Lower Egypt

Lower Egypt Fact Sheet

Fact 1 on Lower Egypt:

The north of the country was where the Nile stretched out with its several branches to form the Nile Delta.
 

Fact 2 on Lower Egypt:

The Nile Delta region in the north emptied into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile Delta spans 22015 sq. km (8,500 sq. miles) and is fringed by lagoons, wetlands, lakes and sand dunes.
 

Fact 3 on Lower Egypt:

The earliest Egyptian sites are in Lower Egypt and the area known as the Faiyum depression
 

Fact 4 on Lower Egypt:

Early Egyptian history is divided into for four periods:
The Early Dynastic (3,100 - 2700 B.C.)
The Old Kingdom (2700 - 2155 B.C.)
The Middle Kingdom (2134 - 1785 B.C.)
The New Kingdom (1,580 - 1085 B.C.)
 

Fact 5 on Lower Egypt:

It was known to the Pharaohs as To-Mehu
 

Fact 6 on Lower Egypt:

The River Nile would break its banks each year, saturating the surrounding countryside and a rich silt, alluvial soil, ideal for crop growing
 

Fact 7 on Lower Egypt:

There were twenty nomes and the first of these was at Memphis
 

Fact 8 on Lower Egypt:

The founding of the ancient city of Memphis was associated with Menes, Narmer and King Hor-Aha  around 3000 BC and it was the capital during the Old Kingdom. It was the religious cult center of the Triad of Memphis that centred around the Cult of Ptah, his wife Sekhmet and their son was Nefertem, but many other gods were also worshipped in the city
 

Fact 9 on Lower Egypt:

The city of Giza is the famous location of the sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Cheops at Giza.
 

Fact 10 on Lower Egypt:

The climate is milder than the climate in the Upper kingdom. Temperatures are less extreme and there is more rainfall in this area.
 

Fact 11 on Lower Egypt:

In approximately 3100BC, Upper and Lower Egypt were united when King Narmer  defeated the army of the Lower kingdom.
 

Fact 12 on Lower Egypt:

The area next to the River Nile was called the 'black lands' further away from the river were the 'red lands'. Both were extremely important to the economy and civilisation of ancient Egypt.
 

Fact 13 on Lower Egypt:

The 'Black Lands' were the farming areas on the banks of the Nile.
 

Fact 14 on Lower Egypt:

The 'Red Lands' were the desert areas that protected the lands of the Egyptians on two sides and separated ancient Egypt from neighbouring countries and invading armies. They were also rich in raw materials such as stone and precious metals such as gold, silver and copper and semi-precious stones
 

Fact 15 on Lower Egypt:

Definition: Lower Egypt = Nile Delta region of the north
 

Fact 16 on Lower Egypt:

The famous Rosetta Stone was found in 1799 at Rosetta (Rashid) in the Nile Delta and enabled Egyptologist to start to decipher hieroglyphics. The Hieroglyph system of writing was developed over 3000 years ago. The earliest known examples of Egyptian writing have been dated to 3,400 BC
 

Fact 17 on Lower Egypt:

The Deshret is famous Red Crown of ancient Egypt associated with Lower Egypt. The White Crown of the upper kingdom was called the Hedjet
 

Fact 18 on Lower Egypt:

The Lotus flower symbolized the sun, of creation, rebirth, regeneration & represented Upper Egypt
 

Fact 19 on Lower Egypt:

The lioness goddess of the upper kingdom was Sekhmet, a powerful warrior goddess
 

Fact 20 on Lower Egypt:

Each town had its own particular god and there were cult centers of the major gods
 

Fact 21 on Lower Egypt:

The cult centers of were the Ennead of Heliopolis and the Triad of Memphis
 

Fact 22 on Lower Egypt:

Papyrus was the symbol of the Lower kingdom whilst the lotus flower was recognised as the symbol of the Upper kingdom
 

Fact 23 on Lower Egypt:

Crocodilopolis, "Crocodile City", was the cult center of Sobek the Egyptian crocodile god who symbolized the might of the Egyptian pharaohs
 

Fact 24 on Lower Egypt:

Bubastis located in the Eastern Delta, now the modern city of Zagazig, was the cult center of the cat goddess Bastet
 

Fact 25 on Lower Egypt:

Leontopolis, "City of Lions", was located in the central area of the Nile delta. It was dedicated to the lion gods and its temples contained live lions and cats.
 

Fact 26 on Lower Egypt:

The city of Heliopolis "City of the Sun" was an important religious center and was once the largest city dating back to pre-dynastic times. The ancient Egyptians believed it to be the birthplace of the sun god Atum the "Lord of Heliopolis" and the first nine Egyptian gods known as the divine family or the Ennead of Heliopolis.
 

Lower Egypt Fact Sheet