Harkhuf


Book Description

The pharaoh has a secret that cannot be shared. Who will he choose for a journey that won't be forgotten?When the people of Elephantine Island receive a visit from Pharaoh Merenra, there is lots of excitement in the air. Fourteen year old Harkhuf soon discovers that his dad is being sent on an important mission to Nubia and is eager to go with him. At first, the pharaoh doesn't think that Harkhuf is old enough, but he eventually proves himself and sets out to save the Black Land from drought. Inspired by the Ancient Egyptian explorer, Harkhuf, this is a book for adventurers of all ages. Harkhuf the First Explorer tells the story of legendary explorer, Harkhuf, who lived during the 6th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. It is a work of historical fiction, combining elements of legend and quest. The story unfolds as Harkhuf makes his first perilous journey into Nubia (modern-day Sudan).Contact the author on Twitter @steelyreserveFree teaching resources for this book are available on TES.com using the following link: http: //ow.ly/cA5t30cSnRz




The Life of Weni


Book Description

The life of Weni, also called Uni, is one of the best-documented lives from the era of the Old Kingdom era of Egyptian history. Weni experienced significant upward mobility during the reigns of kings Teti, Userkare, Pepi I, and Merenre I, and as a result had a second tomb prepared for himself later in life, resulting in two of his tombs surviving to the present. His tombs were not extravagant like the king's pyramids of the era, and seem to have generally been ignored until rediscovered in the 1800s. His earlier, smaller tomb included the shorter Inscription of Weni, sometimes called the Tomb Inscription of Weni, while his later, larger tomb included the longer Autobiography of Weni, also sometimes called the Inscription of Weni, or Tomb Inscription of Weni. The second, longer Autobiography of Weni is the longest surviving text from the Old Kingdom that is non-religious and provides a glimpse into the lives of the royal court, as well as the extent of the Old Kingdom's power within Nubia and Canaan. The older inscription is believed to date to late in the reign of King Pepi I, as Weni doesn't mention anything after the campaigns in Canaan. The larger inscription includes Weni's expeditions into Nubia for King Merenre I, who reigned after Pepi I, and provides a brief Egyptian description of Nubia during the Old Kingdom era. Weni's life spanned most of the 6ᵗʰ Dynasty of the Old Kingdom, which would have been at the peak of the Old Kingdom's international reach, but after the major pyramid-building feats of the 5ᵗʰ Dynasty were completed. Egypt had already built the tallest building in the world decades before Weni was born, which would continue to be the tallest building in the world for thousands of years. The 6ᵗʰ Dynasty continued to build pyramids, however, none came close to the engineering accomplishments of the 5ᵗʰ Dynasty. One pyramid, which King Merenre I built, is mentioned prominently in the later section of the autobiography. It is believed to have been the Pyramid of Merenre at Saqqara, although it might have been a different pyramid for one of his wives.




Lives of the Ancient Egyptians: Pharaohs, Queens, Courtiers and Commoners


Book Description

100 biographies reveal the true character and diversity of the ancient world's greatest civilization The biographies included here give voice not only to ancient Egypt's rulers but also to the people who built the great monuments, staffed government offices, farmed, served in the temples, and fought to defend the country's borders. Spanning thousands of years of ancient Egyptian history, the book offers a fresh perspective on an always fascinating civilization through the lives of: The god-kings, from great rulers like Khufu and Ramesses II to less famous monarchs such as Amenemhat I and Osorkon Egypt's queens: the powerful Tiye, the beautiful Nefertiti, Tutankhamun's tragic child-bride Ankhesenamun, and the infamous Cleopatra The officials who served the pharaoh: the architect Imhotep who designed the first pyramid, the court dwarf Perniankhu, and the royal sculptor Bak Ordinary women who are often overlooked in official accounts: Hemira, a humble priestess from a provincial Delta town, and Naunakht, whose will reveals the trials and tribulations of family life Commoners and foreigners such as the irascible farmer Hekanakht, the serial criminal Paneb, and Urhiya, the mercenary who rose to the rank of general in the Egyptian army. Profusely illustrated with works of art and scenes of daily life, Lives of the Ancient Egyptians offers remarkable insights into the history and culture of the Nile Valley and very personal glimpses of a vanished world.




Autobiography of Thoth the Nobleman


Book Description

Thoth the Nobleman was a herald of Queen Hatshepsut and her young son Thutmose III, who seems to have died while she was still ruling Egypt, as his autobiography refers to her as the King of Egypt. After she died, Thutmose III tried to remove all records of her being king, although she was still mentioned in newly written biographies as the 'divine wife' and 'chief royal wife' of Pharaoh Thutmose II. Thoth the Nobleman reports that he was trusted by Queen Hatshepsut more than anyone else, as he kept quiet about what was happening in the palace. This statement may not be entirely true as the architect Senenmut is generally considered to have been her lover. Another theory is that Senenmut may have been a homosexual friend of hers, which would then open the possibility that Thoth the Nobleman was her lover. Graffiti depicting a female or hermaphrodite pharaoh having sex with a man was discovered in an incomplete temple near the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, which is generally assumed to have been a representation of Senenmut, however, only the image survives without any writing that identifies the man, who could have been any Egyptian man, including Thoth the Nobleman, or simply intended as a representative figure of a generic male intended to insult the 'king' by depicting 'him' as a female. As this graffiti is depicted close to the massive and iconic Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, it is clear that at least some of the men in Egypt did not view her as a 'king' even late in her reign, which supports the rebellion of the 'Wicked-Evil Kushite' in the Syrian Rivers province for the first eight years of her reign in the Septuagint's Book of Judges. Thoth the Nobleman described working on many major projects throughout the reign of Queen Hatshepsut, including her Mortuary Temple, the Temples at Karnak, and the mysterious Hahut, a great sanctuary of Amen on his horizon in the west, which may have been an early reference to the Oracle Temple of Amen in the Siwa Oasis. Thoth the Nobleman also reported working on the ceremonial boat of Amen called 'Amen's Mighty of Prow.' Three centuries later, when the High Priest of Amen Her-Heru attempted to replicate this deed, it led to the problematic Voyage of Wenamen.




The Story of Africa from the Earliest Times


Book Description

Introduces the history of the African continent from prehistoric times to the mid-nineteenth century.




Studies on the History of Late Antique and Christian Nubia


Book Description

Gathered together here are the fruits of 60 years of research by the late Sir Laurence Kirwan into the history and archaeology of the mid 1st millennium AD in the Middle Nile Valley, papers previously scattered through a wide range of publications. Kirwan's fieldwork in the region, undertaken between 1929 and 1936, kindled a life-long interest in the transition from the pagan Kushite kingdom to the medieval Nubian states of Nobadia, Makuria and Alodia (Alwa) and of their conversion to Christianity in the 6th century AD. The 25 studies, one published here for the first time, were often of seminal importance when they first appeared, the author being exemplary in his use of the written sources to elucidate the archaeological data. As the preface by the editors shows, the views expressed remain fundamental to modern scholarship, offering valuable insights into this still relatively obscure period of transition from the ancient to the medieval world.




Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume III


Book Description

"First published in 1973 - and followed by Volume II in 1976 and Volume III in 1980 - this anthology has assumed classic status in the field of Egyptology and portrays the remarkable evolution of the literary forms of one of the world's earliest civilizations. Volume III spans the last millennium of Pharaonic civilization, from the tenth century B.C. to the beginning of the Christian era. It features a new foreword by Joseph G. Manning"--Publisher's description.




General History of Africa


Book Description

Deals with the period beginning at the close of the Neolithic era, from around the eighth millennium before our era. This period of some 9,000 years of history has been sub-divided into four major geographical zones, following the pattern of African historical research. Chapters 1 to 12 cover the corridor of the Nile, Egypt and Nubia. Chapters 13 to 16 relate to the Ethiopian highlands. Chapters 17 to 20 describe the part of Africa later called the Magrhib and its Saharan hinterland. Chapters 21 to 29, the rest of Africa as well as some of the islands of the Indian Ocean.--Publisher's description




Tale of Sinuhe


Book Description

The Tale of Sinuhe, also called the Story of Sanhat, is one of the most popular stories that has survived to the present from the Egyptian Middle Kingdom. Dozens of fragments of copies have been found, which is unusual and speaks volumes of how popular it was in the Middle Kingdom. Egyptologists are divided on how much of it is fictional, with some claiming it is a historical text, while others claim it is entirely fictional. The copies that have been found are not identical, with sections of text that were either added to the original, or dropped from the original, and therefore it was altered over time. As a result, the general view within Egyptology is that it likely started as a historical text that was embellished by later scribes. Unfortunately, the original author either did not see a reason to explain what had happened before Sinuhe’s flight from Egypt, or it was removed from the copies that have survived to the present. Sinuhe makes a point of claiming that he was not deserting the army in Libya, but later the king states that he knows that Sinuhe was not plotting against him when he fled Egypt. This suggests that someone had conspired against Senusret I at the beginning of his reign, however, the events of this plot have not survived to the present. It isn’t clear if the details were removed out of respect for the king, or if the author simply expected everyone to know what had happened. The identity of Sinuhe is also somewhat unclear from the surviving texts, however, he appears to be a relative of the Queen, who had grown up with the future king Senusret I. He may have been the army commander sent to conquer the Libyans at the end of Amenemhat I’s reign, as he begins his story there, however, he could have simply been a lieutenant. As a member of the nobility, he was unlikely to be a common soldier. Later, in Syria, he claimed to be a great hero, defeating many enemies on behalf of the local king, suggesting he was well-trained in combat.




Ancient Civilizations of Africa


Book Description

The result of years of work by scholars from all over the world, The UNESCO General History of Africa reflects how the different peoples of Africa view their civilizations and shows the historical relationships between the various parts of the continent. Historical connections with other continents demonstrate Africa's contribution to the development of human civilization. Each volume is lavishly illustrated and contains a comprehensive bibliography.