Ancient site · Aswan
Nekhen
Nekhen, also called Hierakonpolis, was the religious and political capital of Upper Egypt at the dawn of Egyptian history and a cult centre of Horus.
The story
Nekhen, known in Greek as Hierakonpolis, the City of Hawks, and in Arabic as el-Kom el-Ahmar, was the religious and political capital of Upper Egypt at the end of prehistoric times, around 3200 to 3100 BC, and probably into the Early Dynastic Period. It lies on the west bank of the Nile between Esna and Edfu and was a cult centre of the god Horus. Excavations have uncovered tombs, temples, breweries and houses from the predynastic era, including the oldest known tomb with painted decoration. The Narmer Palette, one of the earliest depictions of Egyptian kingship, was found here.
Good to know
- Its Greek name, Hierakonpolis, means City of Hawks, a reference to Horus.
- It yielded the Narmer Palette and the oldest known tomb with painted decoration.