Khennu.The ancient name of Silsilis, in Egyptianand at present Jebel Selseleh, which see.86
Kheops.The Greek form ofKhufu, which see.91
Kheper.An Egyptian deity symbolizing the creative energy of the sun, which is the source of all life. The deity is frequently represented as a man with the scarab or beetle on his shoulders, instead of a head. His name in Egyptian is, which is derived from the verbkheper, "to create".2829
Kheperȧ.The same as the above. In EgyptianKheperȧ.6364
Kherp-kheper-Râ-sotep-en-Râ.The royal name of the king Osarkon I.3872
Kheta.An Asiatic people, the Hittites of the Bible, where they are calledחִתִּים[khittîm]. They are constantly mentioned in the Egyptian inscriptions, especially in those that treat of the wars of Seti I. and Ramses II. Their Egyptian name is,Kheta.3637
Khnum.The spirit of Amen-Râ, represented as a ram-headed deity; thus,,,. He was especially worshiped at Elephantine, and his figure was painted a bright green. His Egyptian name isKhnumu.8687
Khnum-Râ.A form of the solar deity, a combination of Râ and Khnum.29
Khufu.A king of the fourth dynasty, the builder of the Great Pyramid at Gizeh, the Kheops of the Greeks. His name in Egyptian is writtensuten-kaut? Khufu, "The king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Khufu".5
Kircher,Athanasius. A German scholar and mathematician, who endeavored to solve the mysteries of the Egyptian language, but signally failed in the attempt. He died in 1680.79
Kôm-Omboo."The hill of Omboo." The modern name of the Egyptiannubî·t, "the gold-city", called Ombos by the ancients, a city in the first nome of Upper Egypt. The crocodile-headed god Sebek was worshiped here.86
Kossêr."Small castle." A town in Egypt situated on the Red Sea, to which a road led in ancient times from Coptos by way of Hammamât. The Greeks called it Leukos-Limen, "the white harbor".2388
Kuft.The modern name of Coptos, which see.88
Labyrinth.The grand palace of Amenemhât III. in the Fayoom, described by the Greek geographer Strabo. At one corner of it was the Pyramid of Howara, which is built of brick. The name Labyrinth seems to be derived from the Egyptianrupu ruḥun, "the temple at the mouth of the canal" (see under El-Lahoon).90
Lateran Obelisk.The largest of all the erect obelisks, in front of the church of St. Giovanni in Laterano, in Rome. It was ordered to be made by Thothmes III., but was completed by Thothmes IV., who added the outer vertical lines and erected the obelisk in front of the temple of Amen in Thebes. It was removed to Alexandria by Constantine the Great, but was taken to Rome by Constantius in 357. After its fall it was re-erected by Sixtus V. in 1588.9202325
Lepsius,Richard K. The so-called "father of Egyptology", the teacher of the great Egyptologists of the present day. His greatest work was theDenkmäleraus Ægypten und Æthiopien. He was born Dec. 23, 1810, and died July 10, 1884.453637
Lepsius Obelisk.A small obelisk discovered by Lepsius in a tomb at Gizeh in 1843. It is the smallest obelisk known and at present in the Berlin Museum.410
Libyan Desert.The large tract of barren country to the west of Egypt, containing seven oases (see under El-Khargeh).5990
Lisht, Pyramid of.A small pyramid between those of Dashûr and Meydoom, situated near the Fayoom.91
London Obelisk.The present name of the Alexandrian Obelisk, which see.2539405972738191
Lower Egypt.The northern part of Egypt, comprising the Delta.1631516590
Luxor.A village in the southern part of ancient Thebes on the east side of the Nile.2491088
Luxor Obelisks.There are two obelisks of this name. One was brought to Paris in the reign of Louis Philippe of France, and erected on the Place de Concorde on Oct. 24, 1836. The cost of its removal was about $500 000. The other is now standing in Luxor.—Both obelisks stood originally, side by side, in front of the temple of Amenophis III. in Thebes, and are the most artistic obelisks extant. They were erected by Ramses II.89102341
Mâ.An Egyptian deity, called the daughter of Râ. Her name signifies "Truth", and she plays an important part in the theology of the ancient Egyptians. She represents the truth and justice of the supreme god. Hence the Pharaohs received her attributes and were called "truthful and just", or, as the inscriptions express itMâ mer, "the beloved of Mā". Her name is writtenMâ[reallyMaâ] orMaâ·t.656869
Mââd Boat.The boat of Râ, in which he was thought to travel over the expanse of heaven, changing to the Sekti boat as Tum in the latter part of his journey. The word is writtenmââd.22
Mahutean Obelisk,or the Pantheon Obelisk. It was erected by Ramses II. in Heliopolis. Clement XI. re-erected it in front of the Pantheon in Rome in 1711. A single column of hieroglyphs is inscribed on each of its faces.10
Mâkarâ.The royal name of queen Hatasu, which see.635
Mâ-men-Râ.The royal name of Seti I., which see.87
Maqdâm-ibn-El·ﻋAmr-ben-abi-Reﻋâl.A mythical person.80
Mars.The Roman god of war, the Arês of the Greeks, and the Menthu (which see) of the Egyptians.61
Mareotis.The large lake south of Alexandria, called by the ancient EgyptiansMerî·t, "the lake".91
Matarîyeh.The modern name of Heliopolis, a short distance from Cairo.153691
Medînet-Habu.The modern name of a part of the necropolis of ancient Thebes, and the site of many ruins, especially those of the temples of Thothmes II. and Ramses III.88
Mediterranean Sea.This was well known to the ancient Egyptians and traversed by the fleets of many Pharaohs, who, at one time, even subjugated the islands in it. Its name in Egyptian isÛaz-ûr, "the great sea".90
Megiddo.A town of the Kharu [Syrians] in Palestine, on the border of the great plain of Esdraëlon, the scene of the battles between Thothmes III. and the Syrians, and between Neco and the Jewish king Josiah. Thetown was also taken by Sheshonq I. in his war against Rehoboam, king of Judah. Its name in Egyptian isMâkethȧ.36
Memnonium.Or Rameseum. The incorrect name given by the Greeks to the temple of Ramses II. in Shekh-abd-el-Qurnah, in the necropolis of ancient Thebes. It is called by the Greek geographer Diodorus the "tomb of Osymandyas". There is one colossal statue of Ramses II. still in its ruins.1688
Memphis.The Greek form of the EgyptianMen-nefer·t, "the good place of rest", the biblicalמֹף[môf] orנֹף[nôf]. It was the capital of the first nome of Lower Egypt, and its present site is the village Mîtrahîneh. The whole district was a large necropolis with the famous pyramids from Gizeh to Saccarah. It is the "white wall" of the Greek historian Herodotus, or the EgyptianȦnbu-ḥez·t, "the white wall". Its chief deity was Ptah.41019659091
Mendes.The capital of theXVIth nome of Lower Egypt. 92
Menes.According to tradition the first Egyptian king, the founder of the Egyptian empire, and the builder of Memphis. In Egyptian his name is writtenor(as on the necklace in the possession of the New York Historical Society)suten-kaut? Menȧ, "the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Menes".89
Men-kheper-Râ.The royal name of Thothmes III.36474849505253545556585960
Menthu.The Egyptian god of war, identified by the Romans with their Mars. He is usually represented with the head of a hawk surmounted by the disk of the sun and two feathers (). He was only a formof Amen-Râ, and was worshiped in the district round about Thebes. His name in Egyptian isMenthu.87
Menzaleh Lake.A large and shallow tract of water in the north-east corner of Egypt, extending from Damietta to the Suez Canal.92
Mer-ȧb.A son of Khufu of the fourth dynasty. The architect and builder of the Great Pyramid.5
Merì·t.The Egyptian name of the Mareotis Lake.91
Mer-Tum·t.The Egyptian name of the modern Meydoom, which see.90
Mesopotamia."The land between the rivers(Euphrates and Tigris)." The eastern part of ancient Syria [Assyria], called in the Bible Padan-aram or Aram-nahara-yim (Gen. xxiv:10), which means "Aram of the two rivers", whence the Egyptian designationNahar. The country was frequently invaded and subjugated by the Egyptian kings, notably by Thothmes III., Amenôphis II., and Seti I.36
Mesphres.Pliny's name for Thothmes III. It is in reality, however, the name of his great sister, queen Hatasu, which see.36
Meydoom.Or Meydoon [Mêdûn]. The modern name of the EgyptianMer-Tum·t, "the favorite city ofthe godTum", situated in theXXIst nome of Upper Egypt, and famous for its quaintly terraced pyramid, ascribed by Dümichen to king Snefru of the fourth dynasty.90
Mîtrahîneh.The present site of ancient Memphis.91
Mizrayim.The Hebrew name of Egypt, really "the two Egypts". The Arabic isمصر[misr].84
Mnevis-bull.The sacred bull of Heliopolis, the incarnation of Râ. (98)
Moeris Lake.The so-called lake, or rather reservoir, in the Fayoom, constructed by Amenemhât III. to receive the excess of the waters of the inundation, and keep the water for the times of drought.90
Monolith.A monument made ofonestone only.718
Monte Cavallo Obelisk.This is at present in front of the Quirinal in Rome, and is the companion of the Sta. Maria Maggiore Obelisk. As it is uninscribed, it is impossible to tell by whom or when it was erected. Perhaps the emperor Claudius [41-54 A. D.] had it removed to Rome. It was re-erected by Pius VI. in 1789.9
Monte Citorio Obelisk,or the Campensis Obelisk, which see.2225
Monte Pincio Obelisk,or the Barberini Obelisk, which see.22
Moses.The Jewish law-giver, who studied at the university in Heliopolis, was brought up at the court of the Pharaohs, and afterwards led the Israelites out of Egypt. He lived in the time of Ramses II., and departed with his people under Menephthah I. His name has not yet been found on the Egyptian monuments or in the papyri.2
Mummies.The bodies of the Egyptian dead which were preserved in a mixture of salt, bitumen, cedar oil, &c. The bodies were prepared for embalming by theparakhistæortarakheutæ, who disemboweled them, wound linen bandages around them, placed with them chapters from the Book of the Dead (which see), and then deposited them in a sarcophagus of stone or wood, according to the means of the deceased. The purpose of this embalming was that the soul, on its return to the earth, would again find its body and reanimate it. Everything was, therefore, done by the ancientEgyptians to protect their mummies against decomposition and robbers, some of the Pharaohs even building the monster-pyramids for their reception.83334
Mycerinus.The Greek form of the EgyptianMen-kau-Râ, a king of the fourth dynasty and the builder of the third Great Pyramid. His sarcophagus and a part of his mummy are in the British Museum. His name is writtensuten-kaut? Men-kau-Râ,"The king of Upper and Lower Egypt, The Sun, mighty in his works".91
Nahasb Obelisk.A small and prostrate obelisk about 70 miles south-east of Suez, in the Sinaitic Peninsula. It was discovered by a German traveler in 1817, but nothing further is known of it. The place where it is standing is also called Wâdi Nasb.11
Naples Obelisk.It is also called the Borgian Obelisk, having been for a time in the Borgian Museum at Velletri, and was discovered at Prænesté, Italy, in 1791, broken in four pieces. The inscription on it coincides with that of the Albani Obelisk (which see). It is now in the Museo Nazionale at Naples.10
Necropolis.A Greek word meaning "the city of the dead", our "cemetery". In Egypt the necropolis was generally a collection of rock-hewn tombs, but always situated to the west of a city toward the setting sun, this being the first station on the road to the Lower World. It is expressed in Egyptian by the signȧa.245
Nectanebo I.The Greek name of a king of theXXXth dynasty, who forced the Persian king Artaxerxes II. to relinquish his hold on Egypt and reigned for eighteen years. His Egyptian name is9
Negative Confession.A passage in the 125th chapter of the Book of the Dead, where the deceased gives an account of his life and begs to be admitted into paradise. To that end he states that he has not committed the forty-two great sins. (98)
Neith.The Egyptian goddess of the lower heavens, the sister of Isis and Nephthys. She is generally represented holding a bow and arrows in her hand. The Greeks identified her with their Athêné (Minerva). In Egyptian her name isNet.92
Nekheb.The goddess of Eileithyia and identified by the ancients with their Lucina, the goddess of childbirth. Little is known of her. The Egyptian form of her name isNekheb·t.87
Nekheb·t.The Egyptian name of Eileithyiapolis, which see.87
Nero.The fifth Roman emperor [54-68 A. D.]. His full name is Nero Claudius Cæsar Drusus Germanicus. On the Egyptian monuments he is called11
New York Obelisk.It is usually, but incorrectly, called "Cleopatra's Needle".2023254972738191
Nile.The ancient Egyptians venerated it as a special deity, giving him the epithets·ânkh, "he who produces life". He was generally represented thus, and his name wasḤâp.2416278486889092
Nilometer.This was erected by the Pharaohs on the island of Elephantine, to enable them to measure the height of the inundation. It was restored in 1870 by the Khedive Ishmaël. Another Nilometer is at present on the island of Rhôda at Cairo. The Egyptian sign of the Nilometer isded, which means "stability".86
Nineveh.The capital of the Assyrian empire. It was taken by several Pharaohs in their Asiatic campaigns, especially by Thothmes III., Amenôphis II., and Seti I.36
Nome.The Greek word for "province". There were 22 nomes in Upper and 20 nomes in Lower Egypt. The Egyptian word isḥesp, "the province".8490
Nubia.It is also called Ethiopia, and was incorporated into the Egyptian empire at the time of theXVIIIth dynasty. Its capital was Napata, now Jebel Barkal, which even became the capital of the whole empire during theXXVIth dynasty. The Egyptian name of Nubia isKush, the biblicalכּוּשׁ[kûsh].86
Nubî·t.The Egyptian name of Ombos, at present Kôm-Omboo (which see).86
Oasis.There were seven oases in the Libyan desert, to the west of Egypt. The Egyptian word isut, "the oasis".89
Ombos.The modern Kôm-Omboo, which see.2986
Orontes.The principal river of Syria, called in EgyptianȦrunuth.36
Osarkon I.A king of theXXIId dynasty, whose name in Egyptian is387172
Osiris.One of the oldest of the Egyptian gods and the judge of the dead in the Lower World. His worship was universal throughout Egypt at all times. His Egyptian name isUsȧr. The great Osiris-myth is this. Osiris was, at one time, a king, and reigned over Egypt. Going on travels he left Isis, his sister and wife, to conduct the government. The devil, Set, then revolted against him, killed him, cut his body into fourteen pieces, and scattered them over the country. Isis collected them, erecting a temple where a piece of his body was found, and called on her son Horus to avenge his father. Horus met Set in combat at Edfu. In this encounter Set was "transfixed". The inscriptions in the temple of Edfu give a glowing description of this battle. Osiris is generally represented with his whole body shrouded in a covering and his head surmounted by the atef-crown; thus,. He has a peculiar beard curving outward at the end. He was considered to be the author of all animal and vegetable life, and the god of agriculture. All those that died were called by his name, "the Osirian", that is, "amenable to Osiris in his judgment-hall".61878892
Palestine.Many Pharaohs, especially Thothmes III., subjugated this country in their Asiatic conquests. The names of most of its cities and provinces occur on the Egyptian monuments. One of its Egyptian names isKanâna, "Canaan".36