The History of Egypt Podcast

In the annals of Egyptian history there is no one quite like Ramesses II. He is arguably the most famous, or infamous, of Egypt’s pharaohs. His reign would be long (67 years!) and his influence would be incalculable. In this episode, Ramesses "appears" as King, following the death of his father (III Shemu 27). He chooses his royal names (Usir-Ma'at-Ra, Ramesses Beloved of Amun). He buries Sety, in the Valley of the Kings. And he goes before the gods to receive blessings and power... Episode chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Ramesses II 04:20 - Ramesses Accession Date & Royal Names 12:56 - The Funeral of Sety I (Horus buries Osiris) 20:50 - Ramesses goes before the gods 43:22 - Conclusion For the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, and Ramesses’ “coronation” scenes, see the following volumes: Nelson (1981). The Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak Volume 1, Part 1: The Wall Reliefs https://isac.uchicago.edu/research/publications/oip/great-hypostyle-hall-karnak-volume-1-part-1-wall-reliefs Brand et al. (2018). The Great Hypostyle Hall in the Temple of Amun at Karnak Volume 1, Part 2: Translation and Commentary. https://isac.uchicago.edu/research/publications/oip/oip-142-great-hypostyle-hall-temple-amun-karnak 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 https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/BHC6MGDBC6SXU. We have merch! Browse our designs at Dashery by TeePublic https://egyptpodcast.dashery.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

The coffin of Sety I (now in the NMEC) was probably reworked from an earlier piece, during the reburials in DB320 (the royal cache). But how can we tell? Dr. Peter Lacovara explains. Dr. Lacovara's website https://peterlacovara.com/ Video version available at Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast Video version available on YouTube https://youtu.be/6e1fauj4qPA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025

Sety’s royal burial. Valley of the Kings tomb 17 (KV17) came to light in October 1817. Discovered by a team of Egyptian workers, employed by Giovanni Belzoni, the tomb is the most beautiful, and one of the largest, in the entire Valley. == Learn more about KV17: 3D Tour by Mused: https://mused.com/tours/926/tomb-of-seti-i-valley-of-the-kings/ Theban Mapping Project https://thebanmappingproject.com/tombs/kv-17-sety-i Photos: Kairoinfo4u via https://www.flickr.com/photos/manna4u/albums/72157687439529835/ KV17 at Wikimedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:KV17 == 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 https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/BHC6MGDBC6SXU We have merch! Browse our designs at Dashery by TeePublic https://egyptpodcast.dashery.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2025

Sety’s royal burial. Valley of the Kings tomb 17 (KV17) came to light in October 1817. Discovered by a team of Egyptian workers, employed by Giovanni Belzoni, the tomb is the most beautiful, and one of the largest, in the entire Valley. == Learn more about KV17: 3D Tour by Mused: https://mused.com/tours/926/tomb-of-seti-i-valley-of-the-kings/ Theban Mapping Project https://thebanmappingproject.com/tombs/kv-17-sety-i Photos: Kairoinfo4u via https://www.flickr.com/photos/manna4u/albums/72157687439529835/ KV17 at Wikimedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:KV17 == 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 https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/BHC6MGDBC6SXU We have merch! Browse our designs at Dashery by TeePublic https://egyptpodcast.dashery.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2025

Approach with caution. In March 2025, a group calling itself the “Khafre Research Project” posted visual information online about the pyramid of Khafra at Giza. The group claims that Synthetic Aperture Radar (or SAR) scans at Giza have revealed “structures” beneath the pyramids. Using digital modelling (and some AI), they suggest that Khafra’s pyramid and the Giza plateau hide many more chambers. There are a couple facets to this. The 2022 article publishing raw data about SAR scanning at Giza: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/20/5231 Overview of claims and evidence: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pyramids-of-giza-new-discovery-structures/ I don't usually do "debunking" content or engage with pseudoscience directly. If you'd like to learn more about the truth vs fiction, consider following these creators: Milo Rossi (Miniminuteman): https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TgAp_Ry6dcM Stefan Milo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=341Lv8JLLV4 Flint Dibble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQMfGuKgTwU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 March 2025

News from the Field (2025) Part 2. The past excavation season has been extraordinarily productive. Beyond the new royal tomb of Thutmose II we also have a SECOND royal tomb, at Abydos! The Grand Egyptian Museum is finally opening in full. And archaeological teams throughout the land have uncovered wonderful things. We also remember some prominent scholars who passed away recently. Chapter times and links to discovery reports with photos: 00:22 – New tombs at Asasif https://southasasif.wordpress.com/2024/11/01/discovery-announcement/. 02:21 – New tombs at Dra Abu Naga https://www.facebook.com/tourismandantiq/posts/pfbid02eqYh7RAiCqrxxDir9Pvbhu4YV1samnfLLtdJUfgNqvNbF6mVHWYkMGHTWixL7efjl 04:31 – Hatshepsut’s Valley Temple discoveries https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/538198.aspx 09:08 – Karnak Treasure Hoard https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/541255.aspx 10:50 – New tombs at Saqqara https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/537986.aspx 12:29 – Bastet Tooth, ancient predator https://www.sci.news/paleontology/bastetodon-syrtos-13673.html and https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2024.2442472 13:52 – Gold Mines in the Eastern Desert https://www.facebook.com/luxortimesmagazine/posts/pfbid024ATNP7GsdFwC35EgngA7Ys51MrwjrzsMPvPMXkty4oMt1SLC46g1tmRBVSEfpyXEl 15:28 – The Grand Egyptian Museum OPENING https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/1238/539361/Egypt/Tourism/A-world-gem-Grand-Egyptian-Museum-set-for-grand-op.aspx 20:18 – Obituaries 2024 & 2025. 31:24 – Breaking News: New Royal Tomb at Abydos https://www.egyptindependent.com/royal-cemetery-from-second-intermediate-period-and-pottery-workshop-discovered-in-sohag/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

After a reign of approximately eleven years, the Horus Men-Ma’at-Ra (Sety I) passed to the west. He died in reasonably good health, and studies of his mummy reveal a tall, physically robust individual. So, what killed him? We explore these questions, and the history of his Memorial Temple, where the King’s body lay in state ready for burial… Music by Bettina Joy de Guzman www.bettinajoydeguzman.com. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Additional music “Sety’s Funeral” by Ihab Mahna https://www.instagram.com/imahna/. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 March 2025

It's time to visit Egypt again. In November 2025, we are doing a 9-day visit to Luxor for the "Glories of Thebes!" Starting in Cairo (with the GEM) we head south to visit the Valley of the Kings, Memorial Temples, Deir el-Medina, Abydos, Karnak, and so much more. Note: Future tour groups will be smaller than previous years (because I don't have to travel so far, from NZ, anymore). Places are limited, so get in touch! If you're interested and want to add extra days in Cairo for pyramids, Saqqara, etc, let AWT know in your contact email. Things can always be arranged! Logo image: Scene from the tomb of Thutmose III, which we visit on a special permit. Details and contact forms: Tour page with all details: History of Egypt Podcast 2025 — Ancient World Tours. Reserve your place: Booking — Ancient World Tours. Travel enquiries: Contact Ancient World Tours. History enquiries: Contact me here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2025

News from the Field 2025, Part 1. In February 2025, the breaking news was the discovery of a royal tomb. An archaeological mission working in Luxor are confident they have located the grave of King Thutmose II. The tomb itself was discovered in late 2022, and the team announced it publicly in 2023. I reported on that initial find in the news roundup for that year. Now, another season has passed, and the team’s work has come to fruition... I am also joined by Dr. Chris Naunton, former Director of the Egypt Exploration Society, who was discussed the new find on his blog, and joins us to share some wider context and speculation. Music interludes by Keith Zizza and Luke Chaos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 February 2025

Paser, servant of Sety I and Ramesses II (c.1300--1270 BCE). In the later years of his reign, King Sety promoted one of his servants to the highest political/government office. Paser, the Vizier, enters our story... Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 February 2025

My guest today is Prof. Elizabeth Frood, Associate Professor of Egyptology and Director of the Griffith Institute at the University of Oxford, UK. In a lively discussion, Dr. Frood shares her insights into ancient lives and how people living in the non-royal sphere approached their immortality. Statues, texts and graffiti show us the minds of these people and how they depicted their concerns, beliefs and ideas. It's a great conversation and I think you'll really enjoy it! Prof. Frood's book: Biographical Texts from Ramessid Egypt, 2007. Academic pages: https://www.orinst.ox.ac.uk/people/elizabeth-frood https://oxford.academia.edu/ElizabethFrood Prof. Frood's story: http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/arts-blog/returning-egypt-acquired-disability-and-fieldwork# https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2281439122175384 https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-oxfordshire-42739901/the-infection-which-took-my-nose-and-legs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2025

My guest today is Prof. Elizabeth Frood, Associate Professor of Egyptology and Director of the Griffith Institute at the University of Oxford, UK. In a lively discussion, Dr. Frood shares her insights into ancient lives and how people living in the non-royal sphere approached their immortality. Statues, texts and graffiti show us the minds of these people and how they depicted their concerns, beliefs and ideas. It's a great conversation and I think you'll really enjoy it! Prof. Frood's book: Biographical Texts from Ramessid Egypt, 2007. Academic pages: https://www.orinst.ox.ac.uk/people/elizabeth-frood https://oxford.academia.edu/ElizabethFrood Prof. Frood's story: http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/arts-blog/returning-egypt-acquired-disability-and-fieldwork# https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2281439122175384 https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-oxfordshire-42739901/the-infection-which-took-my-nose-and-legs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2025

The Place of Beauties (Ta-Set-Neferu). In the reigns of Ramesses I and Sety I (c.1304—1292 BCE), the Valley of the Queens finally earned its moniker. Having been a burial ground for royal children and courtiers, the wadi south of Deir el-Medina now began to host ruling women. In the days of Sety I, the Queen Mother Sitra and the Queen Tuya both received new tomb constructions in this site. Their monuments include evocative passages from the Book of the Dead (Chapter 17), and hints of the wonders to come in future generations… Tombs discussed in this episode: Princess Iah-Mes / Ahmose: Museo Egizio, Turin and Theban Mapping Project. Queen Sitra: Theban Mapping Project. Queen Tuya: Theban Mapping Project. Queen Nefertari: Theban Mapping Project and digital reconstruction at Nefertari Tomb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 31 January 2025

Understanding the deities requires us to move beyond inherited preconceptions and prejudices. Fortunately, there are many gods worthy of the effort. From the deified Sphinx Horemakhet, to the meme-lord Medjed, to the deified lover-boy Antinous, the pantheon is rich in variety and personalities. It is a subject that today’s guest, Dr. Tamara L. Siuda, has devoted a great deal of time. Her new book, The Complete Encyclopedia of Egyptian Deities (2024) is a comprehensive guide to many of these figures… Dr. Tamara Siuda’s website: https://tamarasiuda.com/  For a limited time, 20% off the purchase of The Complete Encyclopedia of Egyptian Deities at Llewellyn.com. Code: CEED20. Valid: 1/23/25 – 2/28/25. Offer cannot be combined with other discounts. Must be logged in to your Llewellyn.com account for coupon to apply to cart. Dr. Siuda has generously offered a permanent discount code on any item in her bookstore. Visit http://tamarasiuda.com/shop and use the coupon code historical to receive 20% off any order. Valid for one order per customer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 January 2025

The Book of the Sky Cow. In the waning years of the 18th Dynasty (the reign of Tut’ankhamun) royal artisans began decorating tombs and funerary equipment with a new text. Sometimes known as “The Destruction of Mankind,” the book tells of a distant age, when Ra ruled on earth. But as the sun-god aged, a group of humans perceived his weakness, and plotted rebellion. Faced with an uprising, Ra marshalled his supporters and sent forth an enforcer. The goddess Hat-Hor (and her alter ego Sakhmet) began to wreak havoc upon the lowly, wayward humans… The Book of the Sky Cow: Part I and Part II, and the Shrines of Tutankhamun, available in Piankoff, The Shrines of Tut-Ankh-Amon. Available at Internet Archive Open Access. Part I and Part II available in Simpson, The Literature of Ancient Egypt, pages 289—298. Available at Internet Archive Open Access. Part I (the Rebellion) available in Lichtheim Ancient Egyptian Literature Volume II: The New Kingdom. Available at Academia.edu. 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. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 January 2025

Hathor is one of the greatest, most enduring, and most celebrated of ancient Egyptian deities. A patron of motherhood, physical pleasures, music, and joy, the great “lady of the southern sycamore” could nourish, protect, and even destroy. Across three millennia of pharaonic history (and beyond), Hathor enjoyed unrivalled prestige as an avatar of feminine power. Her temple at Dendera is one of the best in Egypt. Constructed in the late 1st Millennium BCE (but with roots stretching back to the Old Kingdom), Hathor’s house preserves amazing art, hieroglyphs, and secrets. It is a temple that today’s guest, José M. Barrera, devoted a great deal of energy to documenting. The result is a wonderful study of Hathor’s celestial realm… See José's amazing photography of Dendera's ceiling and learn more about his book Dendera: The Temple of Time (2024) at his website: https://josemariabarrera.com/dendera/ See the video version of this interview at https://youtu.be/7xjUzTcRMH0 Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 January 2025

Hathor's temple at Dendera is one of the best in Egypt. Constructed in the late 1st Millennium BCE (but with roots stretching back to the Old Kingdom), Hathor’s house preserves amazing art, hieroglyphs, and secrets. It is a temple that today’s guest, José M. Barrera, devoted a great deal of energy to documenting. The result is a wonderful study of Hathor’s celestial realm… See José's amazing photography of Dendera's ceiling and learn more about his book Dendera: The Temple of Time (2024) at his website: https://josemariabarrera.com/dendera/ See the video version of this interview at https://youtu.be/7xjUzTcRMH0 Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 January 2025

Livestream recording. The tombs of Deir el-Medina are some of the most vibrant and beautiful in Waset (Thebes). How did they build them, which artists decorated them, and how did folk like Sennedjem pay for the construction and furnishing? Video version available at Patreon, with extended artistic discussion. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Intro music by Bettina Joy de Guzman www.bettinajoydeguzman.com.  Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 January 2025

New Year, New Home. My wife and I are moving to the UK in February 2025. How will this improve / affect the podcast? Details inside. Next livestream: “How to Make Your Own Tomb,” based on the artists’ tombs at Deir el-Medina. Held on YouTube live: https://youtube.com/live/500MMqMUlH8.  Date and time zone conversion: Auckland: Sun, 29 Dec 2024 at 9:00 a.m. NZDT Sydney: Sun, 29 Dec 2024 at 7:00 a.m. AEDT Cairo: Sat, 28 Dec 2024 at 10:00 p.m. EET Berlin: Sat, 28 Dec 2024 at 9:00 p.m. CET London: Sat, 28 Dec 2024 at 8:00 p.m. GMT New York: Sat, 28 Dec 2024 at 3:00 p.m. EST Chicago: Sat, 28 Dec 2024 at 2:00 p.m. CST Los Angeles: Sat, 28 Dec 2024 at 12:00 Noon PST Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2024

Sety’s final campaign. In winter of year 8 (approx. December 1296 BCE), the King of Egypt Sety I received news: rebellion in the south. In a land called Irem, now in modern Sudan, locals were resisting Egypt’s monarch. Sety gathered an army of infantry and chariots and set off to war. The story is told by Egyptians participating in the event, and by monuments erected to commemorate it… Logo image: Captive Nubians in distinctive clothing, accompanied by cattle. From TT40, the tomb of Amunhotep Huy, reign of Tutankhamun, by Kairoinfo4u https://www.flickr.com/photos/manna4u/albums/72157665011702090/. See the temple of Beit el-Wali at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Temple_of_Beit_el-Wali Music by Bettina Joy de Guzman www.bettinajoydeguzman.com. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2024

Livestream recording. The village of Deir el-Medina first arose in the 18th Dynasty (c.1550—1310 BCE), but the historical records really multiply in the 19th and 20th Dynasties (c.1310—1070 BCE). In this livestream recording, I set the scene for the village and introduce you to some of its inhabitants. We explore houses and families, and a couple of intact tombs that shed light on the inhabitants… Video version available at https://www.patreon.com/posts/livestream-deir-117598390. Deir el-Medina Village Museo Egizio excavation photos: https://archiviofotografico.museoegizio.it/en/archive/theban-region/deir-el-medina/excavations-at-the-village-temple-and-chapels/?photo=C00949 Kairo info4u: https://www.flickr.com/photos/manna4u/albums/72157615031342678/ Wikimedia: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Deir_el-Medina TT1 Sennedjem and Family Kairoinfo4u: https://www.flickr.com/photos/manna4u/albums/72157645191206615/ Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=sennedjem&geolocation=Thebes&sortBy=AccessionNumber&showOnly=withImage TT8 Tomb of Kha & Merit Museo Egizio excavation photos: https://archiviofotografico.museoegizio.it/en/archive/theban-region/deir-el-medina/tt8-tomb-and-chapel-of-kha-and-merit/?photo=C02053 Museo Egizio objects collection https://collezioni.museoegizio.it/en-GB/search/?action=s&provenance=Deir%20el-Medina%20%2f%20tomb%20of%20Kha%20(TT8) 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. Intro music by Ihab. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 December 2024

Deir el-Medina’s Golden Age (Part 1). In the age of Sety I, the village of the tomb-builders expanded significantly. Likewise, our evidence for daily life, families, households, and business begins to proliferate. Historians can identify individuals from tombs and connect them with specific houses. We can track their movements, as they form relationships, get married, have children, and pass things to their descendants. Written records tell us about the village’s operations, including their funding from the pharaoh’s government. Around 1300 BCE, we stand on the threshold of some truly detailed stories… DEIR EL-MEDINA LIVESTREAM, open to the public, see details here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/116333133. See photos of Deir el-Medina by: Kairoinfo4u https://flickr.com/photos/manna4u/albums/72157615031342678/ Margaret Lucy Patterson https://flickr.com/photos/24729615@N00/albums/72157625707940536/ Heidi Kontkanen https://flickr.com/photos/plingthepenguin/albums/72157657026077070/ For personal items, including food discovered in tombs, see the collection of the Museo Egizio, Turin (English database). People and families of Deir el-Medina: Davies, B. G. (1999). Who’s Who at Deir el-Medina: A Prosopographic Study of the Royal Workmen’s Community. Available free from the publisher and author at https://www.nino-leiden.nl/publication/whos-who-at-deir-el-medina and https://www.academia.edu/10955578/Whos_Who_at_Deir_el_Medina. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Logo image: The Workman Sennedjem and his wife Iy-Nefret worship the sky goddess Nut, who emerges from a sycamore tree (Photo Chris Ward). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2024

Deir el-Medina’s Golden Age (Part 1). In the age of Sety I, the village of the tomb-builders expanded significantly. Likewise, our evidence for daily life, families, households, and business begins to proliferate. Historians can identify individuals from tombs and connect them with specific houses. We can track their movements, as they form relationships, get married, have children, and pass things to their descendants. Written records tell us about the village’s operations, including their funding from the pharaoh’s government. Around 1300 BCE, we stand on the threshold of some truly detailed stories… DEIR EL-MEDINA LIVESTREAM, open to the public, see details here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/116333133. See photos of Deir el-Medina by: Kairoinfo4u https://flickr.com/photos/manna4u/albums/72157615031342678/ Margaret Lucy Patterson https://flickr.com/photos/24729615@N00/albums/72157625707940536/ Heidi Kontkanen https://flickr.com/photos/plingthepenguin/albums/72157657026077070/ For personal items, including food discovered in tombs, see the collection of the Museo Egizio, Turin (English database). People and families of Deir el-Medina: Davies, B. G. (1999). Who’s Who at Deir el-Medina: A Prosopographic Study of the Royal Workmen’s Community. Available free from the publisher and author at https://www.nino-leiden.nl/publication/whos-who-at-deir-el-medina and https://www.academia.edu/10955578/Whos_Who_at_Deir_el_Medina. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Logo image: The Workman Sennedjem and his wife Iy-Nefret worship the sky goddess Nut, who emerges from a sycamore tree (Photo Chris Ward). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2024

Sety I in the Valley of the Kings (Part 1). Archaeological remains and ancient texts reveal a great deal about tomb-building in the 19th and 20th Dynasties (c.1303—1070 BCE). Records, artefacts, and art all combine to inform us of the workers and their practices. In this episode, we use the sepulchre of Sety I (KV17) as a case-study, to understand an ancient tomb project. Logo image: The cartouche of Sety I from the ceiling of his tomb (Photo Dominic Perry). Explore the tomb of Sety I in a 3D Walkthrough by MuseEd https://mused.com/guided/926/tomb-of-seti-i-valley-of-the-kings/ Archaeological information for Sety's tomb at the Theban Mapping Project: https://thebanmappingproject.com/index.php/tombs/kv-17-sety-i Photos of Sety’s tomb by Kairoinfo4u: https://flickr.com/photos/manna4u/albums/72157687439529835/ For up-to-date studies and discussions of the royal tombs and their history, see The Oxford Handbook of the Valley of the Kings: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-the-valley-of-the-kings-9780190052072. Individual articles may be available via their authors if you do a web search of the author + article title. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 November 2024

VIDEO VERSION available at my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/posts/sety-i-and-of-116422687. In 1881, a remarkable discovery took place in Luxor, Egypt. In the hills of Deir el-Bahari, a secret tomb held the reburied mummies of Egypt’s famous pharaohs. Figures like Sety I, Ramesses II, Thutmose III, and Amunhotep I lay in rest, in carefully hidden coffins. However, the caskets themselves hold many secrets, which today’s guest has spent years exploring. Interview guest: Prof. Kara Cooney (UCLA) presents Recycling for Death:Coffin Reuse in Ancient Egypt and the Theban Royal Caches. Part of the UCLA Coffins Project https://arce.org/project/ucla-coffins-project/. Available via AUC Press https://aucpress.com/9781649031280/recycling-for-death/. Kara Cooney’s website: https://karacooney.squarespace.com/.  The Deir el-Bahari cache and the royal coffins & mummies:  Coffin of Sety I https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/coffinofsetii. Possible evidence of its origin as a queenly coffin via Dr. Peter Lacovara https://peterlacovara.com/portfolio/coffin-conundrum/.  Daressy, G. (1909). Cercueils des cachettes royales: Nos 61001-61044. https://archive.org/details/DaressyCercueils1909. Maspero, G., & Brugsch, É. (1881—1887). La Trouvaille de Deir-el-Bahari, 2 vols. https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/maspero1881bd1 and https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/maspero1887bd2.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 November 2024

The plan of an honest ruler. Around 1300 BCE, as today, gold was big business. King Sety I personally led an expedition into the eastern desert, to establish a new mining operation. Back in the Nile Valley, high-ranking officials leave monuments testifying to their work delivering, securing, and recording that gold. And thanks to art and artefacts, we can reconstruct the items these gold-workers produced. From the Red Sea Mountains to the Temple of Abydos, we follow the paths of gold… Logo image: Silver and gold statuette of a New Kingdom pharaoh, possibly Sety I (Louvre). For records of Sety and his contemporaries, see Kenneth Kitchen. Ramesside Inscriptions, Volume I. Versions: Hieroglyphs; English translations; References and Commentary. Photos of Sety’s Temple at Kanais in the Wadi Barramiya. Sety’s monuments including the Abydos and Kanais temples, in P. J. Brand, The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis (2000). Available free online at Academia.edu. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 November 2024

Sety in the Desert. Around 1300 BCE, King Sety led an expedition into the Red Sea hills. His purpose? Gold. The King brought soldiers and charioteers out to mine precious metals for his treasuries. The journey was difficult, traversing a dry and rocky landscape far from the comforts of home. Fortunately, Sety left detailed descriptions of the event; and art and artefacts from this era allow us to reconstruct the journey... Episode details: Logo image: Soldiers make camp, setting up tents for commanders. Tomb of Horemheb at Saqqara (Martin 2016). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. The Wadi Barramiya, in which Sety’s expedition travelled, by Hakatani Tenfu at Flickr.com. The Kanais Temple of Sety I, in the Wadi Barramiya, by Mutnedjmet at Flickr.com. Select bibliography: A. Dodson, Sethy I King of Egypt: His Life and Afterlife (Cairo, 2019). H. Gauthier, ‘Le temple de l’Ouâdi Mîyah (el Knaïs)’, Bulletin de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale 17 (1920), 1--38. Available online. K. A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions Historical and Biographical, I (Oxford, 1975). R. Klemm and D. Klemm, Gold and Gold Mining in Ancient Egypt and Nubia: Geoarchaeology of the Ancient Gold Mining Sites in the Egyptian and Sudanese Eastern Deserts (Berlin, 2013). G. T. Martin, Tutankhamun’s Regent: Scenes and Texts from the Memphite Tomb of Horemheb (EES Excavation Memoir 111; London, 2016). C. D. Reader, A Gift of Geology: Ancient Egyptian Landscapes and Monuments (Cairo, 2022). R. D. Rothe et al., Pharaonic Inscriptions from the Southern Eastern Desert of Egypt (Winona Lake, 2008). B. M. Sampsell, The Geology of Egypt: A Traveler’s Handbook (Cairo, 2014). See website for complete listing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 November 2024

I’ll be doing another Livestream Lecture this weekend. The topic will be the Two Tombs of Horemheb, at Saqqara and the Valley of the Kings (KV57). I'll be talking about: Horemheb's career progression and how it affected the development of his tombs. The art and decoration of these monuments and trends in Egyptian funerary culture. Evidence for burials in the tombs and what we know of Horemheb's physical legacy. Date: Sunday, 03rd November at 09:00 (New Zealand time). Find your time zone conversions here. Once again, the Livestream will be open to all members of my Patreon (both free and paid). Find the link to the lecture here: Livestream 03rd November LINK. The recorded version will be exclusive to paid members at Scribe tier and higher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 October 2024

Traditionally, Egyptian princes are almost invisible. The pharaohs downplayed the presence of their sons, to reduce political competition and maintain religious order. Sety I (c.1300 BCE) changed this habit. In art and monuments, he promoted young Ramesses II to a position of prominence and power. The exact nature of this promotion is slightly controversial among Egyptologists. In this episode, we explore Ramesses’ rise and some of the thorny issues. Additionally, Prof. Peter Brand joins us to discuss some of the harder questions on these period. Peter Brand, The Monuments of Sety I (2000), available free at Academia.edu. Peter Brand, Ramesses II: Egypt’s Ultimate Pharaoh (2023) available from Lockwood Press. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Outro music: “River Lullaby” from The Prince of Egypt (1998) – Harp cover by The Knitting Harpist (YouTube). 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. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 October 2024

In the Temple of Sety I at Abydos, an out-of-the-way corridor preserves a unique image. The King of Egypt, and his eldest son, wrangle and subdue a bull. This scene appears simple, at first glance. But it has a wealth of deeper symbolism and meanings. In this episode, we explore the idea of Bulls as images of power and violence, and their relationship with gods like Osiris and Seth… Episode logo: Ramesses and the Bull, by artist Brenna Baines (commissioned by The History of Egypt Podcast). Full version available on my Patreon (link below). The Bull Hall photos by Heidi Kontkanen at Flickr.com. The Bull Hall in Peter Brand, Monuments of Sety I (2000) available free online. 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. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Sound effects purchased from Pond5. Select Bibliography: M. Abuel-Yazid, ‘Architecture of the Slaughterhouse of the Seti Temple at Abydos’, in I. Regulski (ed.), Abydos: The Sacred Land at the Western Horizon (2019), 7—24. L. Baqué, ‘“On that Day When the Long-Horned Bull was Lassoed...” (PT [254] 286). A Scene in the “Corridor of the Bull” of the Cenotaph of Sethos I in Abydos: An Iconologic Approach’, Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur 30 (2002), 43—51. P. J. Brand, The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis (2000). Available free online. R. H. Wilkinson, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt (2003). J. M. Galán, ‘Bullfight Scenes in Ancient Egyptian Tombs’, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 80 (1994), 81—96. See website for complete reference list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 October 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 11 October 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 8 October 2024

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 warfare: 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

Transcribed - Published: 1 October 2024

Quick update on Egyptology news and what's coming up on the podcast. Mini episode about "the sword of Ramesses II" coming in a few days. Livestream on First Intermediate Period monuments/tombs/stories this weekend, see blog post on www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Update for people interested in the 2025 (February) Tour to Egypt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 September 2024

Return to the New Kingdom. Livestream of First Intermediate Period history. Update on the 2025 Tour. Quick update on Egyptology news and what's coming up on the podcast. Mini episode about "the sword of Ramesses II" coming in a few days. Livestream on First Intermediate Period monuments/tombs/stories this weekend, see blog post on Patreon. Update for people interested in the 2025 (February) Tour to Egypt with Ancient World Tours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 September 2024

These violent delights have violent ends. Between 1992 BCE and 1941 BCE, King Montu-Hotep (“Montu is Content”) ruled the southern kingdom. And he led efforts to expand Theban power, and ultimately reunify the Two Lands… Logo image: Montu, in a chapel of Ramesses III at Karnak (Kairoinfo4u). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Montuhotep’s Expansion into Wawat / Nubia and the records of the wars: Darnell, ‘The Route of the Eleventh Dynasty Expansion into Nubia: An Interpretation Based on the Rock Inscriptions of Tjehemau at Abisko’, Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde 131 (2004), 23—37. Available on Academia.edu. Darnell, ‘The Eleventh Dynasty Royal Inscription from Deir el-Ballas’, Revue d’Égyptologie 59 (2008), 81—110. Available on Academia.edu. Montuhotep’s Mahat Chapel at Abydos, discovered in 2014: Josef Wegner at Academia.edu and Damarany in Abydos: The Sacred Land (2019), JSTOR. Scholarly debates on the timeline and events of the Reunification: Brovarski, ‘The Hare and Oryx Nomes in the First Intermediate Period and Early Middle Kingdom’, in Egyptian Culture and Society: Studies in Honour of Naguib Kanawati, 1 (2010), 31—85. Available on Academia.edu. This was the study I followed in my reconstruction. Willems, ‘The Nomarchs of the Hare Nome and Early Middle Kingdom History’, Jaarbericht van het Vooraziatisch-Egyptisch Genootschap Ex Oriente Lux 28 (1985), 80—102. Available at Researchgate. Nubia – The Archaeology of Wawat and Kerma: Kerma – Mission archéologique suisse à Kerma (Soudan) C. Bonnet, ‘The Cities of Kerma and Pnubs-Dokki Gel’, in G. Emberling and B. B. Williams (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Nubia (Oxford, 2021), 201—212. H. Hafsaas, ‘The C-Group People in Lower Nubia: Cattle Pastoralists on the Frontier Between Egypt and Kush’, in B. B. Williams and G. Emberling (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Nubia (Oxford, 2020), 157—177. G. K. Meurer, ‘Nubians in Egypt from the Early Dynastic Period to the New Kingdom’, in B. B. Williams and G. Emberling (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Nubia (Oxford, 2020), 289—308. B. B. Williams, ‘Kush in the Wider World During the Kerma Period’, in G. Emberling and B. B. Williams (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Nubia (Oxford, 2021), 179--200. The Tomb of General Antef, with images of siege towers and naval forces: B. Jaroš-Deckert, Grabung im Asasif. 1963-1970. Band 5: das Grab des Jnj-jtj.f. Die Wandmalereien der 11. Dynastie, 12 (1984). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 September 2024

Ta-Wer howled. Around 2000 BCE, the southern kingdom was rising quickly. But the north was not out of the fight. Not by a long shot… Episode chapters Prologue – A Royal Inspection (00:30). The Fall of Tjeni / Thinis (07:25). The Long Reign of Intef II (11:58). Intef’s Dogs (20:58). Khety Merykara (34:03). Making Ta-Wer Howl (47:25). Conclusion (01:06:37). Epilogue – Intef’s Hymns for Ra and Hathor (01:08:30). Dendera excavations: Moeller and Marouard, The Development of Two Early Urban Centres - Edfu and Dendara (2018). 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. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Logo image: The "Dog Stela" of Intef II, from his tomb at El-Tarif (Mariette 1858). Select Bibliography: A. E. Demidchik, ‘The Reign of Merikare Khety’, Göttinger Miszellen 192 (2003), 25--36. A. Dodson and D. Hilton, The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt (London, 2004). C. Langer, ‘The Political Realism of the Egyptian Elite: A Comparison Between The Teaching for Merikare and Niccolò Machiavelli’s Il Principe’, Journal of Egyptian History 8 (2015), 49--79. R. J. Leprohon, The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary (Wilson, 2013). M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms (Los Angeles, 1973). M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Autobiographies Chiefly of the Middle Kingdom: A Study and an Anthology (Freiburg, 1988). J. Malek, ‘King Merykare and his Pyramid’, in C. Berger et al. (eds), Hommages à Jean Leclant, 4, 4 vols (Cairo, 1994), 203--214. G. Maspero, ‘On the Name of An Egyptian Dog’, Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology V (1877), 127--128. R. B. Parkinson, The Tale of Sinuhe and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems (1940—1640 BC) (Oxford, 1997). R. B. Parkinson, Poetry and Culture in Middle Kingdom Egypt: A Dark Side to Perfection (London, 2002). D. Polz, Die Sogenannte Hundestele des Königs Wah-Anch Intef aus el-Târif: Eine Forschungsgeschichte (Wiesbaden, 2019). D. Polz, ‘Dra’ Abu el-Naga, Ägypten: ein angeblicher Fund aus Dra’ Abu el-Naga. Die sog. Hundestele des Königs Wah-Anch Intef. Eine Forschungsgeschichte’, e-Forschungsberichte des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts 2020 (2020), 12--16. S. Quirke, Egyptian Literature 1800 BC: Questions and Readings (London, 2004). D. B. Spanel, ‘The Herakleopolitan Tombs of Kheti I, Jt(.j)jb(.j), and Kheti II at Asyut’, Orientalia 58 (1989), 301--314. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 September 2024

The war for Ta-Wer. The Thebans had seized the sacred city of Abdju (Abydos) in the district of Ta-Wer. The northern rulers, from the House of Khety, contested this violently. Inscriptions and art reveal the movements of armies, the clashes on field and river, and the sieging of major towns. Soon, things going downright apocalyptic. Also… dogs! Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Jeffrey Goodman www.jeffreygoodman.com. Interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Logo image: Intef II, from a stela in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Intro: Saruman's Speech from The Two Towers (2002), adapted by Dominic Perry. Fawlty Towers excerpts via Britbox Don't Mention the War | Fawlty Towers (youtube.com). 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. Partial Bibliography: M. D. Adams, ‘Community and Society in Egypt in the First Intermediate Period: An Archaeological Investigation of the Abydos Settlement Site’, Unpublished PhD. Thesis, University of Michigan (2005). D. Arnold, Gräber des Alten und Mittleren Reiches in El-Tarif (Mainz, 1976). D. D. Baker, Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs Volume I: Predynastic to the Twentieth Dynasty 3300 - 1069 BC (Cairo, 2008). H. Brunner, Die Texte aus den Gräbern der Herakleopolitenzeit von Siut mit Übersetzung und Erläuterungen (Glückstadt, 1937). J. J. Clère and J. Vandier, Textes de la Première Période Intermédiare et de la XIeme Dynastie (Brussels, 1948). J. C. Darnell and D. Darnell, ‘New Inscriptions of the Late First Intermediate Period from the Theban Western Desert and the Beginnings of the Northern Expansion of the Eleventh Dynasty’, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 56 (1997), 241--258. W. Ejsmond, ‘The Nubian Mercenaries of Gebelein in Light of Recent Field Research’, Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections 14 (2017), 11--13. N. Fields, Soldier of the Pharaoh: Middle Kingdom Egypt 2055--1650 BC (2007). H. G. Fischer, Inscriptions from the Coptite Nome: Dynasties VI-XI (Analecta orientalia 40; Rome, 1964). H. G. Fischer, ‘Provincial Inscriptions of the Heracleopolitan Period’, Varia Nova, Egyptian Studies 3 (New York, 1996), 79--90. G. P. Gilbert, Weapons, Warriors, and Warfare in Early Egypt (Oxford, 2004). H. Goedicke, ‘The Inscription of Dmi’, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 19 (1960), 288--291. W. Grajetzki, The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt (London, 2006 & 2024). R. Landgráfová, It Is My Good Name That You Should Remember: Egyptian Biographical Texts on Middle Kingdom Stelae (Prague, 2011). M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms (Los Angeles, 1973). M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Autobiographies Chiefly of the Middle Kingdom: A Study and an Anthology (Freiburg, 1988). D. O’Connor, Abydos: Egypt’s First Pharaohs and the Cult of Osiris (London, 2009). S. Seidlmayer, ‘The First Intermediate Period (c. 2160--2055 BC)’, in I. Shaw (ed.), The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (Oxford, 2000), 108--136. I. Shaw, Ancient Egyptian Warfare (Oxford, 2019). J. Wegner, ‘The Stela of Idudju-Iker, Foremost-One of the Chiefs of Wawat: New Evidence on the Conquest of Thinis Under Wahankh Antef II’, Revue d’égyptologie 68 (2018), 153--209. T. Wilkinson, The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt: The History of a Civilisation from 3000 BC to Cleopatra (London, 2010). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 August 2024

Intef the Great (c.2050—2000 BCE). The reign of Intef II, ruler of Waset (Thebes) shows a sudden surge in expansion and conflict. Seeking absolute power over the south, Intef brought major districts like Abu (Elephantine) into his territory. He made alliances with the rulers of Wawat (Nubia). Then, he sent his armies north to seize a sacred city… Episode details: Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Jeffrey Goodman www.jeffreygoodman.com. Interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Logo image: Intef II, from a stela in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 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 Bibligraphy: M. D. Adams, ‘Community and Society in Egypt in the First Intermediate Period: An Archaeological Investigation of the Abydos Settlement Site’, Unpublished PhD. Thesis, University of Michigan (2005). D. Arnold, Gräber des Alten und Mittleren Reiches in El-Tarif (Mainz, 1976). D. D. Baker, Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs Volume I: Predynastic to the Twentieth Dynasty 3300 - 1069 BC (Cairo, 2008). H. Brunner, Die Texte aus den Gräbern der Herakleopolitenzeit von Siut mit Übersetzung und Erläuterungen (Glückstadt, 1937). J. J. Clère and J. Vandier, Textes de la Première Période Intermédiare et de la XIeme Dynastie (Brussels, 1948). J. C. Darnell and D. Darnell, ‘New Inscriptions of the Late First Intermediate Period from the Theban Western Desert and the Beginnings of the Northern Expansion of the Eleventh Dynasty’, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 56 (1997), 241--258. W. Ejsmond, ‘The Nubian Mercenaries of Gebelein in Light of Recent Field Research’, Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections 14 (2017), 11--13. N. Fields, Soldier of the Pharaoh: Middle Kingdom Egypt 2055--1650 BC (2007). H. G. Fischer, Inscriptions from the Coptite Nome: Dynasties VI-XI (Analecta orientalia 40; Rome, 1964). H. G. Fischer, ‘Provincial Inscriptions of the Heracleopolitan Period’, Varia Nova, Egyptian Studies 3 (New York, 1996), 79--90. G. P. Gilbert, Weapons, Warriors, and Warfare in Early Egypt (Oxford, 2004). H. Goedicke, ‘The Inscription of Dmi’, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 19 (1960), 288--291. W. Grajetzki, The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt (London, 2006 & 2024). R. Landgráfová, It Is My Good Name That You Should Remember: Egyptian Biographical Texts on Middle Kingdom Stelae (Prague, 2011). M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms (Los Angeles, 1973). M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Autobiographies Chiefly of the Middle Kingdom: A Study and an Anthology (Freiburg, 1988). D. O’Connor, Abydos: Egypt’s First Pharaohs and the Cult of Osiris (London, 2009). S. Seidlmayer, ‘The First Intermediate Period (c. 2160--2055 BC)’, in I. Shaw (ed.), The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (Oxford, 2000), 108--136. I. Shaw, Ancient Egyptian Warfare (Oxford, 2019). J. Wegner, ‘The Stela of Idudju-Iker, Foremost-One of the Chiefs of Wawat: New Evidence on the Conquest of Thinis Under Wahankh Antef II’, Revue d’égyptologie 68 (2018), 153--209. T. Wilkinson, The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt: The History of a Civilisation from 3000 BC to Cleopatra (London, 2010). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 August 2024

The first phase is over, and the war is heating up. Around 2055 BCE, a lord of Waset/Thebes/Luxor named Intef I promoted himself far above the established norms. Sending representatives to treat with the other rulers, Intef nonetheless began to push his military power further afield. Soon, he began to isolate and attack the loyalist governors nearby… Episode details: The Qena Bend and locations referenced in this episode. “Godfather” Walz theme by Andrea Giuffredi. “Declare Independence” by Björk, instrumental version. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. 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: D. D. Baker, Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs Volume I: Predynastic to the Twentieth Dynasty 3300 - 1069 BC (2008). E. Brovarski, ‘Overseers of Upper Egypt in the Old to Middle Kingdoms’, Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde 140 (2013), 91—111. Available online. J. J. Clère and J. Vandier, Textes de la Première Période Intermédiare et de la XIeme Dynastie (1948). J. C. Darnell, Theban Desert Road Survey in the Egyptian Western Desert, I: Gebel Tjauti Rock Inscriptions 1-45 and Wadi el-Hôl Rock Inscriptions 1-45 (2002). J. C. Darnell and D. Darnell, ‘New Inscriptions of the Late First Intermediate Period from the Theban Western Desert and the Beginnings of the Northern Expansion of the Eleventh Dynasty’, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 56 (1997), 241—258. JSTOR. A. E. Demidchik, ‘The History of the Heracleopolitan Kings’ Domain’, in H.-W. Fischer-Elfert and R. B. Parkinson (eds), Studies on the Middle Kingdom in Memory of Detlef Franke (2013), 93—106. Online. H. G. Fischer, Inscriptions from the Coptite Nome: Dynasties VI-XI (1964). H. G. Fischer, Dendera in the Third Millennium BC Down to the Theban Domination of Upper Egypt (1968). W. Grajetzki, The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt (2006 & 2024). R. J. Leprohon, The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary (2013). M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms (1973). S. Seidlmayer, ‘The First Intermediate Period (c. 2160--2055 BC)’, in I. Shaw (ed.), The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000), 108—136. N. Strudwick, Texts from the Pyramid Age (2005). T. Wilkinson, The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt: The History of a Civilisation from 3000 BC to Cleopatra (2010). T. Wilkinson, Lives of the Ancient Egyptians (2019). H. Willems, ‘The First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdom’, in A. B. Lloyd (ed.), A Companion to Ancient Egypt, 1 (2010), 81—100. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 August 2024

The complete autobiography of Ankhtyfy (Ankhtifi) from his tomb at el-Mo'alla. Sources: J. Vandier, Mo’alla: La Tombe d’Ankhtifi et la tombe de Sébekhotep (1950). French translation of hieroglyphs. The tomb of Ankhtyfy at Osirisnet. English translation of Vandier (1950). Minor re-translations and edits of the text by Dominic Perry (2024). Photos of Ankhtyfy's tomb by M. Attia, ‘Tombs of Ankhtifi and Sobekhotep el-Moalla Egypt’, https://flickr.com/photos/130870_040871/albums/72157676972946976/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 August 2024

Famine and resilience. Around 2060 BCE, the Overlord Ankhtyfy was riding high. Then, a crisis hit southern Egypt. Drought, food shortages, and starvation swept through the region. From sites like Elephantine, Edfu, and historical texts, we get a picture of Egypt in difficulty. But also, a sense of communities perservering and rebuilding... The tomb of Ankhtyfy at el-Mo’alla by Merja Attia https://flickr.com/photos/130870_040871/albums/72157676972946976/. Logo image: Apophis from the tomb of Inerkhau at Deir el-Medina (Dynasty 19). Photo by Chris Ward. Excavations at Edfu: Nadine Moeller and Gregory Marouard The Origins of Two Provincial Capitals in Upper Egypt (2017) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPUPQabHL04. Intro music by Ihab. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 August 2024

The rise of Ankhtyfy. In southern Egypt, a "Great Overlord" named Ankh-tyfy began to expand his power. From his home base at Nekhen (Hierakonpolis), he annexed neighbouring territories like Edfu. He did this with some elaborate justifications, and perhaps inspired by the example of ancestors. Alas, his rapid rise soon brought him into conflict with other regional lords and their soldiers... Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Logo image: Ankhtyfy’s archers, photo by Mutnedjmet. Photos of the tomb of Ankhtyfy by Merja Attia. Intro music by Ihab and Ancient Lyric www.bettinajoydeguzman.com. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Select bibliography: M. Attia, ‘Tombs of Ankhtifi and Sobekhotep el-Moalla Egypt’, https://flickr.com/photos/130870_040871/albums/72157676972946976/. H. Goedicke, ‘’Ankhtyfy’s Fights’, Chronique d’Égypte 73 (1998), 29-41. N. Moeller, ‘The Origins of Two Provincial Capitals in Upper Egypt’, The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (2017). L. D. Morenz, ‘Power and Status. Ankhtifi the Hero, Founder of a New Residence?’, CRIPEL 28 (2009), 177-192. J. Vandier, Mo’alla: La Tombe d’Ankhtifi et la tombe de Sébekhotep (1950). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2024

By 2100 BCE, Egypt’s royal house was in trouble. A line of kings, known as the pr-Hty (“House of Khety”) claimed authority over the whole Nile Valley. But archaeological and historical data paint a different picture: of a growing division between communities in the north and south of Egypt. The “Two Lands” were separating, and government was too weak to stop it… Logo image: A northern official named Ipi. From his tomb at the cemetery of Ihnaysa el-Medina (Photo Perez Die 2016). 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. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2024

Don’t swim for at least 30 minutes after a banquet… Around 2150 BCE, so the story goes, the Queen-King Nitocris sought vengeance on those who had wronged her. This tale comes from Herodotos, and in 1928 a young Tennessee Williams published his own version of the gothic stroy. In this bonus episode, I read Williams’ work for a bit of spooky storytelling… Herodotos, Histories, Book II, via Perseus. Tennessee Williams ‘The Vengeance of Nitocris’ at Wikipedia and Wikisource. The Vengeance of Nitocris by Rejected Princesses. Music by Kevin Manthei, from Vampire: The Masquerade: Redemption (2000). I played this a lot as a child, and it seemed to fit the tone. Outro music, “Killer Queen – Medieval Rock Cover” by Medieval Rock. Less tonally consistent, but when the Queen gives an order... 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. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2024

Between 2500—2200 BCE, Egypt witnessed a period of surprisingly high rainfall. While the Old Kingdom was much wetter than today, archaeologists have found strong evidence for huge downpours, sweeping across northern Egypt and flooding tombs, cities, and forcing the ancients to adapt… This episode is a brief epilogue to the Decline & Fall of the Old Kingdom series. Intro music: Michael Jackson – Stranger in Moscow (Instrumental Version). Outro music: Toto – Africa (Bardcore) by Stravitticus. Logo image: Rain spout/gutter at the pyramid complex of Niuserrra (c.2400 BCE). Photo by Kairoinfo4u. References used in this episode: K. W. Butzer, ‘When the Desert Was in Flood: Environmental History of the Giza Plateau’, AERAgram 5 (2001), 3—5. K. W. Butzer et al., ‘Urban Geoarchaeology and Environmental History at the Lost City of the Pyramids, Giza: Synthesis and Review’, Journal of Archaeological Science 40 (2013), 3340—3366. K. O. Kuraszkiewicz, ‘Architectural Innovations Influenced by Climatic Phenomena (4.2 KA Event) in the Late Old Kingdom (Saqqara, Egypt)’, Studia Quaternaria 33 (2016), 27—34. S. Rzepka et al., ‘Preliminary Report on Engineering Properties and Environmental Resistance of Ancient Mud Bricks from Tell el-Retaba Archaeological Site in the Nile Delta’, Studia Quaternaria 33 (2016), 47—56. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2024

Between 2500—2200 BCE, Egypt witnessed a period of surprisingly high rainfall. While the Old Kingdom was much wetter than today, archaeologists have found strong evidence for huge downpours, sweeping across northern Egypt and flooding tombs, cities, and forcing the ancients to adapt… This episode is a brief epilogue to the Decline & Fall of the Old Kingdom series. Intro music: Michael Jackson – Stranger in Moscow (Instrumental Version). Outro music: Toto – Africa (Bardcore) by Stravitticus. Logo image: Rain spout/gutter at the pyramid complex of Niuserrra (c.2400 BCE). Photo by Kairoinfo4u. References used in this episode: K. W. Butzer, ‘When the Desert Was in Flood: Environmental History of the Giza Plateau’, AERAgram 5 (2001), 3—5. K. W. Butzer et al., ‘Urban Geoarchaeology and Environmental History at the Lost City of the Pyramids, Giza: Synthesis and Review’, Journal of Archaeological Science 40 (2013), 3340—3366. K. O. Kuraszkiewicz, ‘Architectural Innovations Influenced by Climatic Phenomena (4.2 KA Event) in the Late Old Kingdom (Saqqara, Egypt)’, Studia Quaternaria 33 (2016), 27—34. S. Rzepka et al., ‘Preliminary Report on Engineering Properties and Environmental Resistance of Ancient Mud Bricks from Tell el-Retaba Archaeological Site in the Nile Delta’, Studia Quaternaria 33 (2016), 47—56. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2024

Why did it all go so wrong? We’ve explored the historical overview of Old Kingdom decline; but what was driving it? There are three major factors that caused this fall. Two originate in the climate, the third comes from the political structure of the kingdom and its society. From the deserts of Sahara to the depths of the Nile, we uncover the causes of decline… Note: An extended version of this episode is available at Patreon.com/egyptpodcast. 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. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Logo image: The “Starving Bedouin” from the Pyramid of Unas. Photo by Sarah Murray. Select Bibliography: M. Bárta, Analyzing Collapse: The Rise and Fall of the Old Kingdom (2019). B. Bell, ‘The Oldest Records of the Nile Floods’, The Geographical Journal 136 (1970), 569—573. K. W. Butzer, ‘When the Desert Was in Flood: Environmental History of the Giza Plateau’, AERAgram 5 (2001), 3—5. K. W. Butzer, ‘Landscapes and Environmental History of the Nile Valley: A Critical Review and Prospectus’, in E. Bloxam and I. Shaw (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Egyptology (Oxford, 2020), 99—124. N. Kanawati and J. Swinton, Egypt in the Sixth Dynasty: Challenges and Responses (2018). K. O. Kuraszkiewicz, ‘Architectural Innovations Influenced by Climatic Phenomena (4.2 KA Event) in the Late Old Kingdom (Saqqara, Egypt)’, Studia Quaternaria 33 (2016), 27—34. M. van de Mieroop, A History of Ancient Egypt (2nd edn, 2021). N. Moeller, ‘The First Intermediate Period: A Time of Famine and Climate Change?’, Egypt and the Levant 15 (2005), 153—167. J. C. Moreno García, ‘Climatic Change or Sociopolitical Transformation? Reassessing Late 3rd Millennium BC in Egypt’, in J. C. Moreno García et al. (eds), 2200 BC - A Climatic Breakdown as a Cause for the Collapse of the Old World? 2 vols (2015), 79—94. S. Rzepka et al., ‘Preliminary Report on Engineering Properties and Environmental Resistance of Ancient Mud Bricks from Tell el-Retaba Archaeological Site in the Nile Delta’, Studia Quaternaria 33 (2016), 47—56. J.-D. Stanley et al., ‘Nile Flow Failure at the End of the Old Kingdom, Egypt: Strontium Isotopic and Petrologic Evidence’, Geoarchaeology 18 (2003), 395—402. P. Tallet and M. Lehner, The Red Sea Scrolls: How Ancient Papyri Reveal the Secrets of the Pyramids (2021). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 July 2024

Why did the Old Kingdom disappear? Was it an overnight "collapse," or something more long term? In this episode, and the next, we explore the question in overview. This chapter focusses on the historical sources including King Lists, Classical authors like Herodotos and Manetho, and the fragmentary evidence for some of the "shadow kings" of this period… Chronology and Historical Studies: Overview of all sources and scholarship at Pharaoh.se. M. Baud, ‘The Relative Chronology of Dynasties 6 and 8’, in E. Hornung et al. (eds), Ancient Egyptian Chronology (2006), 144—158. Available in pdf at Digital Giza. J. von Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999). W. Helck, ‘Anmerkungen zum Turiner Königspapyrus’, Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur 19 (1992), 150–216. English translation available at Pharaoh.se. R. J. Leprohon, The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary (2013). Available at Internet Archive. K. Ryholt, ‘The Turin King-List’, Ägypten und Levante / Egypt and the Levant 14 (2004), 135—155. 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. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2024

Frustrated with the break from New Kingdom material? I hear you, and I can promise a return. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 June 2024