News — Egyptology

Egyptian Bes is a deity from ancient Egyptian mythology. He is often depicted as a dwarf with a lion-like mane, sticking out his tongue, and displaying other grotesque features. Bes was considered a protector deity, associated with households, childbirth, and fertility.  Bes was known for his role in warding off evil spirits and protecting people from harm. He was believed to be particularly effective against malevolent forces that might harm children or mothers during childbirth. Many amulets and talismans featuring Bes were used by ancient Egyptians as protective charms. Bes was also associated with music, dance, and joy. He was...

In Egyptian mythology, it was believed that after death, a person's soul would undergo a series of trials and judgments before reaching the afterlife. Here's an overview of the judgment scene known as the "Weighing of the Heart" or the "Judgment of Osiris." According to Egyptian mythology, after death, the deceased would enter the underworld, also known as the Duat. In the Duat, the soul would face the "Weighing of the Heart" judgment before the god Osiris, who was the ruler of the afterlife. The judgment scene involved the deceased's heart being weighed against the feather of Ma'at, the goddess...

On a recent trip to Egypt, I had a long lay-over in northern Italy and visited the Egyptian Museum in Torino (Museo Egizio). It was a delightfully surprising collection. I have heard about the museum for many years, but little did I know that it is considered the second largest collection (more than 30,000 items) of Egyptian antiquities, and also it is considered the oldest Egyptian museum, more than 250 years old! Although it was midway through a Tuesday afternoon, the museum was filled with visitors; turns out it is one of the most visited in all of Italy.   The tour of...

Luxor Temple is a large ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River in the city of Luxor, in southern Egypt. It was built during the New Kingdom period, around 1400 BC, and was dedicated to the god Amun, his wife Mut, and their son Khonsu. The temple was buried for thousands of years. A mosque was built on top of the temple and was preserved during excavating and still remains at the temple's site. When we visited recently, the call to prayer was playing from speakers outside of the mosque. We visited the temple...

Ancient Egyptians made beads with faience, a mix of quartz and minerals. Today, Egyptians still make ceramic beads to mimic the look and feel of the jewelry worn by the ancients. They are referred to as mummy beads. In the mummification process, jewelry was a part of your funerary goods. Necklaces were found in royal tombs throughout ancient Egypt. Our team of Egyptian craftsmen handmake ceramic beads for our mummy bead necklaces.