Lesson plan
Herwer
Herwer was an ancient Egyptian town in the 16th nome (Oryx nome) in Upper Egypt. It is mentioned in several ancient inscriptions dating from the Old, Middle and New Kingdom. The main deities of the place were Khnum and Heqet, both several times called lord or lady of Herwer. Perhaps in the Middle Kingdom, the place became the capital of the 16th Upper Egyptian nome. The local governor Amenemhat of that nome was indeed overseer of the priests of Khnum of Herwer. The place is often mentioned in the tombs of Beni Hasan. The localisation of Herwer remains problematic. Yet however, in the Onomasticon of Amenope and in the Turin Papyrus 118.11, Herwer is referred to as north of Hermopolis, which excludes an identification with Antinoöpolis. Certainly, however, the place was on the west side of the Nile in the 16th Upper Egyptian nome as in the inscriptions in Beni Hasan, suggesting Herwer is identical to the modern village of Hur ( ) situated northwest of Hermopolis Magna.
Article summary
Herwer was an ancient Egyptian town in the 16th nome (Oryx nome) in Upper Egypt. It is mentioned in several ancient inscriptions dating from the Old, Middle and New Kingdom. The main deities of the place were Khnum and Heqet, both several times called lord or lady of Herwer. Perhaps in the Middle Kingdom, the place became the capital of the 16th Upper Egyptian nome. The local governor Amenemhat of that nome was indeed overseer of the priests of Khnum of Herwer. The place is often mentioned in the tombs of Beni Hasan. The localisation of Herwer remains problematic. Yet however, in the Onomasticon of Amenope and in the Turin Papyrus 118.11, Herwer is referred to as north of Hermopolis, which excludes an identification with Antinoöpolis. Certainly, however, the place was on the west side of the Nile in the 16th Upper Egyptian nome as in the inscriptions in Beni Hasan, suggesting Herwer is identical to the modern village of Hur ( ) situated northwest of Hermopolis Magna.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.