Color Creation & Symbolism
The different colors below are listed with their Egyptian name following, the materials used in creating them, and what they symbolized. The definitions follow the work of Richard H. Wilkinson in his Symbolism & Magic in Egyptian Art and Margaret Bunson’s Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, supplemented by other works. Red (desher) – made from oxidized iron and red ocher, used […]
Color in Ancient Egypt
The ancient Egyptians had a great appreciation for life which is clearly depicted through their art. Images of people enjoying themselves – whether in this life or the next – are as plentiful as those most often seen of the gods or funerary rituals. The early Egyptologists who first encountered the culture focused their attention […]
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships At the age of 14, the middle and lower class boys left their formal education to work as apprenticesto their fathers. This applied to farmers, stone masons, carpenters, and so forth; all the craftsmen of the time expected their sons to apprentice to the trade. With rare exceptions, sons pursued the trade to which they were born; […]
Represents the Egyptian Vulture
Hieroglyph Symbol Meaning Vulture Represents the Egyptian Vulture Foot Human foot and lower leg Hand Word for hand, actions or actions that are performed Also used in iconography (Flowering) Reed Ideogram, alphabetic uniliteral (consisting of one letter only) vowel ‘i’ Viper Horned viper (Hieroglyphic) Possessive pronoun – his, hers or its; written after the noun it refers to Jar […]
Names
Names © kairoinfo4u – Geb (left) with Horus The myths of ancient Egypt mention several names for Geb. The name ‘Geb’ is the most common spelling of this god’s name, other spellings include: Qeb Seb Keb Several different titles for Geb exist in the writings of ancient Egypt. One of these is Kenkenwer, which means “the great […]
The Giza Plateau
The Giza Plateau Located on the Giza Plateau, the Great Sphinx of Giza is one of several monuments in the area, which includes the Giza Necropolis. The Giza Plateau is a sandy plateau in Giza, Egypt that overlooks the West bank of the Nile River. Modern Giza receives access from two primary roads. From the north, the […]
The Temple of Isis at Philae
The Temple of Isis at Philae Although there are several temples and buildings located on Philae, the largest and perhaps the most famous is the Temple of Isis. Here, the ancient Egyptians worshiped Isis as well as Osiris and Horus (her son). Ptolemy II, Nectanebo I built the temple around 370 BC. © Manuel ROMARÍS – Temple of Isis, Philae The main […]
What is Papyrus?
What is Papyrus? Papyrus is both the shortened name of the plant and the paper product made from it, but is most often referred to as the latter. The plant grows in the Nile River and can reach heights of about 16 feet. The long stalks of the plant were typically soaked in water until they reached a slight […]
Mother Goddess
Mother Goddess © A. Parrot – The Goddess Nut Egyptologists believe that Nut was a sky goddess originally worshiped by the early tribes of the Nile Valley area. In Lower Egypt, the Milky Way was viewed as the celestial image of Nut. She was adopted into the family tree of the Egyptian gods as the […]
A Dysfunctional Family Tree
A Dysfunctional Family Tree Several versions exist of how Anubis came into being: Son of Nephthys and Osiris: the most popular version is that Anubis is the son of Nephthys and Osiris. As the Goddess of Darkness, Nephthys would naturally be mother to a god who oversaw the embalming process and also guided souls into the […]
