The History of Egypt

Blade of Frontiers (not Wyll). In September 2024, the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities announced new discoveries including a sword inscribed with the names of Ramesses II, King of Egypt. In this episode, we discuss the weapon and its origins, as well as the larger significance of the fortress in which this discovery occurred. Who did the sword belong to? What was this fortress guarding against?Egyptian swords in museum collections: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/545558 https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA5425 https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA52850 https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA36769 The Egyptian army and fortifications: Video lecture series, "Perspectives on the Ramesside Military System" on YouTube. The Old Kingdom (c.2500—2200 BCE): Spotify and Website. Grave of the Unknown Warriors (c.2000 BCE): Spotify. The Army of Sety I (c.1300 BCE), Part 1: Spotify. The Army of Sety I (c.1300 BCE), Part 2: Spotify. The New Kingdom (c.1500—1150 BCE): Spotify and YouTube. Ian Shaw, Ancient Egyptian Warfare (Oxford, 2019). C. Vogel, The Fortifications of Ancient Egypt 3000-1780 BC (Botley, 2010). E. F. Morris, The Architecture of Imperialism: Military Bases and the Evolution of Foreign Policy in Egypt’s New Kingdom (Leiden, 2005). B. McDermott, Warfare in Ancient Egypt (Stroud, 2004). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new year dawns, and it’s time to look back. Egyptology and archaeology had a great year in 2023, with numerous major discoveries, studies, and conservation projects reaching fruition. Here is a sample selection of some particularly significant finds… Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Chat with ancient Egypt enthusiasts at our Discord. Logo image: Statue discovered at Saqqara, 2023. Select Bibliography (in order of discussion): Luxor, new royal tomb: Press Release from Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Article by Dr. Piers Litherland in Egyptian Archaeology 63 (2023). Hear about the (brief) reign of Thutmose II on the podcast, episode 60 “Thutmosid Family Values.” Luxor, tomb re-openings: The tomb of Meru (Polish Centre for Mediterranean Archaeology). The tombs of Hurri and Djehuty (Proyecto Djehuty and Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Press Release). Abydos, grave goods of Mer(et)-Neith: Press Release from the University of Vienna. Hear about the life and reign of Mer(et)-Neith on the podcast, episode 02 “Horus Takes Flight.” Abydos, temple of Ramesses II animal burials: Article by Dr. Sameh Iskander in Egyptian Archaeology 63 (2023). Saqqara, embalming workshops and Old Kingdom tomb: Press Release from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Saqqara, Gisr el-Mudir new finds: Press Release from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Saqqara, new temple for Hathor: Article by Ahmed Osman in Egyptian Archaeology 63 (2023). Abusir, tomb of the 27th Dynasty scribe Djehuty-em-hat: Press Release from the Czech Institute of Egyptology (Charles University). Cairo Museum, CT scans and 3d printing of Ptolemaic mummy: Press Release from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and open-access article at Frontiers in Medicine. Egyptology Newsletters and Websites: Mailing list by The Egyptologists’ Electronic Forum (Application Form). Updates from The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on Facebook. Updates and news from Luxor Times on Facebook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1798, an army of soldiers and scientists invaded Egypt. At their head, the young general Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Expedition had an enormous impact on Egypt's political history, and Egyptology as a field of scholarly inquiry. Remarkable discoveries, and dedicated study, led to an explosion in knowledge about the ancient past. Today, William Clark of Grey History: The French Revolution & Napoleon joins me to discuss these momentous undertakings. And, of course, we talk about the new film "Napoleon," directed by Ridley Scott and starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby.Links and details: William Clark's Grey History: The French Revolution & Napoleon podcast. Logo image - Maurice Orange, Napoleon at the Pyramids 1895. The Description of Egypt complete digital copy at Bibliotecha Alexandrina. The Description of Egypt complete digital copy at Library of Congress. The History of Egypt Podcast Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Select Bibliography: ‘Abd al-Rahman al- Jabarti’, Oxford Reference, https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100014918. E. Prusskaya, ‘Arab Chronicles as a Source for Studying Bonaparte’s Expedition to Egypt’, Napoleonica. LaRevue 24 (2015), 48–60. P. Mainterot, ‘France’, in A. Bednarski et al. (eds), A History of World Egyptology (Cambridge, 2020), 68–90. S. Ikram and A. Omar, ‘Egypt’, in A. Bednarski et al. (eds), A History of World Egyptology (Cambridge, 2020), 25–67. A. Bednarski et al. (eds), ‘The Prehistory of Egyptology’, A History of World Egyptology (Cambridge, 2020), 8–24. A. Bednarski et al. (eds), A History of World Egyptology (Cambridge, 2020). O. El Daly, Egyptology: The Missing Millennium – Ancient Egypt in Medieval Arabic Writings (2005). L. Greener, The Discovery of Egypt (1966). R. Asprey, The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte (2000). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've wanted a game like Total War: Pharaoh since childhood. Now it's here! Thanks to Creative Assembly, I've had the opportunity to explore the game and prepare some introductions to the history and major leaders. This is meant to be a "listen along while playing" experience, just like I used to do with Mike Duncan's History of Rome and the original Rome: Total War. I hope you enjoy! Chapters: Intro: 00:00. Merneptah: 05:30. Ramesses: 29:10. Amenmesse: 1:02:40. Sety: 1:19:30. Tausret: 1:40:45. Bay & Irsu: 2:07:35. Kurunta & Suppiluliuma: 2:32:07. Preview and purchase Total War: Pharaoh at https://pharaoh.totalwar.com/. Music in all episodes by Richard Beddow © Creative Assembly 2023. Support the History of Egypt Podcast via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sety I reigned (approx.) 1303--1292 BCE. In the first half of his reign, the King's followers achieved significant and splendid deeds. We explore these achievements in aggregate, and what they all mean for the Egyptian people. Plus, what 19th Dynasty "expansion" means for our story of pharaohs, ordinary people, and the gods...Logo image: Sety I, a painted panel from his tomb (Louvre Museum).Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com.Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast.Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.Music by Jeffrey Goodman www.jeffreygoodman.com.Interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net.Interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How the west was won. Around 1298 BCE, King Sety I (Men-ma’at-Ra) attacked the peoples of modern-day Libya and, in a supposedly swift victory, took many captives back to Egypt. The relationship between Libyans and ancient Egyptians is complicated, but we go in search of some answers… Date: c.1298 BCE (Sety I, year 6). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music intro/outro: “Godzilla theme” by Akira Ifukube, cover version by Luke Chaos. Music interludes by: Keith Zizza, Luke Chaos. Sety’s War Reliefs at Karnak: Available in Open Access at The University of Chicago.  Select Bibliography: P. J. Brand, The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis (2000). P. J. Brand, Ramesses II: Egypt’s Ultimate Pharaoh (2023). W. A. Cooney, ‘Egypt’s Encounter with the West: Race, Culture and Identity’, Unpublished PhD. Thesis, University of Durham (2011). A. Dodson, Sethy I King of Egypt: His Life and Afterlife (2019). A. A. el Magd, ‘Dehumanization of the “Other:” Animal Metaphors of Defeated Enemies in the New Kingdom Military Texts’, Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 52 (2016), 329–341. H. El Saady, ‘The Wars of Sety I at Karnak: A New Chronological Structure’, Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur 19 (1992), 285–94. R. O. Faulkner, ‘The Wars of Sethos I’, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 33 (1947), 34–9. J. C. M. García, ‘Ḥwt jḥ(w)t, The Administration of the Western Delta and the “Libyan Question” in the Third Millennium BC’, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 101 (2015), 69–105. K. A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions Historical and Biographical, I (Oxford, 1975). K. A. Kitchen, ‘The Arrival of the Libyans in Late New Kingdom Egypt’, in A. Leahy (ed.), Libya and Egypt c.1300–750 BC (1990), 15–27. K. A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions Translated and Annotated: Translations Volume I: Ramesses I, Sethos I and Contemporaries (Second Publication edn, 2017). E. F. Morris, The Architecture of Imperialism: Military Bases and the Evolution of Foreign Policy in Egypt’s New Kingdom (2005). W. J. Murnane, The Road to Kadesh: A Historical Interpretation of the Battle Reliefs of King Sety I at Karnak (1985). D. O’Connor, ‘The Nature of Tjemhu (Libyan) Society in the Later New Kingdom’, in A. Leahy (ed.), Libya and Egypt c.1300–750 BC (1990), 29–113. A. J. Spalinger, ‘The Northern Wars of Seti I: An Integrative Study’, Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 16 (1979), 29–47. A. J. Spalinger, War in Ancient Egypt: The New Kingdom (2005). The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, Volume I. Earlier Historical Records of Ramses III (1930). The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, Volume II. The Later Historical Records of Ramses III (1932). The Epigraphic Survey, Reliefs and Inscriptions at Karnak Volume 4: The Battle Reliefs of King Sety I (1986). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Omm Sety, a woman with multiple names, devoted her life to Egyptology. She had a deep spiritual connection to the Temple of Sety I in Abydos. Her journey in archaeology, love for animals, and integration into the Abidos community are explored. Her immense knowledge and dedication to the Osiris religion shaped her legacy and deepened our understanding of the great temples. Humorous stories, like the lion visit, add entertainment. The podcast also discusses Seti's war dance and his visit to Apidos.

Sety at Abydos (Part 4). Finishing our tour of Sety’s Great Temple at Abydos, we explore a few more sanctuaries and facilities. Then, we discuss the monument overall. Sety invested huge resources into his building projects at Abydos, and these monuments connect to some truly ancient traditions. What were the King’s priorities, what was he trying to achieve?Photos of monuments described in this episode: Sety’s Temple: Kairoinfo4u. Sety’s Temple: Wikimedia. Chapel of Ramesses I: Metropolitan Museum of Art. Umm el-Qa’ab, pottery sherds from ancient offerings: Soloegipto. Interpreting the temple complex and adjacent facilities: David, Temple Ritual at Abydos (2018). O’Connor, Abydos: Egypt’s First Pharaohs and the Cult of Osiris (2009). Verner, Temple of the World: Sanctuaries, Cults, and Mysteries of Ancient Egypt (2013). Additional details and sources: Date: c.1300 BCE—1292 BCE. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music intro and interludes: Luke Chaos. Music outro: Ancient Lyric. Sistrum interludes: Tahya / Hathor Systrum. Select Bibliography: P. J. Brand, ‘The Monuments of Seti I and Their Historical Significance: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis’, Unpublished PhD. Thesis, University of Toronto (1998). P. J. Brand, The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis (2000). A. M. Calverley, The Temple of King Sethos I at Abydos Volume I: The Chapels of Osiris, Isis, and Horus (1933). A. M. Calverley, The Temple of King Sethos I at Abydos Volume II: The Chapels of Amen-Re, Re-Harakhti, Ptah, and King Sethos (1935). A. M. Calverley, The Temple of King Sethos I at Abydos Volume III: The Osiris Complex (1938). A. M. Calverley, The Temple of King Sethos I at Abydos Volume IV: The Second Hypostyle Hall (1958). J. Capart, Abydos: Le Temple de Seti Ier (1912). A. S. G. T. Caulfeild, The Temple of the Kings at Abydos (Sety I) (1989). R. David, Temple Ritual at Abydos (2018). K. J. Eaton, ‘The Festivals of Osiris and Sokar in the Month of Khoiak: The Evidence from Nineteenth Dynasty Royal Monuments at Abydos’, Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur 35 (2006), 75–101. A. el-Sawi, ‘Ramesses II Completing a Shrine in the Temple of Sety I at Abydos’, Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur 10 (1983), 307–10. H. Frankfort, The Cenotaph of Seti I at Abydos (1933). F. Ll. Griffith, ‘The Abydos Decree of Seti I at Nauri’, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 13 (1927), 193–208. K. Hamilton, ‘The Osireion: A Layman’s Guide’ (2018). C. H. Herzer Jr, ‘Study of the Osireion at Abydos: Code Book and Source Document for the Birth House of Isis’ (2022). K. A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions Translated and Annotated: Notes and Comments, I (1993). K. A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions Translated and Annotated: Translations Volume I: Ramesses I, Sethos I and Contemporaries (Second Publication edn, 2017). A. Leahy, ‘The Osiris “Bed” Reconsidered’, Orientalia 46 (1977), 424–34. A. Mariette, Abydos: Description des fouilles (1869). M. A. Murray, Egyptian Temples (2005). D. O’Connor, Abydos: Egypt’s First Pharaohs and the Cult of Osiris (2009). D. B. Redford, Pharaonic King-Lists, Annals, and Day-Books: A Contribution to the Study of the Egyptian Sense of History (1986). O. Sety and H. el Zeini, Abydos: Holy City of Ancient Egypt (1981). M. Smith, Following Osiris: Perspectives on the Osirian Afterlife from Four Millenia (2017). M. Verner, Temple of the World: Sanctuaries, Cults, and Mysteries of Ancient Egypt (2013). R. H. Wilkinson, The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt (2000). R. H. Wilkinson, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt (2003). H. E. Winlock, Bas-Reliefs from the Temple of Ramesses I at Abydos (1921). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sety at Abydos (Part 3). The Osireion is an intriguing monument, one that attracts a huge amount of debate, discussion, and speculation. Its discovery was unexpected, its excavation was an enormous undertaking, and there are many uncertainties about its purpose, history, and overall significance. Still, with an extensive photographic record, some meticulous archaeological work, and a great deal of discussion, we can attempt to understand the Osireion. Who built the Osireion (and how old is it)? Why is it here, behind Sety’s great temple? What purpose does it serve? In this episode, we explore these questions, and try to understand the monument overall.NOTE: Due to the complex nature of the Osireion’s history (ancient and modern), archaeology, and the difficulty of describing it, I will do a video lecture on YouTube in future. Check this post, or the website, for links when published.Further Information: The Osireion is surprisingly well documented, both in archival photography and modern analysis and discussion.Modern photos exploring the Osireion: Flickr: Soloegipto. Flickr: Archaeology Archive Project. Archaeology / Excavation Reports for The Osireion (free open access): Caulfeild, Temple of the Kings at Abydos, 1902: Internet Archive and Heidelberg University. Primarily focusses on main temple but brief discussion of work in western precinct that led to Murray’s excavations. Murray, The Osireion, 1904: Internet Archive, ETANA.org, and Academia.edu. Edouard Naville’s excavation reports (various journals) describing work at Abydos including the Osireion: JSTOR.org (requires free account). Frankfort, The Cenotaph of Sety I at Abydos, volume 1 and volume 2, 1933: Internet Archive. Includes complete summary of earlier excavations and fuller description of the monument (compared to Naville). James Westerman website (with database of articles and photos): JamesWesterman.org. Keith Hamilton, “Osiris: A Layman’s Guide,” on Academia.edu. Charles Herzer, “Study of the Osireion at Abydos,” at Isida Project. Photo Collections of early excavations at Abydos/Osireion: Dumbarton Oaks: Photo Exhibition Abydos 1910s—1920s. Egypt Exploration Society Photo Archives (Flickr): Excavations 1911. Entrance passages and central hall. Excavations 1913. Central hall. Excavations 1925 (Part 1). Central hall and side chambers. Excavations 1925 (Part 2). Central hall clearance and work. In this episode, I don’t discuss the mechanics of ancient stone working. That will come in future. But for now, you may be interested in archaeologists’ experiments to test ancient tools and the feasibility of carving hard stones (e.g., granite). Some good starter information can be found here: Denys Stocks, Experiments in Egyptian Archaeology: Stoneworking Technology in Ancient Egypt (2022 updated edition). Taylor and Francis Publications. YouTube: Ancient Egyptian Stoneworking with Denys Stocks (Sacred Geometry Decoded) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoOCcrgWkIA. YouTube: Reconstruction of Ancient Technologies (Scientists Against Myths) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJXCRTftQoU_AXz0_uxwMQZCt2O9ULxLE. Additional details and sources: Date: c.1300 BCE—1292 BCE. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music intro: Ihab Mahna. Music interludes and outro: Luke Chaos. Sistrum interludes: Tahya / Hathor Systrum. Peter Brand, Ramesses II: Egypt's Ultimate Pharaoh, out now from Lockwood Press. Select Bibliography: A. M. Abudeif et al., ‘Geoarchaeological Investigation of Abydos Area Using Land Magnetic and GPR Techniques, El-Balyana, Sohag, Egypt’, Applied Sciences 12 (2022), 9640. P. Brand, ‘Secondary Restorations in the Post-Amarna Period’, Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 36 (1999), 113–34. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sety in Abydos (Part 2). Having toured the first part of Sety’s Temple at Abydos, we continue our exploration. Today, we discuss one of the monument’s most famous features: a King List, presenting a (supposedly) uninterrupted record of rulers up to Sety’s day. In truth, the Abydos King List is complex, with omissions and inclusions that don’t quite match scholars’ archaeological and historical information. What was Sety trying to achieve, with this curious feature? We explore…This is part 2 in our tour of the temple. We have already visited the Hypostyle Halls, Seven Chapels, and Osiris Complex. In future episodes, we will discuss the Osireion, the secondary features of the monument, and the known priests/staff who managed it.Images: Full-colour reproduction of the Abydos King List at Wonderful Things Art. Use checkout code EGYPTPODCAST for 30% off your order when purchasing 3-or-more items! Logo image by Wonderful Things Art. A.M. Calverley, The Temple of Sethos I at Abydos, 4 volumes, open access via Chicago University Publications. Wikimedia: Category: Temple of Seti I in Abydos. Flickr.com: Kairoinfo4u. Flickr.com: Heidi Kontkanen. Details and sources: Read the Abydos King List at Wikipedia and Pharaoh.se. Date: c. 1300 BCE—1292 BCE (temple unfinished at Sety I death). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music intro and interludes: Luke Chaos. Music interludes and outro: Keith Zizza. Sistrum interludes: Tahya / Hathor Systrum. Texts: Kenneth Kitchen's Ramesside Inscriptions volume 1. Hieroglyph versions at Internet Archive, English translations at Abercromby Press. Texts: Full texts of the temple, including transliteration and translation: Rosalie David, Temple Ritual at Abydos (2018) at Egypt Exploration Society. Peter Brand, Ramesses II: Egypt's Ultimate Pharaoh, out now from Lockwood Press. Select Bibliography: P. J. Brand, The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis (2000). J. Capart, Abydos: Le Temple de Seti Ier (1912). A. S. G. Caulfield, The Temple of the Kings at Abydos (Sety I) (1989). R. David, Temple Ritual at Abydos (2018). C. Eyre, The Use of Documents in Pharaonic Egypt (2013). H. W. Fairman, ‘The Kingship Rituals of Egypt’, in S. Hooke (ed.), Myth, ritual, and kingship: essays on the theory and practice of kingship in the ancient Near East and in Israel (1958), 74–104. K. A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions Translated and Annotated: Notes and Comments, I (1993). K. A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions Translated and Annotated: Translations Volume I: Ramesses I, Sethos I and Contemporaries (Second Publication edn, 2017). H. H. Nelson, ‘Certain Reliefs at Karnak and Medinet Habu and the Ritual of Amenophis I’, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 8 (1949), 201–32, 310–45. D. B. Redford, Pharaonic King-Lists, Annals, and Day-Books: A Contribution to the Study of the Egyptian Sense of History (1986). K. Ryholt, ‘The Turin King-List’, Ägypten und Levante / Egypt and the Levant 14 (2004), 135–55. O. Sety and H. el Zeini, Abydos: Holy City of Ancient Egypt (1981). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices