Tanis: Did you mean...?

World History Encyclopedia is joined by Egyptologist and author Garry Shaw to chat about his new book Egyptian Mythology: A Traveller's Guide from Aswan to Alexandria. Kelly (WHE): Do you want to start with telling us what the book is about...

Per-Ramesses was the new capital of Egypt built by Ramesses II (1279-1213 BCE). However, due to the shifting of the Nile, the city was abandoned, largely dismantled, and moved south to the new city of Tanis with some monuments taken to Bubastis...

Limestone relief from the Chapel of Ptolemy II at Tanis in the Nile Delta representing Ptolemy II facing Arsinoe II (San el-Hagar, ca. 275-250 BCE; BM reg. no. 1885,1101.5, inv. no. EA-1056). Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum...

Statue of the Nile God Hapy, from Thebes, Karnak, temple of Amun-Ra, Egypt, 22nd Dynasty, reign of Osorkon I, c. 924-889 BCE. The fleshy body symbolizes the Nile's fertility. Hapy holds a table of offerings, from which hang geese, quails...

Sphinx in black granite; from Tanis. Drawn by G. Bénédite. From A History of Art in Ancient Egypt, Vol. II by Georges Perrot and Charles Chipiez (1883).