Voices of Ancient Egypt

In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt , we go beyond the museum glass to uncover the mysteries of the heart scarab , one of the most iconic objects found in ancient Egyptian burials. These large, beetle-shaped amulets were far more than simple ornaments; they served as a sophisticated form of "afterlife insurance," designed to protect the deceased during their most vulnerable moment...

In this episode, Melinda sits down with student Marianna Sanborn to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to transition from struggling student to confident translator. Despite having an MA in Egyptology, Marianna found traditional academic methods left her "shell-shocked" and unable to actually read the texts she loved. Join us as Marianna shares the specific strategies, mindset...

In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst addresses the burning question many enthusiasts have: Is it too late to learn how to read hieroglyphs?. Drawing on her years of academic and field experience, Melinda explores why hieroglyphs are the "missing piece" for anyone who has spent years consuming content about ancient Egypt but still feels a disconnect from th...

In this debut episode of the Voices of Ancient Egypt podcast, Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst shares her personal journey from a young child enamored with a "beat-up" museum catalog to becoming a professional Egyptologist with a Ph. D. She opens up about the real-life challenges of pursuing a career in academia, the sensory-rich experience of living in Cairo, and her mission to break down the &...

In this episode of the Voices of Ancient Egypt podcast, Egyptologist Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst pulls back the curtain on why she founded Voices of Ancient Egypt and what it means to truly understand ancient civilization on a deeper, more meaningful level . After years of teaching at the university level and working in the field, Dr. Nelson-Hurst recognized a massive "canyon" between sensa...