About Us

Ancient Egypt 101 was created by the co-founder of TwilightBlog.net after experiencing how to own and operate a website. Egypt has always been her first love and hence the forging ahead for the ultimate goal of a Ph.D. in Egyptology at the University of Memphis. Ancient Egypt 101 was founded on the idea and desire to provide a well balanced look at Ancient Egypt to all people, especially those in a teaching capacity. Tools, videos, suggestions, and basic information are all provided on the site to provide a foundation and starting point. "Excessive" detail is not given on the site for sake that you explore Egypt on your own for that detail in a book by a professional.

If you ever have any suggestions for the site feel free to e-mail the creator with your suggestions and/or comments.

We are not established or associated with any agency, museum, or historical society and all information is presented after careful research. However, keep in mind that documenting Egyptian history is not an easy task nor is always agreed on.

Treasure Wars: Egypt's Curse

This short video featuring Dr. Zahi Hawass arguing that artifacts need to be returned to Egypt. Because this artifacts deal with Egyptian history and culture he feels that they have been stolen and does not understand why countries will not graciously return them.

Egyptian Seagoing Vessels Artifacts Discovered

While this may have been five years ago, it is still amazing to re-read about the discoveries of ancient Egypt. This remarkable woman, Kathryn Bard, made the discovery of caves in the Wadi Gawasis. There, after such hard work, she was rewarded with one of the greatest treasures for an archaeologist:

Five years ago, Kathryn Bard made a remarkable discovery in the Egyptian desert. While digging with an archaeological team along the Red Sea coast, she reached into the opening of a wall — and felt nothing. Further excavation revealed an ancient man-made cave containing a mud brick, a small grinding stone, shell beads, and part of a box.

Days later, the team, led by Bard, a College of Arts & Sciences associate professor of archaeology, and Italian colleague Rodolfo Fattovich, uncovered the entrance to a second cave. Inside they found a network of larger rooms filled with dozens of nautical artifacts: limestone anchors, 80 coils of knotted rope, pottery fragments, ship timbers, and two curved cedar planks that likely are steering oars from a 70-foot-long ship. According to hieroglyphic inscriptions, the ship was dispatched to the southern Red Sea port of Punt by Queen Hatshepsut during the 15th century B.C.

“It just gave me chills to stumble across such a frozen moment in time,” Bard recalls. “The ropes were perfectly preserved. They looked as if they’d been coiled yesterday.”

The team discovered seven caves at Wadi Gawasis containing relics dating back 4,000 years. The first pieces ever recovered from Egyptian seagoing vessels, they offer a tantalizing glimpse into an elaborate network of Red Sea trade.

Best known for its exports of gold, incense, ebony, elephant ivory, and exotic animals, the exact location of the port city Punt remains a mystery; Bard believes it was in present-day eastern Sudan. Inscriptions discovered more than a century ago indicate that Egyptian pharaohs mounted naval expeditions to Punt as far back as the Old Kingdom (2686 –2125 B.C.), and Bard’s findings give credibility to the legend in the form of stelae, limestone slabs installed in niches outside of the second cave.

Most of the stelae are indecipherable, worn blank from centuries of wind and sand. But one was in near-perfect condition. “I found it lying facedown in the desert,” Bard says, “and it contained the complete historical text of two expeditions, one to Punt and one to Bia-Punt, as ordered by King Amenemhat III, who ruled at about 1800 B.C.”

In addition to the stelae, the team recovered more than 40 cargo boxes, 2 bearing painted inscriptions reading “The wonders of Punt.”

“It was like a modern-day packaging label,” Bard says. “The preservation was incredible.”

Since the initial discovery, the team has returned to Wadi Gawasis each year and uncovered more artifacts: clay sealings, boxes and bags, cooking tools, fragments of a letter written on a sheet of papyrus. “We even found a piece of pottery that describes how to prepare a meal for 100 men,” she says. “The Egyptians kept records of everything.”

Bard will make her fifth voyage to Egypt in late December. “We think there’s another cave,” she says. “And through analysis of satellite images, we think we’ve found some sort of walled structure beneath the harbor that may be a ship slipway or a dock.”

The team limits its excavations to six weeks between fall and spring semesters to avoid summer heat and humidity — not to mention the desert’s sizable population of poisonous vipers, which hibernate during the winter.

It all sounds very Raiders of the Last Ark, but don’t compare Bard to Indiana Jones. “He bungles into anything, anywhere,” she says. “There’s no planning, no organization, just lots of adventure. Real archaeology is nothing like the movies.”

Bard has never outrun a Nazi, but she has had a narrow escape, and it led her to Wadi Gawasis. In 1998, she and an excavation team fled war-torn Ethiopia via a mountainous one-lane dirt road as bombs erupted in the distance. The experience, though harrowing, brought her to Egypt.

“We knew we couldn’t go back to Ethiopia,” Bard says, “so we decided to explore the other end of the Red Sea. Little did we know what we’d find.”

See the videos here!

{via BU.edu}

Tuthmosis II

Tuthmosis II was pharaoh during the 18th Dynasty. While the length of his reign is constantly in dispute, he was the immediate successor of his father Thutmose I. Tuthmosis II's rule was relatively short and is estimated to be 1512 B.C.E. - 1503 B.C.E. (Oxford History states 1492 B.C.E. - 1479 B.C.E. while the Chronicle of the Paraohs 1518 B.C.E. - 1504 B.C.E.). Had his two older brothers, Wadjmose and Amenmose, not died, Tuthmosis II would not have become pharaoh. the eldest sons of Tuthmosis I, leaving him as the only heir. The eldest son of Mutnefert, a minor royal queen, Tuthmosis II died in his early thirties. His throne name was A-kheper-en-re, which means "Great is the Form of Re."

Family

Tuthmosis II was married to Hatshepsut, his half-sister. Marrying within the family was not uncommon among the royal families as royal blood was thought to run through the women. Because of the frequency of the intermarrying Tuthmosis II himself was both physically and mentally weak.

Tuthmosis II had one son by a minor wife, Iset, who would be his heir, Tuthmosis III. Tuthmosis would not see the throne until his step-mother's death. Tuthmosis II had two daughters by Hatshepsut, but she bore him no sons. Tuthmosis II say his wife's ambitions and attempted to secure his son's reign, but Tuthmosis III was still too young when Tuthmosis II died. Hatshepsut took the advantage and named herself as regent, and then taking on the full regalia of the pharaoh.

Impacts

Tuthmosis II was able preserved his father's, Tuthmosis I, empire with two campaigns. In the first year of his reign Tuthmosis II crushed a revolt in Nubia and later he led a campaign against the Shosu Bedouin of southern Palestine who were also threatening the peace. Testiments of his campaigns are inscripted in the temple at Deir el-Bahari and a rock-cut stele at Sehel south of Aswan.

Tuthmosis II's building projects included traces of a temple just north of the temple of Medinet Habu on the West Bank at Luxor (aka, Thebes). This temple is known as Shespet-ankh, Chapel of Life, and was finished by Tuthmosis III. Tuthmosis II also built a pylon shaped limestone gateway in front of the Fourth Pylons forecourt at Karnak (which also had to be completed by Tuthmosis III). Scenes on the gate depict Tuthmosis II with Hatshepsut, sometimes Hatshepsut alone, Tuthmosis II is shown receiving crowns, and his daughter, Nefrure and wife, Hatshepsut receiving life from the gods.

Death

Upon his early death, Tuthmosis II's son Tuthmosis III was too young to rule and Hatshepsut took over as regent. Tuthmosis II's mummy was found in a royal cache of mummies at Deir el-Bahari above Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple in 1881 along with 39 other mummies. He had been interred along with other 18th and 19th dynasty leaders including Ahmose I, Amenhotep I, Tuthmosis I, Tuthmosis III, Ramses I, Seti I, Ramses II, and Ramses IX, as well as the 21st dynasty pharaohs Psusennes I, Psusennes II, and Siamun. His mummy can now be seen at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. His original tomb which should have been in the Valley of the Kings has yet to be found. Tuthmosis II's mummy was unwrapped by Gaston Maspero on July 1, 1886, who said that "He [Tuthmosis II] had scarcely reached the age of thirty when he fell a victim to a disease of which the process of embalming could not remove the traces. The skin is scabrous in patches, and covered with scars, while the upper part of the skull is bald; the body is thin and somewhat shrunken, and appears to have lacked vigour and muscular power."

Isis

Isis is the ancient Egyptians' goddess of fertility and motherhood. Isis literally means: female of throne (i.e. Queen of the throne). Her original headdress was an empty throne chair belonging to Osiris, her murdered husband. As Isis was the personification of the throne, she was an important source of the Pharaoh's power.

Noted in the Book of the Dead, Isis is said to be she who gives birth to heaven and earth, knows the orphan, knows the widow, seeks justice for the poor, and shelter for the weak. Amoung Isis' seemingly endless titles are: Queen of Heaven, Mother of the Gods, The One Who is All, Lady of Green Crops, The Brilliant One in the Sky, Great Lady of Magic, Mistress of the House of Life, She Who Knows How To Make Right Use of the Heart, Light-Giver of Heaven, Lady of the Words of Power, and Moon Shining Over the Sea.

In the heaven's Isis is the star Sept (Sirius). Sept marks the beginning of a new year and announces the Inundation of the Nile. Isis held numerous positions with numerous names. A few include being light-giver at this season of the year called Khut, the mighty earth-goddess Usert, the Great Goddess of the Underworld Thenenet, the power which shot forth the Nile flood Sati and Sept, the embracer of the land and producer of fertility by her waters Anqet, the producer and giver of life Ankhet, the goddess of cultivated lands and fields Sekhet, and the goddess of the harvest Renenet.

Isis' husband, Osiris, was lord of the Underworld, and as such Isis was the great lady of the Underworld. In this capacity she assisted in transforming the bodies of the blessed dead into those wherein they were to live in the realm of Osiris. Readers often remember the duo of Isis and Osiris as it was Osiris that was killed by his brother Set. Isis resurrected him and became pregnant, but Set cut Osiris into numerous pieces scattering them throughout the land. Osiris then entered the Underworld and became the rightful ruler.

Isis is portrayed as a woman wearing a long sheath dress and crowned with the hieroglyphic sign for a seat, sometimes holding a lotus, and sometimes as a sycamore tree. After Isis assimilated Hathor, Isis' headdress was replaced with that of Hathor: the horns of a cow on her head, and the solar disc between them. Isis is generally depicted with her son, Horus, with a crown and a vulture, and sometimes as a kite bird flying above Osiris's body. She often holds the ankh.

Hathor

Hathor (meaning, "The House of Horus") was known to the Ancient Egyptians as the goddess of the sky, the sun, music, dance and the arts. She was often symbolized as a cow bearing the sun disk between her horn and a woman in queenly raiment wearing the sun disk and horns on her head. Dating back to the predynastic time, Hathor is one of the, if not the, oldest goddess for the Egyptians. She was originally associated with the pharaoh as his queen. Hathor became the incarnation of dance and one of Inspiration. Worship of Hathor had her male and female priests dancing in rituals and people flocking to have their dreams explained.

Hathor was originally a personification of the Milky Way, which was considered to be the milk that flowed from the udders of a heavenly cow. It was throughout the ages that Hathor took on her other characteristics, some that overshadowded others, and other identities and forms. She is almost a confusing goddess. As an ancient goddess the Egyptians attempted to keep her throughout the periods but added or took away from her. Thus her marriages, children, names, and characteristics vary according to period. Here we'll just discuss the few the prevailed most often.

Hathor is also Mehturt (for about 3,000 years), meaning great flood. This aspect of Hathor had the Egyptians identifying her as responsible for the yearly inundation of the Nile. Being recognized as responsible for the flooding of the Nile also had Hathor seen as a herald of imminent birth (when the amniotic sac breaks it is an indicator that the child is due to be born). This eventually expanded to Hathor being a goddess of fertility.

For a short time Hathor was associated with Sekhmet (a war goddess) as Sekhmet-Hathor. Due to their similar physical associations they were combined to create the lioness goddess. One version claims this story: as the Eye of Ra - defender of the sun god - Hathor was sent out to punish the people (in the form of Sekhmet). She slaughtered people by the hundreds and Ra relented seeing the utter destruction and commanded her to stop. Sekhment refused as she was blood thirsty. To stop the slaughter, bear was colored red (to resemble blood) and poured over the killing fields. When Sekhmet drank the beer, she became drunk and drowsy, and slept for three days. When she awoke she had no taste for human flesh and mankind was saved. From then on she was renamed her Hathor. As a result, soldiers also prayed to Hathor/Sekhmet to give them her strength and focus in battle.

Hathor was the mother of Horus and wife of Ra. Although as Egyptian mythology continued she was said to be married to Thoth, as Ra and Atum were the same deity, making it complicated for her to be wife to her son whom she created. As wife of Ra, Hathor held the title Mistress of Heaven and the Eye of Ra. She is also later said to be Hathor's wife. In reality, she was probably meant to have just been combined with the original wives of the gods creating a stronger deity, not replacing the wives of old.

Amun/Amen

Among the group of the most well known ancient Egyptians gods is Amun (also seen as Amen). He is the second largest god on record for the ancient Egyptians in his dual personality as Amun-Ra. Record of Amun is first seen in the early Pyramid Texts. Amun's attributes are sometimes in question, but are fairly understood to be the literal meaning of his name: The Essential and The Hidden. As a creator deity Amun was the champion of the poor and central to personal piety. Amun was self created and is not considered to be immanent within creation nor was creation seen as as an extension of himself. Amun's position as King of the Gods developed to the point of virtual monotheism were other gods became manifestations of him.

Amun is seen as the breath of life, a creative force, and co-creator of the Ba. However, Amun did not engender the world/creation. The pharaohs attributed all their successful enterprises to Amun and they lavished their wealth and captured spoil on the construction of temples dedicated to Amun. It is the worship of Amun that Akhenaten banned (among other gods) and attempted to destroy during his reign as he believed the priests and the worship to have become corrupt. The cult of Amun-Ra became so powerful that its priesthood grew very large and influential, so that at one point, priests of the deity did actually rule Egypt during the 21st Dynasty. Amun while suppose to be sexless but is seen as the male aspect of the persona while Amunet is the female aspect. His consort is seen at Mut.

Amun was most often combined with the god, Ra. Seen as the dual god, Amun-Ra, he was believed to represented one of ancient Egypt's most complex theologies. Amun-Ra became a hidden, secret god as the Egyptians called him "the hidden one" or "the secret one." This dual personality is also known as the Sun God, the main aspect of Ra. Amun-Ra's name and physical appearance were the unknown, thus his unknowable essence. While suppose to be seperate versions of the god, Amun and Amun-Ra have in many ways become interchangeable.

Hymns to Amun often read that he is "hidden to his children, "and "hidden to gods and men." In the later periods the name Amen appears to been connected with the root men - "to abide, to be permanent" - and one of the attributes applied to him was Eternal.

Amun is seen in five forms: 1) As a man, when he is seen seated on a throne, and holding in one hand the scepter, and in the other the symbol of "life." 2) As a man with the head of a frog, whilst his female counterpart Amunet has the head of a uraeus. 3) As a man with the head of a uraeus, whilst his female counterpart has the head of a cat. 4) As an ape. 5) As a lion couching upon a pedestal.

Ra

Ra (also spelled Re) dominates most of Egyptian religion as one of the primary deities throughout the span of the empire. Ra was the patron of the sun, heaven, Kingship of the pharaohs, power, and divine light. He is seen as one of the head gods as it is he who bestows power unto the pharaohs giving them the divine right to rule the Two Lands. Although not a contemporary view, E. A. Wallis Budge (1857-1934) claimed that Ra was the one god of Egyptian monotheism; from which all other deities were aspects, manifestations, phases, or forms.

Ra's physical appearance changed throughout the periods of ancient Egypt, however he is most often seen as a falcon headed pharaoh wearing the sun disk on his head. However, the easiest way to identify Ra is by the Sun disk over an item, generally speaking. Ra was worshiped as king of the gods (hence giving him the right to bestow Kingship) and the father of all creation. As the sun god, he commanded the chariot that rode across the sky during the day, with noon being of heightened importance. Like Osiris, Ra is the only other Egyptian god who is not on the earth. As an aging god, Ra is still powerful, yet too old to deal with his children any longer. This has caused him to go exclusively into the sky and watch over the world while his great-grandson, Horus, rules over the earth and the gods in his stead.

Acknowledged as the father of all, Ra had 4 children. However, as mythology changed so did Ra's wife or significant other. Early on Hathor was said to be Ra's wife, however, that changed into Hathor being Ra's daughter, then that Ra originally created Hathor as Sekhment (the fierce warrior lioness) as the Avenging Eye of Ra but then changed her into Hathor when his anger subsided. It is agreed that the following 4 are Ra's children: Nut (sky), - Shu, Tefnut, and Geb (Earth). Expanding the family, Nut and Geb created 4 children: Set, Osiris, Isis, and Nephthys. Isis and Osiris then had their only child Horus, who took over Ra's watch over earth. (Some accounts have Shu and Tefnut as Ra's only children, they in turn had Nut and Geb)

Over time Ra also became a composite deity with the Atum. Known as Ra-Atum or Atum-Ra they were a primordial creative force. In the form of Atum-Ra, Ra began to symbolized the setting sun and its journey through the underworld to its rising again in the east. He also is generally seen with the god Amun, creating Amun-Ra as the Hidden God/the Sun God.
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Here is an Egyptian legend concerning Ra:

The Legend of Ra and Isis

Now Isis was a woman who possessed words of power; her heart was wearied with the millions of men, and she chose the millions of the gods, but she esteemed more highly the millions of the khu's. And she meditated in her heart, saying, "Cannot I by means of the sacred name of God make myself mistress of the earth and become a goddess like unto Ra in heaven and upon earth?"

Now, behold, each day Ra entered at the head of his holy mariners and established himself upon the throne of the two horizons. The holy one had grown old, he dribbled at the mouth, his spittle fell upon the earth, and his slobbering dropped upon the ground. And Isis kneaded it with earth in her hand, and formed thereof a sacred serpent in the form of a spear; she set it not upright before her face, but let it lie upon the ground in the path whereby the great god went forth, according to his heart's desire, into his double kingdom. Now the holy god arose, and the gods who followed him as though he were Pharaoh went with him; and he came forth according to his daily wont; and the sacred serpent bit him. The flame of life departed from him, and he who dwelt among the cedars was overcome. The holy god opened his mouth, and the cry of his majesty reached unto heaven. His company of gods said, "What hath happened?" and his gods exclaimed, "What is it?" But Ra could not answer, for his jaws trembled and all his members quaked; the poison spread swiftly through his flesh just as the Nile invadeth all his land.

When the great god had established his heart, he cried unto those who were in his train, saying, "Come unto me, O ye who have come into being from my body, ye gods who have come forth from me, make ye known unto Khepera that a dire calamity hath fallen upon me. My heart perceived it, but my eyes see it not; my hand hath not caused it, nor do I know who hath done this unto me. Never have I felt such pain, neither can sickness cause more woe than this. I am a prince, the son of a prince, a sacred essence which hath preceded from God. I am a great one, the son of a great one, and my father planned my name; I have multitudes of names and multitudes of forms, and my existence is in every god. I have been proclaimed by the heralds Tmu and Horus, and my father and my mother uttered my name; but it hath been hidden within me by him that begat me, who would not that the words of power of any seer should have dominion over me. I came forth to look upon that which I had made, I was passing through the world which I had created, when lo! something stung me, but what I know not. Is it fire? Is it water? My heart is on fire, my flesh quaketh, and trembling hath seized all my limbs. Let there be brought unto me the children of the gods with healing words and with lips that know, and with power which reacheth unto heaven." The children of every god came unto him in tears, Isis came with her healing words and with her mouth full of the breath of life, with her enchantments which destroy sickness, and with her words of power which make the dead to live. And she spake, saying, "What hath come to pass, O holy father? What hath happened? A serpent hath bitten thee, and a thing which thou hast created hath lifted up his head against thee. Verily it shall be cast forth by my healing words of power, and I will drive it away from before the sight of thy sunbeams."

The holy god opened his mouth and said, "I was passing along my path, and I was going through the two regions of my lands according to my heart's desire, to see that which I had created, when lo! I was bitten by a serpent which I saw not. Is it fire? Is it water? I am colder than water, I am hotter than fire. All my flesh sweateth, I quake, my eye hath no strength, I cannot see the sky, and the sweat rusheth to my face even as in the time of summer." Then said Isis unto Ra, "O tell me thy name, holy father, for whosoever shall be delivered by thy name shall live." [And Ra said], "I have made the heavens and the earth, I have ordered the mountains, I have created all that is above them, I have made the water, I have made to come into being the great and wide sea, I have made the 'Bull of his mother,' from whom spring the delights of love. I have made the heavens, I have stretched out the two horizons like a curtain, and I have placed the soul of the gods within them. I am he who, if he openeth his eyes, doth make the light, and, if he closeth them, darkness cometh into being. At his command the Nile riseth, and the gods know not his name. I have made the hours, I have created the days, I bring forward the festivals of the year, I create the Nile-flood. I make the fire of life, and I provide food in the houses. I am Khepera in the morning, I am Ra at noon, and I am Tmu at even." Meanwhile the poison was not taken away from his body, but it pierced deeper, and the great god could no longer walk.

Then said Isis unto Ra, "What thou hast said is not thy name. O tell it unto me, and the poison shall depart; for he shall live whose name shall be revealed." Now the poison burned like fire, and it was fiercer than the flame and the furnace, and the majesty of the god said, "I consent that Isis shall search into me, and that my name shall pass from me into her." Then the god hid himself from the gods, and his place in the boat of millions of years was empty. And when the time arrived for the heart of Ra to come forth, Isis spake unto her son Horus, saying, "The god hath bound himself by an oath to deliver up his two eyes" (i.e., the sun and moon). Thus was the name of the great god taken from him, and Isis, the lady of enchantments, said, "Depart, poison, go forth from Ra. O eye of Horus, go forth from the god, and shine outside his mouth. It is I who work, it is I who make to fall down upon the earth the vanquished poison; for the name of the great god hath been taken away from him. May Ra live! and may the poison die, may the poison die, and may Ra live!" These are the words of Isis, the great goddess, the queen of the gods, who knew Ra by his own name.

The Great Pyramid Video Series

An informational video series on the Great Pyramid at Giza. It includes history, architecture, and the chambers inside the pyramid itself. The videos are older, but nevertheless the quality of the information is still applicable, enjoyable, and up for plenty of discussion. A question is raised through the videos on whether or not the pyramid has a Christian Biblical significance, an interesting idea, although the evidence could be more convincing.

Pharaohs of the Sun Video Series

Continuing with the extensive documentary of Egypt Golden Empire, Pharaohs of the Sun Video Series documents the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. Covering Amenhotep III, Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Tutankhamen the documentary covers political achievements, military geniuses, and religious heresies.

The Warrior Pharaohs Video Series

A more in-depth video series on the glory of the New Kingdom and its warrior pharaohs. It covers the invasion of the Hyksos and Nubians, Hatsheput, and Tuthmosis III with awesome detail for a documentary.

Inside King Tutankhamen's Tomb

While the thought of there being a curse surrounding the infamous King Tutankhamen is a little outdated (then again I believe they are using the word "curse" very loosely, more in the sense of a mystery), the evidence this crew believes they have found about his death and life is worth a some consideration. It is a reminder that we have no clue and that theories will constantly abound on Tut's death.

Egypt's Last Great Pharaoh-Ramses II

A documentary on Ramses II, also known as Ramses the Great, with some superb history. A must watch if you are looking for some good history on one of Egypt's most infamous rulers due to his achievements and political prowess.

Building the Great Sphinx at Giza Video Series

Here is an informational video series about the history of the Great Sphinx at Giza. Virtually nothing concrete is known about this great monument, but here they try to explore what can be found and understood about this beautiful piece of work. Did you know the Sphinx originally was painted?

PART 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8jJgi86HBE

PART 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDCJUnSS_1U

PART 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYrVe-EyELc

PART 4:


PART 5:

Fall of Great Empires Video Series

This series quickly documents the beginning of the Egyptian empire with the first half and its emphasize in its end with Cleopatra VII for the last half. It hits several highlights and achievements and numerous theories and myths surrounding ancient Egypt. Fairly solid documentary, a good watch.

Ramses II/Ramses the Great Documentary

This is a marvelous documentary on Ramses II and his life which was full of achievements, victory's, and building marvels. One video was unable to embed, so you will have to go to YouTube to watch it.





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Building of the Great Pyramid at Giza Videos

This is a fantastic 60 Minutes Australia feature about the building of the great pyramid at Giza! Worth the watch and consideration as it provides some well thought out evidence!

Civilization Video Series

Here is a fairly nice series on Egypt from YouTube. One of the contributors does speak French and there are no subtitles. However, due to the nature of the French language you may be able to get the gist of some of what he is saying.

Osiris

One of the major Egyptian gods, Osiris was the god of the Afterlife, underworld, or the dead. He is one of the oldest gods on record, with his name appearing on Palermo Stone c. 2500 B.C. The mythology of Osiris comes from the allusions contained in the Pyramid Text and later texts including the New Kingdom documents such as the Shabaka Stone and some Greek writings.

Osiris is one of the most fascinating gods of Egyptian culture. He was not only a merciful judge of the dead in the afterlife, but also the ruler of an underworld agency that granted all life, including sprouting vegetation and the fertile flooding of the Nile River. He is described as the "Lord of love", "He Who is Permanently Benign and Youthful" and the "Lord of Silence." Upon death, the Kings of Egypt were associated with Osiris as when Osiris rose from the dead they would, in union with him, inherit eternal life. This distinction held by pharaohs only lasted until about the New Kingdom, when all people of Egypt came to be associated with Osiris at death if they could afford the costly assimilation rituals.

Osiris' family places him as the oldest son of the Earth god, Geb (also debated to be Ra or Re, also known as Amun Ra), and the sky goddess, Nut. He was conceived with the earth and sky met. He is the brother and husband of Isis and the brother of Set. Horus, is his posthumously begotten son. Osiris later in Egyptian history was associated with the name Khenti-Amentiu, (Foremost of the Westerners) a reference to his kingship in the land of the dead. He occasionally appears green or blue-green to represent his character as the god of Life in the cycle of rebirth.

Due to Osiris' story and his battle with his brother, Set, he became associated with the cycles observed in nature, in particular vegetation and the annual flooding of the Nile. Below is the story of Osiris. Not one account in existence is complete. This one is taken from Plutarch the Greek writer with the Greek names changed to make it easier reading and edited by Jim Loy. Enjoy!
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The Legend of Osiris

When Ra reigned as king of Egypt, Thoth (Djehuty) prophesied that Ra's wife Nut would have a son who would reign as king. Ra cursed Nut and said, "Nut will give birth to no son on any day of any year, nor at night time either." Ra's curse could not be broken, but Thoth had a clever plan. He went to the moon god Khonsu and offered to play him a game of Senet. Khonsu was a great gambler, and bet some of his own moonlight. Thoth defeated Khonsu over and over, until he had won five days from Khonsu. Thoth fit those five days between the end of the old year, and the beginning of the new year, the year having 360 days. And so here were five days that were not part of any year. Nut gave birth to five children on those five days, Osiris on the first day, Harmachis on the second day, Set on the third, Isis on the fourth, and Nephthys on the fifth.

When Osiris was born, a man of Thebes named Pamyles heard a voice telling him to spread the word that Osiris the good and great king, and savior of mankind, had been born. And so Pamyles spread the word, and Nut entrusted the baby Osiris to Pamyles, to raise and educate, with the help of Thoth. The five children grew up, and Osiris married Isis, and Set married Nephthys.

Eventually, Ra ascended into the heavens to sail across the sky every day, and Osiris sat on the throne, and ruled Egypt as a good and wise king, and Egypt flourished under his rule, and the people (who had previously lived like wild animals) became civilized (learning to use the inundation to replenish the land). And the people worshipped Osiris.

Osiris left Egypt, to teach the people of other lands, and Isis ruled in his place. Set plotted to steal Osiris' throne, but Isis prevented this. Set became the leader of 72 wicked men, along with Aso the evil queen of Ethiopia. He secretly learned the measurements of the body of Osiris, and had a beautiful wooden chest made that was exactly the right size to hold Osiris. Then he invited Osiris to a great feast. Everyone at the feast admired the wooden chest, and desired to own it. Set said that the chest would belong to whoever it fit best. Each person at the feast lay down in the chest, but it fit none of them. When Osiris lay down in the chest, Set and his conspirators, closed the lid, nailed it shut, poured molten lead over it to seal the cracks, and threw it into the Nile. And so Osiris died in the 28th year of his reign.

The chest floated into the Great Green, the sea north of Egypt, and came ashore at Byblos, in Syria. There it was flung by the waves into a tamarisk bush. The bush quickly grew into a mighty tree which enclosed the wooden chest. The king of Syria marveled at the tree, and had it cut down and made into a pillar which supported the roof of his palace.

Meanwhile, Set ruled as king of Egypt; it was a time of great trouble in Egypt. Isis was stricken with grief, and put on the apparel of mourning, and cut off a lock of her hair. Then she went in search of her husband's body, as he had to be buried so that Osiris could go to the Duat, the land of the dead. Eventually, some children told Isis that they had seen the chest floating in the Nile. But Isis was delayed while she gave birth to Horus, the son of Osiris, in Buto on the island of Chemmis. Set learned of the birth of Horus, and plotted to kill him. Isis hid the island, making it move from place to place, and went in search of Osiris' body.

Isis tracked the chest to Byblos. At Byblos, she talked to the queen's maid servants, and braided their hair. The queen was delighted by the wonderful braided hair which smelled of sweet perfume, and invited Isis to the palace. She took care of a baby prince, although she did not suckle the child, but allowed him to suck her thumb. She placed the child in a fire. The queen seeing this, ran to her child and pulled him from the fire, thereby denying him immortality. Isis revealed who she was, and asked the king for the pillar which contained the wooden chest. The pillar was split open and Isis took the wooden chest which contained the body of Osiris. The remainder of the pillar was placed in a temple, and for many ages travelers came to Byblos to see it.

Isis took the wooden chest back to Egypt and hid it in a secret place. Then she returned to her son in Buto. One day Set, while out hunting by moonlight, discovered the chest, opened it, and cut Osiris' body into 14 pieces, which he scattered throughout the land. The crocodiles would not touch the pieces of Osiris, as they feared Isis. Isis, in a boat made of papyrus reeds, searched the land, and buried each piece of Osiris, and a temple was built by men at each place where a piece of Osiris was buried. And thirteen different cities claimed to be the burial place of Osiris. Isis found all but one piece, which had been eaten by a fish in the Nile. And this kind of fish has been accursed ever since. But Osiris entered the Duat, the netherworld, and he rules as its good and just king.

Set still ruled Egypt. As a child, Horus, the son of Osiris and Isis and rightful heir to the throne, was killed by Set in the form of a scorpion, but Thoth brought him back to life, as his destiny as ruler of Egypt, and avenger of the crime against his father, had not yet been fulfilled. Horus grew to be a strong and brave warrior. Osiris appeared to Horus in a vision, and urged him to overthrown Set.

The armies of Horus fought the armies of Set, and defeated them. Set was forced to flee. The final battle was fought at Edfu, where Horus lost an eye. But Horus killed Set and cut his body into pieces. And Horus ruled as the good and just king of Egypt.

Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt

Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt by Rosalie David

This is a very intense book and doesn't short you on any information.  However, it isn't written to entertain or please-it is straight facts.  So while it may not be a story line format you can't complain about the wealth of detail.  This is a great book that takes the divided periods of ancient Egyptian history and has a lengthy chapter on each that covers history, religion, developments, culture changes, and anything that could possible have helped or did shape the religion of the Egyptians.  There are also two large sections containing photos of some of the main people, artifacts, and buildings discussed within the text.  This book is a great read for people either already knowing their Egyptian history or for those who need some information just on a certain time period.  I suggest using this book as you go through the periods of Egyptian history, not just a straight read.  The reason I suggest both of these ways of using the book is because if you can't keep up you'll be lost within half a page.  If you have no previous knowledge that has good grounding you will not be able to just do a straight read.  But if you use it as sections it makes a great almost text-book!

Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut is one of the most well known female rulers of Egypt.  Ruler in the 18th dynasty, Hatshepsut, meaning Foremost of Noble Women, became pharaoh when her two brothers died leaving her as her father's heir.  To have a female pharaoh was unprecedented, and probably most definitely unheard of as well.   Hatshepsut managed to rule Egypt for about twenty years, just before disappearing from history which coincided with "her" son Thuthmose III becoming pharaoh in his own right.

Family

Hatshepsut was the daughter of pharaoh Tuthmose I and his chief wife Aahmes.  She was the favorite of their three children.  When Tuthmose I died, his son Tuthmose II ascended the throne, but for the few years of his reign, Hatshepsut seems to have held the reins.  Upon his death, Hatshepsut, his half sister and wife, had produced only a daughter, Neferura, and Tuthmose II had sired a son through the commoner Isis.  

Impacts

Upon Tuthmose II's death his son, Tuthmose III, was in line for the throne, but due to his young age Hatshepsut was allowed to reign as queen dowager.  The pair "ruled" together for years until Hatshepsut finally proclaimed herself Pharaoh (it is assumed that she did this when Thuthmose III was reaching manhood).  This was unheard of, even with the higher status of women in Egypt compared to women in other cultures at the time.  However, before Hatshepsut, there were queens who had ruled Egypt, but none were a female Pharaoh.

Hatshepsut had many obstacles to overcome. The threat of revolt was always present, especially as her bitter nephew came of age.  She had to use propaganda and keen political skills.  Hatshepsut dressed in the traditional garb of male rulers: the shendyt kilt, the nemes headdress with its uraeus and khat head cloth, and the false beard.  Hatshepsut fought no wars during her reign.  Instead, she ordered expeditions to the land of Punt (present-day Somalia) in search of the ivory, animals, spices, gold and aromatic trees that Egyptians coveted. Hatshepsut emphasized not only her relationship to Tuthmose I her father, but her favor as having, as she claimed, to have been handpicked by her father above her two brothers.  Her last effort to be recognized as a legitimate Pharaoh, Hatshepsut constructed a fabulous temple in the Valley of the Kings by a tall plateau at Deir-el-Bahri, across the Nile from Thebes.  To keep control of the Egyptian empire for nearly 20 years Hatshepsut indeed was a master politician and an elegant stateswoman with total charisma.  

As Tuthmose III grew Hatshepsut's sovereignty grew tenuous.  Whether Tuthmose III killed Hatshepsut and Senmut (Hatshepsut's consort) is questionable but likely. Since he paid little respect to her in death, it is quite possible he paid even less in life.  But no matter how she died, we do know that she just disappear from history.

Death

The death of Hatshepsut remains a mystery.  Hatshepsut died, either as she was approaching or just entering middle age, and no record of her cause of death has survived.  It is believed that the hatred for his stepmother pushed Tuthmose III to erase her memory, existence, and any depictions of Hatshepsut by destroying any monuments erected during her reign.  While her temple still stands, her tomb nor her mummy have been found.   One of Hatshepsut's canopic jars was found, the one containing her liver. 

The recent identification of mummy in KV60 shows through CT scans indicate that the mummy died of metastatic bone cancer in the 50s.  In March 2006, Dr. Zahi Hawass claimed that this mummy was Hatshepsut, which was mislaid on the third floor of the Cairo Museum.  But in 2007 it was announced that Egyptologists believe they have identified Hatshepsut's mummy in the Valley of the Kings.  The decisive evidence was a molar in a wooden box inscribed with Hatshepsut's name.  It was found in 1881 in a cache of royal mummies hidden away for safekeeping in a near-by temple.

Recommended Reading for Youth/Adults

What Life Was Like On the Banks of the Nile by Time-Life Books

-A beautifully detailed book of ancient Egyptian culture including marriage, coming of age customs, and religious beliefs and rituals.  Time is also spent on pharaohs in general and their power, belief in the afterlife, and tomb significance.

Egypt: Splendors of an Ancient Civilization by Alberto Siliotti

-Similar to a mass picture book for the "older" crowd with mass amounts of information on Egyptian geography, history, temples, and tombs.  Very visual dynamic for those who are visual and need to see an equivalent to what they are reading.

Ancient Egypt by Lorna Oakes & Lucia Gahlin

-This is an incredible book that mimics an encyclopedia.  A wealth of information of almost anything you could imagine.  This is one of my favorite books, I can read it straig

ht through or use it as a reference.  My pages are getting worn and torn with this book because I always consult this one.

Conversations with Mummies by Rosalie David and Rick Archbold

-This book is fascinating.  It looks at the ancient Egyptians via the mummies they left behind.  Understand what techniques they used in mummification, significance involved with mummification, and the science behind it all.

Tutankhamin: The Exodus Conspiracy by Andrew Collins and Chris Ogilvie-Herald

-The book is a fun read and provides some more in depth knowledge about the boy king.  However, the content is a bit extremist and nor do I agree with it all.  It is just one point of view.  Since the release of the book new evidence has come to light about the "wounds" found on the young king.

The Search for Nefertiti by Dr. Joann Fletcher

-While this is another fascinating topic, this book is not an easy ready.  A pretty substantial knowledge of Egypt is already needed to keep up the deep diggings of the author.  While well written, it is just so over whelming to people just beginning to study ancient Egypt.

The Hebrew Pharaohs of Egypt by Ahmed Osman

-This book was a delight to read.  This man's take on Biblical history and intertwining with what we know of Egyptian history was great.  While I agree with almost everything thing presented I think he does have a few fallacies throughout his logic.  However, the main idea he is presenting is fabulous!

Ancient Egypt by David P. Silverman, General Editor

-A mini-type of encyclopedia the book offers handfuls of facts ranging from the dynasties, to warfare history, culture, women in Egypt, and the culture and rituals surrounding the Egyptian religion.

Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt by Rosalie David

-This book is extremely through and intense.  I would not recommend this one just to read and learn about Egypt.  Instead, if you want to learn some more about the religion during a period in ancient Egypt read the appropriate chapter.  Otherwise, you might get to bogged down and lose interest.

Nefertiti

Nefertiti is perhaps of the most well known ancient Egyptians.  Made famous by her painted limestone bust (which is now in Berlin's Egyptian Museum, shown) it was found in the workshop of the famed sculptor Thutmose.  Moreover, the bust is believed to be the sculptor's model, not just an original, signifying that more were being made.

Nefertiti was the chief wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (or Akhenaten).   Roughly translated her name means "the beautiful one is come."   She was famed throughout the ancient world for her outstanding beauty and perhaps more with her renown as always being by her husbands side.

Family

Nefertiti's origins are confusing and vague.   Suggestions range from that Tiy was her mother (along with her husband, Akhenaten) to that Nefertiti was Akhenaten's cousin.  Nefertiti's wet nurse was the wife of the vizier Ay who sometimes called himself "the God's father." (which could suggest that he might have been Akhenaten's father-in-law and therefore Nefertiti's father)  However, Ay never specifically refers to himself as the father of Nefertiti even with Nefertiti's sister, Mutnojme, prominently featured in the decorations of his tomb.   Nevertheless, Nefertiti may have also been a descendant of Ahmose-Nefertari, though she was never described as God's wife of Amun.  Also, she never lays claim to the title of King's Daughter, so we do know that she could not have been an heiress in the direct line of descent.

Impacts

Nefertiti had probably the largest impact of any ancient Egyptian female in history.  While it is almost agreed upon that she never actually ruled Egypt, she did not need to.  In fact, it looks like she ruled through her husband, Akhenaten.   In their religion that they established, the worship of the Aten, she was a priest.  Together the pair asserted that it was only through them combined that the full blessing of god Aten could be bestowed.  In accordance with the new religion Nefertiti changed her full name to  Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti or 'The Aten is radiant because the-beautiful one has come" or '"Perfect One of the Aten's Perfection."

In artwork, her status is evident and indicates that she had almost as much influence as her husband. For example, she is depicted nearly twice as often in reliefs as her husband, at least during the first five years of his reign. Indeed, she is once even shown in the conventional pose of a pharaoh smiting his/her enemy. 

Towards the end of Akhenaten's reign, Nefertiti disappeared from historical Egyptian records.  It is possible that Nefertiti's disappearance a number of years after that of Kiya's (who is believed for have born Akhenaten a son) simply meant that she died around the age of thirty.  However, there are controversies on this matter as well.  It may not be just a coincidence that shortly after 

Nefertiti's disappearance Akhenaten took on a co-regent.  This co-regent has been the subject of mass speculation and controversy.  One theory says that the co-regent was Nefertiti herself in a new guise, becoming a female king following the lead of women such as Sobkneferu and Hatshepsut.  Another theory is that there were actually two co-regents, consisting of Smenkhkare and Nefertiti, under the name Neferneferuaten, both of whom adopted the prenomen, Ankhkheperure.

Scholar Jacobus Van Dijk is adamant about Nefertiti assuming the role of co-regent and even serving as king for a short time after the death of Akhenaten.  He believes that Nefertiti became co-regent with her husband with her role as queen consort was taken over by her eldest daughter, Meryetaten (Meritaten).  He also suggests that Smenkhkare might have also been Nefertiti ruling after the death of her husband. 

Death

Nefertiti's tomb was never completed and no mummy was ever found.  But in June of 2003 archaeologist Joann Fletcher, from the University of York in England, announced that Nefertiti's mummy may have been one found in the famous cache of mummies in tomb KV35 in the Valley of the Kings.  If this really is Nefertiti then the evidence also suggests that Nefertiti was in fact the Pharaoh Smenkhkare.

The mummy was examined and was discovered to have been damaged in a way that suggested the body had been desecrated either at the time of death or shortly after.  Mummification techniques suggest an 18th dynasty royal mummy, the presence of embedded nefer beads, the age of the body, the arm had been buried in the position reserved for pharaohs, and the rare wig style worn by Nefertiti.  Later in 2003 Egyptian expert Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt's Supreme Council for Antiquities, dismissed the claim, citing insufficient evidence and was quoted as saying, "I'm sure that this mummy is not a female."

Recommended Videos

Here is a list of videos that we recommend for anyone to watch whether for fun or to learn about Egypt:

Egypt: Rediscovering A Lost World by BBC
-The BBC's unique style of dramatization brings ancient Egypt to life like never before! Take an action-packed trip back in time and re-live ancient Egypt through the eyes of three of it's greatest explorers. The ancient past and the recent past are skillfully interwoven, merging drama with documentary, as brave 19th and 20th century adventurers, explorers and code-breakers risk everything to unveil the world of ancient Egypt. As their discoveries unfold, the tales of Tutankhamen and Ramses II are brought to life in this breathtaking production.

Ancient Egypt Unearthed by the Discovery Channel

 -For more than three thousand years its wealth and magnificence were unrivaled...and then lost to the desert sands. Now take a marvelous journey down the mighty Nile and back through time as we uncover many of ancient Egypt's long-lost mysteries. It's all h

ere - pyramids and temples, pharaohs and mummies - in this fascinating collection that explores one of the greatest cultures the world has ever known. 

Disc 1: Egypt Uncovered In five revealing episodes, world-renowned Egyptologists employ the latest technology and modern archaeological findings to breathe life into one of history's most fascinating cultures. A startling new picture emerges of the civilization that dominated the world for millennia. 

Disc 2: Egypt's Ten Greatest Discoveries Egypt's preeminent archaeologist, Zahi Hawass, and his team have selected the ten most important discoveries in Egypt. From major battles, to mega-construction, these discoveries reveal the amazing stories of the lives of kings, queens and ordinary people. Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen More powerful than Cleopatra or Nefertiti, Hatshepsut was Egypt's greatest female ruler...and then she disappeared. Dr. Zahi Hawass investigates several mummies, one of which may well be the remains of this powerful queen. 

Egypt's Golden Empire by PBS
-In 1570 B.C., Rome was a marsh, the Acropolis an empty rock, but Egypt was 1,000 years old. The pyramid-builders were gone, yet Egypt still awaited its New Kingdom, an empire forged by conquest and remembered for eons. EGYPT'S GOLDEN EMPIRE comes to life through letters and records evoking the passion and riches of a time when Egypt was the center of the known world, its Pharaohs called gods, and great cities, temples and tombs built.

The Real Tomb Hunters by The History Channel

-This cool video is not limited to only the archaeologists that dig deep into Egyptian history.  In fact, it starts with the beginning of archeology itself to modern times.  Taking you through Egypt, China, South America, and Crete you get to see what the life of numerous famous archaeologists were and are like and were some of the ideas in movies such as Indian Jones come from.

Recommended Reading for Kids

Egyptology by Emily Sands
-Join Emily Sands' expedition to find the lost tomb of Osiris. A jeweled amulet glows on the cover, inside the book, there are fold-out maps, postcards, drawings and photographs, ticket stubs, mummy cloth, a scrap of papyrus. "The pyramids reminded me of all I came to Egypt to discover – the dusty tombs, the ornate temples, the golden treasures." [excerpt]

Tutankamun: The Mystery of the Boy King by Zahi Hawass
-Journey back to the time of Tutankhamun with Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass – thrilling discovery of Tut's tomb by Howard Carter, the boy king's life reconstructed (how old he was, how tall, what clothes he wore, what games he played) and most recent studies of Tut's mummy. Gorgeous photographs.

If I Were a Kid in Ancient Egypt by Cricket Book
-Take a step back in time and find out how kids lived in ancient Egypt: eating with your fingers, shaved heads, family fishing trips, popular pets, board games, going to school to become a scribe, and more.

Cleopatra by Diane Stanley & Peter Vennema-Fascinating biography of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt – her fight for the throne, romance with Julius Caesar, building an empire, life in Alexandria with Mark Antony, battle of Actium against Rome, her downfall and death by poison. Richly illustrated.

Your Travel Guide to Ancient Egypt by Nancy Day
-A fun and cool "passport to history" type of book.  Covers people, places, ideas, symbols, food, clothes and everything thing else ancient Egyptian.  Good for a lot of  ages yet with meat.  Perfect picture illustrations give one a feeling that they are traveling through Egypt while reading the book.

I Am the Mummy Heb-Nefert by Eve Bunting
-A poem from a mummy's point of view on Egyptian life, religion, and ultimately the fate of everyone.  She muses about her life and now being under a glass for people to view.  A fun read.

The Egyptian News by Scott Steedman
-A fun modern formatted newspaper with ev

erything Egyptian.  What their news could have been like from sports, fashion, farming, religion, politics, building, and everyday life for the classes.  Includes history of pharaohs, war, science, and architecture.

Leaders of Ancient Egypt: Rameses II by Susanna Thomas
-A good read for middle aged kids with great historical context revolving around the era Rameses II lived in and reigned.  Covers the highs and lows of the entirety of Rameses II's life as prince and later pharaoh.

Leaders of Ancient Egypt: Hatshepsut by Susanna Thomas
-Another great read for the middle aged kids containing well written historical context of the time and people surrounding the female pharaoh Hatshepsut.  It 

discuss how and what type of a ruler this infamous female pharaoh was.

Ancient Egypt by Andrew Haslam
-This is almost an interactive reader for the younger crowd.  A fun way of getting the kids to take a unique view of Egyptian history from their own eyes.  As other kids help yours explore almost every facet of ancient Egypt this book is fun for almost anybody.

Cleopatra: The Queen of Kings by Fiona MacDonlad
-This book mostly covers the later part of Queen Cleopatra's life.  From her love with Julius Caesar to Mark Antony to the brilliant schemes of a woman trying to save Egypt with political liaisons.  This book is nicely details for even the middle aged crowd, but all will love it.

Tales of the Dead: Ancient Egypt by Stewart Ross
-This is a cool book that gets kids to interact through the graphic novel cross sections on every page that goes along with the new information they have been learning about Egypt.  However, in some of the pictures the author has been faithful to what the Egyptians wore (almost nothing) so a few of the pictures may show more skin and areas than some parents may be comfortable with.

Cultural Atlas for Young People: Ancient Egypt by Geraldine Harris
-This is a great reference book for the kids!  With detailed information on almost anything the kids could ask about, with this book they can go look for themselves as they are studying Egypt.