Luxor: A Modern City with Ancient Names

Positioned on both banks of the Nile, Luxor was the official capital of ancient Egypt during the Middle and New Kingdoms, with many different names across the centuries.

Aside from being home to a remarkable collection of ancient Egyptian monuments, including the 3,400-year-old Luxor Temple and the Karnak Temple Complex, as well as the necropolises of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, it now stands as a historical, yet modern city, renowned for its necropolises to this day. 

Before there was Luxor, there was Waset, which translates to ‘the city of the scepter’ or ‘city of power,’ the capital of the 4th Upper Egyptian nome, during the Old Kingdom (circa 2686 – 2181 BC). This ancient city emerged as the principal hub for the veneration of the god Amun-Ra, with the Temple of Karnak enshrining his earthly throne.

One of the most well-known ancient names for Luxor was Thebes, the capital of Egypt during the height of the New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BCE). It was a political, religious, and cultural center, home to some of Egypt’s most important temples, including the Karnak and Luxor temples.

Another ancient Egyptian name for Luxor was Ta ipet, which means ‘the shrine’ or ‘the harem,’ in Demotic Egyptian. The name refers to the Karnak Temple, which ancient Egyptians called Ipet Sot, meaning ‘the chosen spot’. 

Luxor is also called the City of 100 Gates, highlighting the city’s grandeur and the numerous monumental gateways that marked its temples and palaces. It was first called that name by the Greek poet, Homer, in his epic poem, ‘The Iliad’ (the late 8th or early 7th century BC).