To the ancient inhabitants Egypt was known as Kemet or the black land, which described the fertile black silt which covered the land beside the Nile at each year's inundation and brought abundant life. The people of the black land (remetch en Kemet) called the surrounding sands Deshret or the red land from which we get the name desert. The Nile created and is Egypt and duality was part and parcel of everyday life - life and death, the Lotus and the Papyrus, the red and white crown, Upper and Lower Egypt.

To record details of Egyptian history is not an easy task, as what we believe to be true changes so rapidly. Archaeologists and historians are continually proposing new theories and new facts are being unearthed daily. As more interest appears to be paid to archaeology today, more work is being done then ever before, more people are involved and there is also more disagreement.

What we generally think we know about Egypt is the 3000 years of Pharonic rule, from just a few hundred years before construction of the colossal Pyramids to the last days of Cleopatra VII. Following this came the Roman, the Byzantine and the Islamic periods, however although the Roman Emperors also styled themselves Pharaoh of Egypt the days of the independent Pharaohs really ended in 30BCE .

I may read a book glowing with praise for a certain ruler and then along comes another damning the same. I refer to one source for a list of Pharaohs and the next I investigate reveals a different list. The identity of a little known king like Smenkhkare is listed as possibly Akhenaten's son, brother, lover or wife. Even the spelling differs from source to source. The Egyptians had consonants similar to ours with some extra glottal sounds not found in the West and they wrote no vowels, which are currently left to guesswork (Consonants are  often separated by a standard 'e' or hints from the Coptic language). It is also easy to see from some writings that the authors preferences, legitimate theory, or even glaring bias has permeated his assumptions and inspired his conclusions.  Some books I have read recently appear to be re-writing history - not from academic discipline, but from a common wave of righteousness, evident as a world swings dangerously towards moral misconception. I am not an academic and I do not claim to have access to the truth, but anything I may say here is drawn from my amateur interest and from sources that, to me, appear to be logical or at least unbiased. That said I will probably lean towards my own preferences. To counter this I suggest you start buying your own books, travel to Egypt and get as intrigued and confused as everyone else.

Kings, dates and spelling vary from book to book. Interpreting hieroglyphs is a learning curve and the calendar did not exist as we know it, as dates were reborn with the rise of each new Pharaoh. The approximations have been deduced by counting backwards from a recorded astronomical event that occurred every 1460 or so years (the rising of Sopdet -Sirius) coinciding with the beginning of the solar year) and other hints from excavations and the first western style history by the priest Manetho in the third century BCE. According to James Henry Breasted the Egyptians began the year with the inundation of the Nile which coincided with the rising of Sirius above the horizon which was the 19th of July in the later Julian calendar. He dates the creation of this first remarkable calendar as far back as 4241 BCE which would have been the last time when these events coincided prior to the first known records of the calendar being in use. The year was counted as 365 days and the extra quarter of a day which we adjust for every leap (fourth) year was not taken into account, so the seasons got terribly out of synchronisation over the long centuries. There were twelve months of thirty days and at the end of the year five days were added. The year was also divide into three seasons. Inundation, Sowing and Harvest. It is strange that over the centuries they did not notice the imperceptible slipping of the calendar, but in each mans lifetime the gradual loss of a quarter of a day made little impact, but when the inundation occurred months late after the solar new year, the discrepancy was just accepted. The coming together of the Solar and Sothic year occurred only once every 1460 years (365 x 4).

The other variation which makes dating difficult is that the years were measured from rise of each new Pharaoh. i.e. Year one of Ramses II etc.

SIRIUS (Alpha Canis Majoris) is the brightest star in the sky - from the Greek word for "searing" or "scorching," - Canis Major, the Greater Dog, represents Orion's larger hunting dog commonly called the "Dog Star." (there is also a smaller Sirius B) The first glimpse of Sirius in the dawn sky announced the rising of the Nile, but no longer because of the movement of the world’s axis over time. It is 23 times brighter than the Sun and twice as large. It is also only 8.6 light years away, just double that of the closest star to the Earth.

The First Known Egyptian

It is assumed that modern man and his forbears had trekked through the lands of Egypt in the earliest of days, some hundreds of thousands of years ago, as he moved from Africa to other parts, but the first known, excavated Egyptian, a child, dates back to around 55,000 years before the Pharonic era. The Nile is always thought to be the cradle of much of civilisation, but evidence is being upturned of civilisations in what is now the Sahara which in times past was a lush and wet area that promoted earlier ideas of community, death ritual and religion and these migrated to the fertile Nile as the wetlands of the Sahara dried..

The First Known Brilliant Egyptian or Man

Imhotep, the earliest identified, great man who was High Priest of Ptah, scribe, vizier, philosopher, architect and master builder of the first monumental stone pyramid, and indeed the first great stone building on earth, at Saqqara for his king Djoser almost 5000 years ago in the Third Dynasty. 'First after the Pharaoh', he was later raised to the status of a demi-god and eventually a god some centuries later around 525 BCE and his popularity continued into the Greco/Roman times. Imhotep also studied astronomy and was renowned as a healer and could be considered the true founder of medicine. In fact he was later identified with the Roman god of Medicine, Asclepius.  His thoughts and writings on medicine etc. are known only through the records of others, as none of his original texts remain. As evidence of what we have lost, he was known to possess the wisdom to consult even more ancient texts as he carried out his research. This period of surge in invention developed under the rule of Djoser who was also the first Pharaoh to be recognised as a god.

 Some of my interests follow here, detailed in an effort to help me unearth more. I once travelled to Egypt, but as I discover more of the relevance of this, our history, I feel that one day I must return to look again with a more informed background. Western bias has, in the past,  warped so much of our understanding and only today are we seeing the true roots of civilisation, thought and spirituality.

  The Last Judgement    A Papyrus  from my wall.

The most popular image in Egypt is the Last Judgement, which is found in houses, tombs and temples. The dead person kneels before the gods, swears that he is not guilty and presents offerings to help in his trial. Anubus, god of tomb protection and mummification leads him to the Balance of Justice to weigh his heart against the guiding feather of Ma'at -representing truth. A heavy heart means he is guilty of not following a good life and a light heart means he was a good person . Thoth, the god of writing, records the result and if honourable, orders him to pass accompanied by Horus, the god of protection, who leads him to Paradise for eternity. He is introduced to Osiris, god of  the underworld, who possesses the authority to take and to punish. Behind him his wife Isis, goddess of love, and his sister Nephtis, goddess of magic and beauty.

A Papyrus  from my wall.

The Egyptians were far from obsessed with death and valued life highly, but definitely everything they did in this world was guided by a belief in the underworld. The duty of the Pharaoh was to provide a link between the gods and the land. It was his responsibility to represent the gods and in fact was Horus on Earth.  He was responsible for all worship and the priests acted in his place as he could not provide and be present at all temples. The essence was to see that Ma'at that is harmony, justice and balance was present in the land. Through Ma'at came a good life for the land and for the individual and was necessary to be able to be judged worthy to enter the underworld after death. The common people usually had a personal shrine in their homes where a particular god may be honoured but the main ceremony was conducted in the temples where the priests carried out the duties in private. Offerings could be left in the forecourts by the people but the shrines hidden inside were not approached by the people. On great days such as the Opet Festival (above) however the god (statue) was often taken from its inner sanctuary and adorned with ribbons and carried on a barque through the streets by chanting priests. On such occasions the people could participate and on such holidays they were provided with beer and bread as part of the celebrations. 

Rosetta Stone

It is believed that writing was invented in the time of King Scorpion as a means of marking and recording trade goods by means of symbols on small tablets attached to jars and the like. From there it grew into a sophisticated and complex system of recording events, prayers and stories. To modern civilisation the meaning of these markings remained a mystery until the Rosetta Stone was found at el Rashid (Rosetta) in the Nile Delta in 1799. This now resides in the British Museum where I once saw it. It contains a decree issued in 196 BC on the anniversary of Ptolemy V and was written in Hieroglyphs, Demotic (a late cursive Egyptian script) and also Greek. This discovery eventually unlocked the mystery of the hieroglyphs. Jean-Francois Champollion (some call the father of Egyptology) made the translation breakthrough in 1822.  It is unfortunate that the piece displayed prominently just inside the door to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is but a copy. Hieroglyphs can represent a word, a phonetic letter, an explanation or expansion of adjoining symbols and although an alphabet of sorts exists it takes a lot more than that to understand the true meaning.

Jean Francois Champollion                                                                                   Barry             Stone    

The Egyptians were highly skilled artists and craftsmen and proud in their work. Contrary to what is often promoted, the artists and builders were seldom slaves, but free and expert tradesmen. They lived in private homes in villages with their families, passed on family skills and even were known to stage industrial action like sit-ins and strikes (one being for the supply of makeup). They wore clothes of fine linen, usually a simple skirt and sandals for the men and the women often exposed their breasts. The weather was probably the main cause of various fashions and the number of clothing items worn at any time. Jewellery and makeup were popular and the black kohl which we often see outlining the eyes helped deflect the bright glare of the sun. Their diet was good and they ate breads of wheat and barley, figs, melons and fish and the upper classes ate beef and drank wine where as the poorer classes ate mostly pork and drank a thick beer. Music abounded, as did dance, and sport. The towns had laundry services, bakeries and one specialist village, now known as Deir el Medina associated with the Valley of the Kings construction, existed for around 500 years. It consisted of approximately 70 houses and the workmen had a ten day working week, but had rest days and public holidays. Here at Deir el Medina the population grew from around 250 upwards to 1000, but only a tenth of them were involved in construction and decoration of the tombs. The necropolis of the workmen has some tombs, which they would have built themselves, that were even more elaborate than that of the nobles. For the major works, like the Pyramids about 5000 artisans were involved and in turn many others up to 20,000 joined the monument construction forces as a sacred duty during the Nile inundation when farming was impossible. They had literature and several well known stories such as the story of Sinuhe survive to today. Marriage may have been the simple agreement of a couple to live together, but many documents refer to a formal divorce. The common folk were probably monogamous although polygamy was allowed in the later times, but this may have been restricted to the Royal family and certainly a poor man could not support more than one wife, even though many women had businesses of their own. The King would need to produce heirs and also wished to emulate the gods by marrying not only for love, but many had concubines and also married within the immediate family as well as forming other political unions that became necessary. The incestuous marriages such as the King with his daughter may have been necessary for filling religious positions like Gods-Wife, but intimacy remains conjecture.

Egyptian Literature

Literary output in the Old kingdom was dominated by religious works and funerary texts describing the virtues of the deceased and also probably scientific works which have not survived. However, in the Middle Kingdom (4,000 years ago) fiction made its appearance with such works as 'The tale of the eloquent peasant', 'The tale of the shipwrecked sailor' and the one below. These had a moral tale, purporting to be factual but which some consider to be more propaganda. In the New Kingdom more books were added as well as more personal love poems.

The Story of Sinuhe

A popular tale from the 12th Dynasty - There's no place like home.

Sinuhe overhears a plot to assassinate King Amenemhet I (left) and not wishing to be implicated in the murder he flees and travels throughout Palestine and Syria, marries and has children. In old age he wishes to return and die in his native land. He is pardoned by Sesostris I(right), returns a true Egyptian and is given a tomb.

"The Prince, Count, Governor of the domains of the sovereign in the lands of the Asiatics, true and beloved Friend of the King, the Attendant Sinuhe, says: I was an attendant who attended his lord, a servant of the royal harem, waiting on the Princess, the highly praised Royal Wife of King Sesostris in Khenemsut, the daughter of King Amenemhet in Kanefru, Nefru, the revered. Year 30, third month of the inundation, day 7: the god ascended to his horizon. The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Sehetepibre, flew to heaven and united with the sun-disk, the divine body merging with its maker. Then the residence was hushed; hearts grieved; the great portals were shut; the courtiers were head-on-knee; the people moaned. His majesty, however, had despatched an army to the land of the Tjemeh, with his eldest son as its commander, the good god Sesostris. He had been sent to smite the foreign lands and to punish those of Tjehenu. Now he was returning, bringing captives of the Tjehenu and cattle of all kinds beyond number. The officials of the palace sent to the western border to let the king's son know the event that had occurred at the court. The messengers met him on the road, reaching him at night. Not a moment did he delay. The falcon flew with his attendants, without letting his army know it. But the royal sons who had been with him on this expedition had also been sent for. One of them was summoned while I was standing there. I heard his voice, as he spoke, while I was in the near distance. My heart fluttered, my arms spread out, a trembling befell all my limbs. I removed myself in leaps, to seek a hiding place. I put myself between two bushes, so as to leave the road to its traveller. I set out southward. I did not plan to go to the residence. I believed there would be turmoil and did not expect to survive it. I crossed Maaty near Sycamore; I reached Isle-of-Snefru. I spent the day there at the edge of the cultivation. Departing at dawn I encountered a man who stood on the road. He saluted me while I was afraid of him. At dinner time I reached "Cattle-Quay." I crossed in a barge without a rudder, by the force of the west wind. I passed to the east of the quarry, at the height of "Mistress of the Red Mountain." Then I made my way northward. I reached the "Walls of the Ruler," which were made to repel the Asiatics and to crush the Sand-farers. I crouched in a bush for fear of being seen by the guard on duty upon the wall. I set out at night. At dawn I reached Peten. I halted at "Isle-of-Kem-Wer." An attack of thirst overtook me; I was parched, my throat burned. I said, "This is the taste of death." I raised my heart and collected myself when I heard the lowing sound of cattle and saw Asiatics. One of their leaders, who had been in Egypt, recognized me. He gave me water and boiled milk for me. I went with him to his tribe. What they did for me was good. Land gave me to land. I travelled to Byblos; I returned to Qedem. I spent a year and a half there. Then Ammunenshi, the ruler of Upper Retenu, took me to him, saying to me: "You will be happy with me; you will hear the language of Egypt." He said this because he knew my character and had heard of my skill, Egyptians who were with him having borne witness for me. He said to me: "Why have you come here? Has something happened at the residence?" I said to him: "King Sehetepibre departed to the horizon, and one did not know the circumstances." But I spoke in half-truths: "When I returned from the expedition to the land of the Tjemeh, it was reported to me and my heart grew faint. It carried me away on the path of flight, though I had not been talked about; no one had spat in my face; I had not heard a reproach; my name had not been heard in the mouth of the herald. I do not know what brought me to this country; it is as if planned by god. As if a Delta-man saw himself in Yebu, a marsh-man in Nubia." Then he said to me: "How then is that land without that excellent god, fear of whom was throughout the lands like Sakhmet in a year of plague?" I said to him in reply: "Of course his son has entered into the palace, having taken his father's heritage.

He is a god without peer, no other comes before him; He is lord of knowledge, wise planner, skilled leader, one goes and comes by his will.

He was the smiter of foreign lands, while his father stayed in the palace, he reported to him on commands carried out.

He is a champion who acts with his arm, a fighter who has no equal, when seen engaged in archery, when joining the melee.

Horn-curber who makes hands turn weak, his foes can not close ranks; keen-sighted he smashes foreheads, none can withstand his presence.

Wide-striding he smites the fleeing, no retreat for him who turns him his back; steadfast in time of attack, he makes turn back and turns not his back.

Stout-hearted when he sees the mass, he lets not slackness fill his heart; eager at the sight of combat, joyful when he works his bow.

Clasping his shield he treads under foot, no second blow needed to kill; none can escape his arrow, none turn aside his bow.

The Bowmen flee before him, as before the might of the goddess; as he fights he plans the goal, unconcerned about all else.

Lord of grace, rich in kindness, he has conquered through affection; his city loves him more than itself, acclaims him more than its own god.

Men outdo women in hailing him, now that he is king; victor while yet in the egg, set to be ruler since his birth.

Augmenter of those born with him, he is unique, god-given; happy the land that he rules!

Enlarger of frontiers, he will conquer southern lands, while ignoring northern lands, though made to smite Asiatics and tread on Sand-farers!

"Send to him! Let him know your name as one who inquires while being far from his majesty. He will not fail to do good to a land that will be loyal to him." He said to me: "Well then, Egypt is happy knowing that he is strong. But you are here. You shall stay with me. What I shall do for you is good." He set me at the head of his children. He married me to his eldest daughter. He let me choose for myself of his land, of the best that was his, on his border with another land. It was a good land called Yaa. Figs were in it and grapes. It had more wine than water. Abundant was its honey, plentiful its oil. All kinds of fruit were on its trees. Barley was there and emmer, and no end of cattle of all kinds. Much also came to me because of the love of me; for he had made me chief of a tribe in the best part of his land. Loaves were made for me daily, and wine as daily fare, cooked meat, roast fowl, as well as desert game. For they snared for me and laid it before me, in addition to the catch of my hounds. Many sweets were made for me, and milk dishes of all kinds. I passed many years, my children becoming strong men, each a master of his tribe. The envoy who came north or went south to the residence stayed with me. I let everyone stay with me. I gave water to the thirsty; I showed the way to him who had strayed; I rescued him who had been robbed. When Asiatics conspired to attack the Rulers of Hill-Countries, I opposed their movements. For this ruler of Retenu made me carry out numerous missions as commander of his troops. Every hill tribe against which I marched I vanquished, so that it was driven from the pasture of its wells. I plundered its cattle, carried off its families, seized their food, and killed people by my strong arm, by my bow, by my movements and my skilful plans. I won his heart and he loved me, for he recognized my valour. He set me at the head of his children, for he saw the strength of my arms.

 There came a hero of Retenu, to challenge me in my tent. A champion was he without peer,  he had subdued it all. He said he would fight with me, he planned to plunder me, he meant to seize my cattle at the behest of his tribe.

The ruler conferred with me and I said: "I do not know him; I am not his ally, that I could walk about in his camp. Have I ever opened his back rooms or climbed over his fence? It is envy, because he sees me doing your commissions. I am indeed like a stray bull in a strange herd, whom the bull of the herd charges, whom the longhorn attacks. Is an inferior beloved when he becomes a superior? No Asiatic makes friends with a Delta-man. And what would make papyrus cleave to the mountain? If a bull loves combat, should a champion bull retreat for fear of being equalled? If he wishes to fight, let him declare his wish. Is there a god who does not know what he has ordained, and a man who knows how it will be?" At night I strung my bow, sorted my arrows, practiced with my dagger, polished my weapons. When it dawned Retenu came. It had assembled its tribes; it had gathered its neighbouring peoples; it was intent on this combat. He came toward me while I waited, having placed myself near him. Every heart burned for me; the women jabbered. All hearts ached for me thinking: "Is there another champion who could fight him?" He raised his battle-axe and shields while his armful of missiles fell toward me. When I had made his weapons attack me, I let his arrows pass me by without effect, one following the other. Then, when he charged me, I shot him, my arrow sticking in his neck. He screamed; he fell on his nose; I slew him with his axe. I raised my war cry over his back, while every Asiatic shouted. I gave praise to Mont, while his people mourned him. The ruler Ammunenshi took me in his arms. Then I carried off his goods; I plundered his cattle. What he had meant to do to me I did to him. I took what was in his tent; I stripped his camp. Thus I became great, wealthy in goods, rich in herds. It was the god who acted, so as to show mercy to one with whom he had been angry, whom he had made stray abroad. For today his heart is appeased.

 A fugitive fled his surroundings---   I am famed at home. A laggard lagged from hunger---   I give bread to my neighbour. A man left his land in nakedness---   I have bright clothes, fine linen. A man ran for lack of one to send---   I am rich in servants. My house is fine, my dwelling spacious---   My thoughts are at the palace!

Whichever god decreed this flight, have mercy, bring me home! Surely you will let me see the place in which my heart dwells! What is more important than that my corpse be buried in the land in which I was born! Come to my aid! What if the happy event should occur! May god pity me! May he act so as to make happy the end of one whom he punished! May his heart ache for one whom he forced to live abroad! If he is truly appeased today, may he hearken to the prayer of one far away! May he return one whom he made roam the earth to the place from which he carried him off! May Egypt's king have mercy on me, that I may live by his mercy! May I greet the mistress of the land who is in the palace! May I hear the commands of her children! Would that my body were young again! For old age has come; feebleness has overtaken me. My eyes are heavy, my arms weak; my legs fail to follow. The heart is weary; death is near. May I be conducted to the city of eternity! May I serve the Mistress of All! May she speak well of me to her children; may she spend eternity above me! Now when the majesty of King Kheperkare was told of the condition in which I was, his majesty sent word to me with royal gifts, in order to gladden the heart of this servant like that of a foreign ruler. And the royal children who were in his palace sent me their messages. Copy of the decree brought to this servant concerning his return to Egypt:

Horus: Living in Births; the Two Ladies: Living in Births; the King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Kheperkare; the Son of Re: Sesostris who lives forever. Royal decree to the Attendant Sinuhe: This decree of the King if brought to you to let you know: That you circled the foreign countries, going from Qedem to Retenu, land giving you to land, was the counsel of your own heart. What had you done that one should act against you? You had not cursed, so that your speech would be reproved. You had not spoken against the counsel of the nobles, that your words should have been rejected. This matter---it carried away your heart. It was not in my heart against you. This your heaven in the palace lives and prospers to this day. Her head is adorned with the kingship of the land; her children are in the palace. You will store riches which they give you; you will live on their bounty. Come back to Egypt! See the residence in which you lived! Kiss the ground at the great portals, mingle with the courtiers! For today you have begun to age. You have lost a man's strength. Think of the day of burial, the passing into reveredness. A night is made for you with ointments and wrappings from the hand of Tait. A funeral procession is made for you on the day of burial; the mummy case is of gold, its head of lapis lazuli. The sky is above you as you lie in the hearse, oxen drawing you, musicians going before you. The dance of the mww-dancers is done at the door of your tomb; the offering-list is read to you; sacrifice is made before your offering-stone. Your tomb-pillars, made of white stone, are among those of the royal children. You shall not die abroad! Not shall Asiatics inter you. You shall not be wrapped in the skin of a ram to serve as your coffin. Too long a roaming of the earth! Think of your corpse, come back! This decree reached me while I was standing in the midst of my tribe. When it had been read to me, I threw myself on my belly. Having touched the soil, I spread it on my chest. I strode around my camp shouting: "What compares with this which is done to a servant whom his heart led astray to alien lands? Truly good is the kindness that saves me from death! Your ka will grant me to reach my end, my body being at home!"

Copy of the reply to this decree: The servant of the Palace, Sinuhe, says: In very good peace! Regarding the matter of this flight which this servant did in his ignorance. It is your ka, O good god, lord of the Two Lands, which Re loves and which Mont lord of Thebes favours; and Amun lord of Thrones-of-the-Two-Lands, and Sobk-Re lord of Sumenu, and Horus, Hathor, Atum with his Ennead, and Sopdu-Neferbau-Semseru the Eastern Horus, and the Lady of Yemet---may she enfold your head---and the conclave upon the flood, and Min-Horus of the hill-countries, and Wereret lady of Punt, Nut, Haroeris-Re, and all the gods of Egypt and the isles of the sea---may they give life and joy to your nostrils, may they endue you with their bounty, may they give you eternity without limit, infinity without bounds! May the fear of you resound in lowlands and highlands, for you have subdued all that the sun encircles! This is the prayer of this servant for his lord who saves from the West. The lord of knowledge who knows people knew in the majesty of the palace that this servant was afraid to say it. It is like a thing too great to repeat. The great god, the peer of Re, knows the heart of one who has served him willingly. This servant is in the hand of one who thinks about him. He is placed under his care. Your Majesty is the conquering Horus; your arms vanquish all lands. May then your Majesty command to have brought to you the prince of Meki from Qedem, the mountain chiefs from Keshu, and the prince of Menus from the lands of the Fenkhu. They are rulers of renown who have grown up in the love of you. I do not mention Retenu---it belongs to you like your hounds. Lo, this flight which the servant made---I did not plan it. It was not in my heart; I did not devise it. I do not know what removed me from my place. It was like a dream. As if a Delta-man saw himself in Yebu, a marsh-man in Nubia. I was not afraid; no one ran after me. I had not heard a reproach; my name was not heard in the mouth of the herald. Yet my flesh crept, my feet hurried, my heart drove me; the god who had willed this flight dragged me away. Nor am I a haughty man. He who knows his land respects men. Re has set the fear of you throughout the land, the dread of you in every foreign country. Whether I am at the residence, whether I am in this place, it is you who covers this horizon. The sun rises at your pleasure. The water in the river is drunk when you wish. The air of heaven is breathed at your bidding. This servant will hand over to the brood which this servant begot in this place. This servant has been sent for! Your Majesty will do as he wishes! One lives by the breath which you give. As Re, Horus, and Hathor love your august nose, may Mont lord of Thebes wish it to live forever!

I was allowed to spend one more day in Yaa, handing over my possessions to my children, my eldest son taking charge of my tribe; all my possessions became his---my serfs, my herds, my fruit, my fruit trees. This servant departed southward. I halted at Horusways. The commander in charge of the garrison sent a message to the residence to let it be known. Then his majesty sent a trusted overseer of the royal domains with whom were loaded ships, bearing royal gifts for the Asiatics who had come with me to escort me to Horusways. I called each one by his name, while every butler was at his task. When I had started and set sail, there was kneading and straining beside me, until I reached the city of ltj-tawy. When it dawned, very early, they came to summon me. Ten men came and ten men went to usher me into the palace. My forehead touched the ground between the sphinxes, and the royal children stood in the gateway to meet me. The courtiers who usher through the forecourt set me on the way to the audience-hall. I found his majesty on the great throne in a kiosk of gold. Stretched out on my belly, I did not know myself before him, while this god greeted me pleasantly. I was like a man seized by darkness. My ba was gone, my limbs trembled; my heart was not in my body, I did not know life from death. His majesty said to one of the courtiers: "Lift him up, let him speak to me." Then his majesty said: "Now you have come, after having roamed foreign lands. Flight has taken its toll of you. You have aged, have reached old age. It is no small matter that your corpse will be interred without being escorted by Bowmen. But don't act thus, don't act thus, speechless though your name was called!" Fearful of punishments I answered with the answer of a frightened man: "What has my lord said to me, that I might answer it? It is not disrespect to the god! It is the terror which is in my body, like that which caused the fateful flight! Here I am before you. Life is yours. May your Majesty do as he wishes!" Then the royal daughters were brought in, and his majesty said to the queen: "Here is Sinuhe, come as an Asiatic, a product of nomads!" She uttered a very great cry, and the royal daughters shrieked all together. They said to his majesty: "Is it really he, O king, our lord?" Said his majesty: "It is really he!" Now having brought with them their necklaces, rattles, and sistra, they held them out to his majesty:

 Your hands upon the radiance, eternal king, jewels of heaven's mistress! The Gold gives life to your nostrils, the Lady of Stars enfolds you!

Southcrown fared north, northcrown south, joined, united by your majesty's word. While the Cobra decks your brow, You deliver the poor from harm. Peace to you from Re, Lord of Lands! Hail to you and the Mistress of All!

Slacken your bow, lay down your arrow, give breath to him who gasps for breathe! Give us our good gift on this good day, grant us the son of north wind, Bowman born in Egypt!

He made the flight in fear of you, he left the land in dread of you! A face that sees you shall not pale, eyes that see you shall not fear!

His majesty said: "He shall not fear, he shall not dread!" He shall be a Companion among the nobles. He shall be among the courtiers. Proceed to the robing-room to wait on him!" I left the audience-hall, the royal daughters giving me their hands. We went through the great portals, and I was put in the house of a prince. In it were luxuries: a bathroom and mirrors. In it were riches from the treasury; clothes of royal linen, myrrh, and the choice perfume of the king and of his favourite courtiers were in every room. Every servant was at his task. Years were removed from my body. I was shaved; my hair was combed. Thus was my squalor returned to the foreign land, my dress to the Sand-farers. I was clothed in fine linen; I was anointed with fine oil. I slept on a bed. I had returned the sand to those who dwell in it, the tree-oil to those who grease themselves with it. I was given a house and garden that had belonged to a courtier. Many craftsmen rebuilt it, and all its woodwork was made anew. Meals were brought to me from the palace three times, four times a day, apart from what the royal children gave without a moment's pause. A stone pyramid was built for me in the midst of the pyramids. The masons who build tombs constructed it. A master draughtsman designed in it. A master sculptor carved in it. The overseers of construction in the necropolis busied themselves with it. All the equipment that is placed in a tomb-shaft was supplied. Mortuary priests were given me. A funerary domain was made for me. It had fields and a garden in the right place, as is done for a Companion of the first rank. My statue was overlaid with gold, its skirt with electrum. It was his majesty who ordered it made. There is no commoner for whom the like has been done. I was in the favour of the king, until the day of landing came."

?

Did the Egyptians travel to Australia and did the son of Pharaoh Redjedef (the Pharaoh after Khufu) die in this land? Check this site and see what you think. It reports on many rock carvings and artefacts that indicate that the ancient Egyptians sailed across the ocean to set foot on various parts of the great southern continent.

Ancient Egypt - Link with Australia

                           My collection of books on Egypt                        

"The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt"  Richard H. Wilkinson

"The Complete Valley of the Kings"  Nicholas Reeves  and Richard H. Wilkinson

"The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries" Mark Lehner

'The Complete Tutankhamun' Nicholas Reeves

"The Cult of Ra: Sun-Worship in Ancient Egypt"  Stephen Quirke

"The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt" Richard H. Wilkinson

"The Secret Lore of Egypt: Its Impact on the West"  Erik Hornung, 

"The Mind of Egypt: History and Meaning in the Time of the Pharaohs" Jan Assmann 

"The Search for God in Ancient Egypt" Jan Assmann

"Ramses II" T.G.H. James

"Sacred Sexuality in Ancient Egypt" Ruth Schumann-Antelme, et al

"The Egyptian Philosophers"  Molefi Kete Asante

"The Life and Times of Akhnaton"  Arthur Weigall

"Cultural Atlas of Ancient Egypt" John Baines, Jaromir Malek

"How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs"  Mark Collier and Bill Manley

"An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary" Vol 1& 2  Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis Budge, E. A. Wallis Budge 

"Egypt's False Prophet- Akhenaton"  Nicholas Reeves

"The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt"  edited by Ian Shaw

"Egypt: 5000 Years of Art"  Jaromir Malek

" Egyptian Book of the Dead"  (Papyrus of Hunefer) Dr. Ramses Seleem  (highly recommended)

"The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day" (Papyrus of Ani) Raymond Faulkner 
"British Museum Dictionary of Ancient Egypt"  Ian Shaw and Paul Nicholson

"The Cairo Museum Masterpieces of Egyptian Art"  edited by Francesco Tiradritti

"Egypt the World of the Pharaohs"  edited by Regine Schulz and Matthias Seidel

"The Encyclopaedia of Ancient Egyptian Architecture" Dieter Arnold

" Pharaohs of the Sun" edited by Rita E. Freed, Yvonne J. Markowitz and Sue H. D'Auria

"Art and History of Egypt"  Alberto Carlo Carpiceci

"Chronicle of the Pharaohs" Peter A Clayton

"Egypt - Myths and Legends" Lewis Spence

"Egypt and the Sudan - a travel survival kit" Scott Wayne and Damien Simonis

"Ancient Records of Egypt: four Volumes James Henry Breasted 

"Moses and Monotheism" Sigmund Freud, 

"The Temples of Karnak: A Contribution to the Study of Pharaonic Thought" Georges De Mire

"Ramses -The Son of the Light"  "The Temple of a Million Years" "The Battle of Kadesh" "The Lady of Abu Simbel" "Under the Western Acacia"  also the 'Stone of Light' series of four 4 novels, The Queen of Freedom trilogy, The Black Pharaoh and The Tutankhamun Affair  by Christian Jacq -French Egyptologist/Novelist

"Warrior Pharaoh" a novel about Tutmoses III by Richarf A Gabriel

Updated April 23, 2007