© Dahabiya Nile Sailing Egypt 2025
is the largest Graeco-Roman necropolis in Egypt. It is the necropolis of the ancient city of Hermopolis, which was a city of creativity, philosophy, and enlightenment, where the philosophical Hermetica was written.
The area includes homes, temples, and tombs. Most structures are dated from 300 BC to 300 AD. The earliest tombs were constructed of local shell-limestone and resembled small temples. From the early Roman period, mud-brick tombs were built and the necropolis expanded substantially. One of the best-known tombs is that of Petosiris, a priest of the god Thoth. The vivid tomb scenes include images of agriculture and the care of animals and birds.
In the catacombs of the necropolis were found tens of thousands of mummified ibis birds and also baboons, both sacred to Thoth. Most are from the 4th century BC and include mummies in sarcophagi and jars. Other highlights include the Tomb of Isadora, and a water wheel and aqueduct. Much of the area is still to be excavated, and it will continue to show us how the Greeks and Romans lived and teach us about how they became Egyptanized through interaction with the local people.
More information about ongoing excavation research can be found at https://www.tuna-el-gebel.com/en/. More about the mummified ibis: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23788261 We highly recommend the book “Divine Creatures-Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt” by Salima Ikram
This ecological complex offers accommodation (a retreat), including a library, and a restaurant, but it is unique in Egypt because it offers engagement with philosophy, connects the past of the area to the present, and involves and supports the local community.
New Hermopolis was founded by Dr. Mervat Abdel-Nasser with the mission of capitalising on Middle Egypt’s heritage for the cultural and economic development of this region. Its founding is connected to the thought and philosophy of Ancient Hermopolis, with its belief in the possibility of harmonious living and the power of art to transform society.
It was built in a unique architectural style in Tuna El Gebel village, Minya. Set amid landscaped gardens and against a backdrop of breathtaking mountain scenery, the architecture is in harmony with the outside desert landscape and was influenced by nearby Beni Hassan and the work of architect Hassan Fathy.
New Hermopolis also serves as a cultural space, holding events from workshops to performances for the benefit of the local community and international visitors. It also has an organic farm, and produces extra-virgin olive oil. The famous Egyptian blue lotus/water lily shown in many ancient Egyptian artworks is grown here, and limited quantities of perfume oil and tea are produced from its flowers.
More about the connection of philosophy between New Hermopolis and the original city: https://www.newhermopolis.org/philosophy.php
We recommend the book “The Path to the New Hermopolis: The History, Philosophy, and Future of the City of Hermes” by Mervat Nasser.
These rock inscriptions in the cliffs around Akhetaten, the city founded by Akhenaten, are among the oldest recorded statements of the foundation of a city. They present the city as being made for the god Aten, the visible form of the sun god Ra.
After the death of Akhenaten, the city lost its position as the royal power base, and its monuments were dismantled under subsequent rulers. By the reign of Ramesses II, the name and image of Akhenaten were purposefully destroyed because of his prioritising the Aten over other gods. Images above the inscriptions on the boundary stelae were erased, as were references to the king in the inscriptions.
There are two groups of stelae. Three are on the northern and southern ends of the cliffs east of the city, on the east bank of the river; although damaged, they have the same inscription of dedication as the city to the Aten. The other 11 stelae have similar inscriptions and give a clearer indication of the extent of the city. The boundary stela we will see shows Akhenaten with his wife Nefertari and their daughters presenting offerings to Aten.
More about the Boundary Stelae https://oi.uchicago.edu/sites/oi.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/shared/docs/ar/81-90/83-84/83-84_Amarna.pdf
We recommend the book “The Boundary Stelae of Akhenaten (Studies in Egyptology)” by Professor William J. Murnane and Professor Charles C. Van Siclen III.
Near this village was the city of Khemenu (Ḫmnw) which means “town of eight”. According to a creation myth, there were eight primaeval deities, four frog gods and four snake goddesses, who created the cosmos here. It was known as Shmun in Coptic, and its modern Arabic name is derived from this.
This was a centre of worship for the god Thoth, the god of wisdom, writing, and healing, who was often depicted in the form of a baboon or as a man with the head of an ibis. It was known during Greco-Roman times as Hermopolis, or the City of Hermes, as the Greek god Hermes was associated with Thoth.
Monuments include a ruined agora and an early Christian basilica which was built on the site of a Ptolemaic temple. Among the remains of a temple built by Rameses II, excavators in the 1930s found more than one thousand re-used talatat (small blocks of limestone that made construction easier because of their relative light weight) brought from the dismantled Aten temples at Amarna. Two large baboon statues over 4.5 meters high remain, probably from the entrance to the Temple of Thoth, built by Amenhotep III. There is also a small museum.
The city was planned and included the Great Temple of the Aten, the Small Aten Temple, royal residences, and government buildings. We explore the ancient city and necropolis remains, including the palace where Akhnaton, his wife Nefertiti, and his son Tutankhamun lived; temples; the royal tomb; and the tombs of the nobles.
is a unique site because in the upper cemetery, the images and inscriptions on the walls of some of the tombs still have their original colours and details, showing traditional scenes of daily life.
Dating from the 6th to 12th Dynasties (the late Old Kingdom, First Intermediate Period and into the Middle Kingdom), the tombs are cut into two ridges half-way up the mountain. They have an impressive view across the escarpment and the Nile. In the upper cemetery are rock-cut tombs of the administrators of the region. The lower cemetery has a series of shaft and pit tombs at the base of the cliffs; it includes tombs of officials who were connected to those buried in the upper cemetery.
Among the best known tombs are those of Khety, Baqet I and Baqet III from the 11th Dynasty, and Khnumhotep I, Khnumhotep II and Amenemhat from the early-mid 12th Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. The number of tombs accessible to the public varies, usually there are four. Among the famous scenes depicted here are wrestling and possibly a documentation of the visit to Egypt of Biblical Abraham (or Ibrahim). The view of the area is excellent. Also a highlight is the current cemetery, which we will see on the way. It features a specific dome architecture, which was a source of inspiration for the architecture at New Hermopolis.For more information, visit https://benihassan.comA virtual tour of the tomb of Kheti in Beni Hasan, but being there yourself will be more exciting https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=QaGBAsT6yg4&mls=1
© Dahabiya Nile Sailing Egypt 2025