News — Educational

When we went to Egypt, we noticed on the walls of temples and tombs that there were many images of birds. It is clear that the swallow played an important role in the afterlife of ancient Egyptians. In ancient Egypt, birds served many purposes. In the Book of the Dead, there are instructions for the deceased on how to transform into a swallow. Swallows were associated with stars and the souls of the dead.  

    Contrary to the what you might think, camels are not thought to have been in Egypt during ancient times (around 3000 BC). Camels are said to have been brought by foreign travelers and conquerors who traveled across the desert in the Ptolemaic Period (around 350 BC). Today, you can find camels in Egypt used for tourist adventures. Egyptians hold camel riding tours around the Pyramids of Giza. In an effort to provide more items that give you a taste of Egypt and a feeling of walking through Egypt itself, we have added a small camel statue to our product line. Mini...

  On my most recent trip to Luxor, I went to visit my favorite spot in Medinat Habu (Habu Temple). I was surprised to see scaffolding on a large section of the columns, with a team of young students working diligently on it.  I must admit, I liked the idea of removing dust, dirt, bird poop, etc. However, when I realized that the colorful sections were changing color, I was a bit concerned.   As a purist, I much prefer the 'weathered by thousands of years' look, but I am hopeful that this deepening of the colors will lighten over...

Visit the new exhibition, "Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs", at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This showcase is local to us-- just 40 miles away! The exhibition promises "to transport you to the distant past to explore ancient Egyptian culture and the land of pharaohs".  Visit the Denver Museum of Nature and Science's website for more information and to purchase tickets: https://www.dmns.org/visit/exhibitions

Ancient Egyptians believed that there were eight spirit forms that comprised the 'soul' of the deceased, and moved on to the next life. The Ba, usually depicted as a human head with the body and outstretched wings of a falcon (often with human hands down the sides), was the embodiment of the unique characteristics (personality) of the deceased.  The Egyptians thought birds were able to fly between the world of the living and the world of the afterlife. The Ba would fly by day and unite with the other important spirit forms of the deceased in the afterlife, and then return...