What was the Amarna period?

The Amarna period occurred during the Egyptian New Kingdom's 18th dynasty and is when Akhenaten (r. 1372–1355 bce) assumed complete solo power following the death of his father, Amenhotep III. It is famous for being a watershed moment in Ancient Egypt's culture and civilisation. The dogma propagated by Pharaoh Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) and Queen Nefertiti...

Thoth: God of wisdom, justice, and writing, patron of the sciences and scribes

Thoth is shown as a man with the head of an ibis, and he holds the sceptre that all gods use. The ancient Greeks thought that the Egyptian god Thoth (also known as Theuth, Toth, Jehuti, and Djehuti) was the same as their god Hermes and the Roman equivalent, Mercury (Mercurius). In Egyptian mythology, Thoth...

The Priesthood in Ancient Egypt

The priesthood of Ancient Egypt was a wide-ranging collection of men and women. It also included scribes and singers. Everyone is responsible for making sure the gods are worshipped. There were numerous divinities in the Egyptian belief system, and all needed to be attended to. The main job of the priests up and down the...

Getting the Cut – Circumcision In Ancient Egypt

In the Middle East, communities such as Jews, Colchians, Ethiopians, Phoenicians, and Syrians historically practiced circumcision, a trend that continues today. This was also common in Ancient Egypt, where evidence of circumcision exists in tomb paintings and on mummies like Amenhotep I. In Egypt, circumcision was typically performed by priestly assistants on priests and members...