h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A25159962 Egyptian Pantheons

Shu

God of the sky and winds, he held the firmament separate from the land. He was created by Atum, and with his sister Tefnut fathered Geb, Nut and Osiris.

Tefnut

Tefnut was goddess of air and moisture. Along with her brother Shu, she created Nut, Osiris, Isis and Seth.

Geb

Geb was the father of Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nepthys.

Did Osiris have two fathers, Shu and Geb?

I'll let Giford answer that one, but it is entirely possible, since it was normal when one Egyptian tribe conquered another that their god would be considered the father of the conquered lot's god.

You give the dates of the First Intermediate Period as (2181 - 2050 BC) and then say "Some sources claim this may have been significantly earlier, from 2117 BC onwards" but that wouldn't be earlier, it would be later. 2117 BC is later than 2181 BC. So there's something wrong here.

- should be 'later'. Got confused by counting backwards, sorry.

*****

even ventured as far as Punt -- you should put a footnote saying where Punt was, or is believed to have been.

- easier said! Try: A fabled land somewhere to the south of Nubia, perhaps in modern Sudan or Ethiopia.

*****

captured the Upper Egyptian town of Avaris" -- surely Avaris was in the Delta, which would make it a Lower Egyptian town?

- oops, correct.

*****

The Edited Entry on Tutankhamun gives his dates as 1367 - 1350 meaning he was 17 when he died. You have him as 1361 - 1352, meaning he was only only 9 when he died. Surely it is possible to tell from the mummy whether he was 9 or 17?

- He died in his late teens, having ruled for 9 years. All my dates are dates of reigns, as noted in History Part 1. It's probably easiest to remove this altogether - none of the other Pharaohs have dates and it's bound to cause confusion.

*****

Just noticed History 1 refers to the 'XI Dynasty'. This should be changed to '11th Dynasty' to bring it in line with the other entries.

*****

"invaded in 525 BC. They founded the city now known as Cairo"
Are you sure of this? The founding of Cairo is normally attributed to the Arabs about a thousand years later.

- I read somewhere in my research that the Arab city of Cairo was built over a previous city founded by the Persians. Can't find where I got this from now though. Best take it out.

Gif

Ref Punt;

You could paraphrase what I wrote about it in my Entry on Hatshepsup at A24739185:

'The Land of Punt, which may be identified with the biblical Ophir, and which was also called 'Pwenet' by the ancient Egyptians, was a legendary place thought to have been perhaps in eastern Africa or Asia.'

A

Yes, it seems that in different times and places, Osiris had different fathers. Sometimes Osiris is the son of Shu and grandson of Geb; other times he is the brother of Shu and son of Geb.

The Heliopolitans believed Geb and Nut to be the parents of Osiris; this seems to be the most common variation.

Seb and Ra are both also occasionally credited with being the father of Osiris.

Gif

Do you want me to leave that then? Or add an explanation?

Do you want to rewrite what Big Al wrote above you, or are you happy with what I have put in?

Everything else is done

Under Part 4, 'From the Depths to the Heights', this section in particular reads like a disjointed list of names with few, if any relationships explained:


'Taking Amun as their patron, the list of Ahmosis' descendants and successors reads like a list of the greatest names in Egyptian history. Tuthmosis I was the first monarch to be buried in the Valley of the Kings. Hatshepsut was undoubtedly the most successful female Pharaoh, and Tuthmosis III conquered Nubia, crossed the Euphrates and fought with the Hittites. Amenophis II once again raided Nubia, and his son Tuthmosis IV and grandson Amenophis III took Egypt to its greatest geographical extent, a world superpower against which it seemed no other nation could stand.

But then, something very strange happened. Amenophis IV changed his name to Akhenaten...

Suggest: >


Tuthmosis I was the first monarch to be buried in the Valley of the Kings. His daughter, Hatshepsut...

Amenophis is sometimes (usually) called Amenhotep. Thus GB, in her Entry on Akhenaten, said that Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten. To make it consistent with GBs Entry on Akhenaten, I would suggest that Amenophis III and IV are changed to Amenhotep III and IV, with (perhaps as a footnote) added 'sometimetimes read as Amenophis III and IV'

Under Section 4a 'The Amarna Period', I find it odd that Nefertiti and Smenkhkare are separated by 3 sub-headings.

It is odd because:

Nefertiti and Smenkhkare are people, and (personally) I would group people together

It is quite possible that Neferi and Smenkhkare are one and the same person, as is alluded top under 'Smenkhkare', and so one should directly follow the other.

Again, this section uses the name Amenophis whereas, I believe, Amenhotep is more commonly used. (GB used the name Amenhotep IV as the previous name of Akhenaten.

In fact, Amenophis is the Greek version of their names.

A

Hi All,

All those changes seem fine. We should move Nefertiti down, rather than Smenare up, as that will preserve the flow into the next section.

I'm happy for you to cut-n-paraphrase Al's footnote on Punt.

Gif

all done

I've checked the hieroglyphs in my book and the name is indeed S-menkh-ka-re.

Yes, I guessed that would turn out to be the case from what you said earlier. Good work Gnomon

Thanks

Is it time for a second read through these Entries?

I think the titles of the Entries will need to be tidied somewhat.

A25088709 - History of Egypt Part 1 - General Notes

If this is the first part of the project, it should be an overview. As such, it shouldn't launch straight into the problem of dates. Instead it should introduce Egypt, setting it in its geographical and historical context. So we need a few introductory paragraphs, and you need to change the title.

Contemporary inscriptions establish that this kingdom consisted of seven kings -->
Contemporary inscriptions establish that this dynasty consisted of seven kings

A25709853 - History of Egypt Part 2 - The Rise of Egypt

the building of the Pyramids --> the building of the pyramids

the period when the Pyramids --> the period when the pyramids

around water sources; the Nile and the oases -- change semicolon to colon

It is likely Menes - if he existed - was an Upper Egyptian -->
It is likely that Menes - if he existed - was an Upper Egyptian

Surprisingly little is known of this event --- this sentence seems to have got disconnected from what it was referring to. You might like to reword it slightly, or to juggle the sentences in the paragraph so that they flow better.

The last king of this Dynasty was Khasekhum -- no need for a capital D here. Only use the capital D when it is a title "the 5th Dynasty" or whatever.

from the ages of six to 100 -- that doesn't sound quite right. Should it be "ages"?

A25089609 - History of Egypt Part 3 - Rebuilding

Mentuhoptep III and Mentuhoptep IV even ventured as far as Punt -- it's Mentuhotep in both cases, not Mentuhoptep.

A25089762 - History of Egypt Part 4 - From the Depths to the Heights

the late 19th century AD --> the late 19th Century AD

"Horemheb died without an heir in around 1295 BC which, combined with his lack of royal blood, brought the 18th Dynasty to an end"

-- I'd like to see the phrase "combined with his lack of royal blood" removed from this, because this was never a problem. The first ruler of any dynasty never had "royal blood" with reference to the previous kings.

spelt the beginning of the end -- I suggest using "spelled" here.

The final entry in this series -- use capital E for Entry. But it isn't the final Entry in the project, so it's not clear what you're saying here.

"A stele is an inscribed obelisk" -- I'd call it an inscribed stone slab. Most of the steles were not obelisks, which are tall thin spikes of square cross-section.

G

A25160375 - History of Egypt Part 4a - The Amarna Period

"Akhenaten promoted the worship of the sun god, Aten, to the exclusion of all other gods, but it is unclear whether Akhenaten believed that the Aten was the only true god" -- the name Akhenaten is duplicated here.

Depictions of him have lead --> Depictions of him have led

"These were client kings installed by the Assyrians. The first was Psammetichus I, and they ruled from Sais" -- move the "and they ruled from Sais" to the previous sentence.

Amyrtaeus, who managed to evict the Persians. A descendant of the 16th Dynasty kings -- do you really mean 16th here? The 16th dynasty was more than a thousand years earlier. Or did you mean 26th?

alliances with Athens -->
alliances with Athens

Nectanebo I repulsed another Persian invasion -->
Nectanebo I repelled another Persian invasion

Also known as Armageddon -- add a full stop

A25159340 - Egyptian Mummies

have always lead to --> have always led to

A25159520 - Egyptian Pyramids

You have "The 'bent pyramid' of Snofru at Dashur pronounced Sa-aara" -- this is not at all clear. What is pronounced Sa-aara?

A25159755 - Egyptian Theology 1 - Myths

You have Theology 1 but there is not THeology 2. It looks as if "Pantheons" is supposed to be Theology 2.

This entry will give a brief --> This Entry will give a brief

A25159962 - Egyptian Pantheons

is their plethora of animal-headed gods --> is the plethora of animal-headed gods

This entry will cover --> This Entry will cover

a more complex cosmogeny that --> a more complex cosmogeny than

the Hermopolitants --> the Hermopolitans

(in the Ptah section):
During the Ptolomaic period --> During the Ptolemaic period

I believe that's everything.

G

Working backwards:

Egyptian Pantheons done

Egyptian Theology - Myths done

<<A25159520 - Egyptian Pyramids

You have "The 'bent pyramid' of Snofru at Dashur pronounced Sa-aara" -- this is not at all clear. What is pronounced Sa-aara?>>
Not done, leaving for Giford to comment,

Egyptian Mummies done

Back in a mo

History of Egypt Part 4a - The Amarna Perioddone

History of Egypt Part 5 - The Long, Slow Decline A25090175
Done, except for:
<>

History of Egypt Part 4 - From the Depths to the Heights A25089762

Done, except for:

<>

Back in a mo

A25089609 - History of Egypt Part 3 - Rebuilding done
A25709853 - History of Egypt Part 2 - The Rise of Egypt done except for:

<>

and

<>

A25088709 - History of Egypt Part 1 - General Notes
Done except for:
<>

Post 75: <> comment please Giford