Naqada (Nubt / Ombos)
Nbwt · Naqada · Nubt · Nubt of Seth
Predynastic (Naqada I Amratian to III Protodynastic)·Naqada (Upper Egyptian protodynastic)·🇪🇬 Qena Governorate, Nile west bank – Naqada bend, Egypt
About
About Naqada (Nubt / Ombos)
Type-site of Predynastic Upper Egypt — Naqada I–III cultures (c.4000–3000 BCE) that unified Egypt: eponymous cemeteries N7000+ graves at Naqada, Ballas, Nubt town (gold-worker's town of Seth). Flinders Petrie & Quibell 1894 excavations created Sequence Dating petrie system, first Predynastic seriation worldwide. Nubt walled town on desert spur with temple of Seth (the murderer of Osiris), contested with Hierakonpolis/ Abydos for kingship. Shows Naqada expansion north to Delta replacing Buto-Maadi.
Why it mattersEponymous Naqada sequence — first predynastic seriation; unification war archaeology; Seth gold town.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Was Naqada capital before Hierakonpolis/Abydos takeover?
- 02Gold source — Eastern Desert mines or Nubian trade
Theories
- 01Naqada III expansion as military conquest of Buto-Maadi Lower Egypt — Kaiser vs Hoffman debate
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Badari predecessor c.4300 BCE at site; Naqada I c.4000 BCE; Nubt town 3600 BCE
- Period
- Predynastic (Naqada I Amratian to III Protodynastic)
- Culture
- Naqada (Upper Egyptian protodynastic)
- Builders
- Naqada chiefs of Seth cult
- Purpose
- Gold-town of Seth and cemetery type-site defining predynastic chronology
- Abandoned
- Old Kingdom shift to Coptos 2200 BCE, Seth temple burnt Late Period
- Rediscovered
- 1894 Petrie 3000 graves in 4-month season; 1978 Fekri Hassan resurvey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1894
Petrie 7000 graves at Naqada-Ballas creates Sequence Dating
c.3600 BCE
Nubt temple of Seth built on spur
1895
de Morgan identifies Nubt gold town
On the ground
Structures & features
25.9100° N · 32.7180° E · 90 m · 3 mapped features
Cemetery T (Royal? Naqada II)
cemetery300 elite graves with palettes and gold
25.9101° N · 32.7181° ENubt Seth town spur
townWalled town and temple of Seth on desert spur
25.9099° N · 32.7179° ESouth Town (Zawayda)
settlementNaqada II–III domestic terraces
25.9100° N · 32.7180° E
Gallery