Upper Egypt

From ArchaeoWiki

Upper Egypt is the term conventionally employed to refer to the region of Egypt—mostly ancient, but also contemporary—that encompasses the narrow Nile River Valley (river, cultivation and adjoining desert plateau) between the First Cataract in the south to the apex of the Nile Delta region in the north. The latter point is located immediately south of the modern city of Cairo.

The ancient Egyptian term is transliterated ta Shemau, meaning "the land of reeds".

The symbolic politico-religious capital of Upper Egypt was located at Nekhen (Hierakonpolis), its patron deity being the vulture goddess Nekhbet. During the Middle and New Kingdom periods, however, the political-administrative capital of Upper Egypt was situated within ancient Thebes.

By the historical period, Upper Egypt was divided into 22 separate nomes, the first being located in the region of Elephantine (near modern Aswan).

With regard to pharaonic regalia, Upper Egypt was represented by the tall conical White Crown. A flowering lotus represented its floral insignia.

Within the strongly dualistic Egyptian cosmography, Upper Egypt was conceived of as being balanced by Lower Egypt, the Delta region.