The Region and Its History - Rediscovered Sites

Aug 26, 2026

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Rediscovered Sites explores the region west of the westernmost Nile channel and traces its historical importance to Egyptology and Alexandrian studies. It explains how geography, trade routes, political pressure from expanding Asian empires, and maritime access shaped cities such as Canopus, Heracleion, Thonis, and Menouthis. Using ancient authors and papyrological and epigraphic evidence, the text connects myth, place names, and settlement history, culminating in a guide to sites and contexts that informed the development of the Ptolemaic world.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time9 min

AccessFree to download

I.The Region and Its History

Rediscovered Sites

Canopus, Menouthis, Thonis, Heracleion, Alexandria: Between Myth and Reality

# Table of Contents II.Religion and Cults # I.The Region and Its History Myths and Legends 58 Rediscovered Sites 26 AJar Bringing Hope for Eternal Life- The History of Alexandria andthe Surrounding Region 49 The Osiris-Canopus 62 Back Together after Decades Apart-Isis and Harpokrates 69 As Grey as the Fertile Riverbed-Father Nile 81 From Astronomical Observation to Mythologyand Astrology-Naos of the Decades 87 Gods,Goddesses and Pharaonic Royalty 91 Colossal and Fertile-Hapy,the Inundationof the Nile 100 Over Life-Sized-A Ptolemaic Ruling Couple 116 A Beauty from the Depths-The Dark Queen 121 As Beautiful as Aphrodite-A Ptolemaic Queen 124Underlining the Good Deeds of a Ruler-The Stele of Ptolemy VIII 134 Cults and Rituals 138 Gold for the House of the Gods-Ptolemy IIIFoundation Plaque 140 The Fear of a Forbidden Contact - Priest with Osiris-Canopus 160 A Guarantor for Fertility-Sarapis and Calathos 174Monasteries and Workshops 194Witness of the Islamic Presence-Coins 200 I.Cities,Ports and Palaces Heracleion-Thonis:Customs Station and Emporion 219 Let It Be Recognizable to All-Athena's DecorativeHelmet Crest 226 An Extraordinary Pair of Twins -The Steles of thePharaoh Nectanebo I 236 Excursus:Alexandria,the World's Trading Post 241 Excursus:The Coins 244 Daily Life in the Canopic Region 246 The Scent of Gods-An Incense Burner 256Excursus:The Metal Finds from Heracleion-Thonis 264Excursus:Egyptian Metalwork 265The Portus Magnus of Alexandria 266 The Good Spirit Watching over City and Country-The Agathodaemon 276 Annotation All 490 objects presented in the exhibition "Egypt's Sunken Treasures"are listed at the end of this vol-ume from pages 292 to 363(V.Catalogue).The references (cat.\#)in the body of the text refer to this catalogue.Readerswillfind more information here.Some objects,however,are presented within or at the end ofindividual chapters (bluepages).Notes marked within the texts are to be found at the end of the volume,from pages 376 to 378(VI.Appendices). # IV.From Excavation to Exhibition Restoration and Conservation 282 # V.Catalogue Canopus 292 Heracleion 305 Alexandria 355 # VI.Appendices Chronology 366Gods and Goddesses 370Glossary 372Notes 376Bibliography 380Contributors 394Lenders 395 Acknowledgements 395Exhibition 398Catalogue 399Imprint 400 ## 1.THE REGIONANDITSHISTORY | 26 | 1 | THE REGION | AND ITS HISTORY | | --- | --- | --- | --- | FRANCK GODDIO REDISCOVERED SITES Alexandria is a spellbinding city.During the Hellenistic Period,itsextraordinary influence spread over the entire ancient world.But thehistorical interest of this Egyptian region situated directly to the west ofthe mouth of the Nile's westernmost channel goes far beyond the fieldof and issues concerning Alexandrian studies to join Egyptology.Before the foundation of the city and its ports by Alexander the Great in331 B.C.E.,the Canopic region for over four centuries was the mainpoint of contact in the eastern Mediterranean between the Aegeanworld and the kingdom of the Pharaohs.Indeed,the Greeks and theirproducts entered Egyptian territory almost exclusively by travelling upthe western channel of the Nile to reach Memphis,the seat of royalpower and riverine crossroads linking the channels ofthe Nile to UpperEgypt. During the second millennium B.C.E.,it seems that this water-way was not the usual pathway of communication.The Egyptians werecontent merely to prevent pirates from accessing it.At that time,thePelusiac channel,the easternmost,functioned as the principal axis oftrade.It was used by Egyptian convoys heading to Asia and also byCanaanite merchant ships visiting the Two Lands.During this time,most Aegean luxury products passed via Cyprus and the Levantinecoast.During the s8th century B.C.E,conquering empires arose in Asia:Assyrians,Babylonians and then Persians reached the Mediterraneanand threatened Egypt at its eastern border by land and sea.A

FAQs

Which area does the text focus on geographically?

The focus is the Egyptian region directly west of the mouth of the Nile’s westernmost channel and its related coastal cities.

How does the book explain the region’s importance before Alexandria was founded?

It describes the Canopic region as a main contact point in the eastern Mediterranean between the Aegean world and the Pharaohs’ kingdom, especially before the city and ports were established by Alexander the Great.

What kinds of sources are used to reconstruct the cities’ positions and history?

The reconstruction relies on ancient authors alongside papyrological and epigraphic evidence, comparing occurrences of place names in old texts.

Aug 26, 2026

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