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Divine Young Cannibals: The Pyramid Texts of Unas (Part 3)
We leave the Duat and enter the horizon. On the walls of the antechamber, Unas’ Pyramid Texts describe the king’s entry to the sky. The ruler establishes and affirms his power. And, in a famous passa…
Published on 12 years, 4 months ago
Buffet of the Gods: The Pyramid Texts of Unas (Part 2)
We travel deeper into the stars. Unas’ Pyramid Texts, on the walls of his burial chamber, lay out protections against serpents and dangers. They also introduce offerings, to sustain the King’s soul a…
Published on 12 years, 4 months ago
Death is Only the Beginning: The Pyramid Texts of Unas (Part 1)
Unas in the sky with deities. Around 2320 BCE, King Unas did something interesting. His pyramid, at Saqqraa, is the first (surviving) monument to feature the Pyramid Texts. These elaborate hieroglyph…
Published on 12 years, 4 months ago
16: A Cannibal Hymn (The Pyramid Texts of Unas, Short Version)
The Pyramid Texts appear. Around 2410 BCE, a new trend began in royal pyramid building. King Unas initiated something unusual when he introduced hieroglyph texts to the burial chamber of his pyramid.…
Published on 12 years, 4 months ago
Interview: Ancient Technologies, with Dr. Martin Odler
Interview recorded 2021. Dr. Martin Odler is a researcher at the Czech Institute of Egyptology, at Charles University in Prague. He studies the tools and objects that Egyptians used to build their fa…
Published on 12 years, 4 months ago
15: The Enduring Ka
Dynasty 6 and new ideas. Around 2440 BCE, a new king came to power. King Djed-ka-Re ("The Spirit of Re Endures") was an effective ruler, who reformed the government and left a rich artistic and writt…
Published on 12 years, 5 months ago
14: The Joy of Re's Heart
An Uphill Battle. The reign of King Ny-user-Re was not a bed of lotuses. After a rocky start, the young ruler worked to make his household and kingdom prosperous. We see this trend in a flowering of …
Published on 12 years, 5 months ago
13: The Hairdressers Cometh
I Got You, Fam. After a series of short reigns, King Ny-User-Re came to power and brought some much-needed stability. In his long reign, Niuserre strengthened the power of his government and househol…
Published on 12 years, 5 months ago
12: I Make the Soul Beautiful
Quick Successions. After the death of Sahure, multiple kings came and went in a short span of time. In this episode, we follow the reigns of Nefer-ir-ka-Re ("Making the Soul of Re Beautiful") and Ra-…
Published on 12 years, 6 months ago
11: Off To Punt We Go
The Great Fleet. Around 2485 BCE, King Userkaf died and passed the throne to his son, Sahure ("One Who is Close to Re"). At this point, Egyptians launched the first (recorded) expedition to Punt. Thi…
Published on 12 years, 7 months ago