Ancient site · Tomb
Abydos
Also known as Abedju, Umm el-Qaab
A sacred site in Upper Egypt whose desert cemetery, Umm el-Qaab, holds the tombs of Egypt's first kings, from before the First Dynasty to the Second. Later Egyptians believed the god Osiris was buried here, and pilgrims came for his festival for thousands of years.
The temple of Seti I, built around 1290 BCE, contains the Abydos King List, which names most earlier pharaohs in order.
- Dates
- c. 4000 BCE – late Roman times
- Still standing
- Yes
- Location
- 26.18° N, 31.92° E
How we know
The early royal tombs are known from excavation and early inscriptions; later texts and temples name it as Osiris's holy city.
Nearby sites
- Luxor Temple c. 1400 BCE to Roman times
- Karnak Temple Complex c. 1970 BCE to Roman times
- Hierakonpolis (Nekhen) c. 4000–2686 BCE (main period)
- Step Pyramid of Djoser, Saqqara c. 2667–2648 BCE
- Nabta Playa c. 7500–3500 BCE; stone circle 5th millennium BCE
- Pyramids of Giza c. 2600–2500 BCE
Related
- Naqada culture archaeological culture