Memphis

The First Capital

Memphis was founded by Narmer in the region known as Mekhattawi, which at the time marked the boundary between Upper & Lower Egypt, right at the tip of the Nile Delta. The city became the great capital of Egypt during the Early dynastic and Old kingdom periods.


In antiquaty it was called Ineb-hedj, or 'White Walls', referring-according to Herodotus-to the constraction of a dam to protect the town from the Nile floods. It later took the name of Ankh-tawi. One of the temples of Memphis dedicated to god Hut-Ka-Ptah may have been the origin of the word Aigyptos, which the Greeks used for the country as a whole-Egypt.


Memphis extended over a vast area in antiquaty, but not a great deal of the city survives. The few visible ruins are scattered amidst the palms near the village of Mit Rahina. Much of the city and its buildings remain unexplored.

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