Mendes (Tell el-Rub'a)
ʿnpt / Djedet · Mendes · Tell el-Ruba · Tell el-Rub'a
Predynastic to Ptolemaic to Late Antique·Egyptian (Lower Egyptian Delta)·🇪🇬 Dakahlia Governorate, Nile Delta east – Daqahliyah branch, Egypt
About
About Mendes (Tell el-Rub'a)
Delta metropolis and cult centre of ram god Banebdjedet (Greek Mendes), capital of 16th Nome and briefly capital of 29th Dynasty (Nepherites I, c.399–380 BCE) under Persian-period independence. Tell el-Ruba core (3 km²) with Old Kingdom mastaba cemetery, New Kingdom Temple of Banebdjedet, Late Period necropolis of sacred rams (coffins with ram mummies), and Neferites I royal necropolis. Redford-Brigham Young–Penn State excavations 1965– (New York Univ). Great Hymn-like Mendes stele (Ptolemy II) found here.
Why it mattersRam necropolis unique; 29th Dynasty royal necropolis; Delta Old Kingdom settlement hierarchy.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Exact location of Nepherites palace?
- 02Mendesian branch course shift chronology
Theories
- 01Mendes as Delta's response to Theban-Hermopolis axis collapse
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Predynastic village c.3500 BCE; Old Kingdom mastabas c.2600 BCE; 29th Dyn capital c.399 BCE
- Period
- Predynastic to Ptolemaic to Late Antique
- Culture
- Egyptian (Lower Egyptian Delta)
- Builders
- Nepherites I (Baenre) 399 BCE palace; earlier Pepi I temple
- Purpose
- Ram-god cult city and Delta administrative capital controlling Daqahliya branch
- Abandoned
- Late Roman silting of Mendesian branch c.400 CE, moved to nearby
- Rediscovered
- 1798 Napoleonic Description; 1964 Hansen Redford excavations
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c.2600 BCE
Old Kingdom mastaba field
399 BCE
Nepherites I makes Mendes capital of independent Egypt
1965
Redford NYU/ Penn State begins seasons
On the ground
Structures & features
30.9630° N · 31.5160° E · 12 m · 3 mapped features
Temple of Banebdjedet (Ram Temple)
templeLate Period ram cult temple with pylon
30.9631° N · 31.5161° ERam necropolis vaults
necropolisRam coffin catacombs with mummies
30.9629° N · 31.5159° EOld Kingdom mastaba field
necropolis4th–6th Dynasty brick mastabas
30.9630° N · 31.5160° E
Gallery