Abu Sir Bana
| Abu Sir Bana in hieroglyphics | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Djedu ḏdw |
|||||
| Greek | Βούσιρις = Busiris | ||||
| Coptic | Busir | ||||
Abu Sir Bana ( Arabic Abu Sir ) is now the name of an Egyptian village located in the Nile Delta on the western bank of the Damiette Arm, about 5.5 kilometers south of Samannud . In ancient times there was a city on the site that was called Busiris by the Greeks and Djedu by the Egyptians . The ancient Egyptian name is derived from the Djed pillar , the symbol of the god Osiris .
history
Not much is known about the city's early days, it is mentioned for the first time in the pyramid texts. From the Old Kingdom to the Late Period , it was the capital of the ninth Lower Egyptian Gau Anedjti , named after Anedjti , the original city deity. Already in the Old Kingdom, Osiris became the main deity of the city, which later became known as Per-Usir (neb Djedu) "Temple of Osiris" (Lord of Djedu). The Assyrian name Puširu was derived from this city name, which became Busiris in Greek and Abu Sir in Arabic .
Historically, it only played a role in the events of the Third Intermediate Period . During Pijes' attacks on Egypt in the 25th Dynasty , a Libyan prince is said to have ruled in Busiris.
religion
Like Abydos in Upper Egypt, Busiris was a center for the Osiris cult and held an important position within the Egyptian religion . The city was considered the birthplace of Osiris, and his grave is said to have been here too. His temple in Busiris was at times a place of pilgrimage . In addition to Osiris, other deities such as Isis , Horus , Schu , Anubis and Sobek were worshiped in Busiris, according to Herodotus ( Book II 95, 61) a large temple is said to have existed for Isis .
archeology
At Abu Sir Bana some monuments of the Old and Middle Kingdom as well as the late period have been discovered, but an excavation of the area is still pending. At Kom el-Akhdar , about two kilometers south, false doors and sacrificial tablets were found, possibly the city's cemetery was located here.
literature
- William Bodham Donne: Busiris . In: William Smith : Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London 1854.
- Farouk Gomaa: Busiris (Abu Sir Bana) In: Kathryn A. Bard, Steven Blake Shubert: Encyclopedia of the archeology of ancient Egypt . Routledge, London 1999, ISBN 0-415-18589-0 , pp. 179-180.
Web links
Individual evidence
Coordinates: 30 ° 55 ' N , 31 ° 15' E