Ancient Egypt was divided into two regions, namely Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. To the north was Lower Egypt where the Nile stretched out with its several branches to form the Nile Delta. To the south was Upper Egypt, stretching to Syene. The two kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt were united c. 3000 BC, but each maintained its own regalia. Thus, the pharaohs were known as the rulers of the Two Kingdoms (alternatively: Two Lands), and wore the pschent, a double crown, each half representing sovereignty of one of the kingdoms.
The terminology "Upper" and "Lower" derives from the flow of the Nile from the highlands of East Africa northwards to the Mediterranean Sea, so Upper Egypt lies to the south of Lower Egypt. Lower Egypt mostly consists of the Nile Delta.
There were differences between Upper and Lower Egyptians in the ancient world: they spoke different dialects and had different customs. Many of such differences and the occasional tensions they create still exist in modern times. In Egyptian Arabic, Lower Egyptians are known as baḥarwa
- Nomes of Egypt
- Ancient Egypt
- Geography of Egypt
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Famous quotes containing the words upper and lower, upper and, upper and/or egypt:
“Upper and Lower Kingdom will declare
God’s in this wooden toy,
no less
than where
great Taurus ploughs his course.”
—Hilda Doolittle (1886–1961)
“Upper and Lower Kingdom will declare
God’s in this wooden toy,
no less
than where
great Taurus ploughs his course.”
—Hilda Doolittle (1886–1961)
“Surely you wouldn’t grudge the poor old man
Some humble way to save his self-respect.
He added, if you really care to know,
He meant to clear the upper pasture, too.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“New York, you are an Egypt! But an Egypt turned inside out. For she erected pyramids of slavery to death, and you erect pyramids of democracy with the vertical organ-pipes of your skyscrapers all meeting at the point of infinity of liberty!”
—Salvador Dali (1904–1989)