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Provides background information to some significant places in Upper Egypt that are represented in the Travelers in the Middle East Archive (TIMEA) collection of digital texts, images and maps. Part 4 of a 4-part course on identifying places in Egypt, including major cities, archaeological sites, and regions.

Abû simbel

Latitude/Longitude: 24° 24' 00" N/033° 01' 00" E

Looking down river across front of abu simbel temple, from the sand drift at north, egypt.

Original stereograph: "Looking down river across front of Abu Simbel temple, from the sand drift at north,Egypt." (Underwood and Underwood, 1904). 7.75 x 4.2 inches. From TIMEA

Although the name is not as familiar as Karnak or Giza, the magnificent temples here are some of the most recognized images in Egypt. As famousfor their relocation ahead of the construction of the new Aswan dam as for the temples themselves, these structures are located on the western bank of what is nowLake Nassar, 180 miles south of Aswan in what was once known as Nubia. The two temples were built by Ramesses II (the Great); the larger features four massivestatues of Ramesses seated on thrones, carved into the walls of the temple. The smaller temple was built in honor of Ramesses’ wife Nefertari, and was dedicated toHathor, goddess of love, music, and beauty. It also features figures carved into the stone of the temple itself. Beginning in 1964 in a feat of archaeologicalengineering, these temples were cut into blocks and reassembled at a new location further away from the rising waters of the Nile.

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Al fashn

Alternative Names: Fashn; Fashn; El Fashn;

Latitude/Longitude: 28° 49' 22" N/030° 53' 52" E

A small agricultural village in the governate of Beni Suef, in Upper Egypt.

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Al kāb

Alternative Names: Nikhâb, Ancient Town of; Nekheb; Nekhab, Ancient Town of; Satma Kob; Kobba; Kobb; Koba; El-Kâb; Eileithyiaspolis; Eileithyaspolis;Ancient Town of Nikhab Eiteithyiaspolis

Latitude/Longitude: 25° 07' 10" N/032° 47' 50" E

Walled city of el kab, ancient capital of upper egypt, s.w. from the door of a cliff-tomb, egypt.

Original stereograph: "Walled city of El Kab, ancient capital of Upper Egypt, S.W. from the door of acliff-tomb, Egypt." (Underwood and Underwood, 1904). 7.75 x 4.2 inches. From TIMEA

This region refers to two ancient sites on either side of the Nile, Nekheb on the east and Nekhen on the west. Both cities served as religious centersas early as the pre-Dynastic periods, but also flourished during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Nekheb was dedicated to the vulture goddess, Nekhbet, patron goddessof Upper Egypt. Nekhen served for sometime as the capital of Upper Egypt and was dedicated to the falcon god Horus; however, the city was later supplanted inimportance by Edfu. In addition to numerous tombs, excavated areas also yielded two complete and one partial human-faced masks, used during the Fourth Dynasty.

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Source:  OpenStax, Places in egypt. OpenStax CNX. Sep 22, 2006 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10378/1.1
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