Tanis
Capital CitiesWhat:
Capital of the 14th Nome of Lower Egypt
Tanis became the Capital City of Egypt in 21st Dynasty
It became known as The Northern Thebes with the same Triad of religious deities which Tanis adopted and who were then named the Tanite Triad
Unused when the Capital was moved back to Memphis in the 25th Dynasty
Where:
Nile Delta on the Tanitic Branch of the Nile
When:
Became the Capital City in the 21st Dynasty and continued on to the 22nd Dynasty
After the 22nd Dynasty finished, Tanis remained as the Capital of the 19th Nome of Lower Egypt
Illustration of the Great Temple of Amun in Tanis
Was Tanis really Tanis?
When Tanis was firstly excavated there was confusion between Egyptologists as to whether this Capital was not Tanis but instead was the legendary Capital City of Ramses II, Pi-Ramses.
Why? Some of the building blocks which were found belonged to Pi-Ramses.
Again, why? This is due to the former Capital, Pi-Ramses, being abandoned when the Nile branch the city was on, silted up, and the Egyptians moved the blocks of many of the important buildings from Pi-Ramses to Tanis, the new Capital.
Furthermore, the discovery of the “Year 400 Stela” (see picture on the right) inside the Great Temple of Amun at Tanis, brought to mind the conclusion that Tanis was also the Capital City, Avaris. Until that was also understood to have been relocated and the Capital City of Avaris was found. Any confusion then makes sense!
