known for a cache of jewelry discovered  in  the  tombs  of  Princess  (or  perhaps  queen) Sithathor Yunet and  other  family  members  sunk  in  the complex.

The place was divided into 3 sections, including a necropolis area for nobles and officials and a residential area on the eastern and on the west. Vast garners served the entire region. The treasury of papyri at Kahun disciplined hundreds of texts concerning legal matters, literature,  mathematics,  medicine,  temple  affairs,  and  vet  information.  The  site  was  abandoned  abruptly in a afterwards historical period, perhaps as a result of an quake or some other natural disaster.

El-Lisht

Pyramid of Amenemhet I at El-Lisht

Lisht or El-Lisht is an Egyptian village placed south of Cairo. It is the site of Middle Kingdom royal and elite burials, including two pyramids built by Amenemhat I and Senusret I. The two main pyramids were surrounded by smaller pyramids of extremities of the royal family, and many mastaba graves of high officials and their family members. They were constructed throughout the Twelfth and Thirteenth Dynasties. The site is likewise known for the tomb of Senebtisi, found carefree and from which a set of jewelry has been recovered. The pyramid complex of Senusret I is the best preserved from this period. The coffins in the grave of Sesenebnef present the earliest versions of the Book of the Dead.

The ancient Egyptian site of el-Lisht can be base on the west bank of the Nile River, around 65 km south of the city of Cairo. It is a Twelfth Dynasty necropolis, close to the metropolis of Itj-Tawy.

The Eleventh Dynasty’s capital was located at the city of Thebes. The first king of the Twelfth Dynasty, Amenemhet I, went the capital from Thebes to a city close el-Lisht called Itj-tawy, because it was close to the mouth of the Fayyum, and well placed to control the 'Two Lands' of Upper and Lower Egypt.Another motive advised is land renewal and desire to increase the agricultural output for the area. The ruins of Itj-Tawy have never been conclusively placed, and the only locational prove discovered consists of pieces of clayware in the area it is thought to be in. However, Twelfth Dynasty rulers established pyramids at el-Lisht which are knew to researchers.

El-Lisht is the necropolis of the first two rulers of Dynasty Twelve, Amenemhet I and his son and successor Senusret I. These pyramids would have been open to those traveling to Itj-Tawy from the south. The more known of the two monumental complexes, that of Amenemhat I, featured an offer hall with a granite altar, carved with pictures of examples of the nomes (provinces) bringing offers to the pharaoh. However, the pyramid itself is in a sunk state, rising approximately 20 meter above ground level.

Tombs of El-Lisht:

Pyramid of Senusret I
Tomb of Senewosret-Ankh
Tomb of a certain Senusret, shaft of Hapy, found untouched
Tomb of Intef (?)
French tomb
Tomb of Imhotep
Tomb of Mentuhotep
Tomb, South-Khor A
Tomb, South-Khor B
Tomb A in South area
Tomb of Djehuty
Tomb of Ipi
Tomb D in South area
Tomb E in South area
Tomb of Sehetepibreankh
Pyramid of Amenemhat I
Tomb 384 of Rehuerdjersen
Tomb 400 of Intefiqer
Tomb 470 of Senimeru
Tomb 493 of Nakht
Tomb 758 of Senusret, shaft with undisturbed tomb of Senebtisi
Tomb 954
Tomb 956

Crocodilopolis

Crocodilopolis is an ancient  Egyptian  site,  originally named Shedet, then Arsinoe, and now Medinet el-Faiyum. A custom states that AHA (King Menes; 2920 B.C.E.) established Crocodilopolis.  The  city  attended  as  the  capital  of  the Faiyum and was the cultic center for the crocodile deity Sobek. An agricultural central watered by the Bahr Yusef (the  Joseph  River,  rewarding  a  local  hero  of  Islam),  the city also had a shrine honoring the goddess Renenet. A temple discovered on this site sees to the reign of Amenemhet III (1844–1797  B.C.E.),  but  it  was  probably  complete  by  him,  having  been  started  by  King Senwosret I (1971–1926 B.C.E.). There is some speculation that the red granite  Obelisk at  Abgig was  once  part  of  this  temple. Ramses II (1290–1224 B.C.E.) restored the temple of Sobek. During the Ptolemaic Period (304–30 B.C.E.), the city  was  named  for  Queen  Arsinoe and  served  as  an important cultic center for Sobek. Visitors to the city fed crocodiles  raised  there.  There  were  several  mines  in the field of Crocodilopolis, exploited throughout Egypt’s history. The site also had a sacred lake and baths.