The History of Egypt Podcast

Curses and Controversies. From the moment they announced their discovery, Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon were faced with overwhelming attention. How they responded, and how they chose to approach the excavation, would have a major impact on public perception of the tomb. And, when events took a tragic turn, the media were happy to capitalise on the issue... Episode Chapters: Chapter 10: The Choi...

Coffins, Masks, and a Mummy. Within his Burial Chamber, Tutankhamun slept amid gold, glass, wood, and precious stone. His mummy is an extraordinary find, covered with ornaments, amulets, ceremonial clothing, and even weapons. From the famous image of his mummy mask, to a dagger made of "sky rock," the King's body reveals many tantalising stories... Episode Chapters: Eight: In the House of Tutankha...

Shrines and Painting. Tutankhamun's Burial Chamber is a beautiful space. The decorations, though "simple," convey a meaningful series of events. The King's ascent to the sky, his entry to Osiris' kingdom, and his meeting with various gods, forms a beautiful journey in the afterlife. Also, the King's shrines (wood and gold) are decorated with complex and fascinating texts. In these chapters, we exp...

Seek and Discover. In this episode, we begin the tale of the most famous tomb in history. KV62, a small monument, in the lower reaches of the Valley of the Kings. Overlooked for three thousand years, the tomb finally emerged thanks to a persistent excavator and a stroke of good fortune. However, the Tomb of Tutankhamun has built up its own mythology. In this episode, we begin to explore the tomb,...

Tutankhamun's Funeral. Following his death, the body of Tutankhamun underwent mummification. From studying his body, archaeologists can identify strange aspects of his preservation. We also know many details of his burial, thanks to paintings in the tomb, and curious items discovered nearby. From these sources, we can imagine King Tutankhamun’s funeral… Episode details: Date: c. 1334 BCE. King: Ne...

A three-part miniseries, produced by Spike TV. "Tut" tells a story of the young ruler, as he wields power, confronts enemies, and deals with love and loss. Having watched the show during lockdown, I give my thoughts, with a special focus on the characters vs their historical counterparts... "Tut" at IMDB https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3214310/  The History of Egypt Podcast Website: www.egyptianhisto...

An interview with Nozomu Kawai, Professor of Egyptology at Kanazawa University, Japan. In this episode, we discuss the background of Tutankhamun's reign and family; and get to grips with some of the people who have appeared in the podcast (e.g. Maia, Sennedjem, and Userhat Hatiay). Prof. Kawai is an expert on this period, and his insights have been wonderful. Interviewee details: Prof. Nozomu Kawa...

A life cut short. By 1334 BCE, Tut'ankhamun had ruled Egypt for approx. 10 years. Sadly, this would be his last. At the age of nineteen or so, the young ruler died. How did it happen? There are a few major hypotheses (illness, accident, or murder). However, as technology and medical science develops, some ideas seem less likely than others. In this episode, I review the major studies and proposals...

King Tut'ankhamun was young, rich, and well-equipped for sport. His tomb contained an arsenal of goods, including chariots, bows, arrows, throwing sticks, and more. Also, artistic images convey the idea of the pharaoh as a triumphant hunter and warrior. In this episode, we explore evidence for Tut'ankhamun as a sportsman, pursuing game across the desert and through the marshes. From archaeology an...

Maya, Ay, Horemheb, and others. The men who served King Tut'ankhamun were unusually prominent and powerful. The Overseer of the Treasury (Maya), the Supreme General (Horemheb) and the highest courtier (Ay) may have divided power among themselves. Why were they so powerful? The youth of Tut'ankhamun, and developments in royal power since the reign of Akhenaten, may have weakened the authority or in...

The King's mummy, daily routine, and children. Thanks to the preservation of his burial, we know a lot about Tut'ankhamun's daily life and habits. Aspects of his routine, like his shaving kit, walking sticks, and even his children survive to this day. Some of these stories are curious, others carry echoes of tragedy and loss. This episode contains detailed descriptions of human remains and themes...

The King's Great Wife. Queen Ankh-es-en-Amun (“She Lives for Amun”) was slightly older than her husband. Having grown up in the court, Ankhesenamun was established in power and experienced in royal life. However, she is far less prominent than her famous predecessors (Nefertiti and Tiye). Why? In this episode, we explore some of the traces of Ankhesenamun’s life, and her role as the King’s Great W...

Amun, Mut, Khonsu, and the King. Once a year, the city of Waset (Thebes / Luxor) hosted an enormous celebration. The Beautiful Festival of Opet honoured the great gods Amun-Ra, Mut, and Khonsu. The deities would emerge from their secret shrines, and ride in procession through the city and on the river. King Tut'ankhamun would lead these events, renewing the power of the gods and his right to rule....

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Shrines, Temples, Sanctuaries. Dr. Briana Jackson is a specialist in the worship of Aten. The sanctuaries, shrines, temples, and monuments of Akhenaten appear throughout Egypt, Wawat, and Kush. In this interview, Dr. Jackson discusses the Aten temples, as well as her work on YouTube. Learn more about Dr. Briana Jackson on her website, Academia.edu, Twitter, YouTube, and many more (Linktree). Websi...

Reconstructing Music. Michael Levy is a renowned composer for ancient instruments and music. Using replicas of artefacts, and taking inspiration from texts and art, Michael creates wonderful songs based in the ancient styles. Michael sat down with the podcast to discuss his recent works, including his wonderful albums of ancient Egyptian compositions... Find Michael Levy at his website, on Spotify...

Gold in them hills. Tut'ankhamun is famous for his gold. But where did it come from? And how did the pharaoh pay for his costly Restoration project? In this episode, we briefly explore some records for Tut’ankhamun’s gold miners and how they obtained that precious yellow metal… Date: c. 1336 BCE. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Ma...

Living Images. King Tut’ankhamun is famous for the Restoration of traditional temples. But what did that involve? Records from the King’s reign give us insight to the practical business. We see the repairs of Karnak and Luxor Temples, royal decrees for new statues, and we meet the man who made the gods’ holy images… Date: c. 1336 BCE. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via P...

Caregiver and Tutor. Young Tut’ankhamun had multiple caregivers. We have already met Maia, the menat of the King. Now, we meet Sen-nedjem, the menay. From his large (but overlooked) tomb, Sen-nedjem left a record of his work, family, and beliefs. We explore this monument and get a sense of his world… Date: c. 1353 – 1340 BCE Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www...

One who nourished the god. Tut’ankhamun never refers to his birth mother. And until 1996, historians had little idea of the person who raised this young pharaoh. That changed with the discovery of Maia, the royal menat (wet-nurse and teacher). The opening of her tomb, at Saqqara, dramatically expanded our understanding of Tut’ankhamun’s early life. Today, we dive deep into Maia’s career and place...

When archaeologists opened the tomb King Tut'ankhamun, they found many of his childhood possessions inside. Today, we can get a sense of his life by looking at his games, toys, and clothes. Date: c. 1353 – 1340 BCE. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music by Keith Zizza. Music by Ancient...

From baby to boy. For all his fame and glamour, the life of Tut'ankhamun was more difficult than it seems. The young king dealt with physical challenges and a social environment that treated him as an "idea," more than a person. Today, studies of his mummy give us clues at his early life... Date c.1353 – 1343 BCE. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.co...

Interlude: The greatest treachery. By the end of Akhenaten's reign, events in Syria had developed their own momentum. Rulers like Aziru, prince of Amurru, were causing trouble. Akhenaten had to deal with Aziru as best he could. But the death of Akhenaten interrupted any reconciliation. Soon after, Aziru was looking to other opportunities... Date c.1345 – 1340 BCE. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodca...

Interlude: Warlords and Adventurers. In the second millennium BCE, a new power rose to the north of Egypt. The Kingdom of Hatti (aka the land of the Hittites) emerged as a significant political, economic, and military force. In this episode, we introduce the Hittite state and its early deeds before the reign of Tut'ankhamun. Date c.1790 – 1350 BCE. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support...

Egypt on the offensive. King Tutankhamun's government had to deal with major threats in the north. Instability and regional warfare had spread through Syria and Canaan. To tackle these, pharaoh despatched his most prominent general. Horemheb, representative of the King, led the soldiers of Egypt into battle... Date c.1340 BCE Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon ww...