ATHRIBIS

Athribis: translation

   Greek name for the Egyptian Hutheryib, modern Tell Atrib, capital of the 10th nomeof Lower Egypt. The town is attested from at least the Old Kingdombut was particularly prominent in the Late Period and Graeco-Roman Period. Little remains on the site, but it was excavated by FlindersPetriein 1907 and subsequently by Alan Rowe in 1939 and has been under excavation by a Polish expedition since 1957. The tomb of queen Takhut, wife of Psamtik II and mother of Wahibre, was discovered here in 1951.

   A second site named Athribis is located at modern Nag ash-Shaykh Hamad in the ninth nome of Upper Egypt on the west bank of the Nile opposite Akhmim, ancient Hutrepit. The surviving remains are dated from the Late Period to the Coptic Period and include Graeco-Roman tombs and a temple dedicated to the local goddess Repit with her consort Min. The site has been examined by a German–Egyptian expedition since 1998. ATUM. Primeval creator god who was believed to have arisen from chaos, or Nun, and then produced the deitiesShuand Tefnut by spitting or masturbation. He can be depicted as a human figure or serpent. Atum worshipped at Heliopolis, where he was identified with the sun god Re. His sacred animal was the ichneumon or shrew.

   See also Religion.