Native name: بيجة | |
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  Bigeh Island Location in Egypt | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Nile River |
| Coordinates | 24°01′16″N32°53′06″E / 24.021°N 32.885°E /24.021; 32.885 |
| Adjacent to | Nile |
| Administration | |
Egypt | |
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| snmwt[1][2] inhieroglyphs | ||||
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| Era:Middle Kingdom (2055–1650 BC) | ||||
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| snm(w)t or snm(w)tt[1][2] inhieroglyphs | |||||||
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Bigeh (Arabic:بجح; Ancient Egyptianznmwt)[3] is an island and archaeological site situated along theNile River in historicNubia and within theAswan Governorate of southernEgypt. The island has been situated in the reservoir of theOld Aswan Dam since the dam's initial completion in 1902.[4][5]
It was formerly an island in theFirst Cataract of theNile River and its fortification controlled the access to ancientUpper Egypt and Nubia. It is aWorld Heritage Site, located close toPhilae andAgilkia Islands and their ancientarchaeological sites in the reservoir.[6]
Bigeh Island was sacred to theancient Egyptians.[7] They believed thatOsiris was buried on the island[8] and a temple that stood on it was known asAbaton, Greek for "untrodden place", because only priests were allowed to set foot there.[9] The temple was mentioned by bothSeneca[10] andLucan.[11]
The godThoth bore the epithets of "Great and Splendid God in Bigeh" and "He that Pacifies theNsr.t in Bigeh".[12] It is thought that there may have been a temple of Thoth on the island.
In the mid or late 3rd century AD, an embassy from KingTalakhidamani ofKush visited the Abaton with gifts.[13]
Islands ofEgypt | ||
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| Nile islands | ||
| Red Sea islands | ||
| Mediterranean Sea islands | ||
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