A
Aha
A popular Norwegian boyband of the 1980’s
and 90’s. Egyptologically, 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
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
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
Third king of Dynasty 12 ruling for 35 years according to Manetho.
Amenemhat III
Sixth king of Dynasty 12 ruling for 45 years according to
Manetho.
Amenhotep I
Second king of Dynasty 18. Undertook military
campaigns in Nubia and against the Libyans to secure the Egyptian
frontiers.
Amenhotep II
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
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.
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
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 .
Archaic Period
The first 2 Dynasties of Ancient Egyptian history.
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
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.
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.
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, usually (but not exclusively)
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
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.
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.
Late Period
A period of decline, the power of the ruling
monarchs was challenged by foreign forces. Covers Dynasties 25
to 31.
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
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)
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.
Min
The god of fertility. Represented in an ithyphallic form, 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.
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.
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
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
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 king 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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
Primordial ocean
The waters of chaos preceding the creation of the world.
Provenance
Area where the object was found (Area / Site / Place).
Psammetik I
Second king of Dynasty 26. Ruled for approximately 50 years.
Psusennes I
Third king of the Dynasty 21 at Tanis. Ruled approximately for 45
years. He was buried at Tanis.
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.
Ptolemy V
One of the more enlightened and energetic
Ptolemaic rulers who was a benefactor of the 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.
Prehistoric Period
The time before recorded history.
Persian Period
Two Dynasties of Persian rulers. Dynasties 27 and 31.
Ptolemaic Period
After the death of Alexander the Great, his
empire was divided among his generals and Egypt fell to the share
of Ptolemy and his family. For 250 years Egypt was ruled by Greeks
until in the year 30 BC the country became a Roman province.
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.
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.
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 are ascribed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Tuthmosis I
Third king of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Ruled for approximately 15
years. First king to carve his tomb in the hills of present-day
Valley of the Kings. He extended Egyptian boundaries beyond the
third cataract.
Tuthmosis II
Son and Successor of Tuthmosis I. Ruled for approximately 14 years.
There is a possibility that he suffered from poor health. He did
not continue with the program of reforms begun by his predecessors.
Tuthmosis III
Successor of queen 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 approximately for 45 years.
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.
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.
V
Valley of the Kings
A rocky valley cut into the western bank of Thebes. Chosen as the
royal cemetery by New Kingdom pharaohs, beginning with king Tuthmosis
I.
Valley Temple (funerary temple)
Section of the pyramid complex in which the embalming, purification
and "opening of the mouth" ceremonies took place. It was usually
connected to the mortuary temple and pyramid by an ascending causeway.
Viscera
Human organs extracted during mummification. These were: the stomach,
the liver, the intestine and the lungs.
W
Wadjet
A cobra goddess. The guardian goddess of Lower Egypt.
Was sceptre
A sceptre with a canine head. A common attribute of the gods.
Weighing of the Heart
Judgement scene from the Book of the Dead in which the heart of
the deceased was weighed against the feather symbolizing the goddess
Maat in the presence of the gods, determining whether he could pass
through to eternal life in the after world.
White Crown
It symbolizes the sovereignty of the king over Upper Egypt.
X
Y
Yuya
Father-in-law of Amenhotep III. Grandfather of Amenhotep IV. Husband
of Thuya. His titles were the god's father, prophet of Min at Akhmim
and overseer of horses. He was buried in a tomb in Valley of the
Kings.
Z
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