Tjebu
Encyclopedia
Tjebu or Djew-Qa is an ancient Egypt
ian city, located on the eastern bank of the Nile
, in the modern Sohag governorate. In the Greco-Roman period, its name was Antaeopolis, and its modern name is Qaw el-Kebir.
Several large terraced funerary complexes in Tjebu by officials of the 10th Nome
during the Twelfth
and Thirteenth Dynasties
represent the peak of nonroyal funerary architecture of the Middle Kingdom
. Cemeteries of different dates were also found in the area. A Ptolemaic
temple of Ptolemy IV Philopator
, enlarged and restored under Ptolemy VI Philometor
and Marcus Aurelius, was destroyed in the first half of the 19th century.
The temple in this town was large, comparatively speaking--an 18-column pronaos, with a twelve column hypostyle hall preceding the vestibule hall, the inner sanctum, and two flanking chambers of equal size (Description de l'Egypte, pp. 422-425). The edifice was dedicated primarily to Antiwey--a warrior-like deity who represented a sort of fusion or "middle ground," so to speak, in the personalities of Seth and Horus. Nephthys was the primary goddess who received worship in this temple, or perhaps in an adjunct shrine of her own, as the corresponding female power of Antiwey. A "Prophet of Nephthys" is attested for this town (cf. Lexikon der A, E. Graefe, Nephthys, Chicago Stele).
To this day, in cliffside quarries not far from the ancient site, visitors with mettle can forge onward to see notable reliefs of both Antaeus (Antiwey) and Nephthys, the great deities of the ancient community (cf. Baedeker, 1902, etc.). At the same time, the site has again drawn most of its interest since 19th and early 20th century archaeologists have studied the maze of relatively well-preserved tombs in the district (cf. PETRIE, FLINDERS, Antaeopolis the Tombs of Qau (Egypt)
London, Quaritch 1930).
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian city, located on the eastern bank of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
, in the modern Sohag governorate. In the Greco-Roman period, its name was Antaeopolis, and its modern name is Qaw el-Kebir.
Several large terraced funerary complexes in Tjebu by officials of the 10th Nome
Nome (Egypt)
A nome was a subnational administrative division of ancient Egypt. Today's use of the Greek nome rather than the Egyptian term sepat came about during the Ptolemaic period. Fascinated with Egypt, Greeks created many historical records about the country...
during the Twelfth
Twelfth dynasty of Egypt
The twelfth dynasty of ancient Egypt is often combined with Dynasties XI, XIII and XIV under the group title Middle Kingdom.-Rulers:Known rulers of the twelfth dynasty are as follows :...
and Thirteenth Dynasties
Thirteenth dynasty of Egypt
The thirteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt is often combined with Dynasties XI, XII and XIV under the group title Middle Kingdom. Other writers separate it from these dynasties and join it to Dynasties XIV through XVII as part of the Second Intermediate Period...
represent the peak of nonroyal funerary architecture of the Middle Kingdom
Middle Kingdom of Egypt
The Middle Kingdom of Egypt is the period in the history of ancient Egypt stretching from the establishment of the Eleventh Dynasty to the end of the Fourteenth Dynasty, between 2055 BC and 1650 BC, although some writers include the Thirteenth and Fourteenth dynasties in the Second Intermediate...
. Cemeteries of different dates were also found in the area. A Ptolemaic
Ptolemaic dynasty
The Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
temple of Ptolemy IV Philopator
Ptolemy IV Philopator
Ptolemy IV Philopator , son of Ptolemy III and Berenice II of Egypt was the fourth Pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt...
, enlarged and restored under Ptolemy VI Philometor
Ptolemy VI Philometor
Ptolemy VI Philometor was a king of Egypt from the Ptolemaic period. He reigned from 180 to 145 BC....
and Marcus Aurelius, was destroyed in the first half of the 19th century.
The temple in this town was large, comparatively speaking--an 18-column pronaos, with a twelve column hypostyle hall preceding the vestibule hall, the inner sanctum, and two flanking chambers of equal size (Description de l'Egypte, pp. 422-425). The edifice was dedicated primarily to Antiwey--a warrior-like deity who represented a sort of fusion or "middle ground," so to speak, in the personalities of Seth and Horus. Nephthys was the primary goddess who received worship in this temple, or perhaps in an adjunct shrine of her own, as the corresponding female power of Antiwey. A "Prophet of Nephthys" is attested for this town (cf. Lexikon der A, E. Graefe, Nephthys, Chicago Stele).
To this day, in cliffside quarries not far from the ancient site, visitors with mettle can forge onward to see notable reliefs of both Antaeus (Antiwey) and Nephthys, the great deities of the ancient community (cf. Baedeker, 1902, etc.). At the same time, the site has again drawn most of its interest since 19th and early 20th century archaeologists have studied the maze of relatively well-preserved tombs in the district (cf. PETRIE, FLINDERS, Antaeopolis the Tombs of Qau (Egypt)
London, Quaritch 1930).