Maqaduniya Explained

Maqaduniya is a region in Medieval Egypt comprising Fustat, Ain Shams, Giza and Memphis.[1]

Name

It is unknown if Egyptian Maqaduniya is related to Balkan region of the same name.

Yaqut al-Hamawi in his Kitāb Mu'jam al-Buldān says:

"Maqaduniya is the name of Misr in Ancient Greek."[2]
Paul Casanova connects Maqaduniya to one of the Ancient Egyptian names of Memphis – Makha-to-ui (, reconstructed pronunciation: pronounced as /møʔχəˈtoːw/).

It could be also related to the name of Mokattam Hills which Casanova derives from a denomination of the compound Heliopolite deity (Hor)-em-akhet-Atum (Horus of the Horizon–Atum), the compound which is also present in one of the Sphinx's names – Harmachis (Harmashi).[3]

Notes and References

  1. Book: al-Maqdisī, Shams al-Dīn Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Abī Bakr. Ahsan al-Taqasim fi Ma'rafat al-Aqalim. Brill. De Goeje. Leiden. 193–194.
  2. Book: al-Hamawi, Yaqut. Mu'jam al-Buldān. 1866–73. Wüstenfeld. IV. Leipzig. 602.
  3. Casanova. Paul. Les noms coptes du Caire et localités voisines. BIFAO. 1. 139–224.