_Thebes_, in Egyptian [glyphs] US·T "_the city of the Us-sceptre_", or [glyphs] NU·T AMEN "_the city of_ the god _Amen_", was situated on the land occupied at present by {88}the villages of Karnak and Luxor on the east, and Drah-abul-Neggah, Dêr-el-baheri, Qurnah, Medinet-Habu, and others on the west bank of the Nile. It was undoubtedly the largest city of the ancient world, and the principal seat of the worship of Amen or Amen-Râ. During the greater part of Egyptian history it was the capital of all Egypt. Nowhere on the face of the earth are so many ancient monuments gathered together as here. Suffice it to mention the wonderful temples of Karnak and Luxor in the city proper, which was called [glyphs] APIU·T "_the city of thrones_" (from which with the prefixed feminine article TA the word "Thebes" is derived) and a number of obelisks, and the Tombs of the Kings with their mausolea, especially the Memnonium of Ramses II., the monster statues of Amenophis III., and many other monuments in western Thebes. _Coptos_, in Egyptian [glyphs] QEBTI·T, the modern Kuft, at the end of the road leading from Kossêr on the Red Sea, was formerly a place of great commercial activity, and became a mart for the products of Arabia and the far East. On this road to Kossêr are the extensive quarries of Hammamât, the ancient [glyphs] DU EN BEKHEN "_the mountain of the bekhen-stone_". _Denderah_, in Egyptian [glyphs] AN·T, "_the city of pillars_", or [glyphs] TA-EN-TA-RER·T, with the grand and well-preserved temple of Hathor, [glyphs]. _Abydos_, in Egyptian [glyphs] ABDU or [glyphs] ABDU·T, was especially famous for the temple of Seti I. Here also was said to be the tomb of the god Osiris near which it was the highest honor to be buried. {89}_El-Khargeh_, in Egyptian [glyphs] KENEM·TI, an oasis to the west of Thebes, at one time belonging to the VIIth nome of Upper Egypt. _Thinis_, in Egyptian [glyphs] THENI·T, was according to tradition the home of the first Egyptian Pharaoh, Menes. Its site is now probably occupied by the village of El-Tineh. _Panopolis_, the Greek designation for the city called [glyphs] PER-KHEM·T, "_the city of the temple of the god Khem_", the modern Akhmîm, was the seat of the worship of Khem whose festivals were conducted with various gymnastic exercises, especially that of climbing smooth poles represented thus: [glyphs]. _Sioot_, the modern name of the ancient [glyphs] SAÎU·T, is at present the largest city of Upper Egypt. A number of rock-tombs are in the neighborhood. Its local deity was the jackal-headed god Anubis. _Tel-el-Amarna_ is the present site of a city founded by Amenophis IV., which he named [glyphs] KHU EN ATEN, "_the glorious house of the sun-god Aten_". It was this king who introduced the sole worship of the sun-disk and was ever after considered a heretic. Cf. the picture on page 30.