Ancient Egypt August 28

Britain’s best places to see: Ancient Egyptian artefacts

Servant girl carrying a jar, Northumberland Collection, EG4007, Oriental Museum, Durham University. © Durham University

The Ancient Egyptians are well known for their innovative everyday lives and their famously extravagant death rituals. Millions of Ancient Egyptian artefacts have made their way to the UK thanks to the efforts of early archaeologists, travellers and enthusiasts.

Valley of the Gods Slot by Yggdrasil Debuts Today

Ancient Gods remains a popular theme with slots game providers. The latest masterpiece by Yggdrasil is Valley of the Gods. This video slot game is fully compatible with mobile devices – Android and iOS, and has a RTP (return to player) of 96.2%. This Egyptian-themed slot game features multiple enticing elements such as invoking ancient incantations, generous multipliers and free lives. Valley of the Gods slot showcases the ancient Egyptian gods, Horus and Anubis.

Former Masonic lodge built in ancient Egyptian style is a curiosity in leafy eastern suburb Canterbury


A STRANGE building in the leafy eastern suburb of Canterbury has fascinated locals and visitors for decades.

Emulation Hall, a former Masonic centre, was built in 1927 and features ancient Egyptian motifs like a golden-winged dung beetle and astrological symbols.

Temple of Kom Ombo

The Temple of Kom Ombo is an unusual double temple constructed during the Ptolemaic period, which lasted from 108 to 47 BC. The ancient Egyptian place of worship features a unique engraving that is thought to be among the first representations of medical and surgical instruments.

Princess tomb

The recent discovery of the tomb of an ancient Egyptian princess from the Fifth Dynasty has opened a new chapter in the saga of the Abusir necropolis, says Nevine El-Aref.

An archaeological mission from the Czech Institute of Egyptology at the Charles University in Prague, who is carrying out routine excavations on the north side of the Abusir necropolis, 30km south of the Giza Plateau, has been taken by surprise with the discovery of an important rock-hewn tomb.

Egyptian Solar Boat Beam Damaged During Excavation

CAIRO, EGYPT—Archaeologists and restorers traveled to the Giza Plateau to investigate the condition of one of the beams of a solar boat buried along with the pharaoh Khufu, which was damaged during an excavation, according to a report from Ahram Online.

Why these authors forged a friendship is no mystery

This story starts at a kitchen table in Maryland and ends on the book world’s most prestigious bestseller list. In between is a memorable stop in Madison.

Elizabeth Peters was a highly popular writer of historical fiction, especially a series of mysteries featuring the amateur Egyptologist Amelia Peabody. Peters died in 2013.

As the obituaries noted, Elizabeth Peters was a pseudonym for Barbara Mertz, a Maryland author who chose the pen name utilizing the names of her two children: Elizabeth and Peter. Mertz died at 85, having completed about one-third of her 20th and final Amelia Peabody mystery.

Among the mourners at Mertz’s funeral was her close friend and fellow mystery author Joan Hess, who lives in Austin, Texas.

Explore Ancient Egypt with new Assassin’s Creed Origins cinematic trailer

Ancient Egypt, a land of majesty and intrigue, is disappearing in a ruthless fight for power. Unveil dark secrets and forgotten myths as you go back to the one founding moment: The Origins of the Assassin’s Brotherhood.

Start here, at the very beginning, with the never-before-told origin story of Assassin’s Creed. You are Bayek, protector of Egypt, whose personal story will lead to the creation of the Assassin’s Brotherhood.

Uncover lost tombs and explore the pyramids. Discover the secrets of the ancient mummies, Egyptian gods, and the last pharaohs.

Ancient Egypt this week: Fit for a king

IT'S A PHARAOH'S MASK, BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT

This is the golden mummy mask of the 21st Dynasty King Amenemopet.

The mummy mask of King Amenemopet reveals an Egypt that was fast running out of gold.

The diary of Minnie C. Burton

The woman behind the man behind the camera: re-discovering the tomb of Tutankhamu

The diary presented here belonged to Minnie C. Burton, wife of the British archaeologist and photographer Harry Burton, who worked with Howard Carter during the excavation of the tomb of Tutankhamun. It is one of only a few surviving items from the couple’s personal belongings and papers, as the extract reproduced above helps explain.

The Griffith Institute acquired it at auction on 14th July 2015 thanks to two generous grants from the Friends of the National Libraries and the Heritage Lottery Fund.n

A cruise fit for a king

Was Khufu’s second solar boat intended for a Nile cruise rather than to transport the pharaoh through all eternity, asks Nevine El-Aref.

The newly revealed wooden beam with pieces of metal on it that has been taken from the pit of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu’s second solar boat on the Giza Plateau has raised controversy over the original use of the boat.

Egyptian Museum's 'piece of the month' contest looks to military history for October

To mark the anniversary of the 6 October victory in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, the Egyptian Museum has selected nine artefacts from its collection that highlight the Egyptian army in ancient times to be put to the vote on Facebook for its “October piece of the month.”

New discovery in Matariya points to a King Ramses II temple

The Egyptian-German Archaeological Mission at Matariya archaeological site discovered new evidence that may lead to a temple of King Ramses II.
Dr Mahmoud Afifi, the head of the Ancient Egyptian Sector at the Ministry of Antiquities, stated that this evidence was found about 450 metres to the west of the obelisk of King Senusret I in Matariya. It was discovered when the mission stumbled upon a number of blocks from the temple courtyards and fragments of the temple statuary.

Grave of Victorian author who was buried alongside her female partner is given listed status in new campaign to recognise gay history 

Adventurer Amelia Edwards was a prominent women's rights campaigner
She wrote eight novels while travelling with her partner Ellen Braysher
The adventurous pair threw Victorian convention aside and went abroad
Four other landmarks have been upgraded to record their LGBTQ histories.

'Revealer of Secrets': Zahi Hawass's new TV show on archaeology to launch in October

Beginning October 20, Egyptian audiences will be treated to a new programme on Egyptian archaeology hosted by former minister of antiquities Zahi Hawass, titled "Kashef Al-Asrar" (Revealer of Secrets). In collaboration with renowned Egyptologists, the programme will launch on Egyptian satellite channel Al-Ghad.

Mothers of Egyptology -- an early Mother's Day salute

Sunday, May 8 is Mother's Day in the United States. Last year, I honored the great mother, Isis, on Mother's Day. This year, I decided to do something a little different.

It's not hard to name the Fathers of Egyptology. Carter, Ebers, Petrie, Budge, Belzoni, Champollion, and Gardiner sort of rolled off my tongue with not much effort. But what about the women? Was Egyptology only for men? No, indeed. Since I'm starting a novel with a main character who is both a woman and an Egyptologist, I've been looking for role models. So, it seems fitting that for Mother's Day, I mention a few of the women whom my protagonist might have considered heroines.

Dorothy Eady

Dorothy Louise Eady was also known as Omm Sety or Om Seti (16 January 1904 – 21 April 1981). Omm Sety was Keeper of the Abydos Temple of Seti I and draughtswoman for the Department of Egyptian Antiquities. She believed in a previous life she was an ancient Egyptian priestess and the lover of Seti I (father of Ramses the Great.) She is also known for her considerable historical research at Abydos. Her life and work was the subject of many articles, television documentaries, and biographies. A New York Times article described her as "one of the Western World's most intriguing and convincing modern case histories of reincarnation."

Her books include: Abydos, Omm Sety's Abydos, Omm Sety's Living Egypt: Surviving Folkways from Pharaonic Times.

Jonathan Cott's The Search for Omm Sety, which was acquired by Jackie Kennedy when she was an editor at Doubleday, is a fascinating read for those who want to know more about Omm Sety.

Side note: I hadn't heard of her when I was in Egypt the first time. My incredulous guide gave me Cott's book and said if you asked the archaeologists working at Abydos about her, they'd all say "There's really something there."

Barbara Mertz/Elizabeth Peters/Amerlia Peabody

Barbara Mertz was born on September 29, 1927, in Canton, Illinois. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a bachelor's degree in 1947, a master's degree in 1950, and a PhD in Egyptology in 1952. (I should add that these facts almost make her a neighbor.) She authored two books on ancient Egypt, both of which have been continuously in print. but primarily wrote mystery and suspense novels.. She became a published writer in 1964.

Under the name Barbara Michaels, she wrote primarily Gothic and supernatural thrillers. Her publisher chose that pseudonym since Mertz had already published one nonfiction book on ancient Egypt, and he didn't want the novels to be confused with her academic work. Mertz published her Amelia Peabody historical mystery series, using the nom de plume Elizabeth Peters, which were the given names of her two children.

She was member of the Editorial Advisory Board of KMT: A Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt, Egypt Exploration Society, and the James Henry Breasted Circle of the University of Chicago Oriental Institute. Her bequest also made the Petrie Museum possible. She donated her collection of several hundred Egyptian antiquities, many of historical importance. The collection grew to international stature in scope and scale thanks mainly to the extraordinary excavating career of the first Edwards Professor, William Flinders Petrie (1853-1942). (See our next Mother, Hilda Petrie)

You can find the Amelia Peabody series here. You should also check out her official website.
Mertz died at her home in Maryland on August 8, 2013.

Hilda Petrie

Hilda Mary Isabel Urlin Petrie (1871–1957) was an Irish Egyptologist and wife of Flinders Petrie, the father of scientific archaeology. Having studied geology, she was hired by Flinders at age 25 as an artist, which led to their marriage and a working partnership that endured for a lifetimes.

Hilda travelled and worked with Flinders to excavate and record numerous sites in Egypt and later in Palestine. She directed some excavations and often worked in difficult and dangerous conditions to produce copies of tomb hieroglyphs and plans and to record the work for reports to the Egypt Exploration Fund. When the British School of Archaeology in Egypt was founded in 1905 in London by Flinders Petrie, she worked as its secretary and fundraiser to secure support for the school and their continued excavations. Hilda took part in archaeological excavations and surveys throughout her married life, except for a period while their two children were young. Her work was published, and she also gave public lectures in London and elsewhere.

Margaret Alice Murray

Margaret Alice Murray (13 July 1863 – 13 November 1963) was an Anglo-Indian Egyptologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, historian, and folklorist. She was the first female to be appointed as a lecturer in archaeology in the United Kingdom. She served as President of the Folklore Society from 1953 to 1955 She published widely over the course of her career.

In 1894 she began studying Egyptology at University College London (UCL). Her mentor was department head Flinders Petrie, who encouraged her early academic publications and appointed her Junior Professor in 1898. IShe took part in Petrie's excavations at Abydos, Egypt, discovering the Osireion temple, and the following season investigated the Saqqara cemetery. These finds established her reputation in Egyptology.

She supplemented her UCL wage by giving public classes and lectures at the British Museum and Manchester Museum. In 1908 she led the unwrapping of Khnum-nakht, one of the mummies recovered from the Tomb of the Two Brothers. It was another first: the first time a woman publicly unwrapped a mummy. Murray authored several books on Egyptology targeted at a general audience.

Murray's work in Egyptology and archaeology was widely acclaimed and earned her the moniker of "The Grand Old Woman of Egyptology", although after her death many of her contributions to the field were overshadowed by Petrie.

You can find a list of her books on Egypt (as well as her books on witchcraft and folklore) here.

Some mothers and daughters of Egyptology

You might also want to read The Eloquent Peasant's post The Women of Egypt and Egyptology: ancient, past, and present, although it is not strictly limited to Egyptologists.

And here is a list of female Egyptologists and links to their stories.

Barbara G. Adams
Susanne Bickel
Käte Bosse-Griffiths
Edda Bresciani
Mary Brodrick
Betsy Bryan
Kara Cooney
Renée Friedman
Salima_Ikram
Violette Lafleur
Rosalind Moss
Christiane Desroches Noblecourt
Lise Manniche
Sarah Parcak
Danijela Stefanović
Elizabeth Thomas
Joyce Tyldesley
Hilde Zaloscer
Christiane Ziegler

Ancient Egypt this week - Ancient roots, ancient lives, ancient history, ancient pre-nups

Prenups in  Ancient Egypt
Long before Kanye was around to deem them "Gold Diggers," ancient Egyptian women were planting their feet in the sand and demanding some pretty progressive rights given the time period.

Eight feet long from edge to edge and brushed with beautiful calligraphy, the stretched-out scroll hanging on the walls of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago could easily be mistaken for a poem, or an ornate royal decree. It's neither. It's a prenup.

Here's another article.

Suez Canal has ancient Egyptian origins
The idea of connecting the Red and the Mediterranean Seas, along with the Nile River, haunted the ancient Egyptians for years.

“Lots of references to the Sesostris Canal were found in the journals of travellers and historians such as Herodotus,” explained professor Fathi Saleh Founder and emeritus director of CULTNAT, as well as Former ambassador of Egypt to UNESCO.

What lies beneath?
A tantalising clue to the location of a long-sought pharaonic tomb

NOTHING has inspired generations of archaeologists like the discovery in 1922 of the treasure-packed tomb of Tutankhamun. What if another untouched Egyptian trove lies buried, not in a distant patch of desert, nor even nearby amid the overlapping tomb-shafts of Luxor’s Valley of the Kings, but instead just a millimetre’s distance from plain view?

Remembering Barbara Mertz
Two years ago, the prolific best-selling author and dedicated Egyptologist Barbara Mertz, fondly known by her pen name Elizabeth Peters, tragically passed away, from cancer. Dr. Mertz was a true trailblazer -- both as a writer of popular fiction and as a serious scholar.

To find out more, visit the official website of Elizabeth Peters.

Ancient history and sensory overload in Cairo
From millennia-old pyramids to Tahrir Square. Radha Chadha on the wonders of Cairo.

I have seen it in pictures a hundred times, but the shock and awe of finally standing at the foot of the Great Pyramid at Giza is quite something. It is massive of course—I feel like an ant looking up at an elephant—but there is something else, a stillness, a quiet stealthy presence that is both fascinating and unnerving.

3,500-year-old Egyptian mummies embalmed with unusual recipes
Researchers studying two ancient Egyptian mummies, dating back to some 3,500 years, have found that they were embalmed with unusual recipes whose components had anti-bacterial and anti-insecticidal properties.

Papyrus scraps offer glimpse into everyday ancient life

They may be written on 1,800-year-old papyrus, but when you translate them and read them out loud, they sound just like modern emails.

Two small scraps of papyrus were recently rediscovered at the University of British Columbia Library's Rare Books and Special Collections.

4,400 year-old artefacts unearthed

A set of 4,400-year-old artefacts were unearthed under a temple in the southern Egyptian city of Aswan, an official statement said.

Ancient Egypt this week: Amelia Edwards, Objects returned, Designer Egypt, Clothing, Tut the Movie, and Tut in Cape Town with videos

Who was Amelia Edwards?

Surprisingly few people have heard of Amelia Edwards. Archaeologists know her as the founder of the Egyptian Exploration Fund, set up in 1882, and the Department of Egyptology at University College London, created in 1892 through a bequest on her death. The first Edwards Professor, Flinders Petrie, was appointed on Amelia’s recommendation and her name is still attached to the Chair of Egyptian Archaeology

Archaeologist? Travel writer? Novelist? Journalist? Musician? Linguist? Fund-Raiser? Feminist? Amelia Edwards was more than equal to any task. I want to be Amelia Edwards when I grow up.

Swiss return ancient cultural objects to Egypt
Switzerland has returned 32 cultural treasures dating from the Pharaonic and Roman periods to the Egyptian Embassy in Bern, the Federal Office of Culture announced on Monday. The objects had been involved in a cantonal criminal procedure.

Exclusive first look: Christian Louboutin launches Scarabée limited edition collection
It's no secret that Christian Louboutin considers Egypt to be his unofficial second home, as he is drawn in by the iconography and mythology of this ancient land, and naturally the creative designer finds abundant inspiration here. The new Scarabée limited edition collection of nail-colours is another shining example his ability to translate worldly themes.

Some very cool photographs of perfume at ancient sites.

How do we know about clothing in Ancient Egypt?

At Petrie Museum you find one of the oldest garments from Egypt on display in the world, the Tarkhan dress (pictured below) made of linen from around 3000 BC. There is also a reconstructed bead net dress that may have been worn for dancing in Dynasty 5 (c. 2400 BC). A visitor who was fascinated by these two garments asked me: how do we learn about Egyptian clothing?

'Tut': Sir Ben Kingsley Previews the Epic Spike Miniseries

The past comes alive in this exclusive new trailer for Spike’s event miniseries, Tut, which chronicles the brief reign of one of Ancient Egypt’s most famous pharaohs, Tutankhamun. I'll be right there on July 19, although I am invariably disappointed in movies about ancient Egypt. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Tut exhibition opens in Cape Town

"'Tutankhamun - His Tomb and His Treasures'  opened in Cape Town. The exhibit includes a multimedia presentation introducing visitors to the stories of King Tutankhamun, archaeologist Howard Carter ,and ancient Egypt. Visitors will also get to explore "faithfully reconstructed the tomb of Tutankhamun" which has been created to scale and includes replicas of the artifacts found within the tomb. Visit the exhibition site, read another review, and watch the following video for the exhibit.