Denderah.The capital of theVIth nome of Upper Egypt, called in EgyptianorȦn·t, "the city of pillars", orTa-en-ta-rer·t, "the city ofthe province encompassed by a wall" or,,,,, &c.,Ta-rer·t, the Greek Tentyra. The goddess Hathor or Venus was worshiped here in one of the most magnificent temples of Egypt.88
Denys of Telmahre.Or Dionysius Tell-Mahrâyâ. A native of Tell-Mahrê, a village near the junction of the rivers Euphrates and Balîkh in Syria, not far from Antioch. He was patriarch of the Jacobites (818-845 A. D.) and a great Syriac writer.19
Dêr-el-baheri."The northern monastery." A place opposite Thebes on the western bank of the Nile, famous for the magnificent temple of queen Hatasu. Here were discovered in 1881 the mummies of many kings and queens, and among them those of the great Pharaohs Thothmes III., Seti I., Ramses II., and Ramses III.88
Diadems.Besides the crowns (cf. page114) there are two diadems always specially mentioned, which also refer to the Pharaoh's power and rule over Upper and Lower Egypt, the diadems of the Vulture and the Uræus snake or cobra, expressed thus:[pronunciation very uncertain!]. Some other forms of royal head-gear or diadems were the helmetkheperesh, theor the simple head-dress, and most of the crowns with which the gods are represented.565770
Domitian.The eleventh Roman emperor (81-96 A. D.), whose name in Egyptian is57891022
Drah-abul-Neggah.The modern name of a portion of the necropolis of ancient Thebes on the western bankof the Nile with many royal tombs of theXIth,XVIIth, and beginning of theXVIIIth dynasties.91188
Drah-abul-Neggah Obelisks.Two obelisks found at this place, near Thebes, in 1878, each broken into several pieces. They belong, perhaps, to theXIth dynasty, and would then be next to the Lepsius Obelisk the oldest in existence.911
Dümichen,Johannes. One of the triad of the greatest living Egyptologists [the two others being Brugsch and Ebers]. He is at present Professor of Egyptian in the University of Strassburg, Alsace. (The author's teacher.)61100
Dynasty.A set of kings belonging to one family. For a list of the thirty-four Egyptian dynasties, see under: Chronology.
Edfu.Modern name of the Apollinopolis of the Greeks and Romans, or the Egyptian,Deb·t, "the city of transfixion" or,Ḥud·t, "the city of the winged sun-disk". It was the capital of theIId nome of Upper Egypt, its local deity being Horus, who was identified by the Greeks with Apollo, the sun-god; whence the city's name.3187
Egypt.The oldest empire of the world, comprising the north-east corner of Africa and extending from the First Cataract to the Mediterranean Sea. Its modern name isمصر[Misr], and some of its Egyptian names are,Qem·t,or,Beq·t,or,Mer·t, &c. It was the seat of the first civilization and in its golden age—in the time of theXIXth dynasty—the mistress of the world. At present it has lost all its prestige and is being ruined by Mohammedan misrule. For its divisions, &c., see pages84to92.
Egyptian Ritual.See under: Book of the Dead.34
Eileithyiapolis.The Greek name of the Egyptian cityNekheb·t, "the city ofthe goddessNekheb", a deity whom the Greeks identified with their Eileithyia (the goddess of childbirth) and the Romans with their Lucina. It was the capital of theIIId nome of Upper Egypt.87
Electrum.The name given by the ancients to an alloy of gold (4 parts) and silver (1 part). Some consider the so-called Egyptian gold-metal,usem, to be identical with it.59
Elephantine.[Pronounced Elefanteenay.] The Greek name of the town and island in the first nome of Upper Egypt, opposite Assuân. The Egyptian name (which the Greeks only translated) isor,ÂborÂb.t[Âbu·t], "the ivory island or city". The cataracts of Elephantine, called,qerti, were regarded by the ancient Egyptians as the source of the Nile.4242986
El-Kab.The modern name of Nekhebt or Eileithyiapolis, which see.87
El-Khargeh.The present name of the oasis to the west of Thebes, called in the inscriptions,Kenemti, "the wine-land". It formed at one time a part of theVIIth nome of Upper Egypt. In it stood a large temple of Amen-Râ.89
El-Lahoon.A village close to the Fayoom, the site of the pyramid of Amenemhât III. (according to Lepsius) or Usertesen II. (according to Brugsch). The modern name is derived from the Egyptian,Ruḥun·t, "the mouth of the canal."90
El-Thabût-ben-Marrat.A mythical person.80
El-Tineh.The modern name of the ancient Thinis, theEgyptian,Theni·t, the first capital of theVIIIth nome of Upper Egypt, which was at one time a very important city and the home of the first two Egyptian dynasties.89
Elysium.The GreekἨλύσιον[êlûsion]. The abode of the blessed or the "Elysian Fields", called in EgyptianȦanuruorȦaḥlu(see page97).
Erment.The present name of the ancient Hermonthis or the EgyptianȦn-menth, "the city of the pillar ofthe godMenthu", the capital of an independent district to the west of theIVth nome of Upper Egypt.87
Esmeade Obelisk.An obelisk formerly in the Esmeade garden near the Porta del Popolo in Rome and only a Roman imitation.11
Esneh.The present name of the capital of theIIId nome of Upper Egypt, called in EgyptianȦnî·torSeni·t. Its sacred animal according to Strabo, a Greek geographer, was the fish Latus (cf. page98), and its chief deities were Khnum and Neith. The ancients named the city Latopolis.87
"Eternal City."A classical expression for the city of Rome, which was said to have been founded by the gods and to be under their constant protection.5
Ethiopia.See under Nubia.
Fayoom.The modern name of the tract of land which lay formerly in theXXth andXXIst nomes of Upper Egypt, south-west of the Pyramids. Its local deity was the crocodile-faced god Sebek, whence its name among the ancients, Crocodilopolis. In it is the famous Lake Mœris, as well as the Labyrinth and the pyramids of El-Lahoon and Meydoom. In Arabic the name is writtenالفيوم[el-fayûm].4589
Flaminian Obelisk.Also called the obelisk of the Piazza del Popolo, in Rome. It was erected in Heliopolis by Seti I., and re-erected by the emperor Augustus in the Circus Maximus in Rome. After it had fallen Pope Sixtus V. removed the pieces of the obelisk and set them up in the present position [in 1589]. The inscriptions are by Seti I. and Ramses II.; the latter having appropriated the greater portion. From this obelisk the priest Hermapion (4th century A. D.) made the first attempt to decipher the Egyptian hieroglyphs. The result of his investigations appears extremely ridiculous to us at the present day.9
Florence Obelisks.Two small obelisks with two columns of hieroglyphs on each face. They are at present in the Egyptian Museum at Florence.10
Gizeh.The site of the monster-pyramids and the Sphinx. It is situated in the formerIst nome of Lower Egypt, and was the necropolis of ancient Memphis.491
Greece.The first mention of the Greeks in history is in the inscriptions of the temple of Karnak, in which an incursion by them into Egypt at the time of Menephthah I. [XIXth dynasty] is described. The tribes mentioned there are the Akaüsha (Achæans), the Tursha (Etruscans), the Luku (Lycians), the Sharutana (Sardinians), and the Shakalusha (Sicilians). On the Rosetta Stone the Greeks are calledḤauinebu.
Hades.The Lower World, the abode of the departed spirits. The Egyptian Amenti, which see.2830
Hadrian.The fourteenth Roman emperor [117-138 A. D.]. On the Barberini Obelisk occur the names of his wifeSâbina·t, Sabina, and of hisfavorite pageÂndînes, Antinoüs. The emperor's name in Egyptian is57922
Hammamât.In theVth nome of Upper Egypt, near Panopolis and on the road leading from this city to Kossêr, on the Red Sea. The Greeks called itπορφυρίτης ὄρος[porphurîtês óros] "the porphyry-mountain" on account of the excellent stone that was quarried here.162388
Harmachis.The Greek transcription of the EgyptianḤor-em-khuti, "Horus in the two horizons". This deity represents the sun at noon. Its symbolic representation was the sphinx, and its principal sanctuary was built between the paws of the Great Sphinx at Gizeh in front of the Pyramid of Kheops. (30)
Hatasu.OrḤashepes.A famous queen of theXVIIIth dynasty, the sister of Thothmes III. and at first co-regent with him. She despatched the first fleet mentioned in history to Arabia and the Somali Coast, where she obtained spices, perfumes, trees, &c. Her name in Egyptian (with masculine titles!) is6911192335
Hatasu Obelisks.The two largest obelisks in Egypt, erected by queen Hatasu in Karnak. Only one of them is erect. One line of hieroglyphs extends down on eachof their faces, while their pyramidia were originally capped with "gold-metal". These obelisks were quarried at Assuân, removed, polished, inscribed, and erected in the incredibly short space of seven months, as their inscriptions record.1923
Hathor.An Egyptian goddess who was represented in many ways; viz., like Isis with the disk of the sun between two horns, or with a cow's head with the disk between the horns, or as a spotted cow with plumes and the sun's disk, or as a hawk with a female face and surmounted by the horns and the disk. The Greeks identified her with their Aphrodité and the Romans with their Venus, the goddess of love. She was the special guardian of the Egyptian queens. Her hieroglyphic name isorḥa·t-Ḥer, "the house of Horus".88
Ḥa·t-ûar·t.The Egyptian name of Avaris or Pelusium.92
Heliopolis.The Greek name of the EgyptianȦn, at present Matarîyeh, near Cairo, the biblicalאוֹן[ôn]. It was the capital of theXIIIth nome of Lower Egypt, and one of the most famous cities of antiquity. It was sacred to the sun-gods Râ and Tum.124910192136515253565758698291
Heliopolis Obelisk.The only remaining and erect obelisk at Heliopolis. It has one column of hieroglyphs on each face and was erected by Usertesen I. of theXIIth dynasty. Its companion fell in 1160 A. D. and has completely disappeared. Its apex was originally covered with a capping of gilded bronze, which was still seen by the Arabic physician Abd-el-Latîf in the thirteenth century A. D.9
Hermonthis.See under Erment.87
Herschel,Sir John Fred. William. A famous English astronomer. Died May 11, 1871.13
Hieratic.A more cursive form of the Hieroglyphic script, with fewer characters, and signs drawn only in outline. It was mostly used for state documents, letters, and scientific and religious papyri. The form of the characters varies according to the individual handwriting of the scribe. The Hieratic, like the Demotic, is always written from right to left. It was the second kind of Egyptian writing, and its alphabet is as follows.34
Hieroglyphic.The name for the monumental language of ancient Egypt. The words are composed of hieroglyphs or "sacred carvings", which were at first quite simple but in the time of the Ptolemies became very complicated and enigmatical. The alphabet is given above under: Hieratic. Besides the simple letters there are also some two thousand syllabic signs and ideographs. The characters were written eitherhorizontally from left to right [thus in the hieroglyphic type of this book] or from right to left [thus on pages71,75, and76], or else vertically, with the characters below each other, from left to right or from right to left. Hieroglyphic was the writing of the priests.
Hittites.The biblical name of an Asiatic people, the hereditary foes of the Egyptians. They were called by them Kheta, which see.3637
Homer.The famous Greek poet, author of the Iliad and the Odyssey.237
Ḥor-Ḥud·t.The name of Horus as he was worshiped at Edfu.31
Ḥor-khuti,orḤor-em-khuti.The sun-god at his appearance in the horizon in the morning and at noon. From this word, which means "Horus of the two horizons", the Greeks coined the word Harmachis.2930
Ḥor-nub."The golden Horus." This title may also be translated "the victorious Horus", referring in the first place to the victory of this god over the devil, Set (cf. page87), and then to the personal bravery of his representative on earth, the king.606468
Ḥor-Râ.A form of the solar deity, a combination of Râ and Horus.30
Horus.One of the greatest of the Egyptian deities, the son of Osiris and Isis. He personified the Sun in his midday power, and his sacred bird was the hawk. He was the divine representation of the Pharaoh himself. On the monuments we find him pictured in many ways; viz.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, &c.28293031575869606162636465666768697087
"House of the Sun."An appellation of Heliopolis.2
Ḥud·t.The Egyptian name of Edfu, which see.87
Hyksos.Syrian invaders who conquered Egypt and founded theXVth andXVIth dynasties. According to Manetho (cf. page108) the word signifies "shepherd-kings" and is probably the Egyptianḥeq, "prince"shasu, "the Bedouins", whence "Bedouin prince(s)". They introduced the sole worship of the ass-headed deity Set or Sutekh (which see). They were cruel masters and were finally driven out of the country by Aahmes I. of theXVIIth dynasty (cf. page102).92
Ibn-el-Vardi.An Arabic historian who died in the year 750 of the Hégira [the flight of Mohammed from Mecca to Medîna], about 1350 A. D. The passage from this author on page80is also given by the Arabic geographer Edrisi (1153 A. D.).79
Iliad.The famous Greek epic of Homer, recounting the story of the siege and capture of Troy, in Asia Minor.37
Intaglio-relievo.The usual mode of carving employed by the Egyptians, where the figures were cut altogether into the stone, that is, all below the surface of the stone.18
IshmaëlorIsmaïl.Ex-Khedive of Egypt, an able but extravagant ruler, who did much for the prosperity of that downtrodden country. In his reign the Suez Canal was completed.4082
Isis.The great Egyptian goddess in the triad: Osiris, Isis, and Horus. She was the queen of heaven and the wife of Osiris, whose members she gathered after Set, the devil, had slain him. Her name in Egyptian isȦs·t, and she is represented with a throne on the head; thus,,,.86
Jebel Selseleh."The mountain of the chain." The modern name of that part of the country where the ancientSilsilis was situated. An Arabic legend states, that at one time a chain was stretched across the Nile at this point to ward off the approach of the enemy's ships, whence the name.86
Joseph.The biblical patriarch. His name has not yet been discovered on the monuments, though there is much in the Egyptian literature to remind us of his story; viz., in the Ameni inscription, describing the years of famine, and the "Tale of the Two Brothers", setting forth the great temptation and the wicked accusation.2
Kadesh.A town in Syria where Ramses II. defeated the Hittites. In EgyptianQedesh.35
Karnak.A modern village on the east side of the Nile, marking the site of ancient northern Thebes.2369101119
Karnak Obelisks.There are still at Karnak six obelisks: two large ones of Thothmes I., one of them being prostrate and broken; two of queen Hatasu (which see); and two small ones, resembling stelé and bearing the name of Thothmes III.9101119
Kenemti.The Egyptian name of the oasis El-Khargeh, which see.89
Kharu.A Syrian tribe subdued by Seti I.36
Khedive.The Persian wordخديف[khedîf] signifying "the monarch". This is the title of the governor of Egypt.404482
Khefren.The Greek form of the EgyptianKhâfrâ, a king of the fourth dynasty, and the builder of the second Great Pyramid of Memphis (Gizeh). His name in Egyptian issuten-kaut? Khâ·f Râ, "The king of Upper and Lower Egypt, His glory is Rā".91