A
Aha
A popular Norwegian boyband of the 1980’s and 90’s.
Egyptologically however, the first King of Dynasty 1 according
to Manetho. The unification of the "Two Lands" at the beginning
of the dynastic era is also attributed to him.
Ahmose (throne-name:
Nebpehtira)
The founder of Dynasty 18 and responsible for the final expulsion
of the Hyksos from Egypt. He reformed Egypt's administrative
system and secured its frontiers.
Akh
One of the three major components of the personality (along
with the ba and the ka). The akh was the embodiment
of each individual's immortality, leaving the body at death
to join the stars. It was represented by the crested ibis
hieroglyph sign.
Akhenaten
(throne-name: Neferkheperura-Waenra)
Well-known
for being the Dynasty 18 heretic king. Famous for his monotheistic
attitude. The Aten was the single supreme deity in Egypt during
his reign. Moved his capital to Tell-el Amarna and established
a new and informal art style.
Amarna
Modern name for the site where Akhenaten founded his new capital
and residence city called Akhetaten (the horizon of the Aten).
The village is about 190 miles south of Cairo.
Amarna
Period
Named for the site Amarna; used to designate the part of Akhenaten's
reign spent there.
Amduat
The "Book of What is in the Underworld". It describes the
journey undertaken by the solar barque through the 12 hours
of the night to reappear the next morning.
Amenemhat II (throne-name:
Nubkaura)
Third king of Dynasty 12 ruling for 35 years according to Manetho.
Amenemhat III (throne-name:
Nimaatra)
Sixth king of Dynasty 12 ruling for 45 years according
to Manetho.
Amenhotep I (throne-name:
Djeserkara)
Second king of Dynasty 18. Undertook military campaigns in
Nubia and against the Libyans to secure the Egyptian frontiers.
Amenhotep
II (throne-name:
Aakheperura)
King
of Dynasty 18. Son of Tuthmosis III and succeeded his
father on the throne of Egypt. Known for his physical
strength and power. He retained his father's empire and maintained
peace. Ruled for approximately 24 years.
Amenhotep
III (throne-name:
Nebmaatra)
Son and successor of Tuthmosis IV. With his accession
Dynasty 18 reached its peak. Famous for his interests in art
and architecture. Ruled for approximately 37 years.
Amenhotep IV
SEE AKHENATEN.
Amset (Imseti)
One of the four sons of Horus. The human-headed guardian of
the canopic jar of the liver. SEE ALSO HAPI, DUAMUTEF AND
KEBEHSENUF.
Amulets
Symbolic figures or objects worn by the living and the dead
for their supposed protective powers.
Amun
A minor god of the city of Thebes, the cult of which gained
prominence through the political rise of the city at the beginning
of the New Kingdom. Represented as a man, sometimes ithyphallic.
Anubis
The god of embalmers and 'Lord of the Underworld'. A
god of the dead who is shown as a jackal or as a man with
the head of a jackal.
Apis
Bull
The personification on Earth of the ka of Ptah, the creator
god of Memphis.
Archaic
Period
The
first 2 Dynasties of Ancient Egyptian history.
Atef Crown
A crown worn by the god Osiris, and by the king. It is composed
of a central mitre mounted upon two ram's horns, surmounted
by a sun disk and flanked by two ostrich feathers.
Aten
The Aten is the sun-disc god, worshipped as the one true deity
during the reign of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten). Represented
as a sun disc with human arms bearing the ankh (life) sign.
Atum
A form of the sun god at Heliopolis. Represents the setting
sun.
Ay (throne-name:
Merneferra)
Ay was the second in command acting as the principal adviser
to Tutankhamun. Following the death of the boy-king, Ay ruled
in his stead as king of Egypt. His reign lasted for about
four years during which he contributed monuments to the temples
at Karnak and Luxor .
B
Ba
One of the elements of the human personality. Identified as
the soul or the spiritual element of an individual. Depicted
on tomb walls as a human-headed bird.
Barque
Model boat used to carry the image of a deity at festival times.
Bastet
A cat goddess whose cult centre was Bubastis in the Delta.
Originally a lioness-goddess, but with time it came to represent
the tame aspect of that goddess. It is in Lower Egypt that
she appears particularly as a cat.
Beard
From the Old Kingdom onwards, the king often wears a long,
square-ended artificial (or false) beard, fastened by a strap
along the jawbone.
Book
of Gates
Funerary composition decorating royal sarcophagi and tomb
walls describing the passage of the sun-god Re through the
twelve gates of the under world.
Book
of the Dead
Collection of funerary spells usually written on papyrus and
placed with the deceased in the tomb.
Buchis
Sacred bull of Armant assimilated to Montu.
C
Canopic Jars
Funerary jars containing human organs extracted during the
process of mummification. The stoppers of the jars took the
shape of the heads of the four sons of the god Horus, who
are the patrons of the liver, lungs, stomach and intestine.
Cartouche
Sign representing an oval loop of rope with the ends bound
together, within which the birth and coronation names of the
king are inscribed. The cartouche was also used for the names
of the god Aten and the Divine Adoratrice in Late Period Thebes.
Co-Regency
Period during which a king and his successor rule jointly.
The existence of particular co-regencies are very often the
subject of discussion and argument between modern Egyptologists.
They have serious implications for the establishment
of a coherent and reliable Chronology.
Colossus
Same as statue but bigger than normal human size - generally
held to be over 2 metres in height.
Coronation Name
Royal throne name, one of the five elements in the king's
titulary. The royal throne name or 'prenomen' was written
inside a cartouche and usually accompanied by the phrase Nsw
Bity (He of the Sedge and the Bee) or Neb Tawy (Lord of the
Two Lands).
Crook
or Heka Sceptre
Crooked sceptre serving as part of the royal insignia.
Cursive
Rapid, handwritten form of the script, chiefly hieratic and
demotic.
D
Deir
el Bahari
A site on the West Bank of the Nile in Luxor. Famed
for the mortuary temples of Mentuhotep and Queen Hatshepsut.
Deir
el Medina
The village of workmen responsible for the construction of
the Royal Tombs at Thebes during the New Kingdom period.
Demotic
From Greek 'popular', a further elaboration of hieratic.
Developed in northern Egypt in the 7th century BC. The normal
everyday script of the Late and Graeco-Roman Periods. Latest
dated text 452 AD.
Divine
Adoratrice
Chief Priestess of Amun at Thebes from the New Kingdom to
the Late Period. In the 23-26th Dynasties the holder of the
title and her "adopted" successor played a powerful role in
political control of the country.
Djed
The hieroglyphic sign of a pillar, symbolising stability.
Djer
Third king of the Dynasty 1. His reign was characterized by
further developments in foreign policy. He also set about
the economic and religious organization of the country. Established
a palace at Memphis and built his tomb at Abydos.
Djoser
Second king of Dynasty 3. Ruled for approximately 19
years. Owner of the Step pyramid at Sakkara. He is famed for
having pioneered stone-built architecture with the help of
his architect Imhotep.
Duamutef
One of the four sons of Horus. The dog-headed guardian of
the canopic jar of the stomach. ALSO SEE HAPI, AMSET AND KEBEHSENUEF.
Dynasty
A line of kings, sometimes (but not always) related by blood,
who succeeded each other on a throne. Ancient Egyptian history
was divided into 31 Dynasties by the Ptolemaic historian Manetho.
SEE ALSO TIME PERIODS
E
Egyptology
The science of studying Ancient Egypt. It brings together
strands from Archaeology, History (social, Economic
and Political), Divinity (study of religions) and Philology
(study of languages). The first Professor of Egyptology
in the United Kingdom was Sir Flinders Petrie (at University
College London). Egyptology is now taught as a separate
subject in many universities throughout the world. There are
many groups and societies devoted to the study of Egyptology,
most notably the Egypt Exploration Society of London, established
in 1882.
Ennead
Group of nine gods. The earliest and most famous of which
was the "Great Ennead" of Heliopolis, consisting of Ra-Atum,
Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Nephthys, and Seth.
F
Faience
Fired quartz paste very often used in Ancient Egyptian jewellery
and for figurines, such as ushabti.
False door
Funerary architectural element imitating a door through which
the spirit of the deceased could communicate with the world
of the living.
Fayum
An oasis region Southwest of the Nile Delta.
G
Geb
The Earth god. Always represented as a man. Member of the
Ennead of Heliopolis and male counterpart of the sky goddess
Nut.
Graeco-Roman
Period
Marked by the invasion of Alexander the Great to the Egyptian
territory, in 332 B.C. It comprises a series of Greek (Ptolemaic
Period) and Roman Imperial rulers.
H
Hapi
One of the four sons of Horus. The baboon-headed guardian
of the canopic jar of the lungs. SEE ALSO AMSET, DUAMUTEF
AND KEBEHSENUEF.
Hapy
God of the Nile in the inundation. Represented as a man with
breasts, a crest of papyrus on his head and bearing heavily-laden
offering tables.
Hathor
A goddess represented as a cow, as a cow-headed woman, or
as a woman with a horned headdress. She is the suckler of
the king and "the Golden One". Equated by the Greeks with
Aphrodite. Cult centres were in Dendera, Thebes and Memphis.
Hatshepsut
(throne-name:
Maatkara)
The famous queen of the mortuary temple at Deir El-Bahari.
Attained power through her husband Tuthmosis II, and her father
Tuthmosis I. She sent expeditions to Punt and ordered some
major constructions in Thebes. Ruled for approximately 20
years.
Heb-Sed
Festival
A jubilee festival that the king celebrated usually after
thirty years of rule. The powers of the king were symbolically
rejuvenated during the festival.
Hetepheres
Queen Consort, mother of Khufu, and wife of Snefru. She was
buried at Giza.
Hieratic
From Greek "sacred", the normal form of the script, mostly
written on papyri or ostraca. The earliest hieratic documents
date to the Fourth Dynasty, but the origins of hieratic are
probably almost as early as the hieroglyph script itself.
Hieratic signs lost the pictorial character of hieroglyphs
and are often joined together.
Hieroglyph
From Greek "sacred writing". Egyptian writing system,
used from the late Predynastic Period until the end of the
fourth century AD. It consisted of pictorial signs and was
used for monumental forms of the script.
High
Priest
Usual translation of the title of the head of the local priesthood.
Horus
The falcon god. Originally the sky god. Identified with the
reigning king during his lifetime. Son of Isis, and avenger
of the murder of his father Osiris. Cult centres: Delta, Edfu
and Hierakonpolis.
Horus
Name
The first and earliest recorded name (or epithet) in a king's
titulary identifying the king with a particular aspect of
the falcon god Horus, and usually written inside a serekh.
Hyksos
The Greek form of the Egyptian term for the Asiatic nomads
who invaded Egypt during the Middle Kingdom, and eventually
dominated the Northern half of the country in the Second Intermediate
Period.
I
Intermediate Period
Name given by modern
Egyptologists to indicate 3 periods of relative political instability,
between the chief phases of history, such as the First Intermediate
Period; between the Old Kingdom and Middle Kingdom. These
periods are characterised by a succession of ephemeral rulers
and a division of central control.
Isis
The divine mother. Wife of Osiris and mother of Horus. A protectress
goddess guarding coffins and canopic jars of the dead. Her
cult grew larger in the Late Period, has a temple at Philae.
J
Jewellery
Personal ornaments such as rings, necklaces, bracelets.
Jubilee
SEE HEB-SED.
K
Ka
One of the elements representing both human and divine personality.
It shows the vital force or energy of life. Its hieroglyphic
sign portrays a pair of arms up-lifted towards the heaven.
Ka-aper
A chief lector-priest during the reign of king Userkaf. He
was buried in a tomb at Sakkara. Also known as the "Sheikh
el-Beled" after the head of the village whwere the statue
was found. This remarkable wooden statue in the Egyptian
Museum in Cairo is one of the most famous artefacts there.
Karnak
Modern (Arabic) name for the area on the Eastern Bank of Ancient
Thebes that included the precinct of the temple of Amun and
other temples nearby.
Khafre
King of Dynasty 4 and the builder of the 2nd pyramid on the
Giza plateau. Ruled for 26 years. The construction of the
Sphinx is attributed to him.
Khasekhemwy
The last king of Dynasty 2. There is a possibility that
Khasekhem and Khasekhemwy are the same person, and that the
king changed his name to Khasekhemwy during the last years
of his reign.
Khepresh
A blue crown with tiny curls. Also called a "war crown".
Khepri
The scarab-beetle god, identified with Re as a creator-god.
Often represented as a beetle within the sun-disk.
Khnum
A ram-headed god. Responsible for the creation of mankind using
a potter's wheel.
Khonsu (Khons)
A moon god. Together with Amon and Mut, as mother and father,
they form the triad of Thebes. Represented as a man, with
a disk on his head or with the head of a falcon.
Khufu
The builder of the great pyramid at Giza. He ruled for approximately
23 years. Not much is known of his reign. A very small statuette
(7.5cm in height) remains to be the only complete representation
of the king.
Kush
The ancient Egyptian name for the Nile Valley South of the ancient
boundary at Aswan.
L
Lapis Lazuli
A semi-precious stone of an intense blue colour. It was very
popular in the ancient Near East for decorative inlays, beads,
etc.
Late Period
A period of decline, the power of the ruling monarchs was
challenged by foreign forces. Covers Dynasties 25 to 31.
Lector
Priest
Priest (literally "one who bears the ritual book") whose function
was to proclaim the ritual texts in funerary and temple cults.
Lower Egypt
The Lower Nile valley in Egypt: Northern Egypt.
M
Maat
The goddess of the truth and divine order. Represented as
a woman with an ostrich feather on her head.
Manetho
An Egyptian priest who wrote a history of his country in c3
BC. Though the work is lost, quotations from it in later writers
are extremely important for reconstructing dynastic lists
of pharaohs. Upon Manetho's studies hangs most of the
modern interpretation of Ancient Egyptian chronology.
Mastaba
The Arabic word for "bench". Used for a type of tomb consisting
of subterranean chambers surmounted by a superstructure bearing
a bench-like form. Used primarily during the Early Dynastic
Period and the Old Kingdom.
Menkaure
King of Dynasty 4 and builder of the3rd pyramid at Giza. Ruled
for 18 years.
Mentuhotep II (throne-name:
Nebhepetra)
The unifier of the Two Lands after the First Intermediate
Period, and the founder of Dynasty 11. He was
buried in his mortuary temple at Thebes. Ruled for approximately
21 years.
Merenptah
(Merneptah) (throne-name:
Baenra-hetephermaat)
King of Dynasty 19, son of Ramesses II. Ascended the throne
at an advanced age. He was able to secure Egypt's boundaries
against foreign attacks. Ruled for approximately 10 years.
Merimde
A site on the West bank of the Nile Delta representing one of
the earliest cultures of Egypt.
Middle
Kingdom
The re-establishment of a single administration for the whole
country. It was a period of revival for the ancient Egyptian
character after a period of disintegration. The capital was
near El-Lisht. It included Dynasties 11 and 12. Of particular
importance are the fine jewellery and literary works of the
period.
Min
The god of fertility. Represented in an ithyphallic form (erect
penis), raising one arm and holding the flail.
Montu
Montu was the local deity of Hermonthis, south of Luxor. Later
the war-god of Thebes. Represented as falcon-headed human
being.
Mortuary Temples
Temples in which the cult of the deceased king was celebrated.
In pyramid complexes the mortuary temple was immediately adjacent
to the pyramid. From the early New Kingdom onwards the mortuary
temple was located separately from the royal tomb.
Mummiform
Wrapped like a mummy, so that arms and legs are bound and hidden.
Mut
The vulture goddess of Thebes. Female counterpart of Amon,
mother of Khonsu, and a member of the triad of Thebes.
N
Naos
Small divine sanctuary or chapel.
Naqada II
The late predynastic culture of Egypt.
Narmer
First king of Dynasty 0. Traditionally identified with
king Menes, the unifier of the "Two Lands". The Narmer palette
in the Cairo Museum remains to be the most important record
of him. Not much is otherwise known of his reign.
Necropolis
Greek word for cemetery. "Necropolis" normally describes large
and important burial areas that were in use for long periods.
Nectanebo
I (throne-name:
Kheperkara)
Founder of Dynasty 30. Ruled for approximately 18 years. His
reign is marked by a renewed spirit of nationalism, and a
return to the traditions of the glorious past. Building activities
were resumed and Egypt experienced a revival in architecture.
Nectanebo
II (throne-name:
Senedjemibra)
Third and last king of Dynasty 30. The serious attempts undertaken
by his predecessors to revive the past were pursued during
his reign. Repelled Persian attempts to re-conquer Egypt.
Neferirkare
King Neferirkare was the third king of Dynasty 5, however
his reign is poorly documented. According to the Papyrus Westcar
he was king Sahure's brother. He built his mortuary temple
at Abusir where an important archive of papyri was found.
Nefertari
Chief royal wife of Ramesses II. Famous of her beauty, and
was favoured by Ramesses who built for her a temple at Abu
Simbel. Her magnificent tomb is in the Valley of the
Queens at Luxor, and is now open again to the public after
major restoration.
Nefertiti
Akhenaten's chief wife. Gained a special prominence rarely
given to any queen in the Egyptian history. She was depicted
as the king's equal while worshipping the Aten, and took part
in all his activities. Famous for her exceptional beauty,
personified in the bust now in Berlin.
Nekhbet
The vulture goddess of the nome of El-Kab. The guardian goddess
of Upper Egypt.
Nemes
A royal headdress composed of ribbed and pleated material.
Characterized by folds on each side of the forehead, and by
pleats, two of which fall down on the shoulders, and one on
the back.
Nephthys
One of the protector goddesses of the dead, and guardians
of canopic jars. Her name means the "lady of the house".
The sister of Isis and Osiris and female counterpart of
Seth.
New
Kingdom
The cultural peak of the Egyptian civilization. Characterized
by the vast military expansions, and the stability of the
political and religious sectors. The capital was at Thebes
(modern day Luxor). Covers Dynasties 18 to 20.
Nine
Bows
The nine traditional enemies of Egypt. Always shown controlled
and dominated by the king. Represented as of different races.
Nome
A Greek word for the administrative districts or provinces of
Ancient Egypt.
Nubia
The area South of Ancient Egypt which extended up the Nile
from Aswan and the First Cataract into what is now the Sudan.
Nun
The watery abyss of chaos.
Nut
Goddess of the Sky, and wife of Geb the Earth god. They are
both part of the Ennead of Heliopolis. Represented as a woman
with her curved body forming the sky.
O
Ogdoad
A group of eight gods.
Old Kingdom
It represents one of the most important phases in the evolution
of the ancient Egyptian civilisation. It includes the
pyramid age. The capital was at Memphis. Covers Dynasties 3
to 6.
Osiris
The god of the underworld. Identified with the dead king.
Also a god of innundation and vegetation. Identified as a
mummified king. His original cult centre was in Abydos.
Osorkon
I (throne-name:
Sekhemkheperra-setepenra)
The successor of Sheshonq I, and the second king of Dynasty
22. Ruled approximately for 35 years.
Ostracon
A limestone flake or pottery sherd used as a surface for writing
or sketching.
P
Palace facade
Style of architecture consisting of a series of recessed niches
along the frontage of a building. The exteriors of the early
mastaba tombs at Abydos and Sakkara are decorated in a palace
facade style.
Palette
In the Predynastic Period geometrical and animal-shaped small
slabs of stone were used for grinding cosmetics. The protodynastic
period was marked by the appearance of large ceremonial palettes
bearing carved reliefs commemorating important events.
Pepi I (throne-name:
Meryra)
Third king of Dynasty 6. He maintained stability throughout
the country and established good contacts abroad. During his
reign expeditions were sent to Nubia, Libya, Somalia and Sinai.
Ruled for approximately 36 years.
Pepi
II (throne-name:
Neferkara)
Son of Pepi I. Succeeded his half-brother Merenre to the thrown,
it was traditionally believed that he reigned for over 90
years. It was during his long reign that the central government
eventually collapsed, and Egypt experienced a period of downfall.
Persian Period
Two Dynasties of Persian rulers. Dynasties 27 and 31.
Pharaoh
A word transmitted from the Bible from the Egyptian word "Per-aa"
meaning "the Great House" or the royal palace, and in the
New Kingdom, the master of the palace, i.e. the king.
This has modern parallels in that we often refer to the British
Government as "Number 10" or the US Administration as "The
White House".
Pinedjem
I
High priest and king of the Twenty-first Dynasty at Thebes.
Married Henuttawy, daughter of the king of Tanis. Pinedjem
attempted to rescue the royal mummies and thus had them re-wrapped
and grouped together. He was buried at Thebes.
Pinedjem
II
King from Dynasty 21 at Thebes, which was a dynasty of high
priests. Ruled for 21 years. Buried at Thebes.
Prehistoric
Period
The time before recorded history.
Primordial
ocean
The waters of chaos preceding the creation of the world.
Provenance
Area where the object was found (Area / Site / Place).
Psammetik I (throne-name:
Wahibra)
Second king of Dynasty 26. Ruled for approximately 50
years.
Psusennes I (throne-name:
Aakheperra-setepenamun)
Third king of the Dynasty 21 at Tanis. Ruled approximately for
45 years. He was buried at Tanis. His tomb at Tanis was one
of those discovered by Pierre Montet in 1939. The grave goods,
in particular the golden mask found are some of the highlights
of the Cairo Museum collections.
Ptah
The Creator god of Memphis. He is represented as a man,
mummified and possibly originally as a statue. He is the
patron god of craftsmen. Equated with the Greek god Hephaestus.
Ptolemaic
Period
The
period of Egyptian history from the conquest by Alexander
the Great in 332 BC until the death of Cleopatra VII and
the beginning of Roman rule in 30 BC. Strict Egyptologists
separate off the reigns of Alexander, his half-brother Philip
Arrhidaeus and son Alexander IV and refer to this era as
the 'Macedonian Period' (332 - 309 BC).
The
Ptolemaic dynasty proper was founded by Ptolemy I Soter,
one of Alexander's generals. In all, there were 15 Ptolemies,
ending with Ptolemy XV (Caesarion), Cleopatra VII's son
by Julius Caesar. As Ptolemaic control weakened, Egypt looked
increasingly towards Rome for political support, culminating
in the Roman conquest by Octavian (later Emperor Augustus).
The
Ptolemaic period is characterised by the moving of the imperial
capital to the new Mediterranean city of Alexandria, by
the endowment of several new temples (e.g. Dendera, Edfu,
Kom Ombo); and the growth of the cult of Isis.
Ptolemy V Epiphanes
One of the more enlightened and energetic Ptolemaic rulers
who was a benefactor of several temples. The decree inscribed
on the Rosetta stone was passed in his honour.
Pylon
Monumental gateway of a temple representing the akhet (horizon)
hieroglyph. Pylons are the largest part of the temple and
were mostly built last.
Q
R
Rahotep and Nofret
Rahotep held the titles of High Priest of Re at Heliopolis,
Director of Expeditions and Chief of Construction. His wife,
Nofret, held the title "one known to the king". They were buried
in a tomb at Meidum. Their life-size statues are among the highlights
of the Cairo Museum's collections.
Ramesside Period
Nineteenth and Twentieth Dynasties, during which most of the
rulers were called Ramesses.
Ramesses I
First king of the Nineteenth Dynasty. Ruled for approximately
2 years.
Ramesses II
Son and successor of Seti I. He was able to regain Egypt's lost
influence in Syria and Palestine. Erected the Abu-Simbel temples
for himself and his beautiful wife Nefertari. He fathered more
than a 100 child. Ruled for approximately 65 years.
Ramesses III
Last of the great kings of the New Kingdom. During his reign
Egypt experienced a revival, but it was still suffering from
foreign attacks which triggered its eventual downfall.
Re
The sun god of Heliopolis, and head of the Great Ennead. The
supreme judge, who is linked with other gods, such as Amon-Re
and Sobek-Re. Represented as a man with falcon's head or if
in the dead form, with a ram's head. The king is regarded as
his son.
Red Crown
Red headdress in the form of a mortar. It symbolizes the sovereignty
of the king over Lower Egypt.
Relief, raised and sunken
In raised relief, the background is cut back so that the designs
are raised proud. In sunken relief, the design is carved into
the body of the work as with modern engraving.
Rosetta Stone
A basalt slab discovered at Rosetta, at the Western mouth of
the Nile during Napoleon's occupation of Egypt. A decree of
Ptolemy was carved on it in Greek, Demotic and Hieroglyph. The
discovery of the Stone by Napoleonic forces in 1799 and its
subsequent study by language experts led to the eventual decipherment
of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs.
Royal birth name
The nomen or the royal birth name of a king was one of the five
parts of the king's titulary. The second of those written in
a cartouche, it was usually accompanied by the phrase "son of
Re".
S
Sahure
The Second king of the Fifth Dynasty. He built his mortuary
complex at Abusir.
Sarcophagus
A container for the human corpse.
Scarab
The dung beetle, held sacred by the ancient Egyptians as a symbol
of the power of the sun, which was equated with the beetle's
ball of dung.
Sceptre
Baton or insignia of authority, such as the crook, flail, "
Was", or the "kherep".
Scribe
A literate Egyptian and therefore a rare commodity in Ancient
Egypt. They often became judges or senior civil servants
or administrators.
Sea Peoples
A mixture of Indo-European peoples who migrated southwards across
the Mediterranean and through the Levant during the late 2nd
millennium BC, and are associated with a wave of destruction
on Near Eastern sites.
Sekhmet
A lioness-headed goddess, who personified the cruel power of
the sun god. The daughter of Re and the female counterpart of
Ptah. In mythology, she fought against the enemies of Re and
once was about to destroy mankind. Worshipped in Memphis.
Selket
A scorpion goddess, one of the four protectors of the dead and
canopic jars. Often shown as a woman with a scorpion on her
head. There is a particularly fine example in the Tutankhamun
Collection in Cairo.
Senet
An Ancient Egyptian game, whose board is divided into thirty
squares. It symbolizes the passage of the deceased to the nether
world.
Sennedjem
One of the artisans who lived in the village of Dier el-Medina
during the reign of king Ramses II. He is the owner of one of
the most beautiful tombs carved in the cliff facing the workmen's
village.
Sennefer
Mayor of the city of Thebes (Luxor) during the reign of Amenhotep
II. He was given the title "royal favorite". He was buried at
Thebes.
Senusert I
The second king of the Twelfth Dynasty. He established a firm
control over the country, and executed a number of irrigation
projects. Foreign affairs flourished during his reign. Ruled
for approximately 45 years.
Senusert II
Fourth king of the Twelfth Dynasty. He was buried at El-Lahun.
Ruled for approximately 19 years. He was the first pharaoh to
undertake the extensive exploitation of the Fayum area.
Senusert III
Son and successor of Senusert II. He undertook large irrigation
projects in the Fayum, and all over the country. Took great
care of Egypt's foreign relations. Ruled for approximately 39
years.
Serapeum
Set of underground galleries at Sakkara serving as the burial
place of the sacred Apis bulls from the Eighteenth Dynasty onwards.
The term Serapeum strictly refers only to the Graeco-Roman temple
at ground level, dedicated to the god Serapis.
Serapis
A combination of Osiris, the Apis bull and various Hellenistic
deities whose worship was introduced into Egypt in the reign
of Ptolemy I.
Serdab
An Arabic word referring to the corridors of mastabas, where
the statue of the deceased was placed.
Serekh
A form of decoration found on the facades of royal palaces,
also a frame to the Horus name of the king which was part of
the royal titulary.
Seth
The god of storms and violence. Brother of Osiris, and his murderer,
and the rival of Horus. Identified with many animals, but represented
as an unidentified type. Associated with the Delta and the desert.
Seti I
The virtual founder of the Nineteenth Dynasty. Builder of the
great hypostyle hall at Karnak temple. He initiated a number
of military campaigns to regain the lost influence of Egypt
abroad. Ruled for approximately 11 years.
Seti II
Seti II ruled for 6 years. He maintained his predecessor's achievements.
Shawabty (shabti, ushabti)
Mummiform figure, usually of faience, wood or stone, which was
placed in the tomb (often in large numbers, one for each day
of the year) to take the place of the deceased in performing
certain manual tasks in the after world.
Sheshonq I
First king of the Twenty-second Dynasty. Ruled for approximately
21 years.
Shu
God of the air, whose female counterpart is Tefnut, goddess
of dew and moisture. They both form the first pair in the Heliopolitan
Ennead. Usually represented as a man separating Nut (sky) from
Geb (earth).
Sistrum
A ritualistic musical instrument, related to the goddess-Hathor.
Snefru
First king of the Fourth Dynasty. An expedition to Nubia and
another against the Libyans were conducted during his reign.
Foreign trade with Western Asia continued. Ruled for approximately
24 years. The only ruler to whom three pyramids have been attributed.
Sobek
The crocodile god. Worshipped throughout Egypt, but more importantly
in Fayum, Kom Ombo, and Gebelin.
Sphinx
A Greek word derived from the Egyptian shesep-ankh, meaning
the "living image". It means a statue with a body of a lion
and the head of the king, a form that is symbolic of sovereignty.
Stela
A rectangular or rounded slab of stone or wood, with texts,
reliefs or paintings, which served as commemorative or funerary
monument.
Stone Age
The earliest technological period of human culture when tools
were made of stone, bone or antler. It is divided into three
periods Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic.
Sun Temple
Term referring to a variety of sacred buildings dedicated to
the worship of the solar deity. In the reign of Akenaten several
unusual temples for the Aten were built, consisting of sequences
of open courtyards with numerous open-air altars.
T
Taharqa
Fifth king of Dynasty Twenty-five. Son of Piankhy and brother
of Shebitku, fourth king of the same dynasty. Considerable
building and restoration activities were carried out during
his reign.
Taweret
The hippopotamus goddess. Patron of women in childbirth.
Tawesrt
A minor queen who ruled for approximately 2 years at the end
of the Nineteenth Dynasty. Her reign was followed by a period
of internal unrest.
Thebes
The ancient name for the city of Luxor.
Thinite Period
The term was first used by Manetho to designate the first
two dynasties. Thinite derives from the name of the kings'
supposed city of origin: a place called This, near Abydos.
Thoth
The ibis-headed god of Hermopolis. The ibis and the baboon
were sacred to him. The scribe of the gods and the inventor
of writing.
Thuya
Mother of queen Tiye, the wife of Amenhotep III, and wife
of Yuya. Grandmother of Amenhotep IV. Her title was the chief
lady of Amon's harem.
Time
periods
The ancient Egyptian history is divided into dynasties. These
represent the group of kings that ruled Egypt since the beginning
of its civilization, placed in a chronological order. This
system was first adopted by the Egyptian priest Manetho, and
survives to this day; largely because modern Egyptologists
have failed to come up with a method which can improve upon
it.
We should note however, that the term 'dynasty' does not follow
the normal usage in European history (i.e. that of a ruling
house all directly descended by right of birth). Manetho groups
together rulers from a particular power base at that time,
these are not necessarily members of the same family.
The dynasties have been grouped into periods of time, to make
them more readily understood. These periods take into account
eras of political stability, characterised by the Old, Middle
and New Kingdoms; interspersed with times of relative chaos,
the First, Second and Third Intermediate Periods.
Titulary
Five names given to the king all of which are epithets that
seem to refer to aspects of the king's being. These were:
the Horus name, the Two ladies name (Wadjet and Nekhbet),
the Nsw Bity, the son of Re name, and the Golden Horus name.
Tiye
Royal wife of Amenhotep III. Mother of Akhenaten. Gained special
prominence during her life time.
Tomb equipment
Anything related to goods found in a tomb.
Triad
Group of three deities, usually comprising father, mother
and son. (e.g. Amon, Mut and khonsu).
Tutankhamon (throne-name:
Nebkheperura)
Second successor of Akhenaten. Ruled for about 9 years, under
the supervision of high priests of Amon. The capital of Egypt
returned to Thebes during his reign. He executed some minor
constructions in Luxor temple. Died at 19. The discovery by
Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon of his almost-entact tomb
(KV 62 in the Valley of the Kings) in November 1922 sparked
a worldwide interest in Ancient Egypt which continues to this
day.
Tuthmosis I (throne-name: Aakheperkara)
Third king of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Ruled for approximately
12 years. First king to carve his tomb (KV38) in the hills
of the present-day Valley of the Kings, near Thebes (Luxor).
He extended Egyptian boundaries beyond the fourth cataract
into Nubia. Tuthmosis I was the father of Queen Hatshepsut.
Tuthmosis II (throne-name: Aakheperenra)
Son and Successor of Tuthmosis I. Ruled for approximately
14 years. Was husband and half-brother to Hatshepsut.
Tuthmosis III (throne-name: Menkheperra)
Successor of Hatshepsut. His expansions in Asia and to the
north and south of Egypt won him the title of Egypt's greatest
military leader. During his long reign the Egyptian empire
reached its zenith. Ruled for approximately 45 years.
Tuthmosis
IV (throne-name: Menkheperura)
Eighth
king of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Son of Amenhotep II, father
of Amenhotep III and grandfather of Akhenaten. The 'Dream
Stela' at Giza (between the paws of the famous Sphinx) tells
how he was offered the throne of Egypt if he cleared the sand
away to reveal the sphinx again. Since he does not appear
to have been the obvious successor to the throne, this may
have been an attempt to legitimize his accession.
Two
Ladies
The vulture-goddess Nekhbet and the cobra-goddess Wadjet,
representing the Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt respectively.
Two Lands
Term referring to Upper and Lower Egypt.
U
Upper Egypt
The Upper Nile valley in Egypt: Southern Egypt.
Uraeus
The term is derived from the Egyptian word for "cobra". Usually
found adorning the forehead of the king and certain deities,
as a protective element.
Userkaf
The first king of the Fifth Dynasty. He ruled for seven years,
yet his reign was characterized by a certain amount of building
activity. He built the first sun temple at Abusir, a tradition
that was to be carried on by his successors.
Ushabti, Shabti
SEE SHAWABTI.
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