Ask Me About Ancient Egypt
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Why did the chicken cross the road?
Because it was mirroring the sacred journey of mighty Ra across the firmament.
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Yo Niko, how were relations between the Jewish states of the Levant and Egypt like?
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So, imagine Pharaonic Egypt lasts into an age in which the New World is discovered. Would you mind making some suggestions as to what the Egyptians might have called these two lost continents? Preferably something you don't mind being stolen by others making a Egyptian timeline
Also, how do you know how to translate Ancient Egyptian names so well? Do you have a source for this sort of thing?
So, imagine Pharaonic Egypt lasts into an age in which the New World is discovered. Would you mind making some suggestions as to what the Egyptians might have called these two lost continents? Preferably something you don't mind being stolen by others making a Egyptian timeline
Also, how do you know how to translate Ancient Egyptian names so well? Do you have a source for this sort of thing?
Question
What were common Ancient Egyptian names of both sexes? The meanings don't really matter to me (although including them would be a much-appreciated bonus), but the only list of names I've been able to find --it was on a website--is maddeningly poorly presented: it's a table in black on a blotchy greenish-brownish-blackish background. Since i wear glasses, it was nearly impossible to read. All other lists--and I once spent three hours combing the Internet for this--are the lists of Pharaohs/Kings.
Please respond when you can. Thanks!
What were common Ancient Egyptian names of both sexes? The meanings don't really matter to me (although including them would be a much-appreciated bonus
), but the only list of names I've been able to find --it was on a website--is maddeningly poorly presented: it's a table in black on a blotchy greenish-brownish-blackish background. Since i wear glasses, it was nearly impossible to read. All other lists--and I once spent three hours combing the Internet for this--are the lists of Pharaohs/Kings. Please respond when you can. Thanks!
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Peasant rebellions are alluded to in literary works that (may or may not, depending on whom you ask) describe conditions during the First Intermediate Period (ca. 2181-2055 BCE), a time characterized by the breakdown of central authority. During the reign of Ramesses III (ca. 1186–1155 BCE) we see some of the first recorded labor strikes being organized by the villagers of Sit-Ma'at (Deir el-Medina).
Most of humor of which we have surviving records is official propaganda, which basically means caricatures of foreign enemies... We also have a long, satirical treatise on exactly why the literate scribe class thought they were better than everyone else.
Personally, my impression is that ancient Egyptian humor was big on irony and sarcasm. Satirical cartoon-like ostraca (pottery fragments inscribed with drawings or messages) show scenes of animals behaving contrary to their natural dispositions (a lion playing a friendly board game with a gazelle, mice being tended to by cat servants, a hippopotamus trying to hide in a tree, etc). The story "The Contendings of Horus and Seth" involves one episode in which the two gods try to race boats made of stone - Horus makes a boat of wood and covers it with plaster as a ruse, whereas Seth cuts off and hollows out the top of a mountain, with predictable results...
Additionally, puns and wordplay (involving both the language itself and the hieroglyphic script, which lends itself predictably well to visual puns) are often cleverly interwoven into texts, including those with more somber subjects such as religious hymns.
Of course, the ancient Egyptians also found humor in ways that we today might not exactly characterize as "politically correct", too (the racial caricatures of foreigners in official art, for example - though granted, we still do a hell of a lot of that today
). They also seem to have found bodily malformations funny, as well as bodily functions (one painted scene of a banquet shows a noblewoman puking up her wine far off to the side, like something out of medieval manuscript marginalia). The Queen of Punt is depicted in reliefs at Hatshepsut's mortuary temple as morbidly obese, and the donkey behind her is snarkily captioned as "The Donkey that had to Carry the Queen"...The lesson: People will probably find jokes about puking and physical "abnormality" funny no matter what time and place one visits...
Depends on who you were...
If you were part of the upper class (read: royalty, landed nobility, or the priesthood), it could be pretty sweet! Nice estates, parties, education, plenty of travel, good funeral arrangements (VERY important to them!), and an expected lifespan of 50-60 (though anything above that was getting extravagant, and even that's the liberal estimate) thanks to better-than-average understandings of medical care compared to the rest of the ancient world (though you could still easily die of something like, say, a dental abscess - I hear those are spectacularly unpleasant).
This was also maybe, MAYBE 5% of the population.
The step below that would be soldiers and urban tradespeople (the latter category emphatically includes women, as they dominated several important trades and were free to be as entrepreneurial as they liked). Soldiers get a bad rap in literature (mostly from scribes telling scribal students just how totally fucking awesome it was to be a scribe, so no bias there
), but given that they were guaranteed lodging, food, medical care, and a retirement package that often included a plot of land, they could easily break into the tradespeople class... Tradespeople may have had some degree of education (most evidence for this comes from a single site - Sit-Ma'at again - which may have been an exception to most general rules), and would have resided in apartment-style housing (not dissimilar to later Roman insulae) subsidized by various nobles, the temples, or the state, which acted as patrons to a craftperson's services. Life for these people might've been alright, they seem to have lived up into their 40's, generally speaking. They had days off (1 day out of the 10-day Egyptian week) and access to medical care, and probably always had enough to eat.This "middle class" was NOT by any means the bulk of the population, though.
Most ancient Egyptians (read: up to 90% of the population by some estimates) were sakhtiu - serfs. Sakhtiu were bound to the land they worked, and had to give up most of their crop as taxes. They lived in single-room mud huts, worked from dawn to dusk every day (and would've been drafted as corvée labourers during the annual floods) - though they did get religious holidays off - and didn't have access to much in the way of medical care (bodies often show multiple injuries, signs of overwork, chronic diseases and infections, etc.). Infant death rates were astronomically high by our standards (to say nothing of the death rates of mothers in childbirth), and a peasant was lucky to live past the age of 35.
And this was in times of prosperity and stability... During the Intermediate Periods-
... Actually, during the Intermediate Periods (times of political breakdown and general chaos), life for the peasants actually seems to improve and the middle class actually expands somewhat. Sure, at the start of an Intermediate Period there could be famines due to the breakdown of state/temple-run food distribution systems, but once peasant communities became self-sufficient and no longer had to pay as many taxes to the higher-ups their quality of life generally increased, and in some cases more tradespeople could find more patrons in local nobles styling themselves as petty rulers.
So, during times of political instability, there was certainly a greater chance of you meeting a violent death (civil war, foreign raid/invasion, etc.), but if you were lower on the totem pole, your life may actually have been better than when Pharaoh was sitting pretty... Make of that what you will.
The Exodus didn't happen*. Please stop asking this question.
*At least, almost certainly NOT as described in the Abrahamic tradition, even IF an analogous event could be said to have occurred.
Depends on the time period.
The Hebrew states (you can't really call them "Jewish" in any sense we would recognize until after the Babylonian Captivity) emerged in part because of the power vacuum left in the Levant by the collapse of the Egyptian Empire of the New Kingdom (which was really more of a steady implosion than an out-and-out collapse); lack of Egyptian policing in the area enabled many nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples (the Hebrews included) to knock around the area for a while, generally kicking ass and taking names from the previous established powers, before becoming sedentary and setting up shop in the area themselves.
Egypt was largely insular and concerned with its own affairs (read: pretending it was still a united polity when it was SO not - the Third Intermediate Period is complicated) during the early years of Hebrew/Israelite history and the days of the United Monarchy (which, just FYI, probably didn't control nearly as much territory as Biblical tradition would suggest). The one notable exception to this is the pharaoh Shoshenq, of a Meshwesh (Libyan Berber) dynasty that mostly ruled northern Egypt, who definitely sacked several cities in Judah (during the reign of Rehoboam, according to the Bible), possibly in a bid to re-secure Egyptian dominance over the region. The Bible (which refers to Shoshenq as "Shishak") claims that Shoshenq sacked Jerusalem and carried off much of the treasure in Solomon's Temple (whence the premise of "Raiders of the Lost Ark"!), but Shoshenq's own account of the places he pillaged makes no mention of Jerusalem at all.
The Kushite rulers of Egypt (the 25th Dynasty) had cordial relations with the Israelite kingdoms, as they had a common interest in keeping the Assyrians out of the area... And during the resurgence in Egyptian power leading up to the Saïte Period (the 26th Dynasty), the Egyptians first supported Israelite revolt against Assyrian rule, then formed an alliance WITH Assyria in a bid to contain the Neo-Babylonians which brought them into conflict with the Israelites (an Egyptian army under pharaoh Nekau II of the 26th Dynasty defeated an army of Judah in 609 BCE on its way to fight the Babylonians, resulting in the death of King Josiah).
So, imagine Pharaonic Egypt lasts into an age in which the New World is discovered. Would you mind making some suggestions as to what the Egyptians might have called these two lost continents? Preferably something you don't mind being stolen by others making a Egyptian timeline
Also, how do you know how to translate Ancient Egyptian names so well? Do you have a source for this sort of thing?
If the Egyptians aren't discovering the New World, they'll probably just appropriate the term used by the culture that DOES...
Okay, that's a cop-out answer
If the Egyptians discover the New World, they could call it "Ta-Netjer", or "God's Land", a term often used romantically to describe far-off locations (at least, that's what MOST scholars think - it could also refer directly to Ethiopia... Or Somalia... Or Yemen... We're not really sure
Personally, *I* like to think of it as an abstract place name, rather like "the Orient" in the European worldview).They could also call it "Hau-Nebu" ("That Which is Behind the Isles"), another term for "really far away places", or "Hau-Akhet/Imentet" ("That Which is Behind the Horizon/the West") if they're feeling especially dramatic. Or, they could be boring and name it after an explorer Going in the other direction, I like to think that the Egyptians, had they known of the "Far East" (China, Southeast Asia, etc.), would have called it "Isken", after a term in Egyptian cosmology for mythical/hypothetical lands beyond the eastern horizon... I plan on using that for MY TL, but others are free to appropriate it
As for how I translate names... I can read Middle and Late Egyptian (I studied Egyptian languages at my university) in hieroglyphic text, and own several Egyptian grammars/dictionaries.
Honestly, a lot of the fiction set in ancient Egypt that I've read to date tends to make me gag. A glaring exception to this rule is "Lo, The Nobles Lament, the Poor Rejoice", a timeline by Jonathan Edelstein here on AH.com, which does, I think, exactly what you're looking for.
Where non-fiction is concerned, the book "Red Land, Black Land" by Barbara Mertz is a good introduction to daily life in ancient Egypt, and does a bit of commentary on the mindset.
There's also the non-fiction book "The Mind of Egypt: History and Meaning in the Time of the Pharaohs" by Jan Assman, which you could investigate (I have yet to read it, myself
).What were common Ancient Egyptian names of both sexes? The meanings don't really matter to me (although including them would be a much-appreciated bonus
Please respond when you can. Thanks!
Male:
Nakht - "Champion"
Djer - "Steadfast"
Senbi - "Healthy"
Qen - "Brave"
Sabef - "He Guards"
Meryra - "Beloved of Ra"
Paneb - "The Master's Man"
Pahory/Pahery - "One of Horus's"
Ahmose/Iahames - "Moon-born"
Nebnefer - "Perfect Lord"
Dedi - "Gift"
Hebeny - "Ebony" (Yes, "ebony" in English IS a loanword ultimately from ancient Egyptian)
Khu - "Protected"
Ihy - "Joyful"
Panehsy - "The Nubian" (FUN FACT! This name was borrowed - via Hebrew and Greek - into English as "Phineas")
Bak - "Attendant"
Djehuty - "Thoth"
Khawy - "Night Traveller"
Harsiese/Horsiese - "Horus, Son of Isis" (More common in the Late Period and onward)
Paweraa/Pawero - "The Great One"
Pediese/Petiese - "Wise one of Isis"
Sennedjem - "The Sweet Companion"
Sennefer - "The Perfect Companion"
Sinuhe - "Son of the Sycamore"
Ibi - "My Heart"
Haapi - (A name of the personified Nile)
Maya - (Meaning uncertain - unisex)
Hapu - (Meaning uncertain)
Huy - (Meaning uncertain)
Ineni - (Possibly a nickname?)
Anhai - (Meaning uncertain)
Ibebi - (Possibly a nickname?)
Paser - (Meaning uncertain)
Female:
Meryet - "Beloved"
Nefret - "Beauty"
Nebet - "Noble Lady"
Wosret/Tawosret - "The Strong One"
Iset - "Isis"
Isetnefret - "Isis the Beautiful"
Kiya - "Jubilant"
Miut - "Kitten"
Hemetra - "Woman of Ra"
Henuttawy "Lady of the Two Lands" (More a royal name)
Sesheshet - "Sistrum Rattle"
Iaret - (A name of Isis)
Itet - "Regal"
Resit - "Observant/Vigilant"
Meresankh - "She Loves Life"
Mutnedjmet - "Sweet Mother"
Mutnefret - "Perfect Mother"
Tanit - "She of Neith" (Neith is goddess of Fate)
Nit - "Neith"
Nefertari - "The Most Beautiful"
Neferura - "The Beauty of Ra"
Peseshet - (A 6th Dynasty physician, later worshiped as a goddess)
Sitiah - "Daughter of the Moon"
Tanitamun - "She of Amun"
Tiaa - "The Great One"
Tiye - (Meaning uncertain)
Tuya - (Meaning uncertain)
Ipu/Iput/Ipuwet - (Meaning uncertain)
Maya - (Meaning uncertain - unisex)
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My sources on the Late Period are almost all books, but this site has decent overviews. As for finding PDFs, you could try searching online academic journals such as JSTOR and the like.
The ancient Egyptians certainly engaged in philosophical thought, though you may find scholars who will argue that we can't really talk about "philosophy" as a discipline until the Greeks codify it *makes wanking gesture*.
Ancient Egyptian philosophy as a whole was based around pragmatism: "How can one be productive and happy all at once? What is the ideal work/life balance?" etc.
Often these questions were addressed in sebayut, or "Wisdom Texts", which often read like codes of etiquette or proper conduct for mid-level to high officials (even princes and kings), or even as self-help books
One text, "A Conversation Between a Man and his Ba" or "The Man who was Weary of Life" (the ba being an Egyptian term for the aspect of the soul associated with the personality/self-identity), reflects on the meaning and purpose of life in the form of a man's dramatic monologue as he struggles to reconcile his hopes and despairs.
Imhotep and Hardedef, two Old Kingdom officials, were often alluded to in later literary works as men of considerable wisdom (unfortunately, original works from either of them don't appear to have survived). Some known authors of "wisdom texts" include Ptahhotep, Amunnakht, Amenemope, amd Khety.
Naturally, once we get to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, we have several well known Greek philosophers living and working in Egypt.
Egypt seems to have had tentative contact with lands in the south of Sudan and Eritrea from very early on in its history. New Kingdom Egypt probably knew about the world as far west as Sardinia, and may have had tentative contact with Black Sea cultures via Mycenaean and Anatolian intermediaries. Late Period Egypt had similar contacts with South Arabia and India.
West Africa seems largely off the radar until after the pharaonic period.
Which have been the most important archaeological findings in Egypt during the last 10 years? How much more do we know about ancient Egypt than back in 2003?
I'm rather interested in historiography and the history of archaeology.
I'm rather interested in historiography and the history of archaeology.
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Kinda out of your chronological range maybe (but then, Late Antiquity)...
In some threads, I wonders if Coptic christianism reached out of Egypt proper... Did missionaries etc reached neighboors of Egypt then, the bedouins to Sinai, berbers west and specially kush-modern Sudan? (I wonder if by example without Islam, Sudan would have been a Coptic (maybe 'autonomous' something) Church hold.)
Was there contacts with Ethiopian powers before, and in Christianism era?
In some threads, I wonders if Coptic christianism reached out of Egypt proper... Did missionaries etc reached neighboors of Egypt then, the bedouins to Sinai, berbers west and specially kush-modern Sudan? (I wonder if by example without Islam, Sudan would have been a Coptic (maybe 'autonomous' something) Church hold.)
Was there contacts with Ethiopian powers before, and in Christianism era?
"If the Egyptians discover the New World, they could call it "Ta-Netjer", or "God's Land", a term often used romantically to describe far-off locations (at least, that's what MOST scholars think - it could also refer directly to Ethiopia... Or Somalia... Or Yemen... We're not really sure Personally, *I* like to think of it as an abstract place name, rather like "the Orient" in the European worldview).They could also call it "Hau-Nebu" ("That Which is Behind the Isles"), another term for "really far away places", or "Hau-Akhet/Imentet" ("That Which is Behind the Horizon/the West") if they're feeling especially dramatic. Or, they could be boring and name it after an explorer Going in the other direction, I like to think that the Egyptians, had they known of the "Far East" (China, Southeast Asia, etc.), would have called it "Isken", after a term in Egyptian cosmology for mythical/hypothetical lands beyond the eastern horizon... I plan on using that for MY TL, but others are free to appropriate it "
I'd taken notice of Ta-Netjer as a phrase when I was researching the land of Punt (Ta Netjer was apparently an alternate term for that land). But it seems that it was called God's Land specifically because it was said to be the place where Ra or Osiris awake emerged from the underworld every morning. In other words, it was a term for the far East, the direction from which the sun would rise. As such it seemed a better term for Australia or China than AmericaE)
I've been trying to figure out how to say "Land of the Western Horizon" forever. The Hymn of the Aten uses that exact phrase at one point, but I could never find the "proper" term for "west", it was always abbreviated as imnt. I guess now I know that actual "englishized egyptianized" term is Imentet. Would Hauakhetimentet or Ta-akhetimentet be a viable possibility?
Can you tell me more about this myth of Isken? I've been hunted egyptians myths of unknown lands down wherever I can find them, but this one is new to me and google isn't being helpful on the subject. Is there a book I could reference it and similar ideas in?
I'd taken notice of Ta-Netjer as a phrase when I was researching the land of Punt (Ta Netjer was apparently an alternate term for that land). But it seems that it was called God's Land specifically because it was said to be the place where Ra or Osiris awake emerged from the underworld every morning. In other words, it was a term for the far East, the direction from which the sun would rise. As such it seemed a better term for Australia or China than America
E)I've been trying to figure out how to say "Land of the Western Horizon" forever. The Hymn of the Aten uses that exact phrase at one point, but I could never find the "proper" term for "west", it was always abbreviated as imnt. I guess now I know that actual "englishized egyptianized" term is Imentet. Would Hauakhetimentet or Ta-akhetimentet be a viable possibility?
Can you tell me more about this myth of Isken? I've been hunted egyptians myths of unknown lands down wherever I can find them, but this one is new to me and google isn't being helpful on the subject. Is there a book I could reference it and similar ideas in?