Mark A Cella is a world renowned archeologist and professor of Egyptology at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica California. He’s led over a dozen digs and expeditions to the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings over the past fifteen years.
Predynastic Egypt (5,500 - 3,100 BC)
Beginning just before the Predynastic period, Egyptian culture was already beginning to resemble greatly the Pharaonic ages that would soon come after, and rapidly at that. In a transition period of a thousand years (about which little is still known), nearly all the archetypal characteristics appeared, and beginning in 5500 BC we find evidence of organized, permanent settlements focused around agriculture. Hunting was no longer a major support for existence now that the Egyptian diet was made up of domesticated cattle, sheep, pigs and goats, as well as cereal grains such as wheat and barley. Artifacts of stone were supplemented by those of metal, and the crafts of basketry, pottery, weaving, and the tanning of animal hides became part of the daily life. The transition from primitive nomadic tribes to traditional civilization was nearly complete.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The Mummys treasure
Mark A Cella is a world renowned archeologist and professor of Egyptology at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica California. He’s led over a dozen digs and expeditions to the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings over the past fifteen years.
I know, I know. You're probably saying to yourself, "Where's my silver platter!" Please make it easier on yourself--CONCENTRATE on ways to get around the obstacles. One piece of advice I can give you is never stop looking for the answers you need. Ask. Look. Research and ye shall find!
It's also a good time to listen to your inner voice. In order to do this, take some time out for yourself and spend it in a quiet place. Once you're calm, listen to that voice. The advice it can give you is surprisingly right on target.
Take some time to look after your health. Retreats and vacations can be a big boost to your physical and emotional outlook, especially if you're near water. Travel with care. If you can't take a full-blown vacation, even a quiet afternoon would be great. Physically, a vacation allows you to rest. Emotionally, a rest will allow you to hear the advice that your inner voice can offer.
I know, I know. You're probably saying to yourself, "Where's my silver platter!" Please make it easier on yourself--CONCENTRATE on ways to get around the obstacles. One piece of advice I can give you is never stop looking for the answers you need. Ask. Look. Research and ye shall find!
It's also a good time to listen to your inner voice. In order to do this, take some time out for yourself and spend it in a quiet place. Once you're calm, listen to that voice. The advice it can give you is surprisingly right on target.
Take some time to look after your health. Retreats and vacations can be a big boost to your physical and emotional outlook, especially if you're near water. Travel with care. If you can't take a full-blown vacation, even a quiet afternoon would be great. Physically, a vacation allows you to rest. Emotionally, a rest will allow you to hear the advice that your inner voice can offer.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Ma'at
Mark A Cella is a world renowned archeologist and professor of Egyptology at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica California. He’s led over a dozen digs and expeditions to the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings over the past fifteen years.
The Ancient Egyptians believed that when you died, you travelled to the Hall of the Dead. There Anubis weighed your heart against the feather of Ma'at, the goddess of justice sits on top of the scales to make sure that the weighing is carried out properly. You can see Anubis steadying the scales to make the weighing fair. If your heart was lighter than the feather, you lived for ever.
We still talk of "a heart as light as a feather" to mean care-free, and "heavy-hearted" to mean sad. If your heart was heavier than the feather then it was eaten by the demon Ammit, the Destroyer. Ammit had the head of a crocodile, the shoulders of a lion and the rump of a hippopotamus. These were all frightening animals for the Egyptians. Thoth, god of wisom and writing, stands by to record what happens.
The Ancient Egyptians believed that when you died, you travelled to the Hall of the Dead. There Anubis weighed your heart against the feather of Ma'at, the goddess of justice sits on top of the scales to make sure that the weighing is carried out properly. You can see Anubis steadying the scales to make the weighing fair. If your heart was lighter than the feather, you lived for ever.
We still talk of "a heart as light as a feather" to mean care-free, and "heavy-hearted" to mean sad. If your heart was heavier than the feather then it was eaten by the demon Ammit, the Destroyer. Ammit had the head of a crocodile, the shoulders of a lion and the rump of a hippopotamus. These were all frightening animals for the Egyptians. Thoth, god of wisom and writing, stands by to record what happens.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Justice For All
Mark A Cella is a world renowned archeologist and professor of Egyptology at San Diego State University in San Diego California. He’s led over a dozen digs and expeditions to the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings over the past fifteen years.
Today: “Pharoah”
Kings were not only males, and unlike in modern monarchies, the ruler of ancient Egypt, whether male or female, was always called a king. In fact, Egypt had some very noteworthy female rulers such as Hatshepsut and others.
In ancient (Pharaonic) Egypt, the pinnacle of Egyptian society, and indeed of religion, was the king. Below him were the layers of the educated bureaucracy which consisted of nobles, priests and civil servants, and under them were the great mass of common people, usually living very poor, agricultural based lives.
Today: “Pharoah”
Kings were not only males, and unlike in modern monarchies, the ruler of ancient Egypt, whether male or female, was always called a king. In fact, Egypt had some very noteworthy female rulers such as Hatshepsut and others.
In ancient (Pharaonic) Egypt, the pinnacle of Egyptian society, and indeed of religion, was the king. Below him were the layers of the educated bureaucracy which consisted of nobles, priests and civil servants, and under them were the great mass of common people, usually living very poor, agricultural based lives.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
"Pharoah" Is A Greek Word
Mark A Cella is a world renowned archeologist and professor of Egyptology at San Diego State University in San Diego California. He’s led over a dozen digs and expeditions to the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings over the past fifteen years.
Today: “Pharoah”
The term "per-aa" means "great house" and developed via the Greek, into the word we now use today. "Per-aa" was originally used to describe the royal court or the state itself, in the sense that the "great house" was the entity responsible for the taxation of the lesser houses ("perw"), which were the temple lands and private estates. From the late 18th Dynasty and onwards, "per-aa" had begun to be used to refer to the actual king himself.
Today: “Pharoah”
The term "per-aa" means "great house" and developed via the Greek, into the word we now use today. "Per-aa" was originally used to describe the royal court or the state itself, in the sense that the "great house" was the entity responsible for the taxation of the lesser houses ("perw"), which were the temple lands and private estates. From the late 18th Dynasty and onwards, "per-aa" had begun to be used to refer to the actual king himself.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Akhenaton
Mark A Cella is a world renowned archeologist and professor of Egyptology at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica California. He’s led over a dozen digs and expeditions to the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings over the past fifteen years.
In the 14th century BC the Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep IV undertook a religious reform by displacing all the traditional deities with the sun-god Aton . In the god's honor, the pharaoh changed his name to Akhenaton, which means "It is well with Aton." Akhenaton (also Ikhnaton) ruled from 1379 to 1362 BC. His queen, Nefertiti (also Nofretete), was one of the most famous women in Egyptian history. On his death, he was succeeded by the boy-king Tutankhamun, the discovery of whose tomb in 1922 was an archaeological sensation. Akhenaton's reform was one of the earliest attempts to enforce monotheism, the belief in one god. Images and inscriptions of other gods were all removed. To further enforce his views, Akhenaton moved the country's capital from Thebes to a site 200 miles (300 kilometers) north, which he called Akhetaton (now called Tell el Amarna). Akhenaton's reforms, and the artistic and literary revival that accompanied them, did not survive for long. So much of his time was devoted to religion that the powerful Egyptian Empire began to disintegrate. This, combined with the opposition of the priests of the displaced gods, worked to undermine the new religion. After Akhenaton's death the capital was moved back to Thebes and the former gods restored
In the 14th century BC the Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep IV undertook a religious reform by displacing all the traditional deities with the sun-god Aton . In the god's honor, the pharaoh changed his name to Akhenaton, which means "It is well with Aton." Akhenaton (also Ikhnaton) ruled from 1379 to 1362 BC. His queen, Nefertiti (also Nofretete), was one of the most famous women in Egyptian history. On his death, he was succeeded by the boy-king Tutankhamun, the discovery of whose tomb in 1922 was an archaeological sensation. Akhenaton's reform was one of the earliest attempts to enforce monotheism, the belief in one god. Images and inscriptions of other gods were all removed. To further enforce his views, Akhenaton moved the country's capital from Thebes to a site 200 miles (300 kilometers) north, which he called Akhetaton (now called Tell el Amarna). Akhenaton's reforms, and the artistic and literary revival that accompanied them, did not survive for long. So much of his time was devoted to religion that the powerful Egyptian Empire began to disintegrate. This, combined with the opposition of the priests of the displaced gods, worked to undermine the new religion. After Akhenaton's death the capital was moved back to Thebes and the former gods restored
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The King Tut
Mark A Cella is a world renowned archeologist and professor of Egyptology at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica California. He’s led over a dozen digs and expeditions to the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings over the past fifteen years.
The most famous Egyptian pharaoh today is, without doubt, Tutankhamun. The boy king died in his late teens and remained at rest in Egypt's Valley of the Kings for over 3,300 years.
He was only about 18 years old when he died, and as a pharaoh of Egypt he had no great claim to fame. Tutankhamun (originally Tutankhaten) owes his place in history mostly to the discovery of his tomb completely intact and not violated by grave robbers in 1922. The remarkable artifacts from the tomb, including the beautiful golden mask, are on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Tutankhamun was possibly the son of Amenhotep III, an earlier 18th-dynasty king, and his wife Tiy. Tutankhamun became king after the death of Akhenaton the religious reformer who died in 1362 BC. He married Akhenaton's third daughter to solidify his claim to the throne. During most of his rule he resided at ancient Memphis, near present-day Cairo.
The most famous Egyptian pharaoh today is, without doubt, Tutankhamun. The boy king died in his late teens and remained at rest in Egypt's Valley of the Kings for over 3,300 years.
He was only about 18 years old when he died, and as a pharaoh of Egypt he had no great claim to fame. Tutankhamun (originally Tutankhaten) owes his place in history mostly to the discovery of his tomb completely intact and not violated by grave robbers in 1922. The remarkable artifacts from the tomb, including the beautiful golden mask, are on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Tutankhamun was possibly the son of Amenhotep III, an earlier 18th-dynasty king, and his wife Tiy. Tutankhamun became king after the death of Akhenaton the religious reformer who died in 1362 BC. He married Akhenaton's third daughter to solidify his claim to the throne. During most of his rule he resided at ancient Memphis, near present-day Cairo.
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