Memphis, Egypt

Memphis was the ancient capital of the first nome of Lower Egypt, and of the Old Kingdom of Egypt from its foundation until around 2200 BC and later for shorter periods during the New Kingdom.Katheryn A. Bard, Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt, Routledge 1999, p.694 It was an administrative centre throughout ancient history.Lynn Meskell, Private Life in New Kingdom Egypt, Princeton University Press 2002, p.34Ian Shaw, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, Oxford University Press 2003, p.279

Its ancient Egyptian name was Ineb Hedj ("The White Walls"). The name "Memphis" () is the Greek  of the Egyptian name of the pyramid of Pepi I (6th dynasty), which was Men-nefer,Bridget McDermott, Decoding Egyptian Hieroglyphs: How to Read the Secret Language of the Pharaohs, Chronicle Books 2001, p.130 and became Menfe in Coptic. The modern cities and towns of Mit Rahina, Dahshur, Saqqara, Abusir, Abu Gorab, and Zawyet el'Aryan, south of Cairo, all lie within the administrative borders of historical Memphis ().

Memphis was also known in Ancient Egypt as Ankh Tawy ("That which binds the Two Lands") because of the strategic position of the city between Upper and Lower Egypt.

The ruins of Memphis are 20 km (12 miles) south of Cairo, on the west bank of the Nile.


In the Bible, Memphis is called Moph or Noph.

 References 

 Sources 
 Baines & Malek Cultural Atlas of Ancient Egypt, 2000. 

 Other websites 
On the Memphis Theology
Memphis site (Windows Live Local)

Category:Capital of Egypt
Category:Archaeological sites in Egypt
Category:World Heritage Sites in Egypt
Category:Ancient Egyptian cities