Ancient Egypt
The scale of ancient Egyptian history is overwhelming. Americans (North and South) wrestle with the consequences of five hundred years of invasion, conquest, and settlement. Europeans argue over what delineates different phases of their history (modern, the rise of the nation-state, phases of the Renaissance, medieval, post-Roman, and so on). Well, that gets you back only 1500 years. Classicists pride their discipline on another thousand years. Egyptians look on, bemused. They go back 6000 years without breathing hard. Ancient Egypt (a deep and long category, obviously) represents a civilization that still fascinates us. Think pharaohs, pyramids, mummies, hieroglyphs, the Sphinx, the Nile, "King Tut." Children and adults love such stuff. I debated with myself whether to be a purist on Ancient Egypt and end my listings with Alexander the Great's conquest and the great era of the Ptolemaic dynasty, but you would miss so much in those 275 years leading up to the pragmatic and unimaginative Romans building their empire on Egyptian grain. I wanted to include the Pharos lighthouse, Alexandria and its library, Cleopatra. So I did, and I will. This page, these offerings, like the rest of Whistlestop, will be carefully curated and vetted and supplemented as I find and list interesting items.
Decoding Egyptian Hieroglyphs: How to Read the Secret Language of the Pharoahs
Decoding Egyptian Hieroglyphs: How to Read the Secret Language of the Pharoahs
Read and interpret hieroglyphs as you learn about the intriguing world of the Ancient Egyptians. Decoding Egyptian Hieroglyphs interweaves a clear guide to deciphering this elegant picture language with vivid depictions of its origins and the people themselves. From farmers to pharaohs, uncover the beauty and mystery of the land that was Ancient Egypt.
Bridget McDermott is at work on her doctoral thesis on the ancient Egyptian military, and is also a media consultant on Egyptian Archaeology. She lives in England.