Algol, also known as the Demon Star, is a binary system, meaning it contains two stars rotating around each other. Until recently, it was believed this unique feature was discovered by John Goodricke in 1783. Now, we have reason to believe it was detected thousands of years earlier. Did ancient Egyptian astronomers discover and understand…
The Book of the Dead refers to a type of ancient Egyptian funerary text, first used around 1550 BC. Its purpose was to help the dead navigate the dangerous path to the afterlife. For many years, historians have searched the globe for pages from the most famous Book of the Dead. It belonged to Amenhotep,…
The ancient Egyptians were crazy about animals…or at least, animal sacrifices. Animal Mummies & Animal Sacrifices? In ancient Egypt, a whole breeding industry existed just to provide citizens with the requisite number of sacrificial victims. Some animals, like the sacred ibis and the baboon, were possibly even driven to regional extinction by this frenzied activity,…
On Sunday, a fiery inferno claimed Egyptian maps and historical manuscripts, some of which were over 200 years old. Is Egypt’s heritage under attack? How can ancient books be protected? Ancient Books: How can Scholars Protect Egyptian Heritage? The Cairo-based fire was seemingly part of the anti-government protests which currently engulf the nation. And now,…
A sphinx is a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. According to the ancient Greeks, any traveler who wished to enter Thebes had to first solve “The Riddle of the Sphinx.” Those who failed to answer it correctly were strangled and eaten. What was the riddle? And…
On November 26, 1922, archaeologist Howard Carter breached the tomb of Tutankhamun, an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. Almost immediately, whispers of a curse began spreading throughout the region. And then the deaths began. Was the curse of Tutankhamun real? Or just a myth? The Curse of King Tut? Soon after entering the tomb, Carter sent a…
Queen Hatshepsut was one of the most successful pharaohs in ancient Egypt and one of the most powerful women of all time. She died in 1458 BC of unknown causes. Now, a new theory proposes to solve this mystery. Did Hatshepsut moisturize herself to death? The Mysterious Flask of Hatshepsut? I wrote about Hatshepsut a…
Around 1477 BC, Queen Hatshepsut funded a mysterious overseas expedition to the Land of Punt, or “the Land of God.” For over a century, archaeologists have questioned the ability of Egypt to conduct such an oceanic voyage, with many believing that the Land of Punt was inland or even fictional. Now, new evidence indicates that…