DAMANHUR

damanhur, a town of lower egypt, 38 m. e.s.e. of alexandria by rail, capital of the richly-cultivated province of behera. it is the ancient timenhor, "town of horus," which in ptolemaic times was capital of a nome and lay on the canopic branch of the nile. its name and other circumstances imply that horus (= apollo) was worshipped there in the same form as at edfu (brugsch, _dictionnaire geographique_, p. 521), but its greek name, hermopolis parva, should indicate thoth as the local god. this apparent contradiction is perhaps due to some early misunderstanding that held its ground after the greeks knew egypt better. a much frequented fair is held at damanhur three times a year, and there are several cotton manufactories. population (1907) 38,752.