Itjtawy, Ancient Egyptian capital in Faiyum Governorate, Egypt.
Itjtawy was an ancient Egyptian city located between the pyramids of Amenemhat I and Senusret I near Lisht, situated strategically close to the Nile River. Today it lies beneath farmland, with remains of mud-brick structures forming what was once a major royal settlement and administrative center.
Itjtawy was established in the 20th regnal year of Amenemhat I and served as the capital of ancient Egypt for over four hundred years during the Middle Kingdom period. This era was marked by economic stability and strong centralized rule that extended from north to south across the land.
The name Itjtawy means 'Seizer of the Two Lands', a royal title the Egyptian rulers used when they controlled both Upper and Lower Egypt together. Walking through this site today, you see only farmland, but it once housed the royal courts and administrative offices that ran an entire nation.
Visitors should know that this entire city lies hidden beneath modern farmland with no visible structures or ruins above ground to observe. The best way to explore is through guided tours with archaeologists or satellite imagery that reveal the hidden settlement beneath the soil.
Archaeologists have revealed this hidden settlement using NASA topography data and satellite imaging that makes walls buried underground visible. Infrared imaging shows chemical changes in the soil that expose the exact outlines of former mud-brick foundations.
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