Ancient Avaris & Pi-Ramesse City

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Avaris burials

Avaris
Location Lower Egypt - northeast of the Delta
It lies on the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, which is currently silted up.
Nome19th nome of Lower EgyptCapital of Royal child - the 19th nome of Lower Egypt
Type of SettlementCapital City
Local deitySecond Intermediate Period - The desert god Seth
New Kingdom - Ra
Ancient nameHatwaret
Contemporary nameTell el-Dab'a
Qantir
Historical Development
  • Second Intermediate Period - The Hyksos built their fortified Capital city over a Middle Kingdom town they had captured.
  • New Kingdom - 18th Dynasty: Avaris was captured by Ahmose I, who ended Hyksos rule, the city was razed to the ground in the aftermath of the Egyptian triumph.
    19th Dynasty: Avaris was reoccupied when Pharaoh Ramses I founded his new capital city at the old site.
    The new city called Pi-Ramesse flourished and poems were written over its splendour.
    20th Dynasty: The demise of Egyptian authority in Syria and palestine made the city less significant.
  • Third Intermediate Period - When the 21st Dynasty established their capital in Tanis, to the north-west of Pi-Ramesse, the city deteriorated.
  • Necropolis
  • Excavations uncovered a Hyksos cemetery dating from the late 13th Dynasty, situated to the west of the main temple's enclosure wall.
    a) Vaulted mud brick tombs - the most prominent had a burial chamber measuring 2.7 x 1.7 meters and a single vault
    b) Simple pit burials
    c) Infant burials in large vessels
  • Monuments
  • The Hyksos built a Canaanite-style temple dedicated to god Seth
  • Discoveries from the 19th dynasty include the foundations of palace buildings, temples, arsenals, storehouses, stables and tombs. Pi-Ramesse spread over a vast area of about 10 square kilometers, making the city one of the largest of ancient Egypt
  • Page last updated: 15 Feb 2008
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