Akhet - The Horizon
The Provinces of Ancient Egypt
Sepats (Nomes) & their Main Cities
Upper Egypt
Maps of Ancient Egyptian Sepats (spAt) (Gr: Nomes)
Note: This is a list over the ancient Egyptian administrative provinces, which in Greek were called 'Nome', and in the ancient tongue 'Sepat'.
City names in bold signifies sepat capital. Of course this is not a complete list of the cities and towns of ancient Egypt, there are many yet which could be added.
Exact borders of the sepats is an issue for discussion, sources differ and borders as well as capitals shifted throughout time, often because the course of the water of the Nile changed.
For most of Egyptian history, at least the dynastic period, there were 22 sepats, or provinces, in Upper Egypt, but Lower Egypt was not divided into 20 sepats until the Late Period.
Each one of these sepats had their own ensign, which was carried on a standard in processions and the like. On temples in ancient Egypt these sepats were shown in relief running along the bottom of walls, as androgynous deities, with the ensign on top of their heads. They were depicted carrying offerings of various kind into the temple, showing the gifts their areas could produce for the benefit of the temple and the gods therein. The sepats of Upper Egpt was normally shown on the southern temple walls while the Lower Egypt sepats were depicted on the northern walls.
With this as a background, it might be interesting to note that when you check different sources for sepat deities, both textual and temple inscriptions, you will encounter varying info, where it is not outright missing for some reason. This should not come as a surprize, as even in a society as traditionally steeped as ancient Egypt, still changes were bound to happen over its long history. However, the sepat deities were often superceded by other, more widely reknown deities (sometimes they were identical). Sometimes, as in the case of Amun at Waset, a sepat or local deity rose to nationwide prominence.
Sepat Title & Ensign Ancient Egyptian Greek name
Modern name Deities, archaeological remains etc.
1: Ta-Sety P'aaleq Philae
Philae Temples & chapels to
Isis, Hathor, Arensnuphis, Mandulis, Imhotep,
Osiris (Bigeh)
Abu Elephantine
Elephantine Temples to Khnum, Satet, Anuket.
Chapel to governor Hekayib, Nilometer.
Swenet Syene
Assuan Ptolemaic temple to Isis
Granite quarries. Rock-cut tombs from OK to NK. , unfinished obelisk.
Pa-Sebek Ombos
Kom Ombo Joint temple of Sobek and Horus the Elder, chapel of Hathor.
2: Throne of Horus Djeba Apollinopolis- Magna
Edfu Temple to Horus of Behedet, chapels to various other deities.
Town site of most periods, tombs from Old to New Kingdom.
3: Shrine Nekhen Hierakonpolis
Kom el-Ahmar Deity:Horus of Nekhen
Temple & town remains from all periods. Pre-dynastic settlements and cemeteries.
Nekheb Eileithyiaspolis
el-Kab Temple of Nekhbet, temples of Hathor, Khnum, Menhyt, Seshemet.
Rock-cut 18-dyn. tombs.
Iunyt/Ta-Senet Latopolis
Esna Greco-Roman temple of Khnum.
Cemeteries from MK onwards.
4: Sceptre Per-Hathor/Inerty Aphroditopolis/Pathyris
Gebelein Deities: Montu, Amun, Mut, Khonsu, Sobek of Sumenu.Temple of Hathor
tombs of 1st Interm.
Djerty Tuphium
Tod Temple of Montu from 4th Dyn. onwards.
Iuny Hermonthis
Armant Temple of Montu, 11th Dyn. and later.
Bull cemetery.
Waset Thebes/Diospolis-Magna
Karnak, Luxor, West Bank Temple complex to Amun, Mut, Montu, Khonsu & various other deities.
Royal Mortuary temples, Ramesseum, Memnon colossi, rock-cut royal and private tombs, temple of Hatshepsut.
5: Two Falcons Nubt/Nebyet Ombos
Tukh Deities: Min of Gebtu, Set of Nebyet.
Predynastic and early dynastic cemeteries, mastaba tombs, pyramid of Tukh.
Gesy Apollinopolis-Parva
Qus Remains of Ptolemaic temple of Haroeris (Horus the Elder) and Heket.
Early cemeteries.
Gebtu Koptos
Qift Remains of temple of Min from MK, small Greco-roman temple to Isis and Min at el-Qal'a.
Predyn. cemeteries (Naqada), Greek & Roman remains.
6:Crocodile Iunet Tentyris
Dendera Temple of Hathor, small temple of probably Horus of Edfu,
necropolis & animal burials.
7: Sistrum Hut-Sekhem Diospolis-Parwa
Hiw Deity: Bat.
Cemeteries of all periods, animal necropolis, Greco-Roman temples.
8: Great Land Abedjou Abydos
el-Araba, el Madfuna Deities: Khent-Amentiu, Wesir.
Seti IŽs temple with chapels to Ptah, Ra-Horakhte, Amun-Re, Wesir, Aset, Heru, Nefertem-Sokar.
The King-list of Abedjou. The Osireion. Temple of Ramesses II. Cenotaphs. Pre- & Early Dynastic tombs & remains of settlement.
Tjeny Thinis
Girga(?) Mythical location of ancient capital
9: Min 9
Min Khemmis Panopolis
Akhmim Rock chapel of Min, remians of Greco-Roman temples of Min & Repyt.
Rock-cut tombs ov various periods.
Hut-Repyt Athribis
Waninna Rock-cut tombs MK period. Ptolemaic temples & tombs.
10: Cobra Tjebu/Djew-qa Antaeopolis
Qaw el-Kebir Deites: Set of Tjebu, Mihos.
12th Dyn. tombs.
11: Set Shashotep Apotheke
Shubt Deity: Set.
Smallest sepat, west bank around Deir Rifa.
12: Viper Mount Per-Nemty Hierakon
el-Atawla Deity: Anti (hawkgod).
Tombs of 6th Dyn. nomarchs.
13: Upper Sycamore and Viper Zawty Lykopolis
Asyut Deity: Wepwawet, Anubis.
Tombs of 1st Intermediate and MK.
14: Lower Sycamore and Viper Qis Cusae
el-Qusiya Deity: Hathor
Akhet-Aten el-Amarna Deity: The Aten.
Remains of Akhet-Aten, royal tomb, rock-cut tombs.
15: Hare Khmun Hermopolis-Magna
el-Ashmunein Deities: Djehuti of Hermopolis, the Ogdoad.
16: Oryx Hebenu
Jom-al-Ahmar(?) Deities: Pakhet, Khnum.
Remains of a 3rd Dyn. pyramid.
17: Jackal Hardai(?) - Deity: Anubis.
Temple known only from ancient text references, not located.
18: Anti Teudjoi Ankyrononpolis
Ankyrononpolis Deity: Anti,(hawkgod).
19: Two Sceptres Per-Medjed Oxyrhynchus
el-Bahnasa Deities: Set, cult of the Mormyrus fish.
Greco-Roman town, source of thousands of Greek Papyrii.
20: Southern Sycamore Henen-nesut Herakleopolis-Magna
Ihnasya el-Medina Temple of Harsaphes, 12th Dyn & later.
Tomb of Ramesses II at Kom-el-Aqarib
Tombs from 1st intermediate to Greco-Roman period at Sidmant el-Gebel.
21: Northern Sycamore Shenakhen/Semenuhor? Akhnaton?
Meidum Text signs of cult of Khnum at Shenakhen, Osiris at Semenuhor.
3 Dyn. pyramids.
22: The Knife Tepihu Aphroditopolis
Atfih Deity: Hathor, Sobek of the southern Lake.
From the White Chapel there are indications that The Faiyum (anc. 'Ta-She, She-resy') belonged to this sepat.
Temples & settlements from mostly Greco-Roman times.
Lower Egypt
Lower Egypt is tricky as there are sources with differing opinions on some ancient Egyptian place names and some cities are placed in different sepats too. Mainly, LE sepats were established in the Late Period, though finds of course go back to earlier periods.
Sepat Title Ancient Egyptian Greek
Modern Deities, archaeological remains etc.
1: White Wall Ineb-hedj/Men-Nefer Memphis
Mit Rahina Deities: Ptah, Sokar, Apis
Temple of Ptah, several smaller temples, embalming house of Apis bull.
Tombs of 22nd Dyn. High Priests of Memphis, palace of Merneptah.
2: Foreleg Khem Letopolis
Ausim Deities: Horus of Letopolis,Khrety (netherworld deity).
Monuments from Late Period.
3: West Imu Kom el-Hisn Deities: Hathor
MK temple of Sekhmet-Hathor
Cemeteries from MK and NK.
Raqote Alexandria
el-Iskandariya Deities: Isis, Sarapis
Ptolemaic and Roman remains.
4: Southern Shield ? Tanta Deities: Neith, Sobek.
Few archaeological explorations done.
5: Northern Shield Zau Sais
Sa el-Hagar Deity: Neith
Remains of the temple of Neith.
6: Mountain Bull Khasu Xois
Sakha Deity: Re.
Temple of Re not excavated.
Per-Wadjet/Edjo Buto
Tell el-Farain Deity: Wadjet.
Remains of two towns and one temple enclosure.
Mythical 'Pe and Dep', the "Twin cities" correspondent with Nekhen and Nekheb in Upper Egypt
7: Western Harpoon ? Hermopolis Parva
Damanhur Few archaeological excavations done.
8: Eastern Harpoon Tjeku/Per Atum(?) Pithom?
Tell el-Maskhuta Deity: Atum of Tell el-Maskhuta.
Foundations and block of temple of Atum. Fragment of a sistrum invoking Atum and Horus Sematawy.
9: Andjety Djedu Busiris
Abu Sir Bana Deity:Osiris of Djedu
Foundations of temple of Horus KhentKhety
Animal necropolis.
10: Black Ox Hut-Hery-ib Athribis
Tell Atrib Deity: Horus
Foundations of temple of Isis and Osiris
Temple of Amasis, Greco-Roman town, temple and necropolis.
11: Ox-count Taremu/Nay-ta-hut Leontopolis
Tell -el-Muqdam Deities: Shu, Tefnut, Mihos of Leontopolis.
Remains of the temple of Mihos. Tomb of Queen Kamama.
12: Calf and Cow Tjebnetjer Sebenntyos
Sammanud Deity: Inhert(Gr. Onuris)
Late Period foundation block of Inhert-Shu.
Hebyt Behbet el-Hagar Deity: Isis
Site of one of the most important shrines to Isis, a pendant in Lower Egypt to Philae in Upper Egypt.
Remians of the temple of Isis, Ptolemaic Period.
13: Prospering Sceptre Iunu Heliopolis
el-Matariya (Cairo outskirts) Deities: Atum, Iusaas & Mnevis of Heliopolis.
Temple of Re with precint and structures from all periods, obelisk of Senwosret, tombs of High Priests from 5th Dyn. and other tombs.
14: Foremost of the East Tjaru Sile
Tell Abu Seifa Deity: Set.
Blocks from temple of Horus of Mesen.
Pi-Ramesse Quantir Deity: Set
Remains of temple of Set, of mud-brick palace, military barracks & workshops.
Avaris Tell el-Daba Deity: Set.
Probable site of the Hyksos capital Avaris. Palace remains with Minoan wallpaintings for the Hyksos period. Remains of settlements from 1st to 2nd Intermediate and later the Ramesside period.
15: Ibis BaŽkh Hermopolis-Parva
el-Baqlia Deity: Djehuty of northern Hermopolis.
Outlines of themple of Djehuty, not excavated. Late Period shrine of Djehuty and other blocks.
16: Fish Djedet/Per-baneb-djedet Mendes
Tell el Rub'a Deities: Banebdjedet, Hatmehyt
Foundations of temple of Bandebdjedet, Late Period red 8 m high granite naos, mastaba tombs from OK.
17: Behdet Sma-Behdet Diospolis Inferior
Balamun(?) Deities:Horus of Behdet.
Vast temple complex with at least three temples, Amun(?) and fort, Late Period.
18: Prince of the South Per-Bast Bubastis
Tell Basta. Deities: Bast, Mihos.
Temple of Bast and other deities.
Smaller temples of 6th, 12th,18th, 22nd Dyn & Greco-Roman Period.
Cat cemeteries.
19: Prince of the North Imet Tell Nabasha Deity: Wadjet of Nabasha.
Temple enclosure of Wadjet, one temple of Ramessid Period, a smaller one by Amasis. Greco-Roman town, Late Period cemetery.
Djanet Tanis
San el-Hagar Temple enclosure of Amun and others. Precinct of Mut.
Royal tombs of 21st and 22nd Dynasties.
20: Plumed Falcon of Sopedu Per-Sopdu Saft el-Hinna Deity: Sopdu (falcon deity).
Remains of the enclosure walls of the temple of Sopdu and Late Period naos.9
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