Archive for the 'History:' Category
Weights and Measures
The unit of weight used in Ancient Egypt was the deben. It was equal to 91 grams and was divided into 10 parts. Bread was weighted by the loaf, which weighed between 28 and 33 ounces.
Liquids were measured by the jar, which was the equivalent of .13 of a gallon. Cereals were […]
Posted by: Scribe on Saturday, 19 Aug 2006
Deir el-Medina
Situated on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes, this ancient village was the home of the workers of the secret tombs of the royal family. These workers include sculptors, painters, potters, carpenters, glassblowers, jewellers, and cabinetmakers.
The village once had small white houses with courtyards. The houses were quite similar, […]
Posted by: Scribe on Saturday, 19 Aug 2006
Bes
The most common lucky charm to be worn in Ancient Egypt was an image of the god Bes. This ugly, diminutive deity did not belong to the higher echelons of the great gods, but was immensely popular amongst the people. Probably African in origin, Bes may represent a pygmy wearing a lion mask […]
Posted by: Scribe on Saturday, 19 Aug 2006
The Opet Festival
On first impression, Ancient Egyptian society may appear morbid, centring on mummification and the afterlife, but nothing could be further from the truth. The inhabitants of the Two Lands viewed the celebration of life as complementary to the ritual of death. The Opet, or Heavenly, Festival in particular, was a spectacular excuse to […]
Posted by: Scribe on Saturday, 19 Aug 2006
Maat
The concept of Maat was central to Ancient Egyptian thought. Often simply translated as justice, Maat actually expresses the proper order of the universe, right thinking, correct action and the regulation of time and space. It has hints of social propriety, the pyramidical nature of interaction between people, the respect that is due […]
Posted by: Scribe on Saturday, 19 Aug 2006
The Magic of Names
Belief in magic was an integral part of Ancient Egyptian culture. It was believed that the essence of any person, animal, object or indeed of the gods themselves was contained within its true name. Ra, for instance, had many names but his real power resided in his hidden name which was engraved upon […]
Posted by: Scribe on Saturday, 19 Aug 2006
The Amarna Letters
The Amarna letters are about 350 baked clay tablets, found in the ruins of Akhetaten. They are mainly letters written to the king of Egypt from the kings and princes of Assyria, Babylonia, Mitanni, Cyprus, Palestine, Syria and Hatti (the Hittites).
The tablets are written in cuneiform script, (wedge-like shapes), and in Akkadian, the […]
Posted by: Scribe on Saturday, 19 Aug 2006
Symbolic Power
Egyptian art sometimes demonstrates the king’s power by showing him as a powerful animal, such as a lion or sphinx. This was a reminder that he was a god, who could appear in many forms.
The king was also represented as a strong bull, which gave rise to the “Festival of the Tail” - the […]
Posted by: Scribe on Saturday, 19 Aug 2006
The Predynastic Period
The river Nile, snaking its way across the desert and into the sea, first attracted people to its banks many thousands of years ago. At first, they moved around and survived by hunting animals and gathering what they could to eat. Then, by around 5500BC, people started to settle along the riverbank and […]
Posted by: Scribe on Saturday, 19 Aug 2006
The King’s Name
The king was considered so important that people didn’t refer to him directly. They spoke of the “Palace” or “per-aa” instead. This is the origin of the title “pharaoh”. Kings had two different names: their “Son of Re” name, received at birth, and their nsw-bity name, received when they were crowned. […]
Posted by: Scribe on Tuesday, 15 Aug 2006