Nile festivals These were the celebrations of the river
and the god HAPI(1), its divine manifestation in ancient
Egypt, held throughout all historical periods. The NIGHT
OF THE TEARwas the June holiday, dedicated to the god-
dess ISISat the beginning of the annual inundation. It
was believed that the goddess Isis shed tears over the
body of her husband, OSIRIS, and these tears multiplied
and caused the Nile to overflow its banks. The Night of
the Tear honored Isis as the goddess of nurturing and
mortuary powers, associating her with the basic life-giv-
ing function of the river.
The Night of the Dam or the Night of the Cutting of
the Dam was celebrated when the inundation had
reached its highest levels. Earthen dams were built to
measure the height of the water, and then the upper lev-
els were thinned and broken by boats. The ceremony sig-
nified the completion of the river’s nurturing duties. The
festival remained popular in all eras, and a version was
performed in modern times at various sites in Egypt until
The temple of Isis at Philae
Nile level records Inscriptions marking the heights of
the various annual inundations of the Nile River were
discovered on the rocks at SEMNAdating to the reign of
AMENEMHET III of the Twelfth Dynasty (r. 1844–1797
B.C.E.). These records continued through the close of the
Seventeenth Dynasty (1550 B.C.E.) and were part of the
annual recording of the river’s inundation levels, similar
to the Nilometers.
Nilometers Pillars or slabs were positioned at var-
ious strategic locations on the river to determine the
height of the annual inundations or floods of the Nile.
It was important for the Egyptians to determine the
flow of the river each year, so they positioned the pillars
far south of the first cataract at ASWANto give early
warning of any variation in the Nile’s flood levels. In-
formation concerning the projected flood levels was
sent to the ruler and his administrators by messenger.
The various regional governors were also informed so
that any necessary preparations could be made for the
event in their territories. Two such measuring devices
were used in the Delta and at the first cataract in ancient
times, and subsidiary pillars were positioned in the sec-
ond and fourth cataracts during the period of the
empire.
The pillars were inscribed with a scale cut into cubit
measurements: 1 cubit equals 18–20.6 inches. Other
measurements were inscribed on later pillars. The
Nilometers not only provided information on the level of
the floods but also allowed the priests and governors to
determine the crops that would thrive as a result of the
amount of silt being deposited. Prospective harvests were
thus assessed and the tax bases of the crops determined
in advance.
Nima’athap (Hapnima’at)(fl. 27th century B.C.E.)
Royal woman of the Second and Third Dynasties
She was the consort of KHA’SEKHEMWY(r. c. 2640 B.C.E.)
and the mother of DJOSER(r. 2630–2611 B.C.E.). Her titles
included “Mother of the King’s Children,” and her name
was found in Kha’sekhemwy’s tomb. In Djoser’s reign she
bore the title “King’s Mother.” Nima’athap was deified
after her death and worshiped as the ancestress of the
Third Dynasty.Nimlot (1) (Nemrot)(fl. 10th century B.C.E.) Libyan
chieftain of Bubastis
He resided in Egypt in the region of the city of BUBASTIS
and was the father of SHOSHENQ I(r. 945–924 B.C.E.).
Called Nemrot in some lists, he was the husband of
Princess Mehetemwashe. When Nimlot died, Shoshenq I,
then a military commander, appealed to PSUSENNES II(r.
959–945 B.C.E.) for permission to establish a mortuary cult
for his father and was allowed to make this filial gesture.Nimlot (2)(fl. 10th century B.C.E.)Prince of the Libyan
Twenty-second Dynasty
He was the son of SHOSHENQ I(r. 945–924 B.C.E.) and
Queen PENRESHNAS, the daughter of a Libyan noble. Nim-
lot served as a commander of the army and is recorded as
being “a great chief of the foreigners, the Meshwesh.” He
contributed 60 BULLSto the shrine at HIERAKONPOLIS.As
governor of Hierakonpolis, Nimlot controlled Middle
Egypt and the nomes of Upper Egypt.Nimlot (3)(fl. ninth century B.C.E.)Prince of the Lib-
yan Twenty-second Dynasty
He was the son of OSORKON II(883–855 B.C.E.), serving as
a military commander at HERAKLEOPOLISand then as high
priest of AMUNin THEBES. His daughter, KAROMANA(5)
Merymut, married TAKELOT II. His sons were Ptahwed-
jankhaf of Herakleopolis and Takelot. Nimlot restored
order at Thebes after the rebellion prompted by HARSIESE.Nimlot (4)(d. c. 712 B.C.E.)Obscure ruler of the Twenty-
third Dynasty
He ruled from c. 828 B.C.E. and then was reduced to the
status of a vassal governor of his city-state. Nimlot ruled
HERMOPOLISonly and joined the coalition started by TEF-
NAKHTEof SAISand including OSORKON IV, PEFTJAU’ABAST
of HERAKLEOPOLIS, and IUPUTof LEONTOPOLIS. The coali-
tion faced PIANKHI(1), and his army of Nubians (modern
Sudanese) at Herakleopolis and surrendered to his supe-
rior forces. Nimlot was allowed to remain the ruler of
Hermopolis as a vassal of Piankhi after he surrendered to
the Nubian ruler.Nine Bows This was a term used to signify the ene-
mies of Egypt in all eras, normally depicting the foreign278 Nile festivals