Het Nesut-Herakleopolis Magna
Capital CitiesWhat: Capital City of Lower Egypt
Known as: Child of the Pharaoh
Where: Near Faiyum, 15 km West of Beni Suef
When: First Intermediate Period 2181–2125 BC
Why: Due to a split from a united Egypt back to Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt and the Pharaohs in charge of Lower Egypt were born here
Who: Excavated by Edouard Naville and then by Flinders Petrie
History
The ancient early dynastic Sacred Lake at Het Nesut was visited by Pharaoh Den around 2965BC, during the 1st Dynasty
After the collapse of the Old Kingdom, Egypt sank into its First Intermediate Period and Egypt was split into Upper and Lower Egypt; this is when Het Nesut achieved its pinnacle and became the Capital City of Lower Egypt versus the mighty city of Thebes, the Capital City of Upper Egypt
The 9th and 10th Dynastic Periods are often referred to as the Herakleopolitan Period
Het Nesut lost its prominence after its defeat by Pharaoh Mentuhotep II who heralded in the Middle Kingdom Period
The City never again rose to be Capital but in the Third Intermediate Period, it gained religious and political importance that allowed for new construction as well as renovations to take place
Temple of Heryshaf
Constructed at the end of the First Intermediate Period to honour the God Heryshaf, a creator and fertility deity who was born in the primordial waters. A Ram headed God, known as, “He who is on His Lake”, who was identified with God Ra and God Osiris
Pharaoh Ramses II’s son, Prince Khaemwaset, better known as High Priest of Memphis or the first Egyptologist, significantly extended the Temple which remained well used throughout the remaining Dynasties
Pharaoh Merenptah, son and successor of Pharaoh Ramses II also made additions to the Temple, linking his name and using propaganda to add his father’s successes to that of his own to enhance his reign
The Ptolemies favoured Heryshaf and ensured the Temple continued in its prominence for its namesake deity
Photograph of the ruined remains of the Temple in late 1890s
Drawing of reconstructed Pillars from Temple by Flinders Petrie
