Include everything

Ma’at
What: Concept of truth, justice, and cosmic order | Date: All periods | Author/Creator: Mythic, embodied by goddess Ma’at | Purpose: To maintain harmony in universe and society | Significance: Core Egyptian value guiding kingship and life, emphasized by Van De Mieroop (Ch. 1) as foundational to stability.

Annual flood
What: Natural event of Nile inundation | Date: All periods | Author/Creator: Nature | Purpose: To fertilize land for agriculture | Significance: Enabled Egypt’s economy, showing reliance on natural order per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 1).

Manetho
What: Person, priest/historian | Date: ~280 BCE, Ptolemaic Period | Author/Creator: Manetho, wrote "Aegyptiaca" | Purpose: To chronicle Egypt’s dynasties for Greeks | Significance: Provides modern periodization (e.g., Old Kingdom), key framework in Van De Mieroop (Ch. 1).

King Lists
What: Records of pharaohs | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Scribes/priests | Purpose: To track royal succession | Significance: Reflects focus on legitimacy, a historical tool per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 2).

Papyrus/Papyri
What: Writing material from reeds | Date: All periods, prominent Middle Kingdom (~2055 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Scribes | Purpose: To record texts (e.g., Sinuhe) | Significance: Expanded literacy, showing cultural priorities in Simpson (pp. 13-66).

Ostracon/Ostraca
What: Pottery/stone fragments | Date: All periods | Author/Creator: Common people/scribes | Purpose: For informal notes or sketches | Significance: Reveals everyday literacy, highlighted by Miano (pp. 8-21).

Narmer
What: Person, first king | Date: ~3100 BCE, Predynastic/Early Dynastic | Author/Creator: Unknown, linked to Narmer Palette | Purpose: To unify Egypt | Significance: Marks Pharaonic start, shown in Robins (Ch. 1-2) via art.

Mastaba tomb
What: Rectangular burial structure | Date: Predynastic to Old Kingdom (~4000–2181 BCE) | Author/Creator: Elites | Purpose: To house the dead | Significance: Early afterlife belief, per Robins (Ch. 1).

Pyramids at Giza
What: Monumental tombs | Date: ~2630–2500 BCE, Old Kingdom | Author/Creator: Pharaohs (Khufu, etc.), laborers | Purpose: To ensure divine afterlife | Significance: Shows centralized power, per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 3).

Nome
What: Administrative region | Date: All periods, formalized Old Kingdom (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Pharaohs/nomarchs | Purpose: To govern locally | Significance: Reveals decentralized unity, per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 2).

Osiris
What: God of afterlife | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Mythic | Purpose: To judge the dead | Significance: Shapes funeral beliefs, per Simpson (pp. 247-262).

Isis
What: Goddess of magic/motherhood | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Mythic | Purpose: To protect Osiris/Horus | Significance: Symbolizes family roles, per Simpson (pp. 247-262).

Seth
What: God of chaos | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Mythic | Purpose: To oppose Osiris | Significance: Shows cosmic duality, per Simpson (pp. 247-262).

Ra/Re/Amun-Ra
What: Sun god, later merged with Amun | Date: Old Kingdom onward, peaks Middle Kingdom (~2055 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Mythic/priests | Purpose: To rule cosmos | Significance: Ties to state religion, per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 5).

Hieroglyphics
What: Pictorial writing system | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Scribes | Purpose: To record sacred/official texts | Significance: Shows literacy’s complexity, per Miano (pp. 3-6).

Hieratic
What: Cursive script | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Scribes | Purpose: For everyday records | Significance: Practical writing adaptation, per Miano (pp. 8-21).

Nubia
What: Region south of Egypt | Date: All periods | Author/Creator: Indigenous peoples | Purpose: Trade/conquest zone | Significance: Shows expansion, key in Middle Kingdom per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 5).

Sphinx
What: Lion-human statue | Date: ~2550 BCE, Old Kingdom | Author/Creator: Khafre’s builders | Purpose: To guard Giza | Significance: Symbolizes royal power, per Robins (Ch. 3).

Sneferu
What: Person, pharaoh | Date: ~2613–2589 BCE, Old Kingdom | Author/Creator: Sneferu, built pyramids | Purpose: To establish divine rule | Significance: Marks monumental shift, per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 3).

Vizier
What: Chief administrator | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Appointed by pharaoh | Purpose: To manage state | Significance: Shows bureaucracy, per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 2).

Horus
What: Falcon god of kingship | Date: All periods | Author/Creator: Mythic | Purpose: To protect pharaohs | Significance: Links kings to divine, per Robins (Ch. 1).

Pyramid Texts
What: Funerary spells | Date: ~2350 BCE, Old Kingdom | Author/Creator: Priests | Purpose: To guide king’s afterlife | Significance: Earliest religious texts, per Simpson (pp. 247-262).

Thebes
What: City, religious capital | Date: Middle Kingdom onward (~2055 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Pharaohs/priests | Purpose: To house Amun’s cult | Significance: Reflects religious shift, per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 5).

Nebehetra Menuhotep II
What: Person, pharaoh | Date: ~2055–2004 BCE, Middle Kingdom | Author/Creator: Menuhotep II | Purpose: To reunite Egypt | Significance: Ends First Intermediate, per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 5).

Sema-tawy symbol
What: Unification motif | Date: All periods | Author/Creator: Artists | Purpose: To show unity | Significance: Reinforces kingship, per Robins (Ch. 1).

Asiatics/Syro-Palestine
What: Peoples east of Egypt | Date: Middle Kingdom onward (~2055 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Foreigners | Purpose: Trade/conflict source | Significance: Key to Hyksos, per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 6).

Kamose
What: Person, pharaoh | Date: ~1555–1550 BCE, Second Intermediate | Author/Creator: Kamose, wrote stelae | Purpose: To fight Hyksos | Significance: Starts resistance, per Simpson (pp. 345-350).

Lahun
What: Workers’ town | Date: ~1800 BCE, Middle Kingdom | Author/Creator: Senusret II | Purpose: To house pyramid builders | Significance: Shows labor life, per Szpakowska (Ch. 1-6).

Avaris
What: City, Hyksos capital | Date: ~1650–1550 BCE, Second Intermediate | Author/Creator: Hyksos | Purpose: Administrative center | Significance: Marks foreign rule, per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 6).

Hedjerit
What: Fictional character, middle-class girl | Date: Middle Kingdom (~2055–1650 BCE) | Author/Creator: Szpakowska | Purpose: To illustrate daily life | Significance: Reveals gender/class, per Szpakowska (Ch. 1-6).

Provenance
What: Concept, artifact origin | Date: All periods | Author/Creator: Archaeologists | Purpose: To trace object history | Significance: Key to material culture, per Robins (Ch. 4).

Sed festival
What: Royal jubilee ritual | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Pharaohs/priests | Purpose: To renew king’s power | Significance: Shows ritual importance, per Van De Mieroop (Ch. 2).

33. Faience
What: Bright blue-green glazed ceramic material crafted into beads, amulets, and decorative items | Date: All periods | Author/Creator: Artisans | Purpose: For jewelry/amulets | Significance: Faience’s widespread use reflects Egypt’s advanced craftsmanship and belief in protective magic. Robins (Ch. 4) showcases its artistic and spiritual value across periods.

34. Story of Sinuhe
What: Middle Kingdom narrative on papyrus about a noble’s exile and triumphant return to Egypt | Date: ~1900 BCE, Middle Kingdom | Author/Creator: Unknown scribe | Purpose: Entertainment/propaganda | Significance: Sinuhe’s tale celebrates loyalty to the king and Egyptian identity, marking a literary high point. Simpson (pp. 13-66) includes it as a Middle Kingdom classic.

35. Man Weary of Life
What: Middle Kingdom philosophical dialogue exploring a man’s despair and hope, written on papyrus | Date: Middle Kingdom (~2055–1650 BCE) | Author/Creator: Unknown scribe | Purpose: Philosophical reflection | Significance: This text reveals deep emotional and existential thought, adding complexity to Egyptian wisdom literature. Simpson (pp. 152-171) presents it as a unique introspective work.

36. Semna Stelae
What: Stone markers erected by Senusret III at Nubian fortresses, declaring Egypt’s southern boundary | Date: ~1878 BCE, Middle Kingdom | Author/Creator: Senusret III, scribes | Purpose: To claim Nubian control | Significance: These stelae showcase Middle Kingdom military pride and territorial ambition. Simpson (pp. 425-427) records their bold assertions of power.

37. Ka, Ba, Akh
What: Spiritual triad of the soul: Ka (life force), Ba (personality), Akh (unified spirit in afterlife) | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Priests | Purpose: To explain afterlife | Significance: These concepts shaped Egypt’s intricate afterlife theology, influencing burial customs across periods. Simpson (pp. 247-262) ties them to Pyramid Texts’ spiritual framework.

38. Pharaoh
What: Title for Egypt’s divine king, a ruler seen as a living god bridging the human and divine realms | Date: All periods | Author/Creator: Succession of rulers | Purpose: To rule as god | Significance: The pharaoh was Egypt’s unifying figure, embodying Ma’at and wielding absolute power. Van De Mieroop (Ch. 2) frames Old Kingdom pharaohs as central to society.

39. Grid systems in art and architecture
What: Proportional guidelines used by artists and builders to ensure symmetry and harmony in works | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Artists | Purpose: To standardize depictions | Significance: Grid systems reveal Egypt’s meticulous approach to aesthetics, ensuring timeless artistic consistency. Robins (Ch. 4) analyzes their use in Old Kingdom statues.

40. First Intermediate Period
What: Turbulent era of political fragmentation after the Old Kingdom, marked by rival dynasties and local rule | Date: ~2181–2055 BCE | Author/Creator: N/A | Purpose: N/A | Significance: This period exposes Egypt’s fragility without a strong central authority, contrasting with unified eras. Van De Mieroop (Ch. 4) attributes its chaos to environmental and political failures.

41. Buhen
What: Fortified settlement in Nubia, constructed to protect Egypt’s southern frontier and trade routes | Date: Middle Kingdom (~2055–1650 BCE) | Author/Creator: Senusret III | Purpose: To defend border | Significance: Buhen exemplifies Middle Kingdom militarization and control over Nubia, securing vital resources. Van De Mieroop (Ch. 5) notes its strategic importance.

42. Kingdom of Kush
What: Powerful Nubian state south of Egypt, a rival kingdom and trade partner with its own rulers | Date: Middle Kingdom onward (~2055 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Kushites | Purpose: Rival/trade partner | Significance: Kush challenged Egypt’s southern dominance, influencing later conflicts and exchanges. Van De Mieroop (Ch. 5) mentions its growing presence in the Middle Kingdom.

43. Memphis
What: Ancient capital in Lower Egypt near the Delta, a key political, religious, and economic center | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Pharaohs | Purpose: Administrative/religious center | Significance: Memphis anchored northern power, symbolizing Egypt’s early unity and strength. Van De Mieroop (Ch. 2) ties it to Old Kingdom governance.

44. Senusret/Senwosret III
What: 12th Dynasty pharaoh who expanded Egypt’s borders, built Nubian forts, and centralized power | Date: ~1878–1839 BCE, Middle Kingdom | Author/Creator: Senusret III | Purpose: To strengthen Egypt | Significance: His reign marks the Middle Kingdom’s military and administrative zenith, stabilizing the state. Van De Mieroop (Ch. 5) credits him with transformative leadership.

45. Cartouche
What: Oval frame encircling a pharaoh’s name in hieroglyphs, a royal emblem of identity and sanctity | Date: Old Kingdom onward (~2686 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Scribes | Purpose: To identify pharaohs | Significance: Cartouches visually affirmed the pharaoh’s divine status, a constant in royal art. Robins (Ch. 1) links them to early kingship symbols.

46. Hyksos
What: Foreign invaders from Syro-Palestine who ruled Lower Egypt as a dynasty, based in Avaris | Date: ~1650–1550 BCE, Second Intermediate | Author/Creator: Asiatics | Purpose: To rule north | Significance: The Hyksos disrupted native rule, introducing technologies like chariots that reshaped Egypt. Van De Mieroop (Ch. 6) details their impact and the resistance they provoked.

47. Birth wand/tusk
What: Curved ivory ritual object inscribed with protective deities, used by women during childbirth | Date: Middle Kingdom (~2055–1650 BCE) | Author/Creator: Artisans | Purpose: To aid childbirth | Significance: These wands reflect domestic religion and the importance of maternal protection in daily life. Szpakowska (Ch. 7-10) connects them to Taweret’s cult.

48. Taweret
What: Hippopotamus goddess of childbirth and protection, depicted with a pregnant belly and fierce features | Date: Middle Kingdom onward (~2055 BCE+) | Author/Creator: Mythic | Purpose: To protect childbirth | Significance: Taweret’s worship underscores the centrality of family and safety in Egyptian households. Szpakowska (Ch. 7-10) ties her to Middle Kingdom domestic practices.

49. The Shipwrecked Sailor
What: Middle Kingdom tale of a sailor’s adventure on a magical island, blending realism and fantasy | Date: Middle Kingdom (~2055–1650 BCE) | Author/Creator: Unknown scribe | Purpose: Entertainment | Significance: This story highlights storytelling’s role in expressing resilience and divine favor, a cultural gem. Simpson (pp. 13-66) includes it as a Middle Kingdom narrative.

50. Djoser
What: 3rd Dynasty pharaoh who commissioned the Step Pyramid, designed by Imhotep, first in stone | Date: ~2670 BCE, Old Kingdom | Author/Creator: Djoser, Imhotep | Purpose: To build Step Pyramid | Significance: Djoser’s pyramid marks the shift to monumental architecture, heralding the Old Kingdom’s grandeur. Van De Mieroop (Ch. 2) credits him with this transition.

51. Satire on the Trades
What: Middle Kingdom text mocking manual labor while extolling the scribe’s privileged status | Date: Middle Kingdom (~2055–1650 BCE) | Author/Creator: Scribes | Purpose: To praise scribes | Significance: This work reveals Egypt’s rigid social hierarchy and the high value placed on literacy. Simpson (pp. 431-437) presents it as a cultural critique.

52. King Cheops and the Magician
What: Middle Kingdom story of Khufu (Cheops) witnessing magical feats, mixing history with myth | Date: Middle Kingdom (~2055–1650 BCE) | Author/Creator: Scribes | Purpose: Entertainment | Significance: It enhances Khufu’s mystique, showing how literature preserved and embellished royal legacies. Simpson (pp. 13-66) includes it as a narrative blend.

53. Tale of the Eloquent Peasant
What: Middle Kingdom narrative of a peasant seeking justice through eloquent pleas to officials | Date: Middle Kingdom (~2055–1650 BCE) | Author/Creator: Scribes | Purpose: Moral lesson | Significance: The tale upholds Ma’at through justice, reflecting ethical ideals prized in Egyptian society. Simpson (pp. 13-66) showcases its moral depth.

54. Maxims of Ptahhotep
What: Old Kingdom wisdom text, later copied, offering practical advice on virtue and leadership | Date: Old Kingdom (~2686–2181 BCE), copied later | Author/Creator: Ptahhotep | Purpose: To teach virtue | Significance: These maxims establish a moral foundation that persisted across Egypt’s history, influencing behavior. Simpson (pp. 129-148) preserves their timeless guidance.

55. Stelae of Iykhernofret
What: Middle Kingdom inscriptions by official Iykhernofret, detailing his role in an Osiris festival | Date: Middle Kingdom (~2055–1650 BCE) | Author/Creator: Iykhernofret | Purpose: To record festival | Significance: These stelae reveal the importance of religious duties and Osiris’ cult in Middle Kingdom life. Simpson (pp. 337-344) documents their ritual significance.

56. OK Autobiographies
What: Old Kingdom tomb inscriptions by elites (e.g., Weni, Harkhuf), boasting of their deeds and royal favor | Date: Old Kingdom (~2686–2181 BCE) | Author/Creator: Elites | Purpose: To boast achievements | Significance: These texts provide personal insights into elite life and loyalty to the pharaoh, a rich historical source. Simpson (pp. 401-413) compiles them as Old Kingdom voices.