Lower Egypt was the northern-most section of ancient Egypt stretching from just south of modern-day Cairo to the Nile Delta at Alexandria. It was known as Ta-Mehu and was (like Upper Egypt) divided into areas called Nomes There were up to 20 nomes, although they varied more in number as the environment changed over time.
The labelling of “upper” and “lower” seems counter-intuitive. Lower Egypt is in the north because it is further from the source of the river Nile (which flows into the Mediterranean). Lower Egypt’s landscape is dominated by the Nile delta, a fertile marshy area scored by tributaries and canals. The climate is milder and there is more rainfall in this area than in Upper Egypt.
Lower Egypt was always the more industrialised, partly because it benefited from trade links with the middle east, the Mediterranean and northern Africa.
The patron goddess of Lower Egypt is Wadjet. As a result the cobra could also represent Lower Egypt. This goddess was referenced with Nekhbet (of Upper Egypt) in the Pharaoh’s ‘Nebty’ name (also known as the ‘two ladies’). However, Lower Egypt was also associated with Bast, Ptah, Nephthys, Neith, and Horus in mythology and art.
The heraldic plant was the papyrus, but Lower Egypt was also represented by a bee, as in the Pharaoh’s Prenomen which begins with the epithet “He of the sedge and bee” (meaning he of Upper and Lower Egypt). The pharaoh (and a few of the gods) wore the Red Crown (“deshret”) to display their power over Lower Egypt. The crown was combined with the White Crown of Upper Egypt to form the Double Crown (“pschent”).
Nome List
1: Ineb Hedj (White Wall)
Gods
Ptah, Sekhmet, Nefertem, Sokar, Hathor, Renpet and the Apis
Cities
Inebhedj/Mennefer (Memphis, Mit Rahina), temples of Ptah and Hathor
White Chapel
Represented by Horus before Inebhedj
2: Khensu (foreleg)
Gods
Horus, Kherty, Khentykhem
Cities
Khem (Letopolis, Ausim), temple of Horus-KhentyKhem
White Chapel
Represented by Khentykhem
3: Ament (West)
Gods
Hathor
Cities
Imu (Kom el-Hisn), temple of Hathor –Sekhmet
White Chapel
Represented by Hepy of Hut-Ihyt
4: Sap Res (The southern shield)
Gods
Neith, Sobek
Cities
unexcavated
White Chapel
Represented by Neith and Sobek (“of Sais”)
5: Sap Meh (The northern shield)
Cities
Sau (Sais, Sa al-Hagar), temple of Neith
Per-wadjet (Buto), cult centre of Wadjet
White Chapel
Represented by (Neith and Sobek) Sau (‘of Sais’)
6: Kaset (Mountain Bull)
Cities
Khasu (Xois, Sakha), temple of Ra
Pe and Dep/ Per Wadjet (Buto, Tell el-Farain; see above), temple of Wadjet
White Chapel
unclear
7: Ament (West harpoon)
Gods
Hu
Cities
unexcavated
White Chapel
Represented by a harpoon and a cord
8: Abt (East harpoon)
Gods
Atum
Cities
Peratum (Pithom, Tell al-Maskhuta), temple of Atum
White Chapel
Represented by a harpoon and a cord
9: Andjeti
Cities
Djedu (Busiris, Abu Sir Bana), temple of Horus-Khentkhety (Khentykhety)
White Chapel
Represented by Osiris of Djedu
10: Ka-qem or Kem-wer (the Black Bull)
Gods
Horus
Cities
Hutherib (Athribis, Tell Atrib), temple of Osiris, and Isis
White Chapel
unclear
11: Ka-henseb (Heseb Bull)
Gods
Tefnut, Shu, Maahes (Mihos)
Cities
Taremu (Leontopolis, Tell al-Moqdam), temple of Maahes (Mihos)
White Chapel
Represented by Bau
12: Theb-ka (calf and cow)
Gods
Anhur (Onuris)
Cities
Tjebennetjer (Sebennytus, Samanud), temple of Anhur – Shu and Mehyt
Perhebyt (Behbeit), temple of Isis of Hebyt
White Chapel
Represented by Matyt or Bat
13: Heqat (sceptre)
Gods
Atum, Nephthys, Iusaas, the Mnevis Bull, Hesat, Anubis
Cities
Iunu (Heliopolis, Matariya), temple of Ra–Atum, Hathor
Kheraha (possibly the Greek ‘Babylon of Egypt’ in Old Cairo), temple of Atum
White Chapel
Represented by Isis, Bast of Su
14: Khenty-ab (foremost of the east)
Gods
Set
Cities
Tjaru (Sile), temple of Horus of Mesen
White Chapel
Represented by Horus Hebenu
15: Tehut (Ibis)
Gods
Thoth, the Ogdoad
Cities
Ba’h or Weprehwy (Hermopolis Parva, Baqliya), temple of Thoth
White Chapel
missing entry
16: Kha (fish)
Gods
Banebdjed, Hatmehyt , The Djed Pillar
Cities
Djedet (Mendes), temple of Banebdjed
White Chapel
Represented by ‘he of Djedet’
17: Semabehdet (the throne)
Gods
Horus
Cities
Semabehdet (Behdet, Balamun), temple of Amun
White Chapel
missing entry
18: Am-Khent (Prince of the south)
Gods
Bast
Cities
Bast (Bubastis, near Zagazig), temple of Bast
White Chapel
Represented by Bast
19: Am-Pehu (Prince of the north)
Gods
Wadjyt
Cities
Imet (Nebesha), temple of Wadjet
Djanet (Tanis), temple of Amun, Mut and Khonsu
White Chapel
missing entry
20: Sopdu (plumed falcon)
Gods
Sopdu
Cities
Per-Sopdu (Saft al-Henna), temple of Sopdu
White Chapel
missing entry
Map of Upper Egypt
Copyright J Hill 2010