Buto (Tell el-Fara’un) A site south of tanis in the Delta, the capital of Lower Egypt in Predynastic times called Pe, or Per-Wadjet, the House of wadjet, predynastic tombs and some dating to the First Dynasty (2900-2770 b. c.e.) were discovered in Buto, which remained popular as the seat of power for the legendary kings of Egypt’s Prehistoric Period (before 3000 b. c.e.). In all major festivals these rulers were portrayed as the SOULS OF PE in Lower Egypt, and as the souls OF NEKHEN (hierakonpolis) of Upper Egypt. These legendary kings greeted each new claimant to the throne during the coronation rituals and were called upon to serve as the guardians of the land in each new generation.
Buto was divided into Pe and Dep. Three mounds remain on the site, two from the town and one a ruined temple. ramesses ii (r. 1290-1224 b. c.e.) donated various objects as offerings, and shoshenq v (r. 773-735 b. c.e.) erected a stela there. The ruined mounds provide the modern name of Buto, Tell el-Fara’un, “the Mound of the Pharaohs.”
See also MUU dancers.
Byblos (Kubna, Gubla) A city of Phoenicia, an ancient seaport of modern Lebanon, that was allied to Egypt throughout its history and was a vassal city-state for a time. Egyptian records indicate that trade between the two nations started as early as c. 2700 B. C.E. SNEFRU (r. 2575-2551 b. c.e.) had 40 ships built to sail to Byblos to collect cedar logs. In the Twelfth Dynasty (1991-1783 b. c.e.) the city became a dependency of the pharaohs, and trade increased. Byblos was
An allied state of Egypt during the New Kingdom (1550-1070 B. C.E.).
Byssus This was the name given to fine linen products developed in certain regions in Egypt, especially in AKHMIN. Originally believed to be of cotton, the byssus products have been found to contain quality linen.
Byssus, the fine linen of Egypt, is being spun by a woman in a relief in the tomb of Khnumhotep. (Hulton Archive.)
World History
