El Lahun in the context of "Faiyum Oasis"

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👉 El Lahun in the context of Faiyum Oasis

The Faiyum Oasis (Arabic: واحة الفيوم Wāḥat al-Fayyum) is a depression or basin in the desert immediately west of the Nile river, 62 miles south of Cairo, Egypt. The extent of the basin area is estimated at between 1,270 km (490 mi) and 1,700 km (656 mi). The basin floor comprises fields watered by a channel of the Nile, the Bahr Yussef, as it drains into a desert hollow to the west of the Nile Valley. The Bahr Yussef veers west through a narrow neck of land north of Ihnasya, between the archaeological sites of El Lahun and Gurob near Hawara; it then branches out, providing agricultural land in the Faiyum basin, draining into the large saltwater Lake Moeris (Birket Qarun). In prehistory it was a freshwater lake, but is today a saltwater lake. It is a source for tilapia and other fish for the local area.

Differing from typical oases, whose fertility depends on water obtained from springs, the cultivated land in the Faiyum is formed of Nile mud brought by the Bahr Yussef canal, 24 km (15 miles) in length. Between the beginning of Bahr Yussef at El Lahun to its end at the city of Faiyum, several canals branch off to irrigate the Faiyum Governorate. The drainage water flows into Lake Moeris.

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El Lahun in the context of Sithathoriunet

Sithathoriunet (Egyptian: Sꜣt-Ḥwt-Ḥr-Jwnt, lit.'daughter of Hathor of Dendera') was an ancient Egyptian sꜣt-nsw or 'king's daughter' of the Twelfth Dynasty, mainly known from her burial at El Lahun in which a treasure trove of jewellery was found. She was possibly a daughter of Senusret II since her burial site was found next to the pyramid of this king. This would make her one of five known children and one of three daughters of Senusret II, alongside Senusret III, Senusretseneb, Itakayt and Nofret. She bore the title king's wife, and was probably the wife of Senusret III.

Sithathoriunet was buried in the El Lahun pyramid complex. She must have died while Amenemhat III was pharaoh, since objects bearing his name were found in her tomb. Her name and titles survived on her canopic jars and on an alabaster vessel found in her tomb.The tomb was excavated in 1914 by Flinders Petrie and Guy Brunton. It had previously been robbed in antiquity but a niche in the burial site escaped the looters' attention. In this niche remains were found of several boxes filled with jewellery and cosmetic objects, such as razors, a mirror and vases. The discovered jewellery is considered to be among the highest quality ever found in an ancient Egyptian tomb. These finds included two pectorals, one with the praenomen of Senusret II, and the other with the name of Amenemhat III, a crown and bracelets inscribed with the praenomen of Amenemhat III. The majority of the objects are cloisonné gold inlaid with precious stones. The majority of the finds are located in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, although the crown and the pectoral of Amenemhat III are in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

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