Hermopolis

Hermopolis Magna, Khemenu to the Egyptians and el-Ashmunein now, was the cult centre of Thoth, god of writing and wisdom, and one of the older cities in Egypt with a creation tradition of its own involving eight primeval deities. The site is a large mound with scattered remains, of which two things stand out. Two colossal quartzite baboons, animals sacred to Thoth, survive from a group set up by Amenhotep III, seated and worn but still several metres high. And a Christian basilica of the fifth century stands with its granite columns re-erected, built directly out of a Ptolemaic temple whose material it reused, so a classical colonnade carries a church plan. Blocks from an Amarna temple were also found reused here.

What you actually see

• Colossal quartzite baboons - Thoth's sacred animals from Amenhotep III.
• The fifth-century basilica - granite columns re-erected on a church plan.
• Reused Ptolemaic temple stone - the material the basilica was built from.
• The city mound - the scattered remains of a major cult centre.

When to go

October to April. Two hours, easily combined with Tuna el-Gebel a short drive west. Mornings are cooler and better lit for the baboons.

Honest expectations

Much of the site is an unexcavated mound and there is little standing. Signage is minimal. The village presses against the edges and rubbish is a problem. Regional travel may involve police escort arrangements that affect timing.

Nearby

Tuna el-Gebel is west at the desert edge; Antinoopolis lies across the river.