Qus
Encyclopedia
Qus is a city in the modern Qena Governorate, Egypt
, located on the east bank of the Nile
. Its modern name is one of many borrowings in Egyptian Arabic
from Coptic
, the last living phase of Ancient Egyptian
. In Graeco-Roman times, it was called Apollonopolis Parva
or Apollinopolis Parva (Greek
: ; ), or Apollonos minoris.
The ancient city of Gesa stood on the eastern bank of the Nile
, and belonged to the Hypseliote nome. Its necropolis was located opposite of the city, on the western bank.
Gesa was an important city in the early part of Egypt
ian history. Because at that time it served as the point of departure for expeditions to the Red Sea
. The city gradually lost its importance, only to regain it in the 13th century with the opening of an alternate commercial route to the Red Sea
. Since then, Qus replaced Qift
as the primary commercial center for trading with Africa
, India
, and Arabia. It thus became the second most important Islam
ic city in medieval Egypt
, after Cairo
.
Nowadays, only two pylons of the Ptolemaic temple of Harwer (Horus
the Elder) and Heqet
remain.
Today, Qus is the site of a major American
/German
commercial project to convert the waste products of sugar cane refining (bagasse) into paper products.
The modern population of Qus is around 300,000.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, located on the east bank of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
. Its modern name is one of many borrowings in Egyptian Arabic
Egyptian Arabic
Egyptian Arabic is the language spoken by contemporary Egyptians.It is more commonly known locally as the Egyptian colloquial language or Egyptian dialect ....
from Coptic
Coptic language
Coptic or Coptic Egyptian is the current stage of the Egyptian language, a northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century. Egyptian began to be written using the Greek alphabet in the 1st century...
, the last living phase of Ancient Egyptian
Egyptian language
Egyptian is the oldest known indigenous language of Egypt and a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. Written records of the Egyptian language have been dated from about 3400 BC, making it one of the oldest recorded languages known. Egyptian was spoken until the late 17th century AD in the...
. In Graeco-Roman times, it was called Apollonopolis Parva
Apollonopolis Parva (Coptos)
Apollonopolis Parva or Apollinopolis Parva or Apollonos Vicus , was an ancient town of the Thebaid, in the Coptite Nome, in latitude 26° north, situated between Thebes and Coptos. It stood on the eastern bank of the Nile, and carried on an active trade with Berenice and Myos Hormos, on the Red Sea...
or Apollinopolis Parva (Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: ; ), or Apollonos minoris.
The ancient city of Gesa stood on the eastern bank of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
, and belonged to the Hypseliote nome. Its necropolis was located opposite of the city, on the western bank.
Gesa was an important city in the early part of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian history. Because at that time it served as the point of departure for expeditions to the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
. The city gradually lost its importance, only to regain it in the 13th century with the opening of an alternate commercial route to the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
. Since then, Qus replaced Qift
Qift
Qift is a small town in the Qena Governorate of Egypt about 43 km north of Luxor, on the east bank of the Nile.-History:In ancient Egypt, Qift, known then as Gebtu, was an important center for administration, religion, and commerce, being the chief city of the fifth Upper Egyptian Nome of Harawî...
as the primary commercial center for trading with Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Arabia. It thus became the second most important Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic city in medieval Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, after Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
.
Nowadays, only two pylons of the Ptolemaic temple of Harwer (Horus
Horus
Horus is one of the oldest and most significant deities in the Ancient Egyptian religion, who was worshipped from at least the late Predynastic period through to Greco-Roman times. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists...
the Elder) and Heqet
Heqet
To the Egyptians, the frog was a symbol of life and fertility, since millions of them were born after the annual inundation of the Nile, which brought fertility to the otherwise barren lands...
remain.
Today, Qus is the site of a major American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
/German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
commercial project to convert the waste products of sugar cane refining (bagasse) into paper products.
The modern population of Qus is around 300,000.