Thebes

Thebes was not the administrative capital of Egypt, but it ranked first in religious terms from the New Kingdom (about 1550-1069 BC) onwards. The kings of the New Kingdom were buried in Thebes, and the temple of Amun is one of the most important in the country.

Thebes in the Middle Kingdom (2025-1700 BC) In the First Intermediate Period the town became important because one of the ruling families was from Thebes. This family united Egypt in the Eleventh Dynasty. There are several important buildings of that period in Thebes.

Thebes in the New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC)
	examples of tomb paintings		temples of the king's cult (mortuary temples)
finds from the Valley of the Kings (the burial place of the kings)		tombs of the nobles from the New Kingdom
Petrie at Thebes	Malqata	Thebes on a map.	background

Thebes after the New Kingdom
21st Dynasty	Third Intermediate Period and later	the god's wife of Amun

Distribution of finds from West Thebes 1908-9 | Distribution of finds from West Thebes 1896