Abydos

Abydos is a large city of Middle Khemit, which is known for its several major temples and burial grounds. The most important temple is the high seat of the temple of Isis, Khemitian mother-goddess of life and magic. Her temple includes an important school for kheri-hebu, or priest-mages. Also present is the high seat of the temple of Anhur, god of war and the hunt; many soldiers passing through the area take time to make a sacrifice at his altar. The city has a secondary temple to Horus (whose main temple is in Edefu) and a major temple of Thoth, though his high seat is in Hermopolis.
Although the high seat of Osiris was moved to Menefet several hundred years ago, the Osiris temple in Abydos is still much used. For one thing, it includes the symbolic tomb of Osiris, who according to Khemitian theology was killed and then resurrected and now dwells in the Underworld. When this temple was primary, the area was the burial place of many of the ruling class; nobles of the Middle Kingdom are sometimes still buried in the historic necropolis here, which is known as Umm Alkhah.

Settlement

Abydos, City of

Ruler

Principle Administrator Hophra-anu-tep

Government

bureaucracy

Population

44,865 (mostly Khemitite)

Type

City

Owning Organization

Khemit