Ancient Egyptian Cities
Ancient Egyptian Cities - Isna and Edfu ISNA The town of Isna is located 33 miles south of Luxor. The town's Greek name was Latopolis, fish (lates) being thought to embody the goddess Neith, who was sacred to the area. During the 18th century, Isna became increasingly important, mainly because of Egypt's developing relationship with the Sudan. In fact, a route was established between the ancient Egypt cities of Derr and Isna. Thereafter, Isna slowly declined until the Dynasty, during which it received revived international interest. Under the Greeks and Romans, Isna became the capital of the Third Nome of Upper Egypt. Today Isna is a sleepy merchant and farming town; it also contains a prosperous weaving industry. Entertainment from the Saturday animal market can be found on the west bank of the Nile. The market street is covered, and there you can purchase fabric or have the fabrics made into clothing. If you look you will also find established, older houses - look for the fine brickwork and mashrbiyya screens. Just outside of town, and also worth checking out, you will find a barrage that was built in 1906. Around the city, most of the ruins have never been excavated. But the main attraction, certainly, is the Temple of Khnum. It is constructed in a pit below the regular housing level. Most of the ruins around the Temple and the old city have yet to be explored, since they are under these more modern dwellings. Even before Knhum, however, another, earlier temple had been erected under the reign of Thutmose III. Stone blocks from an early Christian church remain in the forecourt of this temple, foretelling a time when Isna would become an important center of Christianity. And on the stone quay along the corniche near the Temple of Khnum you will find carved cartouches of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. EDFU Originally, Edfu was the Greek city of Apollinopolis Magna. It is now a religious and commercial center, and the hub of a large network of roads. It is also a pleasant and friendly town, which produces sugar and pottery. You will find it 33 miles south of Isna and 65 miles north of Aswan. Edfu was the capital of the second nome (Horus) of Upper Egypt. The main attraction here is the Temple of Horus, thought by many to be one of the best-preserved Egyptian temples. West of the Temple is the old city of Djeba, now no more than a mound of dirt. Known as Tbot by the early Egyptians, as Apollinopolis Magna by the Greeks, and as Atbo in Coptic times, it was the capital of the second nome (Horus) of Upper Egypt. Beneath parts of the ancient Egypt city, Polish and French archeologists have unearthed some of the ancient city, including Old Kingdom mastabas and even Byzantine houses.
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