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Tag: ancient Egyptian
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Beginning of Time ~ End of Eternity – Calendar of Ancient Egypt: First Month of Inundation – Drunkenness
In this episode, we explore the first month of the ancient Egyptian inundation season, dedicated to the god Thoth. Drawing on temple calendars and ancient texts, we look at the major festivals, daily rituals, and mythological events that shaped this month — including the Opening of the Year, the Wag Festival, and the Festival of Drunkenness. It’s a guided walk through how the Egyptians understood time, renewal, and the divine order of the year.
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Ancient Egyptian Days Above the Year and New Year Festivals Announcement
Our festival reenactments for the hrw Hryw rnpt and wpt rnpt begin July 14 at approximately 8 AM PDT on YouTube Live. Subscribe to our channel and click the notification bell to be alerted when we are live. Follow our social media for official schedules.
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Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt: The Book of Knowing the Creations of Ra
The Book of Knowing the Creations of Ra is an ancient Egyptian creation myth that narrates the self-creation of Ra, the sun god, and his role in forming the universe. Ra, also known as Khepra (the scarab beetle of creation), describes his emergence during the sp tpy (First Occasion), the moment of creation. He creates his children, Shu (the lower sky/atmosphere) and Tefnut (sky moisture), through self-insemination and spitting them out. Ra’s bA spirit manifests as Heka (magic), the creative force of the universe, which is invoked in rituals but not inherently present in humans.
Ra continues to create primeval beings from the nnw (primeval waters) and plans further creations using his Eye, representing the physical sun. His children form the Great Ennead (nine deities worshipped at Heliopolis), including Geb (earth), Nut (sky), Osiris, Horus, Seth, Isis, and Nephthys, who further populate the world.
The text transitions into the ritual destruction of App (Apophis), a primeval serpent embodying uncreation and chaos (isft), which threatens the cosmic balance (mAat). Seth defeats App nightly, who spears him to protect Ra’s sun boat during its journey through the dwAt (netherworld). App is imprisoned by Akr, a deity of the horizon, and consumed by the Glorious Eye of Ra, which destroys his bA (spirit), Dt (body), Swyt (shadow), and Heka.
The myth emphasizes the constant battle between creation and uncreation, the interconnected spirits (bA, kA, Dt), and the importance of maintaining cosmic balance (mAat). The text is part of the Bremner Rhind Papyrus, dated 312-311 BCE, and includes other rituals and hymns. It reflects the rich mythology and spiritual beliefs of ancient Egypt.
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Par Madja’at Ancient Egyptian House of Books Episode 5
The episode provides a detailed overview of Episode 5 of “Par Madja’at House of Ancient Egyptian Books,” which focuses on research and literature about ancient Egypt. Key highlights include:
- Book Summary and Review:
- The Priests of Ancient Egypt by Serge Sauneron is reviewed. The book explores the role of the priesthood in ancient Egypt, their rituals, temple functions, and sacred knowledge. It emphasizes the concept of Ma’at (universal balance) and the duties of priests as substitutes for the pharaoh in maintaining divine order. The book is structured into chapters discussing priestly functions, temple hierarchies, sacred services, intellectual mastery, and the changing fortunes of Egyptian clergy. It also delves into the cultural and spiritual significance of temples and rituals.
- The book is praised for its subsection format, which organizes vast information effectively.
- Magazines and Periodicals:
- The February 2008 issue of National Geographic features Robert Draper’s “The Black Pharaohs: Conquerors of Ancient Egypt.” The Article discusses the Kushite rulers who united Egypt during the late period (730 BCE), their cultural assimilation, temple restoration, and pyramid building. Draper highlights the irrelevance of race in ancient Egypt and critiques modern racial debates in Egyptology.
- Research on the Web:
- Articles explore ancient Egyptian bread-making techniques, the geography of durum wheat, and efforts to recreate bread using 4,500-year-old Egyptian yeast.
- Electronic Documents:
- Topics include the epagomenal days marking the birth of key deities, ancient Egyptian baking and brewing methods, scribal training for civil service, and comparisons between Egyptian and Mesopotamian bread molds.
The episode provides a rich exploration of ancient Egyptian culture, focusing on priesthood, rituals, and food preparation, supported by books, articles, and research.
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The Palermo Stone
Archaeological Origin
Palermo stone recto side (Image: Hsu, 2010) The Palermo Stone named after the city in Italy where it is currently in residence, this artifact is a fragment of a larger stele named by Egyptologists as the Royal Annals of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. The aforementioned stele contains a list of the rulers of the united Two Lands of ancient Egypt from the first dynasty to the mid fifth dynasty, along with some of the significant events of their reigns. The stele also contains the names of rulers of the pre-unification era, and going back to legendary and mythical rulers. The record even includes the rulers of the mythical time when the deities were in the seen world and ruled the land, going back to the Memphite creator deity PtaH, and successor Rع. This gives a particular clue as to the possible syncretism and geographical origin of the stele.
Palermo stone verso side (Image: Hsu, 2010) Currently the origins of the Palermo fragment are unknown, along with the others of the seven found fragments of the original stele. Theories about the stele all remain in controversy. Its age, location and even whether they are all part of the same stele are under debate. One theory is that given its record ends in the fifth dynasty it is indeed from the Old Kingdom. Another is it may be a copy of the original Old Kingdom work from the twenty fifth dynasty. However the theological record of the mythical era should be taken into account. The pharaohs of the Old Kingdom were centric to the theology of Heliopolis, where Ra the Sun was the force of creation. The Memphite Theology however puts the mummified human deity of Ptah at the head of creation, and Ra coming forth as his creation. This syncretism of theologies started to occur around the first dynasty, when the rulers established the Nome of Inabw Hadj (Walls of White), the fortress of Menes, as Men Nefer (endures beautifully), the capitol of the naswt bitya (of Sedge and Bee) ruler of the Two Lands. This fact also makes for more argument as then it could have had its beginnings in the first dynasty and the stela added to as time went on. Analyses of the hieroglyphs indicate it is not in the original Old Kingdom or even soon after.
Description and Content
Palermo stone fitted with other fragments of the Royal Annals of Old Kingdom Egypt (Image: Lundström, 2010) The Palermo fragment is approximately 43.5 cm high, 25 cm wide and 6.5 cm thick. The recto inscription consists of 6 horizontal registers of Old Kingdom hieroglyphics. The first register lists the names of predynastic bityw (rulers) of maHan (Lower Egypt), which is indicated by the seated man hieroglyph wearing the dashrat (Red Crown). The second register inscribes the final year a First Dynasty naswt bitya, whom is generally assumed to be either Narmer or Aha. The rest of the register contains the first nine annual entries for his successor, again not named on the fragment, but assumed to be either Aha or Djer. The recto inscription continues with royal annals onto the naswt bitya of the Fourth Dynasty.
The registers continue on the verso, inscribing events during the reigns of rulers down to Neferirkare Kakai, the third ruler of the Fifth Dynasty. It is not known whether the Royal Annals originally continued beyond this point in time. If the ruler is named, the name of his mother is also included. Content includes measurements of the height of the annual inundation of the Nile, details of Sed and other festivals, grain tax collected, monuments, architecture, and warfare.
Click to Return to the Royal Annals of Ancient Egypt References
Hsu, S.-W. (2010). The Palermo Stone: the Earliest Royal Inscription from Ancient Egypt. Altoriental. Forsch., 37(1), 68–89. http://www.ancientportsantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/Documents/PLACES/Egypt-Libya/PalermoStone-Hsu2010.pdf
Lundström, P. (2010). The Royal Annals of Egypt. File:The Royal Annals of Egypt.png. Wikipedia. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Royal_Annals_of_Egypt.png.
Lundström, P. (2017, October 3). Other king lists of Ancient Egypt. Pharaoh.se. https://pharaoh.se/other-king-lists.
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Ancient Egyptian Literature – The Book of Thoth
The Book of Thoth refers to various ancient Egyptian texts attributed to Thoth, the god of writing, wisdom, and magic. It is often described as containing all knowledge of laws, magic, nature, and the afterlife.
Origins and Mythology
The Book of Thoth is a figure in Egyptian mythology, particularly in a story about Prince Neferkaptah, who stole the book from its hidden location at the bottom of the Nile near Coptos. The book was locked inside a series of boxes guarded by serpents. After retrieving it, Neferkaptah suffered divine punishment—his wife and son were killed, and he eventually took his own life.
Contents and Significance
- The book was said to contain two powerful spells:
- One allowed the reader to understand the speech of animals.
- The other granted the ability to perceive the gods themselves.
- Egyptian priests attributed many writings to Thoth, believing he was the source of all knowledge.
- Some texts associated with the Book of Thoth discuss scribal work, sacred animals, and the Duat (the realm of the dead).
The Book of Thoth remains a fascinating part of Egyptian mythology, symbolizing hidden wisdom and the dangers of seeking forbidden knowledge.
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Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt – The Destruction of Mankind
The Destruction of Mankind is a dramatic myth from ancient Egyptian mythology, found in the Book of the Heavenly Cow. It tells the story of how the sun god Ra sought to punish humanity for their rebellion against him.
According to the myth, Ra, growing old and weary, overheard humans plotting against him. Enraged, he summoned the other gods for counsel, and they advised him to unleash his Eye, which took the form of the fierce goddess Hathor (who later transformed into Sekhmet) to carry out the destruction. Sekhmet became a bloodthirsty force, slaughtering humans mercilessly.
However, Ra soon regretted the devastation and sought to stop Sekhmet. To do so, he tricked her by flooding the land with red-dyed beer, making it resemble blood. Sekhmet, thinking it was blood, drank it and became intoxicated, losing her desire for destruction. Thus, humanity was spared, but the myth explains the introduction of suffering and death into the world.
This tale reflects themes of divine justice, punishment, and mercy, showing the balance between destruction and salvation in Egyptian belief systems. It also highlights the power of Ra and the dual nature of Hathor/Sekhmet as both a nurturing and destructive force.
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Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt: Thutmose III
The episode is about Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, focusing on his life, military achievements, and legacy.
Key Points:Introduction: The speech begins with an Ancient Egyptian greeting and introduces Thutmose III, emphasizing his significance as a military strategist who restored Egypt’s empire after a period of weakness under his predecessors.
Early Life and Co-Regency with Hatshepsut: Thutmose III’s father died when he was young, leading to his half-sister Hatshepsut becoming regent. She later crowned herself Pharaoh, sidelining Thutmose. While Hatshepsut focused on building projects and propaganda, Thutmose prepared himself as a military commander.
Military Campaigns: After Hatshepsut’s death, Thutmose III emerged as a warrior Pharaoh, leading campaigns to expand Egypt’s borders. His most notable victory was the conquest of Megiddo, achieved through brilliant strategy and military prowess.
Triumphant Return and Legacy: Thutmose III celebrated his victories by commissioning monuments and securing his empire through annual marches, hostage diplomacy, and appointing his son Amenhotep II as co-regent. He also erased Hatshepsut’s legacy to ensure his progeny’s succession.
Conclusion: The speech highlights Thutmose III’s role in protecting and expanding Egypt, enabling the construction of its iconic monuments.
Sources:
The episode references multiple historical texts, including works by Elizabeth Ann Payne, Robert B. Partridge, Mark Healy, and others, to support its claims.
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