Ancient Egypt News 09/16/2019

The Pharaoh We Need 
Photo: Paola Kudacki

At the heart of Egypt’s ancient history is the 14th-century-BCE pharaoh Akhenaten, a leader depicted with full lips, a long nose, and evident breasts. At the heart of the visual cornucopia in Philip Glass’s 1983 opera Akhnaten is Anthony Roth Costanzo, a slender singer with full lips, a long nose, and a voice so high and clear it seems implausible coming from a man’s throat. There’s a lot of uncertainty around the historical figure, who is almost as famous for the woman he married (Nefertiti) as for his own accomplishments, which were considerable.

Red Mercury': Why Does This Strange Myth Persist?


For centuries rumours have persisted about a powerful and mysterious substance. And these days, adverts and videos offering it for sale can be found online. Why has the story of "red mercury" endured?

Some people believe it's a magical healing elixir found buried in the mouths of ancient Egyptian mummies.

Anubis: The Ancient Egyptian God That Inspired The Sacrifice Of 8 Million Dogs
Metropolitan Museum of Art

The symbol of Anubis, a black canine or a muscular man with the head of a black jackal, the ancient Egyptian god of the dead was said to oversee every aspect of the process of dying. He facilitated mummification, protected the graves of the dead, and decided whether or not one’s soul should be granted eternal life.

Strange that a civilization known to worship cats should come to personify death as a dog.

Through Studying The Teeth Of This Woman's Mummified Remains, Scientists Have Determined Her Profession In Ancient Egypt

By analysing the dentistry of a woman who lived in Ancient Egypt, archaeologists have made a surprising discovery: her unusual profession. Take a look at the video above for all the details...

With this incredible discovery, archaeologists have gone from surprise to surprise. A short time ago, a team of scientists from the University of Alberta, in Canada, analysed the teeth of a woman who lived 4000 years ago, in Ancient Egypt. From this study, they learnt a lot more than they expected.

Bes, The Egyptian God Who’s Part Dwarf, Part Lion

We liked him instantly — perhaps because he’s so unlike all of the other gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt we had seen carved onto temple walls and painted in the dark, narrow tombs. And since most of those deities feature animal heads, that’s saying something.

Even so, Bes is perhaps the most unique character in the Ancient Egyptian pantheon. I’d try to come up with my own colorful description, but once Duke read this to me, I figured why bother? I can’t top Alastair Sooke’s write-up in Frieze, who describes this “grotesque little fellow” so evocatively.


via GIPHY

Egypt Opens 2 Restored Ancient Tombs

Egypt has unveiled two roughly 3,500-year-old tombs following restoration work in Luxor.

The work on the tombs was carried out by an Egyptian-US team at a royal cemetery near the Valley of the Kings.

The restored walls of the tombs bear vivid drawings. One of them also contains statues of its owner, a priest, and his wife sitting side by side.

To see photographs of the tomb, click here.

August 19, 2019

'Invisible Ink' on Antique Nile Papyrus Revealed by Multiple Methods
Photo from Science Direct

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190816092420.htm

The first thing that catches an archaeologist's eye on the small piece of papyrus from Elephantine Island on the Nile is the apparently blank patch. Researchers from the Egyptian Museum, Berlin universities and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have now used the synchrotron radiation from BESSY II to unveil its secret. This pushes the door wide open for analysing the giant Berlin papyrus collection and many more.

‘The Mountain of the Dead’: One of Siwa’s Archeological Landmarks 
Copyright: Elena Moiseeva - Fotolia

Known for its various archaeological monuments, Egypt’s countless ancient tombs carry snippets of history in every corner.

Located about 560 kilometers northwest of Cairo, Siwa Oasis is home to one of the most important burial sites dating to Dynasty 26, ‘The Mountain of the Dead.’

‘The Mountain of the Dead’ contains thousands of graves cut in the bedrock, where inscriptions helped to date the oldest graves to researchers and scholars. According to the official site of the Ministry of Antiquities in Egypt, burials continued in this cemetery until the late Roman era.

Shirt brand Eton Looks to Ancient Egypt and Indian Trucks for Inspiration
A shirt from Eton's Horizon collection, inspired by Egypt. Courtesy Eton

The Swedish brand turns to scarabs, hieroglyphics and the art found on colourful lorries for its statement shirts.

Since he was a young boy, Sebastian Dollinger has been fascinated by the mysteries of ancient Egypt. From the sweeping structure of the Great Pyramid to life on the banks of the Nile, it’s a place that always held a sense of wonder for Eton’s creative director.

Animated Gifs For The Egyptian Museum Of Turin

Note: These gifs are supercool, but can take a hot minute to load.

Robin studios produced a  series of thematic animated GIFs for the social channels of the Egyptian Museum of Turin.
The animations were made by combining the images of the real finds photographed inside the Museum with animated vector illustrations that faithfully reproduce the original finds.

Bolton Museum Refurbishment

Our heritage specialists modernised this well-known Grade II listed building to give a dynamic new future for the museum that is now one of the UK’s best places for Egyptology.

The space we created means visitors to ‘Bolton’s Egypt’ can learn about the town’s important links to the world of pharaohs and pyramids in the family-friendly, interactive gallery, with room for 2,000 objects, more than double the previous capacity.

The museum’s collection of paintings, sculptures, statues and other artworks is also on display in a new gallery called Bolton’s Art.

Unique 4500-Year-Old Nobleman Tomb Discovered

During the excavation and documentation of the pyramid complex of King Djedkare Isesi of the 5thDynasty in south Sakkara (Saqqara), the Egyptian archaeological mission directed by Dr. Mohamed Megahed has discovered a unique tomb belong to a nobleman called “Khuy” and dated to the end of the 5thDynasty of the Old Kingdom (24th-25thcentury B.C).

Dr. Mostafa Waziri said that the tomb consists of an upper structure which is an offering chapel in (L) shape. The blocks of the chapel seem to be taken apart since antiquities and reused in other sites as the mission only found the white limestone remains of the lower parts of the walls.

Saqqara Archaeological Site to be Developed
Saqqara Step Pyramids - planetware

A protocol to provide services for visitors and tourists in Saqqara Archeological Area, Giza Governorate has been signed.

The protocol of cooperation has been signed by the ministers of antiquities and Housing as well as the chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Urban Communities Authority.

The signing of the protocol took place in the presence of Atef Moftah, general supervisor of the project of the Grand Egyptian Museum and the surrounding area, and Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

5 Films that Immortalised Egyptian Queen Cleopatra in Popular Culture

The last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Cleopatra is one of the most famous figures of the ancient world, having been immortalised in Medieval and Renaissance literature, as well as being depicted in various coinage, sculptures, busts and paintings. Shakespeare has immortalised her love-affair with Mark Antony in his play Antony and Cleopatra, and in modern times, she has appeared in fine arts, burlesques, Hollywood films and brand imagery, turning into a pop culture icon of Egyptomania, or the renewed interest of Europeans in ancient Egypt during the nineteenth century.

National Geographic’s ‘Egypt Specials’

National Geographic Abu Dhabi has launched an exclusive series titled “Egypt Specials” featuring stories and mysteries of the ancient kingdoms along with several artifacts and treasures that belonged to the pharaohs.

Delving into a world packed with cultural monuments and historic findings, the four-hour series displays the latest technologies used to explore the pharaohs’ treasures. The series also offers views from scholars and archeologists who contribute new perspectives while bringing historical monarchies to light.

Orphné Achéron: Wow! Just Wow!

Paris • Illustrator inspired by antiquity, mythology, medieval era... and by my ancestors.
Also see Orphné in the following places:
www.facebook.com/orphneacheron
www.orphneacheron.tumblr.com
www.artsper.com/fr/artistes-contemporains/france/53032/orphne-acheron

July 29, 2019

Between Oedipus and the Sphinx: Freud and Egypt

This new exhibition explores Freud’s enduring fascination with Egypt evident both in his writings and in his collection of antiquities.

A painting of Oedipus’ encounter with the Sphinx famously hung beside Freud’s couch. Nobody doubts the significance of Oedipus to the development of Freud’s thought but the presence of the Sphinx reminds us of his less celebrated interest in Egyptian culture. Egyptian artefacts form the largest part of Freud’s collection and lie behind his ‘archaeological metaphor’ – one of his most productive methods for exploring the psyche and developing the practice of psychoanalysis.

The Destruction Of Humanity

We are fortunate to have many surviving pieces of Egyptian literature and religious writings, allowing us to translate, read, and share stories that were originally composed in the ancient past. We have previously looked at the story of Osiris and Isis, one of the most famous tales from ancient Egypt. Today, we’re going to be looking at a very different tale, however – one known amongst Egyptologists by the rather unusual name, “the Myth of the Heavenly Cow”.

Book Review: An Enlightening Look Into The Birth Of Egyptology

Alessandro Ricci’s travels to Egypt and Sudan took place a few years before the birth of Egyptology in 1822, the year Jean-Francois Champollion deciphered the hieroglyphs. His work, a detailed account of his journeys enriched with beautiful drawings of ancient monuments, was never published in his lifetime. Ricci is little known today yet his contemporaries, including Champollion, unanimously acknowledged the artistic qualities of his work, essentially epigraphic copies of reliefs, temple decorations and inscriptions.

KV 11 Revisited
Two of the ships depicted in Room Bb of the tomb. Frontispiece of the 1978 edition of Wilkinson’s The Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians, Vol. II.

The tomb of Ramesses III (KV 11) is one of the most renowned places in the Valley of the Kings, but also one of the most threatened by progressive decay. After several floods, between 1885 and 1914, a major part of the wall decoration was lost forever. Although it has been one of the most frequently visited tombs since antiquity, it still remains unpublished. Nevertheless, it is possible to reconstruct a substantial part of the decoration from the notes, drawings and squeezes produced by early travellers and researchers. “KV 11 revisited” is part of The Ramesses III (KV 11) Publication and Conservation Project.

Egyptology (video)

From Cairo to Luxor, Egyptologists are working alongside physicists and engineers to try to solve the secrets of the pharaohs. Using non-invasive exploration techniques which won’t damage the monuments, teams of researchers began scanning Egypt’s pyramids in October 2015.

The Tomb of Menna (TT69)
Photos © Chris Marriott 

The tomb of Menna (Theban Tomb 69, or TT69), is one of the most beautiful of the “Tombs of the Nobles” on the West Bank at Luxor, but is not a part of the regular “tourist trail”, meaning that you’ll almost certainly be able to visit it in peace and quiet.

Note: I love the tickets to sites in Egypt, shown to the left here. Every time I go, I bring home a collection. 

Egyptian Scarabs Discovered in Ancient Shiloh

A rare Egyptian scarab seal, possibly belonging to a senior Egyptian official, was found at the Tel Shiloh archaeological site in Samaria. Archaeologists estimate it is 3,000 years old.

The scarabs were carved in the shape of a dung beetle, a creature of cosmological significance in ancient Egypt. Numerous scarabs have been found in archaeological excavations in Israel.

Ancient Egypt: Underwater Archaeologists Uncover Destroyed Temple in the Sunken City Of Heracleion

Note: Includes a great video.

Marine archaeologists probing sunken ancient Egyptian settlements have discovered the remains of a temple and several boats containing treasures like coins and jewelry.

Egyptian and European researchers spent two months probing the remains of Heracleion and Canopus off the coast of the Nile Delta, Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities reported. They used a sophisticated scanning device to uncover new parts of the ancient settlements.

Archaeological Mission Concludes Work in Alexandria Sunken Greek Cities

The Egyptian-European Archaeological Mission of the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology concluded its archaeological season at the ruins of the ancient Greek cities Heraklieon and East Canopus in Abi Qir Bay, Alexandria. The mission had been operating for almost two months.

Ehab Fahmy, head of the Central Department of Sunken Antiquities, said that the mission used the latest scanning devices to capture images of archaeological remains buried beneath the seabed.

If you want to see the photos I took of the exhibition based on the exploration of this site, see Sunken Cities: Egypt's Lost Worlds.

How 20th-Century Colonial Politics Shaped the Story of Tutankhamun's Tomb
One of the guardian statues from the tomb of Tutankhamun on display in the Egyptian Musuem, Cairo, in the 1930s. Library of Congress.

The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb was never photographed. This will come as a surprise to archaeology enthusiasts familiar with photographs like the one  often identified as Howard Carter caught in the moment of opening the tomb in November 1922.

In fact, the photo dates to early January 1924, the second winter Carter and his colleagues spent working in the jam-packed tomb. We might imagine that Howard Carter is kneeling to look in awe at the face of Tutankhamun, or at least something suitably gold and glorious. In fact, Carter was looking at the still-closed doors of another shrine inside and he was dazzled, not by gold, but by (as he put it) the “mystic mauve” glow of photographic reflectors just out of shot. Held by unnamed Egyptian co-workers, those reflectors were required by the tomb’s official photographer, Harry Burton, to bounce electric lamplight around the cramped, dark space and yield the desired effects of light and shadow.

One-way Tickets to the Netherworld: Mummy Labels and Inscribed Mummy Shrouds
Left: UC 39590. Right: UC 34471 (c) Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology

On 26th April of the 24th year of reign of an unspecified Roman emperor (probably Commodus, which equals the year 184 AD), a modest Egyptian priest named Bes, son of his namesake and a lady called Tadinebhau, died in Pernebwadj, a provincial town in Middle Egypt—then a remote region within the vastness of the Roman empire. We know almost the precise address in Pernebwadj at which Bes had resided during his lifetime, within the town’s ‘tenth quarter’. Such detailed information stems from neither an inscription on Bes’ tomb walls nor a papyrus, but from a much more unassuming object: his mummy label (UC 45626).

Oh, Hollywood!

Unpublished backstage photographs from The Ten Commandments by Cecil De Mille in 1956 in the area of Deir El Bahari.

Tech Wizardry Solves Mysteries Of Egypt's Royal Mummies
Seti I Sahar Saleem

ROUGHLY 400 MILES from the Great Pyramids, ancient pharaohs of the New Kingdom lay at rest in the Valley of Kings. Nondescript chambers built into the valley's dusty hills hold royal remains, buried between 1550 and 1070 BC. The crypts were designed to deter robbers, and for the most part, they worked—which makes it difficult for today’s archaeologists to find them and identify their inhabitants.

But new techniques are giving researchers a better look into the tombs.

Ancient Egypt September 17 2018

The Neith of Spetses

Anargyros was also fascinated with Egyptology, and in 1903 he began construction of a grand mansion decorated inside and out with Egyptian décor. Finished in 1904, Anargyros named it “Neith” after the Egyptian goddess of war and hunting. It immediately became the most imposing building in Spetses, hosting kings, queens, and other dignitaries of that time. These guests entered past one of the mansion’s most impressive features, the two large sphinxes flanking the entrance.

Two 4,500-Year-Old Homes Found Near Giza Pyramids
Credit: Copyright 2016 by Ancient Egypt Research Associates

Archaeologists have discovered two ancient homes near the Giza pyramids in Egypt. The structures may have housed officials responsible for overseeing the production of food for a paramilitary force more than 4,500 years ago.

4,000-year-old Egyptian 'Lost City of the Dead' FOUND: 800 tombs unearthed at burial site
MINISTRY OF ANTIQUES

The site, near Al Ayyat, on the edge of the Sahara Desert had previously been left alone for about 4,000 years, until now.

Egyptologists believe it is one of the largest necropolis (city of the dead) dating back to the Middle Kingdom period of Egyptian history.

Inside the crypts there is enough space that experts believe it could have held thousands of corpses.

For another article see, Ancient Egypt: 800 Tombs Discovered In Massive Grave Site Lurking Between Two Pyramids

The Mummy Returns
PHOTO BY ROBERT ISENBERG

Everybody loves Nesmin. The RISD Museum staff all refer to Nesmin by name. They encourage visitors to see Nesmin, to spend a little time with him on the third floor. Nesmin is much beloved, especially for a guy who died 2,250 years ago.

The Ptolemaic mummy has been on display since 1938, a well-wrapped bundle of cloth covered in intricate painting. Yet after much discussion, the museum has decided to put Nesmin back in his ornate coffin, where he was originally ensconced in the third century B.C.E.

The Latest Discoveries in Egyptology (July-August 2018)
A Saite-Persian Period gilded mummy mask found at Saqqara (Photo: AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Every few months, the Nile Scribes bring you summaries of the latest news and discoveries in Egyptology, both from the field and the lab. We’ll introduce you to the newest archaeological finds or recently undusted manuscripts being rediscovered in museum collections, plus other new theories stirring in the Egyptological Zeitgeist. This summer has seen a wealth of new discoveries and research, with much excitement generated by the discovery of an intact, black sarcophagus in Alexandria. Another intriguing find was the identification of the world’s oldest cheese from the tomb of an Egyptian official at Saqqara.

Eye Of Horus: Meaning Behind The Egyptian Eye
The fractions of the Eye of Horus. Image source: Wikipedia.

The Eye of Horus, also called the Egyptian Eye, the Wedjat, or the all-seeing eye, was a powerful symbol for the ancient Egyptians. The Eye was widely used in funeral rites and as protective amulets in ancient Egypt. Often made of gold, wood, carnelian, or lapis, the Eye of Horus was often worn as jewelry worn by both the living and the dead or as an amulet to be tucked between the folds of linen wrapped around mummified corpses.

Ankh Meaning: The Egyptian Cross Symbol
Image source: Wikipedia

This is an ancient symbol that originated in Egypt where it was used in portraits of gods, usually seen carried on each hand, on their chest or carried by the cross’s loop. The ankh is seen in the Egyptian pantheon either in close proximity or in the hand of most Pharaohs and deities.

But this symbol is also found among other ancient cultures outside Europe, most notably in Persia (present-day Iran), and Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). It is also found on the seal of King Hezekiah in the bible.

Breathtaking Ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to the Sixth Dynasty are reopened to the public for the first time since they were discovered nearly 80 years ago

The tombs of Mehu have been reopened to the viewing public for the first time in almost 80 years since it was discovered in 1940 in Giza, Egypt.

Mehu's tombs, which are situated in the vast ancient burial ground of Saqqara, are deemed to be the most beautiful tombs at the site.

The magnificent burial site was restored by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiques, who reinstated the tomb paintings pictured on the walls of the chambers.

Egypt Ancient Tomb Opened - KULR-TV

Egypt inaugurates Old Kingdom tomb near Cairo - Xinhua

Egypt opens 4300-year old tomb to the public at the Saqqara pyramid - Al-Arabiya

Egypt opens a 4000-year old tomb to the public africanews

Egypt opens tomb dating back to 6th dynasty for tourists Egypttoday

Egypt inaugurates Old Kingdom tomb near Cairo 

Xinhua
In Picture "Inauguration tomb of Mehu in Saqqara" Friends of Egypt Facebook Page

Meeting the “Queens of Egypt” in Montréal
The exhibition space imagining the royal harem beside the river Nile (photo: Nile Scribes)

Having opened in early April at Pointe-à-Callière in Montréal, Canada, the new exhibition Reines d’Égypte (Queens of Egypt) invites visitors on a tour of the east and west banks of the Nile during the New Kingdom. The Nile Scribes were able to visit Pointe-à-Callière this summer and see this special exhibition for ourselves. Including objects from temple, palace, and harem contexts on the east bank, the exhibition also featured objects associated with preparing for the afterlife on the west bank.

Papiro di Aaner video

Papyrus of Aaner, priest of the goddess Mut, Third Intermediate Period (1076 – 722 a.C.) Click this link to watch the video.