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Additional articles and book reviews

Wedjat Eye, photo by Jon Bodsworth

Eye of Ra, Eye of Horus

Introduction. The Eye of Ra, Eye of Horus and wedjat eye are all different names given to representations of eyes with similar distinctive markings which appear throughout Ancient Egypt on tomb and temple surfaces, on objects and in the form of jewellery and amulets. The underlying beliefs and ideas associated with these representations are often confusing, particularly given that the different forms of the eye are not always well characterized and distinguished from each other. [more…]

A beginner’s guide to dating the Predynastic - Part 2

A beginner’s guide to dating the Predynastic – Part 2

Introduction. The topic of relative dating was dealt with in Part 1, a previous post. A relative sequence was available for the period between the Badarian and the period when unification was thought to have taken place. However, although this sequence has formed the framework for all other sequences, no calendar dates were available.  [more…]

Book Review: The Complete Valley of the Kings

The Complete Valley of the Kings – by Nicholas Reeves and Richard H Wilkinson. There is a small stack of books sat beneath my work table. The paperback edition of the Complete Valley of the Kings by Nicholas Reeves and Richard H Wilkinson has a deserved place in that privileged stack. It’s a very nice book, first published in hardback in 1996. The paperback didn’t appear until 2008. More recent books would have all photos in colour.  [more…]

Simplified version of Petrie's Sequence Dates at the British Museum.

A beginner’s guide to dating the Predynastic – Part 1.

Introduction. Predynastic chronology may not be the stuff of glossy magazines and coffee-table books and for those trying to get to grips with it, it can prove to be a challenge. Many people trying to understand how the Predynastic fits together have commented on the apparently conflicting dates for the earlier Predynastic period in various different books.  [more…]