ABYDOS.
 

355
 

ABYDOS.*
 

The Ruins of Abydos.    {After Mariette).
 

A Ancient town.

c Temple of Rameses II.

E Coptic convent.

k
 

B Temple of Seti I.
D Temple of Osiris.
 

Abydos, t in Egyptian ^J^ Abtu, Coptic e.S.COT",
Arabic ^\rabat el-Madfunah, on the west bank of the Nile,
was one of the most renowned cities of ancient Egypt; it
was famous as the chief seat of the worship of Osiris in
Upper Egypt, because the head of this god was supposed to
be buried here. The town itself was dedicated to Osiris,
and the temple in it, wherein the most solemn ceremonies
connected with the worship of this god were celebrated, was
more revered than any other in the land. The town and
its necropohs were built side by side, and the custom
usually followed by the Egyptians in burying their dead

* The Temples at Abydos are visited by Messrs. Cook's travellers
on the return journey to Cairo.

t Greek *A/3i;^oc ; see Pape, Worterbuch, p. 4.    That the name was
pronounced Abydos, and not Abydos, is clear from :—

Kal ^riarbv KufA^vdov ixov Kai dlav * A.pia^n^*

Iliad, ii., 8^6,
2   Pi.   2