Aspects of Daily Life in Ancient Egyptian Letters
Ancient Egyptian art gives an idealized view of that world. In contrast, letters are personal and direct, as in what happens when a leased donkey isn’t returned on time.
New Symbols of Hierarchy: On the Origins of the Cartouche and Encircling Symbolism in Old Kingdom Pyramids
In Old Kingdom Egypt the famous symbol known as the cartouche emerged. What did this complex image of encircling represent and why did it persist for 2000 years?
Monotheism or Monopoly? Akhenaten and His Religious-Political Reform
Few ancient personalities excite as much interest as Akhenaten. Was he an enlightened religious leader and an idealistic politician, or was he mentally ill and physically frail?
Sheshonq (Shishak) in Palestine: Old Paradigms and New Vistas
April 2021 | Vol. 9.4 By Felix Höflmayer and Roman Gundacker Pharaoh Sheshonq I (c. 943-923 BCE) is traditionally viewed as the founder of the 22nd Dynasty, which, due to the king
The Cushites: Race and Representation in the Hebrew Bible
The Cushites are mentioned 54 times in the Hebrew Bible. The texts are conscious of skin color but what mattered was the relationship with God.
Myth and Marvel: Medieval Muslim Writings on Ancient Egypt
Medieval Muslim scholars could not read ancient Egyptian writing. They therefore understood the past through the lenses of literary genres, myths, and the Quran.
The Afterlife of Ships in Thonis-Heracleion: Recycling, Abandonment, and Ritual Sacrifice at an Egyptian Port
What happens to a ship at the end of its life? Underwater archaeology at an Egyptian port near Alexandria provides a vivid picture of very different fates.
Coping with Ethnicity in Pharaonic Egypt
Ancient Egyptians had ambivalent attitudes towards foreigners. Most royal propaganda was negative, but the reality was quite different.
How Ancient Egypt Shows that Climate Change is Always with Us
Climate change is a constant. But for ancient Egypt, climate processes of heating and cooling were challenges and opportunities that helped bring about a great civilization. They a
Servant Figurines from Egyptian Tombs: Whom Did They Depict, and How Did They Work?
Scholars have interpreted servant figurines in Egyptian tombs as anonymous toys designed to come to life. But a closer look suggests they may have represented a deeper relationship