Kirjahaku

A handy and colourful illustrated guide to reading, writing and understanding ancient Egyptian names, epithets, titles and phrases. The Egyptians believed that the creator god Ptah brought the world into being by naming everything in it. Names had great power, and kings often over-wrote their own names on monuments of earlier rulers. A person’s name was a vitally important part of them, and the Egyptians were very concerned that their names should be recorded, remembered and spoken. Criminals and those who had fallen out of favour could be punished – wiped out of history – by having their names destroyed or defaced. The hieroglyphic script provided a beautiful, flexible and expressive meaning to write the names of humans, gods and animals. Angela McDonald explains the meanings of Egyptian personal names and how they were made up (Rameses = “Ra has given birth to him”), and demonstrates how they were written in different ways to convey various shades of meaning. Royal and divine names are always given special treatment. The Egyptians were not always formal, and nicknames were common. Even the names of pet animals are recorded in tomb paintings.

The Ancient Egyptians allows children to meet at close quarters the people of ancient Egypt. This is a highly visual resource book, packed with authentic pictures, that shows at first hand how the Egyptians lived and worked and how they wished to be remembered by later generations. The book contains a wealth of fascinating images from the British Museum’s world-renowned Egyptian collections, showing the people of ancient Egypt and the objects they made and used. The text offers supporting information, descriptions and explanations alongside the images, encouraging children to engage with the photographs in detail. A special feature is the quotations from ancient Egyptian sources – ranging from royal decrees to personal letters – that allow children to read about the Egyptians in their own words. A fascinating way to explore the daily lives of people in the past, through a close look at the objects and artwork they left behind.