Upper Egypt
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Redirect-distinguish
{{#invoke:Sidebar|collapsible | name = History of Egypt | bodystyle = border-collapse:collapse; background:#fff2e2 | title = Template:Region history sidebar title | contentstyle = padding:0; border-bottom:#aaa 1px solid; | content1 = | list1name = Prehistoric Egypt | list1title = Prehistoric Egypt | list1 = Template:Aligned table | content2 = | list2name = Ancient Egypt | list2title = Ancient Egypt | list2 = Template:Aligned table | content3 = | list3name = Greco-Roman Egypt | list3title = Greco-Roman Egypt | list3 = Template:Aligned table
| content4 = | list4name = Medieval Egypt | list4title = Medieval Egypt | list4 = Template:Aligned table
| content5 = | list5name = Early modern | list5title = Early modern Egypt | list5 = Template:Aligned table
| content6 = | list6name = Late Modern | list6title = Late Modern Egypt | list6 = Template:Aligned table | below = {{#invoke:portal-inline|main|Egypt|size=tiny}} | navbarstyle = padding-top:0; }} Template:Ancient Egypt dynasties sidebar
Upper Egypt (Template:Langx Template:Transliteration, shortened to Template:Lang, Template:IPA, locally: Template:IPA) is the southern portion of Egypt and is composed of the Nile River valley south of the delta and the 30th parallel North. It thus starts at Beni Suef and stretches down to Lake Nasser (formed by the Aswan High Dam).<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
Name
In ancient Egypt, Upper Egypt was known as tꜣ šmꜣw,Template:Sfn literally "the Land of Reeds" or "the Sedgeland", named for the sedges that grow there.<ref>Template:Harvp</ref>
In Arabic, the region is called Sa'id or Sahid, from صعيد meaning "uplands", from the root صعد meaning to go up, ascend, or rise. Inhabitants of Upper Egypt are known as Sa'idis and they generally speak Sa'idi Egyptian Arabic.
In Biblical Hebrew it was known as Template:Lang Template:Transliteration and in Akkadian it was known as Template:Transliteration.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Both names originate from the Egyptian pꜣ-tꜣ-rsj, meaning "the southern land".<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Geography
Upper Egypt is between the Cataracts of the Nile beyond modern-day Aswan, downriver (northward) to the area of El-Ayait,<ref>See list of nomes. Maten (Knife land) is the northernmost nome in Upper Egypt on the right bank, while Atef-Pehu (Northern Sycamore land) is the northernmost on the left bank. Template:Cite book, originally published in 1876 in German.</ref> which places modern-day Cairo in Lower Egypt. The northern (downriver) part of Upper Egypt, between Sohag and El-Ayait, is also known as Middle Egypt.
History
{{#invoke:Infobox|infoboxTemplate |templatestyles = Template:Infobox country/styles.css | bodyclass = ib-country vcard | aboveclass = adr | above = {{#if:Upper Egypt
| {{#if:Upper Egypt
|
}}{{#if:
|
}}{{#ifeq:|yes
|Micronation
}}
|
}}
| subheader = {{#if: | {{{life_span}}} | {{#if:|{{#if:|– }} }} }}
| image1 = {{#if:File:White crown.svg
|Template:Infobox country/imagetable }}
| data1 = {{#if:
|Motto: Template:If empty{{#if:|
}}
}}
| class2 = anthem | data2 = {{#if:
|Anthem: Template:If empty }}{{#if: |Anthems: {{{anthems}}} }}{{#if: |
}}{{#if:
|
}}{{#if:
|
}}{{#if:
|
}}{{#if:
|
}}{{#if:
|
}}{{#if:
|
}}
| data3 = {{#if:
|{{#if:
| Template:If empty
}}Template:If empty
}}
| data4 = {{#if:
|{{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image=|size=|alt=|title= }}{{#if:|
}} }}
| data5 = {{#if:
|{{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image=|size=|alt=|title=Location of Upper Egypt }}{{#if:|
}} }}
| label6 = Status | data6 = {{#if:|Template:Infobox country/status text }}
| label7 = Location | data7 =
| label8 = {{#if: | {{{capital_type}}} | Capital }}{{#ifeq: {{#ifeq:|capital
|capital|{{#switch:Thinis
| [[]] = capital
| = capital
| not capital
}}}}|capital |
}}
| data8 = {{#if:Thinis|Thinis{{#if:|
{{#invoke:Coordinates|coordinsert|{{{coordinates}}}|type:city}}}} }}
| rowclass9 = {{#if:Thinis|mergedrow}} | label9 = Capital-in-exile | data9 = {{#ifexist:|[[]]|}}
| rowclass10 = {{#if:Thinis|mergedrow}} | label10 = {{#if:| {{{admin_center_type}}} | Administrative center }} | data10 = {{#switch:
|capital | = |[[Thinis]] = |Thinis = |#default = {{{admin_center}}}{{#if:Thinis||{{#if:|
{{#invoke:Coordinates|coordinsert|{{{coordinates}}}|type:city}}}} }} }}
| rowclass11 = {{#if:Thinis|mergedbottomrow}} | label11 = Largest city | data11 = {{#ifeq: {{#ifeq:|capital
|capital|{{#switch:Thinis
| [[]] = capital
| = capital
| not capital
}}}}|capital |
| Template:If empty
}}
| rowclass12 = mergedtoprow | label12 = Official languages | data12 = | rowclass13 = mergedrow | label13 = {{#if:|Recognized|Recognised}} languages | data13 = Template:If empty | rowclass14 = mergedrow | label14 = {{#if:|Recognized|Recognised}} national languages | data14 = Template:If empty | rowclass15 = mergedrow | label15 = {{#if:|Recognized|Recognised}} regional languages | data15 = Template:If empty | label16 = Common languages | data16 = Ancient Egyptian
| rowclass17 = {{#ifeq:|yes
|{{#ifeq:|yes |mergedrow}}
|{{#ifeq:|yes |mergedbottomrow}} }}
| label17 ={{#ifeq:|yes
|
|Template:If empty }}
| data17 =
| rowclass18 = {{#ifeq:|yes |mergedbottomrow}} | label18 = {{#ifeq:|yes
|
|Template:If empty }}
| data18 =
| label19 = Ethnic groups {{#if: |
|
}}
| data19 =
| label20 = Religion {{#if: |
|
}}
| data20 = Ancient Egyptian religion
| label21 = [[Demonym|DemonymTemplate:Pluralize from text]] | data21 = {{#if:
|{{#ifexist:{{{demonym}}} people
| [[{{{demonym}}} people|{{{demonym}}}]]
| {{{demonym}}}
}}
}}
| label22 = Type | data22 =
| label23 = Template:If empty | data23 =
| label24 = {{#if:Monarchy
| {{#if:
| [[{{{politics_link}}}|{{#ifeq:|yes|Organizational structure|Government}}]]| {{#ifexist:Politics of Upper Egypt
| {{#ifeq:|yes|Organizational structure|Government}}| {{#ifeq:|yes|Organizational structure|Government}}}}}}}}
| data24 = Monarchy
| header25 = {{#if:Monarchy || {{#if:
| {{#if:
| Leaders
| Government
}}
}} }}
| rowclass26 = mergedrow | data26 = {{#if:|Template:Infobox country/multirow }}
| rowclass27 = mergedrow | label27 = {{#if:King| King }} | data27 = {{#if:King| }} | rowclass28 = mergedrow | data28 = {{#if:Template:Circa | Template:Infobox country/multirow }}
| rowclass29 = mergedrow | label29 = {{#if:| {{{title_representative}}} }} | data29 = {{#if:| }} | rowclass30 = mergedrow | data30 = {{#if:|Template:Infobox country/multirow }}
| rowclass31 = mergedrow | label31 = {{#if:|{{{title_deputy}}} }} | data31 = {{#if:| }} | rowclass32 = mergedrow | data32 = {{#if:|Template:Infobox country/multirow }}
| label40 = Legislature | data40 = | rowclass41 = mergedrow
| label41 =
| data41 = | rowclass42 = mergedbottomrow
| label42 =
| data42 =
| rowclass43 = {{#if: |mergedtoprow}} | header43 = {{#if:
|{{#if:
| {{{sovereignty_type}}}{{#if: |
}}
| {{#if:| | Establishment }}
}} }}
| label44 = Establishment | data44 = {{#if:
|
|
}}
| label45 = {{#if:|Historical era|History}} | data45 = {{#if: |{{#ifexist:|[[]]|}} | {{#if:| }}}}
| rowclass46 = {{#if: |mergedrow |mergedbottomrow}} | data46 = {{#if:|Template:Infobox country/multirow }}
| rowclass47 = {{#if: |mergedrow |mergedbottomrow}} | data47 = {{#if:|Template:Infobox country/multirow }}
| rowclass60 = mergedtoprow | header60 = {{#if:
| {{#if:
| [[{{{area_link}}}|Area {{#ifeq:|yes|claimed|}}]]
| {{#ifexist:Geography of Upper Egypt
| Area {{#ifeq:|yes|claimed|}}
| Area {{#ifeq:|yes|claimed|}}}}}} }}
| rowclass61 = {{#if:|mergedrow|mergedbottomrow}}
| label61 =
| data61 = {{#if:
|{{#if:
|Template:Convinfobox
|{{#if:
|Template:Convinfobox
}}
}}{{#if: | ({{{area_rank}}}) }}
}}
| rowclass62 = {{#if:|mergedrow|mergedbottomrow}}
| label62 =
| data62 = {{#if:
|{{#if:
|Template:Convinfobox
|{{#if:
|Template:Convinfobox
}}
}}
}}
| rowclass63 = {{#if:|mergedrow|mergedbottomrow}}
| label63 =
| data63 = {{#if:
|{{#if:
|Template:Convinfobox
|{{#if:
|Template:Convinfobox
}}
}}
}}
| rowclass64 = {{#if:|mergedrow|mergedbottomrow}}
| label64 =
| data64 =
| rowclass65 = {{#if:|mergedrow|mergedbottomrow}}
| label65 =
| data65 = {{#if:| }}
| rowclass66 = {{#if:|mergedrow|mergedbottomrow}}
| label66 =
| data66 = {{#if:| }}
| rowclass67 = {{#if:|mergedrow|mergedbottomrow}} | label67 = | data67 = {{#if: | Template:Convinfobox }}
| rowclass68 = {{#if:|mergedrow|mergedbottomrow}} | label68 = | data68 = {{#if: | Template:Convinfobox }}
| rowclass69 = {{#if:|mergedrow|mergedbottomrow}} | label69 = | data69 = {{#if: | Template:Convinfobox }}
| rowclass70 = {{#if:|mergedrow|mergedbottomrow}} | label70 = | data70 = {{#if: | Template:Convinfobox }}
| rowclass71 = {{#if:|mergedrow|mergedbottomrow}} | label71 = | data71 = {{#if: | Template:Convinfobox }}
| rowclass72 = mergedrow
| label72 =
| data72 = {{#if:| }}
| rowclass73 = mergedrow
| label73 =
| data73 = {{#if:
|{{#if:
|Template:Convinfobox{{#if:| ([[List of countries and dependencies by area|]])}}
}}
}}
| rowclass89 = mergedbottomrow
| label89 =
| data89 = {{#if:
|{{#if:
| Template:Convinfobox{{#if:| ([[List of countries and dependencies by area|]])}}
}}
}}
| rowclass90 = mergedtoprow | header90 = {{#if:
|{{#if:
| {{#ifeq:{{{population_link}}}|no|Population|[[{{{population_link}}}|Population]]}}| {{#ifexist:Demographics of Upper Egypt
| Population| Population}}}} }}
| rowclass91 = mergedrow
| label91 =
| data91 = {{#if:
|{{{population_estimate}}}{{#if: | ({{{population_estimate_rank}}})}}
}}
| rowclass92 = mergedrow
| label92=
| data92= {{#if:|}}
| rowclass93= mergedrow
| label93=
| data93= {{#if:|}}
| rowclass94= mergedrow | data94= {{#if:|Template:Infobox country/multirow }}
| rowclass95= mergedrow
| label95=
| data95= {{#if:
|{{{population_census}}}{{#if: | ({{{population_census_rank}}})}}
}}
| rowclass96= mergedrow | label96 = {{#if:|{{#if:|Template:Nobold}}}} | data96 = {{#if:|{{#if:|}}}}
| rowclass97 = mergedrow
| label97=
| data97= {{#if:|{{#if:
|{{{FR_total_population_estimate}}}{{#if:| ({{{FR_total_population_estimate_rank}}})}}
}} }}
| rowclass98 = mergedrow
| label98=
| data98= {{#if:|{{{FR_metropole_population}}}{{#if:
| ({{{FR_metropole_population_estimate_rank}}})}} }}
| rowclass99 = mergedbottomrow
| label99=
| data99= {{#if:
| Template:Convinfobox{{#if: | ({{{population_density_rank}}})}} }}
| rowclass100 = {{#if:|mergedbottomrow|mergedtoprow}} | label100 = Membership | data100=
| rowclass101= mergedtoprow | label101= {{#ifeq:|yes|Claimed|}} GDP Template:Nobold | data101= {{#if:
|{{#if: |{{{GDP_PPP_year}}} }}estimate
}}
| rowclass102= mergedrow
| label102=
| data102= {{#if:
|{{{GDP_PPP}}}{{#if: | ({{{GDP_PPP_rank}}})}}
}}
| rowclass103= mergedbottomrow
| label103=
| data103= {{#if:
|{{{GDP_PPP_per_capita}}}{{#if: | ({{{GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank}}})}}
}}
| rowclass104= mergedtoprow | label104= {{#ifeq:|yes|Claimed|}} GDP Template:Nobold | data104= {{#if:
|{{#if: |{{{GDP_nominal_year}}} }}estimate
}}
| rowclass105= mergedrow
| label105=
| data105= {{#if:
|{{{GDP_nominal}}}{{#if: | ({{{GDP_nominal_rank}}})}}
}}
| rowclass106= mergedbottomrow
| label106=
| data106= {{#if:
| {{{GDP_nominal_per_capita}}}{{#if: | ({{{GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank}}})}}
}}
| label107= Gini{{#if: | Template:Nobold}} | data107= {{#if:
| {{#switch:
|increase = Template:IncreaseNegative |decrease = Template:DecreasePositive |steady = Template:Steady }}{{{Gini}}}
Template:Nowrap{{#if:
| ({{{Gini_rank}}})}}}}
| label108= HDI{{#if: | Template:Nobold}} | data108= {{#if:
| {{#switch:
|increase = Template:Increase |decrease = Template:Decrease |steady = Template:Steady }}{{{HDI}}}
Template:Nowrap{{#if:
| ({{{HDI_rank}}})}}}}
| label109= {{#ifeq:|yes|Purported currency|Currency}} | data109= {{#if:
| {{#if: |({{{currency_code}}})}}
}}
| rowclass119= {{#if: |mergedtoprow}} | label119= Time zone | data119= {{#if:
|Template:Nowrap {{#if:|({{{time_zone}}})}} | }}
| rowclass120= {{#if: |mergedrow |mergedbottomrow}}
| label120=
| data120= {{#if:
|Template:Nowrap {{#if:|({{{time_zone_DST}}})|{{#if:|({{{DST}}})}}}} |{{#if:|{{{time_zone_DST}}}|}} }}
| rowclass121= mergedbottomrow | label121= | data121=
| label122 = Antipodes | data122=
| label123 = Date format | data123=
| label126= {{#if:
|{{#ifexist:Telephone numbers in Upper Egypt
| Calling code
| Calling code
}}
}}
| data126=
| label127= ISO 3166 code | data127= {{#switch:
|omit =
| = {{#if:Upper Egypt
| {{#if:Template:ISO 3166 code
| [[ISO 3166-2:Template:ISO 3166 code|Template:ISO 3166 code]]
}}
}}
|#default = [[ISO 3166-2:{{{ISO3166CODE}}}|{{{ISO3166CODE}}}]]
}}
| label128= Internet TLD | data128=
| data129 = {{#if:
|
{{{official_website}}}
}}
| data130= {{#if:
| {{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image=|size=|alt=|title=Location of Upper Egypt }}{{#if:|
}}
}}
| data134 = {{#if:Prehistoric EgyptEarly Dynastic Period (Egypt)
|Template:Infobox country/formernext
}}
| label135 = Today part of | data135 = Egypt
| data136 = {{#if:
|
-
{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|}}
}}
| data137 = {{#if:
|
-
{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|
}}{{#if:|}}
}} | data138 = {{#if:|
{{{footnotes2}}}}}
}}
| data177 =
| belowclass = mergedtoprow noprint | below = {{#if:| Template:Navbar }} }}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox country with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| admin_center_type | admin_center | alt_coat | alt_flag | alt_flag2 | alt_map | alt_map2 | alt_map3 | alt_symbol | anthem | anthems | antipodes | area_acre | area_data2 | area_data3 | area_footnote | area_ha | area_km2 | area_label | area_label2 | area_label3 | area_land_acre | area_land_footnote | area_land_ha | area_land_km2 | area_land_sq_mi | area_link | area_rank | area_sq_mi | area_water_acre | area_water_footnote | area_water_ha | area_water_km2 | area_water_sq_mi | regexp1 = border_[ps][%d]+ | calling_code | capital_exile | capital_type | capital | cctld | coa_size | coat_alt | common_languages | common_name | conventional_long_name | coordinates | currency_code | currency | date_end | regexp2 = date_event[%d]+ | date_format | date_post | date_pre | date_start | demonym | regexp3 = deputy[%d]+ | drives_on | DST_note | DST | empire | englishmotto | era | regexp4 = established_date[%d]+ | regexp5 = established_event[%d]+ | established | ethnic_groups_ref | ethnic_groups_year | ethnic_groups | event_end | event_post | event_pre | event_start | regexp6 = event[%d]+ | flag| flag_alt | flag_alt2 | flag_border | flag_caption | flag_caption | regexp7 = flag_[ps][%d]+ | flag_size | flag_type | flag_type_article | flag_width | flag2_border | regexp8 = footnote_[a-h] | regexp9 = footnote[%d]+ | footnotes | footnotes2 | FR_cadastre_area_km2 | FR_cadastre_area_rank | FR_cadastre_area_sq_mi | FR_foot | FR_foot2 | FR_foot3 | FR_foot4 | FR_foot5 | FR_IGN_area_km2 | FR_IGN_area_rank | FR_IGN_area_sq_mi | FR_metropole_population_estimate_rank | FR_metropole_population | FR_metropole | FR_total_population_estimate_rank | FR_total_population_estimate_year | FR_total_population_estimate | GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank | GDP_nominal_per_capita | GDP_nominal_rank | GDP_nominal_year | GDP_nominal | GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank | GDP_PPP_per_capita | GDP_PPP_rank | GDP_PPP_year | GDP_PPP | Gini_change | Gini_rank | Gini_ref | Gini_year | Gini | government_type | HDI_change | HDI_rank | HDI_ref | HDI_year | HDI | house1 | house2 | image_coat | image_flag | image_flag2 | image_map_alt | image_map_caption | image_map_size | image_map | image_map2_alt | image_map2_caption | image_map2_size | image_map2 | image_map3 | regexp10 = image_[ps][%d]+ | image_symbol | iso3166code | languages_sub | languages_type | languages | languages2_sub | languages2_type | languages2 | largest_city | largest_settlement_type | largest_settlement | regexp11 = leader_name[%d]+ | regexp12 = leader_title[%d]+ | regexp13 = leader[%d]+ | legislature | life_span | linking_name | location_map | loctext | lower_house | map_caption | map_caption2 | map_caption3 | map_width | map2_width | map3_width | membership_type | membership | micronation | module | motto | name | national_anthem | national_languages | national_motto | native_name | navbar | nummembers | official_languages | official_website | org_type | other_symbol_type | other_symbol | regexp14 = [ps][%d]+ | patron_saint | patron_saints | percent_water | politics_link | pop_den_footnote | population_census_rank | population_census_year | population_census | population_data2 | population_data3 | population_density_km2 | population_density_rank | population_density_sq_mi | population_estimate_rank | population_estimate_year | population_estimate | population_label2 | population_label3 | population_link | recognised_languages | recognised_national_languages | recognised_regional_languages | recognized_languages | recognized_national_languages | regexp15 = ref_area[%d]+ | regexp16 = ref_pop[%d]+ | regional_languages | recognized_regional_languages | religion_ref | religion_year | religion | regexp17 = representative[%d]+ | royal_anthem | flag_anthem | march | national_march | regional_anthem | territorial_anthem | state_anthem | sovereignty_note | sovereignty_type | regexp18 = stat_area[%d]+ | regexp19 = stat_pop[%d]+ | regexp20 = stat_year[%d]+ | status_text | status | symbol| symbol_type_article | symbol_type | symbol_width | text_symbol_type | text_symbol | time_zone_DST | time_zone | title_deputy | title_leader | title_representative | today | type_house1 | type_house2 | upper_house | utc_offset_DST | utc_offset | regexp21 = year_deputy[%d]+ | year_end | year_exile_end | year_exile_start | regexp22 = year_leader[%d]+ | regexp23 = year_representative[%d]+ | year_start}}Template:Main other{{#if:|{{#ifeq:|Colony|Template:Main other|{{#ifeq:|Exile|Template:Main other}}}} }} It is believed to have been united by the rulers of the supposed Thinite Confederacy who absorbed their rival city states during the Naqada III period (c. 3200–3000 BC), and its subsequent unification with Lower Egypt ushered in the Early Dynastic period.<ref>Brink, Edwin C. M. van den (1992). "The Nile Delta in Transition: 4th.-3rd. Millennium B.C." Proceedings of the Seminar Held in Cairo, 21.-24. October 1990, at the Netherlands Institute of Archaeology and Arabic Studies. E.C.M. van den Brink. Template:ISBN.</ref> Upper and Lower Egypt became intertwined in the symbolism of pharaonic sovereignty such as the Pschent double crown.<ref>Griffith, Francis Llewellyn, A Collection of Hieroglyphs: A Contribution to the History of Egyptian Writing, the Egypt Exploration Fund 1898, p. 56</ref> Upper Egypt remained as a historical region even after the classical period.
Predynastic Egypt
The early megalithic complex of Nabta Playa located in the Aswan Museum, Upper Egypt has exhibited close resemblances to Sub-Saharan and Sahelian ceremonial centres including structures found in Ethiopia, Senegal, regions north to Morocco and West Africa.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Anthropological studies have indicated linkages to Sub-Saharan and North African populations.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Ancient Astronomy in Africa Template:Webarchive</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Holocene Settlement of the Egyptian Sahara: Volume 1: The Archaeology of Nabta Playa, by By Fred Wendorf, Romuald Schild (chapter 18: Human Skeletal Remains from Three Nabta Playa Sites, by Joel D. Irish), p. 125-128, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The main city of prehistoric Upper Egypt was Nekhen.<ref>Template:Harvp</ref> The patron deity was the goddess Nekhbet, depicted as a vulture.<ref>Template:Harvp</ref>
By approximately 3600 BC, Neolithic Egyptian societies along the Nile based their culture on the raising of crops and the domestication of animals.<ref>Template:Harvp</ref> Shortly thereafter, Egypt began to grow and increase in complexity.<ref name=Roebuck1>Template:Harvp</ref> A new and distinctive pottery appeared, related to the Levantine ceramics, and copper implements and ornaments became common.<ref name=Roebuck1 /> Mesopotamian building techniques became popular, using sun-dried adobe bricks in arches and decorative recessed walls.<ref name=Roebuck1 />
In Upper Egypt, the predynastic Badari culture was followed by the Naqada culture (Amratian),<ref>Brace, 1993. Clines and clusters</ref> being closely related to the Lower Nubian;<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Tracy L. Prowse, Nancy C. Lovell. "Concordance of cranial and dental morphological traits and evidence for endogamy in ancient Egypt", American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Vol. 101, Issue 2, October 1996, pp. 237-246</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> with some affinities with other northeast African populations,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> coastal communities from the Maghreb,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> some tropical African groups,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and possibly inhabitants of the Middle East.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
According to bioarchaeologist Nancy Lovell, the morphology of ancient Egyptian skeletons gives strong evidence that: "In general, the inhabitants of Upper Egypt and Nubia had the greatest biological affinity to people of the Sahara and more southerly areas", but exhibited local variation in an African context.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> S. O. Y. Keita, a biological anthropologist also reviewed studies on the biological affinities of the Ancient Egyptian population and characterised the skeletal morphologies of predynastic southern Egyptians as a "Saharo-tropical African variant". Keita also added that it is important to emphasize that whilst Egyptian society became more socially complex and biologically varied, the "ethnicity of the Niloto-Saharo-Sudanese origins did not change. The cultural morays, ritual formulae, and symbols used in writing, as far as can be ascertained, remained true to their southern origins."<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
The proto-dynastic kings emerged from the Naqada region.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Excavations at Hierakonpolis (Upper Egypt) found archaeological evidence of ritual masks similar to those used further south of Egypt, and obsidian linked to Ethiopian quarry sites.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Frank Yurco stated that depictions of pharonic iconography such as the royal crowns, Horus falcons and victory scenes were concentrated in the Upper Egyptian Naqada culture and A-Group Lower Nubia. He further elaborated that "Egyptian writing arose in Naqadan Upper Egypt and A-Group Lower Nubia, and not in the Delta cultures, where the direct Western Asian contact was made, further vitiates the Mesopotamian-influence argument".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
An anthropological study by Eric Crubézy (2010) on a Adaïma predynastic cemetery from 3700 CE, contained 6,000 skeletons, found affinities with a southerly African population.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> According to the study, 25% of the sampled children's teeth had "Bushmen" upper canines typical of people from Khoi-San which "confirmed the African origin of the Adamia population." <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Similarly, Christopher Ehret, historian and linguist, stated that the cultural practice of sacral chiefship and kingship which emerged in Upper Egypt in the fourth millennium had originated centuries earlier in Nubia and the Middle Nile south of Egypt. He based this judgement on supporting, archaeological and comparative ethnographic evidence.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Stan Hendrick, John Coleman Darnell and Maria Gatto in 2012 excavated petroglyphic engravings from Nag el-Hamdulab to the north of Aswan, in southern Egypt, which featured representations of a boat procession, solar symbolism and the earliest known depiction of the White Crown with an estimated dating range between 3200 BCE and 3100 BCE.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
In 2025, the UNESCO International Scientific Committee members for drafting the General History of Africa Volumes IX-XI reached the view that Egypt had African and Eurasian populations, with Upper Egypt now repositioned as the origin of pharaonic unification, with close genetic, linguistic, archaeological and anthropological affinities identified between the Upper Egyptian populations and Sub-Saharan groups.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
These cultural advances paralleled the political unification of towns of the upper Nile River, or Upper Egypt, while the same occurred in the societies of the Nile Delta, or Lower Egypt.<ref name="Roebuck1" /> This led to warfare between the two new kingdoms.<ref name="Roebuck1" /> During his reign in Upper Egypt, King Narmer defeated his enemies on the delta and became sole ruler of the two lands of Upper and Lower Egypt,<ref>Template:Harvp</ref> a sovereignty which endured throughout Dynastic Egypt.
Dynastic Egypt
In royal symbolism, Upper Egypt was represented by the tall White Crown Hedjet, the flowering lotus, and the sedge. Its patron deity, Nekhbet, was depicted by the vulture. After unification, the patron deities of Upper and Lower Egypt were represented together as the Two Ladies, to protect all of the ancient Egyptians, just as the two crowns were combined into a single pharaonic diadem.
Several dynasties of southern or Upper Egyptian origin, which included the 11th, 12th, 17th, 18th and 25th dynasties, reunified and reinvigorated pharaonic Egypt after periods of fragmentation.<ref>"It is important to note that historically not only was Upper Egypt the source of the core identifiable Egyptian culture, but that it was primarily southerners of the Eleventh/Twelfth, Seventeenth/Eighteenth, and Twenty-fifth Dynasties who politically reunited Egypt and reinvigorated its culture"Template:Cite web</ref>
For most of Egypt's ancient history, Thebes was the administrative center of Upper Egypt. After its devastation by the Assyrians, the importance of Egypt declined. Under the dynasty of the Ptolemies, Ptolemais Hermiou took over the role of the capital city of Upper Egypt.<ref>Template:Harvp</ref>
Shomarka Keita reported that a 2005 study on mummified remains found that "some Theban nobles had a histology which indicated notably dark skin".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Medieval Egypt
In the eleventh century, large numbers of pastoralists, known as Hilalians, fled Upper Egypt and moved westward into Libya and as far as Tunis.<ref>Template:Harvp</ref> It is believed that degraded grazing conditions in Upper Egypt, associated with the beginning of the Medieval Warm Period, were the root cause of the migration.<ref>Template:Harvp</ref>
20th-century Egypt
In the twentieth-century Egypt, the title Prince of the Sa'id (meaning Prince of Upper Egypt) was used by the heir apparent to the Egyptian throne.<ref group="Note">The title was first used by Prince Farouk, the son and heir of King Fouad I. Prince Farouk was officially named Prince of the Sa'id on 12 December 1933.<ref>Template:Harvp</ref></ref>
Although the Kingdom of Egypt was abolished after the Egyptian revolution of 1952, the title continues to be used by Muhammad Ali, Prince of the Sa'id.
Genetic analysis of a modern Upper Egyptian population in Adaima by Eric Crubézy had identified genetic markers common across Africa, with 71% of the cases carrying E1b1 haplogroup and 3% carrying the L0f mitochondrial haplogroup.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> A secondary review published in 2025 noted the results were preliminary and need to be confirmed by other laboratories with new sequencing methods.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
List of rulers of prehistoric Upper Egypt
The following list may not be complete (there are many more of uncertain existence):
| Name | Image | Comments | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elephant | End of 4th millennium BC | ||
| Bull | 4th millennium BC | ||
| Scorpion I | Oldest tomb at Umm el-Qa'ab had scorpion insignia | c. 3200 BC? | |
| Iry-Hor | Possibly the immediate predecessor of Ka. | c. 3150 BC? | |
| KaTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn | May be read Sekhen rather than Ka. Possibly the immediate predecessor of Narmer. | c. 3100 BC | |
| Scorpion II | Potentially read Serqet; possibly the same person as Narmer. | c. 3150 BC | |
| Narmer | The king who combined Upper and Lower Egypt.Template:Sfn | c. 3150 BC |
List of nomes
| Number | Ancient Name | Capital | Modern Capital | Translation | God |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ta-khentit | Abu / Yebu (Elephantine) | Aswan | The Frontier/Land of the Bow | Khnemu |
| 2 | Wetjes-Hor | Djeba (Apollonopolis Magna) | Edfu | Throne of Horus | Horus-Behdety |
| 3 | Nekhen | Nekhen (Hierakonpolis) | al-Kab | Shrine | Nekhebet |
| 4 | Waset | Niwt-rst / Waset (Thebes) | Karnak | Sceptre | Amun-Ra |
| 5 | Harawî | Gebtu (Coptos) | Qift | Two Falcons | Min |
| 6 | Aa-ta | Iunet / Tantere (Tentyra) | Dendera | Crocodile | Hathor |
| 7 | Seshesh | Seshesh (Diospolis Parva) | Hu | Sistrum | Hathor |
| 8 | Ta-wer | Tjenu / Abjdu (Thinis / Abydos) | al-Birba | Great Land | Onuris |
| 9 | Min | Apu / Khen-min (Panopolis) | Akhmim | Min | Min |
| 10 | Wadjet | Djew-qa / Tjebu (Antaeopolis) | Qaw al-Kebir | Cobra | Hathor |
| 11 | Set | Shashotep (Hypselis) | Shutb | Set animal | Khnemu |
| 12 | Tu-ph | Per-Nemty (Hieracon) | At-Atawla | Viper Mountain | Horus |
| 13 | Atef-Khent | Zawty (Lycopolis) | Asyut | Upper Sycamore and Viper | Apuat |
| 14 | Atef-Pehu | Qesy (Cusae) | al-Qusiya | Lower Sycamore and Viper | Hathor |
| 15 | Wenet | Khemenu (Hermopolis) | Hermopolis | Hare<ref name=WG>Template:Harvp</ref> | Thoth |
| 16 | Ma-hedj | Herwer? | Hur? | Oryx<ref name=WG/> | Horus |
| 17 | Anpu | Saka (Cynopolis) | al-Kais | Anubis | Anubis |
| 18 | Sep | Teudjoi / Hutnesut (Alabastronopolis) | el-Hiba | Set | Anubis |
| 19 | Uab | Per-Medjed (Oxyrhynchus) | el-Bahnasa | Two Sceptres | Set |
| 20 | Atef-Khent | Henen-nesut (Heracleopolis Magna) | Ihnasiyyah al-Madinah | Southern Sycamore | Heryshaf |
| 21 | Atef-Pehu | Shenakhen / Semenuhor (Crocodilopolis, Arsinoë) | Faiyum | Northern Sycamore | Khnemu |
| 22 | Maten | Tepihu (Aphroditopolis) | Atfih | Knife | Hathor |
Governorates and large cities
Nowadays, Upper Egypt forms part of these 7 governorates:
Large cities located in Upper Egypt:
- Beni Suef
- El Fashn
- Beni Mazar
- Minya
- Mallawi
- Dairut
- Asyut
- Tahta
- Sohag
- Girga
- Nag Hammadi
- Qena
- Luxor
- Edfu
- Aswan
See also
Explanatory notes
References
Citations
General and cited references
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
Further reading
- Edel, Elmar (1961) Zu den Inschriften auf den Jahreszeitenreliefs der "Weltkammer" aus dem Sonnenheiligtum des Niuserre Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen, Template:OCLC, in German.
External links
- References to Upper Egypt in Coptic Literature—Coptic Scriptorium database
Template:Sa'id / Upper Egypt Main Cities Template:Ancient Egypt topics Template:Regions of Africa