Everything

Edition - April, 2011

Learning or want to learn hieroglyphs?

My knowledge of hieroglyphs is far beyond beginner but probably just short of intermediate.  When I work on my flashcards I get to a point where I can walk around Egyptian temples and tombs and UK museums and translate texts very happily.  The moment I slack, however, I forget just enough to make it a […] [more…]

How is your knowledge of hieroglyphs?

We are excited that we support the display of hieroglyphs on Egyptological.  We are wondering how we should use this.  Would you be interested in some introductory courses for example; or maybe somebody would like to use the functionality to write a Journal article about particular texts? You can also use them within comments.  It […] [more…]

Book Review: Royal Women of Amarna

Although the Royal Women of Amarna is usually credited to Dorothea Arnold, it was in fact written by a panel of authors who each contributed a section: James P Allen’s contribution is a very short chapter on Atenism, The Religion of Amarna L Green wrote a somewhat longer  Who’s Who? of the Amarna period Dorothy […] [more…]

Book Review: The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Afterlife

The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Afterlife by Erik Hornung (Translated by David Lorton) Cornell University Press ISBN-13: 978-0801485152 Originally written in German, this book is such a valuable source of information about ancient Egytian funerary texts that it was translated into English by David Lorton for publication by Cornell University Press. The funerary texts […] [more…]

Book Review: House of Eternity – The Tomb of Nefertari

House of Eternity –  The Tomb of Nefertari by John K. McDonald Thames and Hudson 1996 ISBN: 9780500279243. The tomb of Nefertari, wife of Ramesses II, is arguably the most beautiful of the New Kingdom tombs in Egypt, with its glorious scenes painted in vivid and vibrant colours on a pure white background. The lovely […] [more…]

Who is the KV55 mummy?

In her article DNA Shows that KV55 Mummy Probably Not Akhenaten on News From the Valley of the Kings, Kate Phizackerley explains why she believe the DNA evidence points to the KV55 mummy not being Akhenaten, contrary to the views of Dr Hawass. Joyce Filer who has examined the skeleton also believes it shows a […] [more…]

Wedjat Eye, photo by Jon Bodsworth

Eye of Ra, Eye of Horus

Introduction. The Eye of Ra, Eye of Horus and wedjat eye are all different names given to representations of eyes with similar distinctive markings which appear throughout Ancient Egypt on tomb and temple surfaces, on objects and in the form of jewellery and amulets. The underlying beliefs and ideas associated with these representations are often confusing, particularly given that the different forms of the eye are not always well characterized and distinguished from each other. [more…]

A beginner’s guide to dating the Predynastic - Part 2

A beginner’s guide to dating the Predynastic – Part 2

Introduction. The topic of relative dating was dealt with in Part 1, a previous post. A relative sequence was available for the period between the Badarian and the period when unification was thought to have taken place. However, although this sequence has formed the framework for all other sequences, no calendar dates were available.  [more…]

Topos and Mimesis – Ancient Egyptian perceptions of Ethnicity.

Topos and Mimesis – Ancient Egyptian perceptions of Ethnicity.

Introduction. Two recent books have included papers dealing with the topic of Ancient Egyptian perceptions of ethnicity: Schneider, T. 2010, Foreigners in Egypt: Archaeological Evidence and Cultural Context (in Wendrich 2010, p. 143-164) and Smith, S. T., 2007, Ethnicity and Culture (in Wilkinson 2007, p. 218-241). Both authors address the latest anthropological and archaeological literature on ethnicity and both use excavated frontier settlements as case studies.  [more…]

Book Review: Treasures of Ancient Egypt - From the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

Book Review: Treasures of Ancient Egypt – From the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

Treasures of Ancient Egypt: From the Egyptian Museum in Cairo By Alessandro Bongioanni Paperback ISBN-13: 978-8854401853 For anyone planning to visit or re-visit the Egyptian Museum in Cairo this book is an invaluable resource and would make a good souvenir. The book has been produced to very high standards.  The excellent  photographs by Araldo De […] [more…]