Gods of the nomes of Upper and Lower Egypt

UPPER EGYPT

 

I Nome: “the Land of the Bow”

the God representing the I nome of Upper Egypt, “the Land of the Bow” (that is the region of Philae, Elephantine, Ombos, Syene, etc.) kneeling and bringing lilies of upper egypt and ewers;
from the II Hypostyle Hall of the “Great Temple” of King Sethi I at Abydos

 

IV Nome:

 

the God representing the town Uaset (Thebes, capital city of the IV nome of Upper Egypt), and the Goddess representing the town Madou (near Thebes), both bearing offerings and Ankh-signs (the symbol of Life);
detail from the First Hypostyle Hall of the “Temple of Millions of Years” of King Ramses II at Abydos

 

VI Nome: “Crocodile”
Nitentòre-Dendera

The capital city of the VI nome of Upper Egypt is Dendera (Jwnt, whose conventional reading is “Iunet”), the highly sacred seat of the Goddess Hathor.
The modern name “Dendera” comes from t3-Nṯrt (meaning “the Goddess”), whose egyptian pronunciation is “Tentòre”. The full form of the name of the city is “Jwnt-t3-Nṯrt” (meaning “Iunet of the Goddess”), whose egyptian pronunciation is “Nitentòre” (attested in various Coptic dialects).

the God representing the VI nome of Upper Egypt, “Crocodile”, kneeling and bringing papyrus and lotus flowers, an offering table with loaves and ducks, two hanging Ankh-signs (Life) and the Uas-scepter (Power and Dominion); on His head is represented the hieroglyph for the name of the nome.
From the II Hypostyle Hall of the “Great Temple” of King Sethi I at Abydos 

 

the God representing the highly sacred city of Nitentòre-Dendera (the capital city of the VI nome of Upper Egypt) kneeling and bringing an offering table with loaves, ducks, grapes, pomegranates, figs, and lotus flowers, two hanging Ankh (Life) and the Uas-scepter (Power and Dominion).
Detail from the “Temple of Millions of Year” of King Ramses II at Abydos

 

VIII Nome: “Great Land”
Abydos

the God representing the VIII nome of Upper Egypt, “Great Land” (whose capital city is Abydos, the highly sacred seat of the Great God Osiris) kneeling and bringing papyrus flowers, a table with offerings, hanging Ankh-signs (Life) and lotus flowers; on His head is represented the hieroglyph for the name of the nome.
From the II Hypostyle Hall of the “Great Temple” of King Sethi I at Abydos

 

IX Nome: “Min”
Khemmis/Panopolis

the God representing the IX nome of Upper Egypt (“Min” is the name of the nome, and the capital is Khemmis/Panopolis) bearing offerings and Ankh-signs (the symbol of Life);
detail from the west wall of the II Hypostyle Hall of the Great Temple of King Sethi I at Abydos

 

X Nome: “Cobra”
Aphroditopolis

scene from the frieze of the east wall of the second eastern chapel of Osiris on the roof of the Temple of Hathor at Iunet (Dendera) representing the Ba-souls of the Gods of the nomes of Upper Egypt protecting Osiris:
Horus-Maaty of Aphroditopolis (capital of the X nome of Upper Egypt, “Cobra”) spreading His wings in protection of Osiris. Horus-Maaty of Aphroditopolis is represented as a jackal-headed ba-bird standing on the symbol for “gold”, wearing the Solar Crown, holding a fan and a scepter with the Ankh (Life).

 

XI Nome: “Sha”
Shótep (Šȝ-ḥtp)

the God representing the XI nome of Upper Egypt, “Sha” (that is the sacred animal of Seth), whose capital city is Shótep (Šȝ-ḥtp), kneeling and bringing an offering table with ewers, hanging Ankh-signs (Life) and the Uas-scepter; on His head is represented the hieroglyph for the name of the nome, the “sha” of Seth.
From the south exterior wall of the Red Chapel of Queen Hatshepsut from the Great Temple of Amon-Ra at Ipet Sut, the Precinct of Amon-Ra at Uaset-Thebes

 

detail from the south exterior wall of the White Chapel of King Sesostris I (from the Great Temple of Amon-Ra at Ipet Sut, the Precinct of Amon-Ra at Uaset-Thebes) representing the nomes of Egypt, their Gods, the main cities, and their measurements:

the XI nome of Upper Egypt, “Sha” (that is the sacred animal of Seth):
-in the upper register, the sacred symbol of the nome (the “sha”, no more visible);
-in the lower register,
the chief Deities of the nome, Horus (to the right, in His form of sacred falcon) and Seth (to the left, in His form of sacred “sha”),
and the main city sacred to the Gods of the nome, ‘Mi-Ker’

 

XV Nome: “Hare” (Hermopolites)
Khmoun/Shmoun (Ḫmnw, Hermopolis Megale)

the God representing the XV nome of Upper Egypt, “Hare” (Hermopolites, whose capital city is Shmoun/Khmoun, Hermopolis Megale, the highly sacred seat of Thoth) kneeling and bringing papyrus flowers and an offering table with ewers, lotus flowers, the Uas-scepter, and Ankh-signs. On His head is represented the hieroglyph for the name of the nome.
From the north wall of the Second Hypostyle Hall of the “Great Temple” of King Sethi I at Abydos

 

the God representing the highly sacred city of Khmoun/Shmoun (“the City of the Eight”, the eight Gods of the Ogdoad, the “Ancestors of the Gods”,  the capital city of the XV nome of Upper Egypt), kneeling and bringing a table with offerings, lotus flowers, two hanging Ankh (Life) and the Uas-scepter (Power and Dominion).
Detail from the “Temple of Millions of Year” of King Ramses II at Abydos

 

 

LOWER EGYPT

 

I Nome: “White Wall”
Menfi (Mn-nfr)

scene from the frieze of the west wall of the second eastern chapel of Osiris on the roof of the Temple of Hathor at Iunet (Dendera) representing the Ba-souls of the Gods of the nomes of Lower Egypt protecting Osiris: Ptah of Menfi (capital of the I nome of Lower Egypt, “White Wall”) represented as a human-headed ba-bird standing on the symbol for “gold”, wearing the Solar Crown, and spreading His wings in protection of Osiris.
Drawing from A. Mariette, “Dendera, description générale du grand temple de cette ville”, IV, plate 42

 

the God representing the I nome of Lower Egypt, “White Wall” (that is the nome of the sacred capital of Egypt, Menfi) kneeling and bringing lilies and an offering table with ewers and hanging Ankh-signs (Life) and the Uas-scepter (Power and Dominion). This sacred image has been impiously hammered and defaced by the christians…
From the II Hypostyle Hall of the “Great Temple” of King Sethi I at Abydos

 

 relief from the north wall of the Red Chapel of Queen Hatshepsut in the Great Temple of Amon-Ra at Ipet-Sut (Uaset-Thebes):
the Gods representing the IV (to the left, “Southern Shield”, Prosopites) and the V (to the right, “Northern Shield”, Saites) nomes of Lower Egypt, each bearing offering tables with ewers and hanging Ankh (Life) and Uas (Power and Dominion) signs

V Nome: “Northern Shield”
Sais

the God representing the V nome of Lower Egypt, “Northern Shield”, whose capital city is the highly sacred Sais (the seat of the Goddess Neith), kneeling and bringing papyrus flowers and an offering table with loaves, geese, and lotus flowers; on His head is represented the hieroglyph for the name of the nome.
From the II Hypostyle Hall of the Great Temple of King Sethi I at Abydos

 

relief from the north wall of the Red Chapel of Queen Hatshepsut in the Great Temple of Amon-Ra at Ipet-Sut (Uaset-Thebes):
the Gods representing (from left to right) the VIII (“East harpoon”, Heroopolites), IX (“Andjety”, Bousirites), X (“Black Bull”, Athribites), and XI (“Heseb-Bull”, Leontopolites) nomes of Lower Egypt, each bearing offering tables with ewers and hanging Ankh (Life) and Uas (Power and Dominion) signs

 

X Nome, “Black Bull” (Km-wr)
Athribi (Ḥwt-t3-ḥrj-jb)

the God representing the X nome of Lower Egypt, “the Black Bull” (‘Km-wr’, whose capital is Athribi, ‘Ḥwt-t3-ḥrj-jb’) kneeling and bringing papyrus flowers of Lower Egypt and an offering table with ewers and hanging Ankh (Life) and Uas (Power and Dominion) signs.
From the II Hypostyle Hall of the “Great Temple” of King Sethi I at Abydos

 

 

XIII Nome: “Prospering Scepter”
On (Iwnw, Heliopolis)

 the God representing the XIII nome of Lower Egypt, “Prospering Scepter” (whose capital is the highly sacred On-Heliopolis) kneeling and bringing lilies and an offering table with ewers and hanging Ankh (Life) and Uas (Power and Dominion) signs.
From the II Hypostyle Hall of the “Great Temple” of King Sethi I at Abydos

 

 

 

XVI Nome: “Dolphin” (Mendesios)
‘Djedet’/Mendes

the Goddess Hatmehyt (the divine wife of Banebdjedet) representing the XVI nome of Lower Egypt, “Dolphin” (Mendesios, whose capital city is ‘Djedet’-Mendes) kneeling and bringing an offering table with ewers, the Uas-scepter, and hanging Ankh-signs. On Her head is represented the hieroglyph for the name of the nome.
From the north wall of the Red Chapel of Queen Hatshepsut in the Great Temple of Amon-Ra at Ipet-Sut (Uaset-Thebes)