Memphis is an Egyptian city.
Egypt has a lot of historical sites that draw tourists from all over the world. One of these is the ancient city of Memphis. Because they thought the pharaohs were important and religion was a big part of their lives, they used imported goods to build their civilization.
Egypt is known as “the cradle of civilization” because its civilization goes back more than 4000 years BC. Civilization began along the banks of the Nile because the land there was good for farming. This civilization happened before Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt were brought together as one country. However, the history of this civilization became important after Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt were brought together.
Memphis used to be the capital of Egypt in the past. Memphis is thought to have been Egypt’s first capital. Memphis was once the most populous city in the world, and its history is very important. Memphis, the necropolis of Saqqara, and the Pyramids of Giza are all important parts of the country’s history.
About Memphis’s past
King Menes was Egypt’s first ruler and started the first dynasty. When King Menes united Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt, he built Memphis as the capital of Egypt. It was first built in 3200 BC. From the First Dynasty to the Eighth Dynasty, Memphis was the capital. It was found again when King Ramses II and Merenptah were in power (pharaohs of the XIX dynasty).
Their local god was Ptah, the god of creation, and people thought that Ptah would protect Memphis. In the past, there were almost 30,000 people living there, and there were many factories and warehouses. It was the most important place for business and religion.
When Thebes, Pi-Ramsis, and Tanis were built, the god Ptah thought of Memphis as the second most important city in Egypt because of its religious importance. It was left empty in 641, and its ruins were used to build the capital city of Cairo. Since Alexandria was built as the new capital, Memphis started to become less important.
How the Name Came to Be
In the old empire, Memphis was called “Ine-hedy,” which means “the white wall for the King’s palace,” because it was made of white stones. In the Middle Empire, it was called “Anj-tauy,” which means “the balance of the two lands.” It was called “Men-Nefer,” which means “steady in beauty,” back then. It was called Menphe in Coptic and Memphis in Greek.
The Building of Memphis
It was built on the west bank of the southern delta of the Nile River. Cairo is 19 km away. Ancient writings in other temples tell about the city, but it has not been kept in its original form. Some statues and other artefacts from the Temple of Ptah can be found in the city of Memphis, where the temple used to be.
The Open Air Museum is there. One thing that makes this place stand out is a big sphinx that is 4 m tall and 7 m long. The sphinx weighs about 80 tonnes. People say that the sphinx was made in honour of Queen Hatshepsut. There are many statues of King Ramses II in other museums. However, there is one colossus of Ramses II that used to be 13 m tall but is now only 10 m tall because part of one of his legs was broken off.
Regarding Memphis
Egypt’s first capital was Memphis. The three main gods of Memphis were Ptah, his wife Sekhmet, and their son Nefertem. Menes put the capital between Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt because he wanted to bring the whole country together. It was the city with the most people until 2250 BC. Memphis and its cemetery were named a World Heritage Site in 1979. Today, people call Memphis “Mit-Rahina.”
Egypt via travel has more information.
Do not miss the chance to see the most important pharaonic sites in Cairo, such as Memphis, Saqqara, and the three Pyramids of Giza. A tour is a great way to learn about the history of “the land of the pharaohs,” Egypt. Choose the Egypt travel package or Nile cruise that works best for you.
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