I’ll be doing another Livestream Lecture this weekend. The topic will be the Two Tombs of Horemheb, at Saqqara and the Valley of the Kings (KV57). I'll be talking about: Horemheb's career progression and how it affected the development of his tombs. The art and decoration of these monuments and trends in Egyptian funerary culture. Evidence for buri…

Ramesses Rising. Traditionally, Egyptian princes are almost invisible. The pharaohs downplayed the presence of their sons, to reduce political competition and maintain religious order. Sety I (c.1300 BCE) changed this habit. In art and monuments, he promoted young Ramesses II to a position of prominence and power. The exact nature of this promotion…

In the Temple of Sety I at Abydos, an out-of-the-way corridor preserves a unique image. The King of Egypt, and his eldest son, wrangle and subdue a bull. This scene appears simple, at first glance. But it has a wealth of deeper symbolism and meanings. In this episode, we explore the idea of Bulls as images of power and violence, and their relations…

Sety I reigned (approx.) 1303--1292 BCE. In the first half of his reign, the King's followers achieved significant and splendid deeds. We explore these achievements in aggregate, and what they all mean for the Egyptian people. Plus, what 19th Dynasty "expansion" means for our story of pharaohs, ordinary people, and the gods... Logo image: Sety I, a…

Blade of Frontiers (not Wyll). In September 2024, the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities announced new discoveries including a sword inscribed with the names of Ramesses II, King of Egypt. In this episode, we discuss the weapon and its origins, as well as the larger significance of the fortress in which this discovery occurred. Who did the sword bel…

Return to the New Kingdom. Livestream of First Intermediate Period history. Update on the 2025 Tour. Quick update on Egyptology news and what's coming up on the podcast. Mini episode about "the sword of Ramesses II" coming in a few days. Livestream on First Intermediate Period monuments/tombs/stories this weekend, see blog post on Patreon. Update f…

These violent delights have violent ends. Between 1992 BCE and 1941 BCE, King Montu-Hotep (“Montu is Content”) ruled the southern kingdom. And he led efforts to expand Theban power, and ultimately reunify the Two Lands… Logo image: Montu, in a chapel of Ramesses III at Karnak (Kairoinfo4u). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show …

Ta-Wer howled. Around 2000 BCE, the southern kingdom was rising quickly. But the north was not out of the fight. Not by a long shot… Episode chapters Prologue – A Royal Inspection (00:30). The Fall of Tjeni / Thinis (07:25). The Long Reign of Intef II (11:58). Intef’s Dogs (20:58). Khety Merykara (34:03). Making Ta-Wer Howl (47:25). Conclusion (01:…

The war for Ta-Wer. The Thebans had seized the sacred city of Abdju (Abydos) in the district of Ta-Wer. The northern rulers, from the House of Khety, contested this violently. Inscriptions and art reveal the movements of armies, the clashes on field and river, and the sieging of major towns. Soon, things going downright apocalyptic. Also… dogs! Mus…

Intef the Great (c.2050—2000 BCE). The reign of Intef II, ruler of Waset (Thebes) shows a sudden surge in expansion and conflict. Seeking absolute power over the south, Intef brought major districts like Abu (Elephantine) into his territory. He made alliances with the rulers of Wawat (Nubia). Then, he sent his armies north to seize a sacred city… E…

The first phase is over, and the war is heating up. Around 2055 BCE, a lord of Waset/Thebes/Luxor named Intef I promoted himself far above the established norms. Sending representatives to treat with the other rulers, Intef nonetheless began to push his military power further afield. Soon, he began to isolate and attack the loyalist governors nearb…

The complete autobiography of Ankhtyfy (Ankhtifi) from his tomb at el-Mo'alla. Sources: J. Vandier, Mo’alla: La Tombe d’Ankhtifi et la tombe de Sébekhotep (1950). French translation of hieroglyphs. Logo image: Ankhtyfy, from his tomb at Mo'alla (Wikimedia Public Domain). The tomb of Ankhtyfy at Osirisnet. English translation of Vandier (1950). Mino…

Famine and resilience. Around 2060 BCE, the Overlord Ankhtyfy was riding high. Then, a crisis hit southern Egypt. Drought, food shortages, and starvation swept through the region. From sites like Elephantine, Edfu, and historical texts, we get a picture of Egypt in difficulty. But also, a sense of communities perservering and rebuilding... Logo ima…

The rise of Ankhtyfy. In southern Egypt, a "Great Overlord" named Ankh-tyfy began to expand his power. From his home base at Nekhen (Hierakonpolis), he annexed neighbouring territories like Edfu. He did this with some elaborate justifications, and perhaps inspired by the example of ancestors. Alas, his rapid rise soon brought him into conflict with…

By 2100 BCE, Egypt’s royal house was in trouble. A line of kings, known as the pr-Hty (“House of Khety”) claimed authority over the whole Nile Valley. But archaeological and historical data paint a different picture: of a growing division between communities in the north and south of Egypt. The “Two Lands” were separating, and government was too we…

Don’t swim for at least 30 minutes after a banquet… Around 2150 BCE, so the story goes, the Queen-King Nitocris sought vengeance on those who had wronged her. This tale comes from Herodotos, and in 1928 a young Tennessee Williams published his own version of the gothic stroy. In this bonus episode, I read Williams’ work for a bit of spooky storytel…

Between 2500—2200 BCE, Egypt witnessed a period of surprisingly high rainfall. While the Old Kingdom was much wetter than today, archaeologists have found strong evidence for huge downpours, sweeping across northern Egypt and flooding tombs, cities, and forcing the ancients to adapt… This episode is a brief epilogue to the Decline & Fall of the Old…