The religious year (3/12) The third month was called "Hathor" ("Athyr"). It was a time for renewing fertility and creative energies in the natural world. Festivals to the male god of…
The Religious Year (2/12). In the month of Pa-Opet ("Phaophi") the Egyptians continued their long re-enactment of the myth of Osiris. They also celebrated a huge festival in honour of…
The Egyptian Religious Year (Part 1/12) The Egyptian New Year began in the month called "Tekh." It heralded a month of important rituals: festivals of the Nile Flood (Hapi); festivals…
In a shameless tie-in with recent events, we take a look at how an Egyptian king was selected, and then crowned. The process could be more complicated than you might…
Happy Halloween!We explore some ghostly visitations; one man's attempt to gain the help of a long-dead spirit; some scoundrels scared straight by their encounters with the divine, and the Egyptian…
Dancing the Magic Dance In a short break from our narrative, we meet some Egyptian entertainers. The lifestyles of the ancients involved many kinds of festivities: whether it was dancing…
In a short break from the narrative, we explore three tales set in the reigns of Sneferu and Khufu (4th Dynasty, c.2480 BCE). Listen on BibliographyNicolas Grimal, A History of…