Amarna International (Part II)
People from the sea. In the 14th Century BCE, connections between Egypt and the Mediterranean were strong. But while trade flourished and communication grew, there were also problems. From the…
Amarna International (Part I)
Egypt and its Neighbours.In the 14th Century BCE, travellers criss-crossed the world. Many came to Egypt for diplomacy, trade, and to live. In this episode, we explore three short stories…
Remaster 06b: The Diary of Merer
An Inspector and the Great Pyramid.In the last years of Khufu’s reign, work on the Great Pyramid was nearing completion. From this period, the Diary of Merer provides unexpected testimony:…
Remaster 05b: Sneferu’s Beauties
Gardens and Girls.Previously unreleased. King Sneferu ("One Who Makes Beautiful Things") was a legendary ruler. His three pyramids at Meidum, Dahshur South, and Dahshur North, mark the transition from step…
Posted inMini Episodes
Mini Episode: Deir el-Amarna
Amarna Tales (Part 01).East of Akhet-Aten (Amarna), a walled-village hides among the hills. A well-ordered, secluded community, this East Village seems to be the home of pharaoh's tomb-builders. Originally living…
Mini: Nefertiti and the Wreck of the Uluburun
Or, the Life Aquatic with Gold ScarabsAround 1325 BCE (estimates vary) a vessel sank near the cape of Uluburun, Turkey. The cargo was immense: twenty tonnes of goods, including copper,…
Remaster 04b: Buried Pyramids
Lost and Found.Following the death of Netjerykhet Djoser (episode 4), Egyptians had achieved something magnificent. The Step Pyramid at Saqqara loomed over the horizon, in a palatial complex that rivalled…
159b: Double Death
Criminal Intent.In 1331 BCE (maybe later), King Ay went to his rest. The burial was poor, by the standards of ancient Egyptian pharaohs: a few trinkets, a sarcophagus, and not…
159: End of an Era
When Ay Died.The elderly pharaoh, Kheper-kheperu-Ra Ay, probably died in his fourth or fifth year of power (c. 1331 / 1330 BCE). Officially, his reign was short. But in the…
158: What Ay Did
Building Legacies.It is easy to overlook Ay, as a minor figure in the history of ancient Egypt. However, when we step back, and view this King’s entire career (including his…
