Upper Egypt: Map & History
In ancient Egyptian history, the Old Kingdom is the period spanning c.
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In ancient Egyptian history, the Old Kingdom is the period spanning c. 2700 – c. 2200 BC. It is also known as the "Age of the Pyramids" or the "Age of the Pyramid Builders", as it encompasses the reigns of the great pyramid-builders of the Fourth Dynasty, such as King Sneferu, under whom the art of pyramid-building was perfected, and the kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, who commissioned the construction of the pyramids at Giza. Egypt attained its first sustained peak of civilization during the Old Kingdom, the first of three so-called "Kingdom" periods, which mark the high points of civilization in the lower Nile Valley.
Modern Countries Once Part of Upper Egypt
At its mapped extent, Upper Egypt covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Upper Egypt's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Upper Egypt in Depth
History
The first King of the Old Kingdom was Djoser (sometime between 2691 and 2625 BC) of the Third Dynasty, who ordered the construction of a pyramid (the Step Pyramid) in Memphis' necropolis, Saqqara. An important person during the reign of Djoser was his vizier, Imhotep.
It was in this era that formerly independent ancient Egyptian states became known as nomes, under the rule of the king. The former rulers were forced to assume the role of governors or otherwise work in tax collection. Egyptians in this era believed the king to be the incarnation of Horus, linking the human and spiritual worlds. Egyptian views on the nature of time during this period held that the universe worked in cycles, and the Pharaoh on earth worked to ensure the stability of those cycles.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Old Kingdom of Egypt (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Upper Egypt Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 19,657 km² in 2050 BCE.
Upper Egypt: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Upper Egypt exist?
Upper Egypt is dated to 2200 BCE – 2001 BCE, in the Bronze Age Civilizations era.
What was the capital of Upper Egypt?
The capital of Upper Egypt was Memphis.
How large was Upper Egypt at its peak?
At its peak in 2050 BC Upper Egypt covered about 19,657 km².
Other Sovereign Realms
Bronze Age Civilizations • Capital: Memphis
Bronze & Iron Age Civilizations • Capital: Ecbatana
Bronze & Iron Age Civilizations • Capital: Kamianka
Bronze & Iron Age Civilizations • Capital: Quanqiu, Qinyi, Qian, Pingyang, Yong, Jingyang, Yueyang, Xianyang