Abydos temple (2007-05-274)

Abydos, one of the most ancient cities of Upper Egypt, is about 11 km (6 miles) west of the Nile. It was the capital of the eighth Nome of Upper Egypt. The Egyptian name of both the Nome and its capital city was Abdju, "the hill of the symbol or reliquary," in which the sacred head of Osiris was preserved. The Greeks named it Abydos, like the city on the Hellespont; the modern Arabic name is el-Araba el Madfuna.

Considered one of the most important archaeological sites of ancient Egypt (near the town of al-Balyana), the sacred city of Abydos was the site of many ancient temples, including a royal necropolis where early kings were entombed. These tombs began to be seen as extremely burials and in later times it became desirable to be buried in the area, leading to the growth of the town's importance as a cult site.

Today, Abydos is notable for the memorial temple of Seti I, which contains an inscription known as the Abydos King List, a chronological list showing cartouches of most dynastic pharaoh of Egypt from the first, Narmer/Menes, until Ramesses I, Seti's father. The actual Great Temple and the ancient town are largely buried under the modern buildings to the north of the Seti temple.