Ancient Egypt on Christmas Eve 2018

Season's greetings!

At the mouth of the Nile Delta

The capital of Egypt during the period of the Old Kingdom was Menefer, which the Greeks came to call Μέμφις (Memphis). In Arabic today, it’s called Manf (مَنْف‎).

It was located on the east side of the Nile, in the direction of the sunrise and, thus, of light and life.  On the west bank of the Nile, in the direction of the sunset, lay its cemeteries, including the great necropolis complexes of Dahshur, Saqqara, and most famously, Giza.

At the mouth of the Nile Delta

Calling all Egyptians, lovers of antiquities and history buffs: this one’s just for you. From December 20 to March 20, you can discover the ancient secrets of pharaohs, gods and mummies at the Guangdong Provincial Museum. Nearly 250 artifacts are on display, all on loan from Museo Egizio, an archeological museum in Turin, Piedmont, Italy, specializing in Egyptian archeology and anthropology. Founded in 1824, it is the world's oldest Egyptian museum and ranks second only to Cairo.

What A Virtually Untouched 4,400-year-old Ancient Egyptian Tomb Might Reveal
(AP Photo/Amr Nabil)ASSOCIATED PRESS

The world of archaeology has been abuzz this week with the announcement by Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities of the discovery of a new tomb. An Egyptian archaeological mission conducting excavations at Saqqara encountered the extremely well-preserved tomb of a royal official by the name of Wahtye. This individual served during the reign of Fifth Dynasty pharaoh Neferirkare as an aid and priest, and the splendor of his tomb reflects that status.

More coverage:

Look Inside the Pristine 4400-Year-Old Tomb of an Egyptian Royal Priest - History

'One of a kind' 4400-year-old tomb of royal Egyptian priest is unearthed - The Province

Egyptian tomb discovered: Statues and hieroglyphics exceptionally preserved - CBS News 

One of a kind royal tomb is 4400 years old, Egypt says - USA Today

The Ancient Egyptian Footwear Project

The Ancient Egyptian Footwear Project (AEFP) is a multidisciplinary, ongoing research of footwear in ancient Egypt from the Predynastic through the Ottoman Periods. It consists of the study of actual examples of footwear, augmented by pictorial and textual evidence

The Earliest Music in Ancient Egypt
Replica of an ancient Egyptian lute, showing the distance between strings and neck (copyrights photo and instrument: H. Köpp-Junk)

Music is a human universal. Already by the middle of the 3rd millennium BCE a great number of Egyptian texts and images referred to music and musicians, and attest to a complex hierarchy of musicians. But the beginnings of Egyptian music are much earlier. What were the types of musicians and instruments in Ancient Egypt, how were they used, and where did they come from?

Ancient Egypt December 17

12 Holiday Gift Ideas for Egyptophiles

With the holiday season upon us, the Nile Scribes are busy shopping for their loved ones! This week we are sharing some inspiration for those of you who, like us, are looking for Egypt-themed gifts. We chose a range of ideas we loved, from board games to unique jewellery. Perhaps you will find the perfect gift you’ve been looking for!

Pics: Cemetery dating back to 18th Dynasty unearthed

A cemetery dating back to the 18th Dynasty (1550 BC -1292 BC) was unearthed during the excavation works of the Swedish archaeological mission at Gebel el-Silsilain Kom Ombo, Aswan, the Ministry of Antiquities declared on Thursday.

2 ancient tombs renovated in Saqqara

The Central Administration of Restoration, alongside the Ministry of Antiquities, has completed the restoration of the Badi An Est and Psamtik tombs in the area known as the Persian Well, in the Saqqara archeological site.

Egypt Winery Seeks Ancient Inspiration for Present-Day Success

Under the dry soils and hot sun of Egypt’s Red Sea, a small winery is fighting to produce an award-winning all-Egyptian wine.

The adverse conditions of Egypt’s climate prove disadvantageous for any wine, yet the Kouroum of the Nile winery seeks ancient Egyptian inspiration for present-day success.

Brewing Ancient Egyptian Beer (video)

In Plattsburgh, an ancient technology course is brewing beer, to get a sense of what life was like back in Ancient Egypt.

The beer, which took two weeks to create was brewed using techniques and ingredients that ancient Egyptians would have used to brew beer, with limited modern day technology.

Strongman of the circus who hauled Egypt’s treasures to UK

A circus strongman whose plunder of ancient Egypt helped to fill the galleries of British museums is to be reunited with one of his treasures.

A portrait of the Great Belzoni, whose strength enabled several colossal pharaonic monuments to be dragged to the banks of the River Nile and onward to Britain during the 19th century has been given to the state.

Sotheby’s auctions off ancient Egyptian artifacts

At its Ancient Sculpture & Works of Art event on Dec. 4 in London, Sotheby’s auctioned off 59 antiquities. The vast majority of these antiquities were Graeco-Roman with price tags in the thousands of pounds, but the star of the show was a Roman marble funerary portrait statue, which was auctioned for 4.1 million British pounds ($5.2 million).

Chanel Draws Inspiration from Ancient Egypt for Its Metiers d'Art Show

Chanel became the second ever fashion brand to put on a runway show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Tuesday night. (Valentino was the first to do it in 1982.)

The French maison crossed the pond to showcase its Métiers d'Art collection using the Met's most famous piece—the Temple of Dendur, an Ancient Egyptian temple dating from around 15 BC—as the backdrop.






Egyptian Archaeologists discover 4400-Year-Old Tomb (video)



Egyptologist Explain The Great Pyramids To Teens

Ancient Egypt December 3

Mummifying a Beetle Is a Lot Easier Than Mummifying a Cat
The King Userkaf complex held dozens of mummified cats. KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

THE RABBIT HAD LOOKED BETTER. Two days dead, it was swollen and rank, and riddled with holes to let gases escape. Five days later, it swarmed with beetles. Its head had exploded, and the pelt pulled away from its bones. To approximate the result of baking under the desert sun, it had been sitting on a bed of natron, a type of salt, and perched on a laboratory rooftop.

Huge Tutankhamun show set to tour world

Four decades after the boy pharaoh caused a sensation in the US and Europe, treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun are to tour the world again -- many for the first time.
More than 50 of the 150 artworks from his tomb in the show will only ever leave Cairo once, say the Egyptian authorities, who are organising the tour in the run-up to the 2020 opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. See Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh Exhibit (with video)

Eight Late Period mummies discovered in Dahshur necropolis in Giza

During excavation work in the area to the northeastern side of King Amenemhat II’s tomb in the Dahshour necropolis in Giza, an Egyptian archaeological mission has stumbled upon eight graves from the Late Period.
Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explains that the graves contain limestone sarcophagi with mummies inside, three of which are in very good conservation condition.

Ancient Egypt: Eight Mummies Discovered in Ornately Decorated Sarcophagi - Newsweek

Eight 3000 Year Old Ancient Egyptian Mummies Discovered In Pyramid - LADbible

Eight Ancient Painted Mummies Discovered in Egypt - Geek

Egypt unearths eight ancient mummies - Jakarta Post

Nike to Release Dope New Basketball Shoes Inspired by Ancient Egypt

It's not uncommon for sports brands to collaborate with sportsmen-and-women or celebrities, but the most recent more than caught our eye - because it's inspired, maybe a little abstractly, by Ancient Egypt.

Made by Nike, Concepts (a store that works with brands specifically on collaborations) and NBA All-Star, Kyrie Irving, the 'Ikhet Nike Kyrie' doesn't exactly scream Pharaohs, but the Boston Celtics point guard has revealed some very adept knowledge of the symbolism of Ancient Egypt which he has used.

What Egyptians Ate: Did the Cuisine of Ancient Egypt Reflect the Tastes of Today?
 
The ancient Egyptians enjoyed a variety of foods, not unlike what we enjoy today. Nevertheless, compared to many other ancient civilizations, the ancient Egyptians had access to better foods. The Nile River provided irrigation for crops and water for livestock. Generally speaking, bread and beer were the staples of ancient Egyptian cuisine. Fruits, vegetables, and fish were commonly eaten by the poor, while meat and poultry were more often eaten by the rich.

How the Ancient Egyptian Economy Laid the Groundwork for Building the Pyramids
The Abusir pyramids and necropolis remains. Chanel Wheeler / wikipedia, CC BY-SA
In the shadow of the pyramids of Giza, lie the tombs of the courtiers and officials of the kings buried in the far greater structures. These men and women were the ones responsible for building the pyramids: the architects, military men, priests, and high-ranking state administrators. The latter were the ones who ran the country and were in charge of making sure that its finances were healthy enough to construct these monumental royal tombs that would, they hoped, outlast eternity.

Ancient Egypt’s Missing Tombs Are Waiting To Be Found – Could One Still Be Intact?
Dr Chris Naunton examining a reconstructed coffin in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo (Photo: Chris Naunton)

It seems incredible to think the tombs of Alexander the Great and Cleopatra are still waiting to be discovered in Egypt. The world’s oldest cheese, mummified cats and the skeleton of a pregnant woman buried 3,500 years ago have all been uncovered by Egyptologists in recent months. But the final resting places for some of ancient history’s greatest figures are in a different order altogether.

Egyptian Archaeologists Unveil Newly Discovered Luxor Tombs
 CREDIT: MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY/REUTERS

Egyptian authorities on Saturday unveiled a well-preserved mummy of a woman inside a previously unopened coffin in Luxor in southern Egypt dating back more than 3,000 years.




In Photos - 18th Dynasty sarcophagus reveals well-preserved mummy in Egypt’s Luxor
L'Egypte dévoile un tombeau et des sarcophages à Louxor (photos)

Egypt unveils ancient Luxor tomb 'with very nice paintings' - The Times of Israel

Egypt unveils previously unopened ancient female sarcophagus in Luxor - Arab News

Egypt unveils ancient tomb and sarcophagi in Luxor - The Express Tribune

Ancient Egypt November 19

Object Biography #23: A False Door of Kha-Inpu (Acc. no. TN R4567/1937)

This pair of finely executed limestone reliefs comes from a larger false door emplacement. They entered the Manchester Museum from the collection of pharmaceutical baron Sir Henry Wellcome (1853-1936), whose vast numbers of objects apparently included material acquired from the collection of Victorian socialite Lady Meux (1847-1910) – including the present object. Pieces from the same tomb chapel are now in the Field Museum of Chicago and the Louvre. When first identified in the Wellcome collection, the limestone was marred by salt encrustations. Fortunately it has now been conserved.

Ancient Egypt: Skeleton of Heavily Pregnant Woman with Broken Pelvis, Fetus Discovered
An ancient Egyptian burial site is displayed, with annotations pointing to the skeleton's pelvis area. MINISTRY OF ANTIQUITIES/FACEBOOK

Archaeologists have uncovered the ancient remains of a woman who died towards the end of her pregnancy, Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities reported on Facebook.

Scientists also found beads made from the shells of ostrich eggs, as well as pottery and jars in the tomb thought to date back some 3,500 years.

Preliminary examinations of the woman’s pelvis revealed the woman—thought to be about 25—may have suffered a fracture that ultimately killed her when improperly treated. The position of the fetus in her body suggested she had been due to give birth relatively soon.

Ancient Egyptian temples: Historic monuments or wedding halls?

In October, two wedding parties were held at two of Egypt’s most renowned ancient landmarks, the Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor and the Philae Temple in Aswan, both UNESCO world heritage sites. The two parties stirred much controversy among residents of both cities and on social media and triggered a wave of contradictory official statements while the question of how detrimental such actions are to the country’s most valued sites remained hanging.

Archaeologists have discovered dozens of cat mummies in an ancient Egyptian tomb

Ancient Egyptians were serious cat people, if a discovery in a tomb near Cairo is any indication.

On Saturday, Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities announced that a team of archaeologists had uncovered dozens of mummified cats, along with 100 wooden cat statues and a bronze bust of Bastet, the ancient Egyptian goddess of cats. The artifacts, found in a tomb in a cemetery in what would have been the ancient city of Memphis, are about 6,000 years old.

Dozens of cat mummies discovered in ancient Egyptian tombs - Sky News

Archaeologists Find Mummified Sacred Beetles and Cats in Ancient Egyptian Tombs - Haaretz

Ancient Egyptian tombs yield rare tributes to cats and more - Fox News

Tomb Full of Sacred Cats and Beetles Found in Egypt - Smithsonian

Tens of Cat Mummies and 100 Cat Statues Found Near Ancient Egyptian Pyramid - Yahoo News

Dozens of Cat Mummies Found in 4500-Year-Old Egyptian Tombs - Motherboard

Egypt: Ancient discovery of mummified creatures found near Great Pyramid of Giza - Express.co.uk

Ancient Egypt November 12

How Tut became Tut

High tech has made ours an era of ubiquitous images — they flash on our phones, computer screens, and TVs, transmitted from around the world with the tap of a finger or the press of a button.

But in the early 20th century, the newspaper was the visual information superhighway, and the pictures displayed in London papers in January 1923 exposed the world to long-unseen wonders.

First ever mummies of scarabs were unearthed in the Memphite necropolis and much more !

Minister of Antiquities Dr. Khaled El-Enany announced today a new discovery made by an Egyptian archaeological mission during excavation work carried out since April until now at the area located on the stony edge of King Userkaf pyramid complex in Saqqara Necropolis.

The Colors of Ancient Egypt

“The Colors of Ancient Egypt” is a new media exhibition that brings ancient Egyptian art back to life through the so called “Image-Mapping” technique, in the famous Egyptian Museum in Cairo. We recolor reliefs by projecting light onto the ancient artworks to make them appear the way they used to look like. Some of the oldest pieces of art merge with new media technology to transfigure the present into the past.
Visitors from all over the world are experiencing a historically authentic exhibition and get connected to the first highly advanced civilizatio

How I Discovered the Ramp that Might Have Been Used to Build Giza’s Great Pyramid
A joint archaeological mission to the ancient quarry site of Hatnub recently revealed the existence of this well-preserved haulage ramp dating to the time of the Great Pyramid, roughly 4,500 years ago. ROLAND ENMARCH

What at began as an expedition to record the inscriptions of ancient Egyptian quarry workers produced a remarkable discovery about the Great Pyramid at Giza. My colleagues and I in the Anglo-French joint archaeological mission to the ancient quarry site of Hatnub recently revealed the existence of a well-preserved haulage ramp dating to the time of the Great Pyramid, roughly 4,500 years ago.

Grand Egyptian Museum pushes full opening to 2020

The opening of the long-delayed Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near the Pyramids of Giza has slid again, to 2020. As recently as June, officials said the museum would open partially in 2019 for the unveiling of its star attraction—all 5,400 objects from the tomb of King Tutankhamun. The full opening was expected to follow in 2022, the centenary of Howard Carter’s discovery of the boy pharaoh’s tomb.

AGames Awakes the Powers of the Egyptian Gods

Can you recollect your favorite film inspired by the history of Ancient Egypt? The brave hero walks through the desert to find the lost city. He crawls across the caves full of dangerous traps and, finally, finds the cursed treasure.

Imagine a game where  Anubis, Osiris, Horus, Isis and the other powerful Egyptian Gods are there to help? AGames are pleased to reveal the Egypt Story, a new game we are proud to have developed.

Scientists reveal Hatshepsut died of cancer at 50

Thousands of years after her death, scientists revealed that ancient Egyptian female pharaoh Hatshepsut died of cancer at the age of 50, according to Hussein Abdel Basser, director of Antiquities Museum of Bibliotheca Alexandria.

The statement came during a lecture held on Monday at the Bibliotheca, entitled ‘Pharaohs’ Queens: The Drama of Love and Power.’

614 artifacts transferred from Egyptian Museum to GEM

The transferred collection comprises 11 objects from the treasures of King Tutankhamun, with the king’s diadem among them.

The transferred artifacts date back to the Old Kingdom and the Late Period. The artifacts include King Amenhotep II’s wooden box covered with a layer of white mortar and engraved with the king's cartridge and a hieratic text; a group of Osirian statuettes; a limestone statue of Senefer, the fifth dynasty’s top official; and a 26th dynasty relief bearing the image of a sphinx.

Britain should return the Rosetta Stone to Egypt and replace it with a virtual reality replica, says new head of Giza museum

'It would be great to have the Rosetta Stone back in Egypt but this is something that will still need a lot of discussion and co-operation,' Dr Tawfik, the director general of the Grand Egyptian Museum, told the Evening Standard.

New archaeological discoveries in Matariya, Heliopolis

One of the inscriptions credits the creator God Atum as being responsible for the flood of the Nile, likely dating to the Late Period (664-332 BC).

A German-Egyptian archaeological mission working in Matariya, ancient Heliopolis, has uncovered a number of inscribed stone fragments from the 12th and 20th dynasties and the Third Intermediate Period of Ancient Egypt.

Egypt: Artifacts discovered in Cairo could be 4000 years old - Aljazeera.com

Egypt says archeologists found more artifacts at Cairo dig - CTV News

Egypt says archaeologists found more artifacts at Cairo dig - WMC

Inscription fragments uncovered at Temple of the Sun - Egypt Today

10 Awe-Inspiring Photos of the Ancient Pyramids of Egypt

From the early step pyramids to the towering Great Pyramids of Giza, the tombs are among the few surviving wonders of the ancient world.

The Egyptian pyramids are some of the most incredible man-made structures in history. More than 4,000 years after their construction, the pyramids still stand as some of the most important and mysterious tombs in the world. Their

Ancient Egypt November 5

Luxor Celebrates 96thAnniversary of Tutankhamun Discovery

The governorate of Luxor, starting from Sunday, November 4 until the end of the month, is celebrating the 96th anniversary for the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

The government celebrates November 4 as the national day of Luxor.

New Facts about the Construction of the Pyramids

Scientists have discovered a special 4500-year-old system to extract and move huge stones in an ancient quarry in the Eastern desert of Egypt on the territory of Hatnub – reports Live Science.

The device is well-crafted slope surface with steps at the edges and numerous holes in the soil. These holes appeared on the wooden poles that were fixed mounts. Around them around the bundles. The ends were tied to a special sled, to which was attached a rock. Workers pulled the harness, and the unit is gradually raised.

This Primitive Ramp Could Have Helped Build Egypt's Great Pyramids - ScienceAlert

Discovery may solve mystery of how Egypt's Pyramids were built - Newshub

New Discovery Finally Explains How The Egyptians Built Their Great Pyramids - IFLScience

Ancient Egypt stunner: Possible ramp used to build Great Pyramid found- Fox News

Have Scientists Finally Revealed How Egyptian Pyramids Were Built? - Sputnik International

This 4500-Year-Old Ramp Contraption May Have Been Used to Build Egypt'sGreat Pyramid -Live Science

Video: New technology reveals history and face of Aberdeen uni’s Ancient Egyptian mummy

Academics have used X-rays to visualise an Ancient Egyptian mummy that has been part of an Aberdeen university collection for more than 200 years.

A chance to see the face of an ancient Egyptian - Scottish Field

Will the London Obelisk Return to Egypt?

We need to take a stand on the condition of Egyptian antiquities abroad.

I traveled to London in October, to participate in the American University of Cairo’s fundraising campaign to help students who were financially-disadvantaged, yet gifted. I decided to take a taxi to Times Square, to see the Egyptian obelisk there.

National Museum of Scotland Launching New Galleries

The National Museum of Scotland -- the most-visited attraction in the UK outside of London -- has announced the opening date for three new galleries dedicated to East Asia, Ancient Egypt and ceramics.

Set for February 8, 2019, the opening of the galleries 100 days from now will mark the completion of a 15-year transformation of the National Museum of Scotland that has involved restoring the Victorian building and displaying more of its holdings.

Engraving in Minya Quarries Could Reveal How Ancient Egyptians Moved Stone Blocks in Khufu Period
Photo: Al-Ahram

A French-British archaeological mission from the French Institute for Oriental Archaeology and the UK's Liverpool University have discovered ancient engravings alabaster quarries in Tel El-Amarna that could help reveal how ancient Egyptians managed to move stone blocks from alabaster quarries during the Khufu period.

Joseph Fiennes & Sir Ranulph Fiennes Journey Down The Nile For Three-Part Exploration Series For Nat Geo

The Handmaid’s Tale and Shakespeare in Love star is teaming with the explorer, who is his cousin, in Fiennes: Return to the Nile. The pair will journey down the river in Egypt to re-visit the locations that Ranulph explored on his first expedition 50 years ago.

Natalia Vodianova Celebrated Halloween as an Egyptian Goddess

Suited for holiday, Vodianova chose a very original wearing a green dress to the floor and decorating his head with the accessory in the form of a Golden bowl shaped like a throne, she appeared in the form of the Egyptian goddess ISIS. (The name ISIS translates as “throne”.)