User Guide

259
A Quick Guide to the History of Egypt
faience:
a glass-like substance developed by the ancient Egyptians. Faience
was used to make some of the most beautiful containers and jewelry.
Fayuum:
a region of Egypt that features lakes and tributaries to the Nile.
The region was extremely fertile.
Heb Sed:
a festival that took place during the 30th year of a pharaoh’s
reign and every three years thereafter. The festival was designed to reaf-
firm the pharaoh’s ability to rule and featured a ritual run.
Hieratic:
a much less complex form of hieroglyphs used for every day
writing.
Hittites:
one of Egypt’s rivals, the Hittites lived in Asia Minor. They were
frequent enemies of Egypt, but under Ramesses II rule, Egypt formed an
alliance with them.
Hyksos:
sometimes called the Asiatics, the Hyksos ruled Lower Egypt for
about 100 years during the Second Intermediate Period. During their
rule, they introduced new musical instruments and new military accouter-
ments, including the horse-drawn chariot.
inundation:
the annual flood of the Nile that refertilized the farmland in
its floodplain. Peasants were generally called to work on state projects
during the inundation.
Kemet:
the ancient Egyptian name for their country; the term means
“black land.”
Kohl:
Egyptian eye makeup that helped protect the eyes from the sun’s
glare. Kohl is still used today.
Kush:
a region of southern Nubia. The Kush had their own distinct cul-
ture and established their capital at Kerma. Egypt engaged in trade with
the Kush and frequently invaded their territory.
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A Quick Guide to the History of Egypt
Glossary
Some words commonly used when discussing ancient Egypt may be a lit-
tle unfamiliar. Herewith, a handy glossary:
Amon:
the primary deity of the Middle and New Kingdoms. He was
originally the God of the Air, but evolved to assume some of the qualities
of Ra, the sun god. Amon is also sometimes spelled Amun or Amen.
Akhet:
one of the three Egyptian seasons, the Nile’s inundation occurred
during Akhet.
Ankh:
the ancient Egyptian word for life represented by a hieroglyph in
the shape of a cross with a loop at the top. When held by deities, the
symbol means eternity.
Bedouin:
any of a number of nomadic tribes from Sinai that frequently
came into contact with Egyptian military.
Canopic Jars:
canopic jars held the internal organs of mummified corpses.
The jars were entombed with the corpse.
Cartouche:
an ellipse that surrounds the name of a royal.
cataracts:
the name for the rocky, white water sections of the Nile.
Cataracts were important geographical references and frequently were used
as a border to divide nations.
corvee:
the right of pharaoh to conscript labor for state construction pro-
jects.
crook and flail:
the symbols of the pharaoh. The crook is associated with
the shepherd’s staff, and the flail was used to gather resins.
deshret:
the Egyptian word for desert, translated as “red land.”