Find more A to Z Challenge Participants at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com. First off, thank you to all who came to visit and comment during the A to Z Challenge! This event has been so much fun. I joined this event because I’ve been meaning to share the research that I put into my novels. With my schedule … Continue reading #AtoZChallenge Reflections
Category: A to Z Challenge
Zodiac of Dendera
The concept of the zodiac was invented by the Babylonians in the 5th century B.C., then taken up by the Greeks, and finally appeared in Egypt at the end of the 3rd century B.C. The first depiction of the zodiac signs in Egyptian art was on the astronomical ceiling of the tomb of Senenmut, chief … Continue reading Zodiac of Dendera
Egypt
Ancient Egypt existed in a landscape of extremes. Around 5,000 B.C., climate change turned the Sahara grasslands into a vast desert, and nomadic hunter-gatherers were pushed toward the Nile Valley. Through the Nile Valley flows a river that runs 56 miles long before reaching the Delta. There, the river traverses into seven branches. At the … Continue reading Egypt
Axes and Other Egyptian Weapons
The earliest arms differed little from hunting weapons and craftsmen’s tools. Bows, knives, and axes were sufficient enough to halt any local rebellion or conquer a neighboring area along Egypt’s border. However, as Egypt expanded its influence, Egyptians started to arm their military with maces, daggers, throw sticks, and spears. In addition, infantries were armed … Continue reading Axes and Other Egyptian Weapons
Egyptian Writing
In ancient Egypt, writing was considered to have magical properties, where written words breathed life into reality. And there was no more important job than that of the scribe. To form the sacred symbols known as hieroglyphs, ancient Egyptians took their inspiration from the world around them: animals, plants, natural elements, household objects, and buildings. … Continue reading Egyptian Writing
Valley of the Kings
Since the beginning of the New Kingdom, pharaohs were no longer buried in pyramids. Instead, they were placed in tombs that were cut into the cliffs of the Valley of the Kings. The Valley of the Kings consists of two remote, desert valleys that come together on the west bank of the Nile, across from … Continue reading Valley of the Kings
Ujat or Wadjet
The Ujat, more commonly known as Wadjet or Eye of Horus, was a powerful symbol in ancient Egypt. It was frequently displayed on jewelry made of gold, silver, lapis, wood, porcelain, and carnelian. It was believed to have healing and protective powers. In use of notation of measurement, the symbol was divided into six fractions, … Continue reading Ujat or Wadjet
Egyptian Temples and Priests
The Egyptian temples that have survived until today tend to date back to the New Kingdom. They were known as “the houses of the gods.” Even the word for temple is ancient Egyptian, hwt-netjer, means “the god’s home.” When approaching a temple, one starts by walking along the processional way or avenue, which are often … Continue reading Egyptian Temples and Priests
Set (Seth), God of the Desert and Chaos
Greek Name: Seth Egyptian Name: Set Associated Animal: Set animal (Sha) Main Cult Center: Ombos Naqada Role: Chaos; infertility; desert; storms As you can guess, Set plays a major role in the Descendants of Isis series. The god himself making an appearance in the final novel. But Set is a very complicated character, both in … Continue reading Set (Seth), God of the Desert and Chaos
Ra, Sun God
Greek Name: N/A Egyptian Name: Ra; Re Associated Animal/Object: Falcon; sun disk Main Cult Center: Heliopolis Role: Creator; solar Ra is an essential background character in the Descendants of Isis, for it is his secret name which Natara and Seth have to protect from Set. The Egyptians considered the sun to be a potent life … Continue reading Ra, Sun God
Kelsey Ketch 