Learn about the major regions of Egypt.
Life in ancient Egypt was concentrated along the shores of the Nile, and divided into two regions.
Lower Egypt (north) was situated on the Nile Delta near the Mediterranean, and Upper Egypt was at the south reaching into Africa.
Due to its proximity to the Mediterranean, temperatures in Lower Egypt were less extreme than in Upper Egypt.
Until 3100 BCE and the unification of Egypt, each region had its own pharaoh and crown.
Lower Egypt's crown was red, and marked with symbols of papyrus and bees.
Upper Egypt's crown was white with symbols of lotus and sedge grass.
Both regions had competing major cities, most notably Memphis in Lower Egypt, and Thebes in Upper Egypt.
There were different religious cults in both regions, each worshipping their own major gods.
Many of the temples were designed in such a way as to represent the two regions, and ceremonies often incorporated Upper and Lower Egypt in their rituals.