A is for Anubis

1. A is for Anubis • Anubis is the jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in Egyptian mythology. Anubis in the Old Kingdom was the most important god of the Dead but he was replaced during the Middle Kingdom by Osiris.

2. B is for Bast • Bast is an ancient goddess that has been worshipped in Egyptian mythology since at least the Second Dynasty. In the later dynasties her role was diminished in the Egyptian pantheon. She was originally a war goddess and as her role diminished she became associated with representing fertility, protection, and motherhood.

3. C is for Cat • The cat was a revered animal in Ancient Egypt. The cat became a worshipped animal and the domesticated cat was a symbol of poise and prestige.

4. D is for Djoser • King Djoser is the best-known pharaoh of the Third dynasty of Egypt. He commissioned the official, Imhotep, to build a Step Pyramid for him at Saqqara. The Pyramid of Dsojer was the first Egyptian pyramid.

5. E is for Egypt • Ancient Egypt was in eastern north Africa and was concentrated on the Nile River. The civilization began around 3150 BCE with the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. It lasted for the next three millennia.

6. F is for Faience • Faience is a glazed ceramic material, usually blue or green in color which is made up primarily of quartz sand or crushed quartz. Egypt exploited their turquoise mines during Predynastic times and faience was probably of cheap imitation of turquoise

7. G is for Geo • Geb, the god of earth, was depicted as a bearded man with a goose on his head. He was the provider of crops and a healer. He was husband and brother of the sky goddess Nut. He was also the father of Osiris, Isis, Nepthys, and Seth.

8. H is for Hatshepsut • Queen Hatshepsut was the first female pharaoh in Egypt. She took power after her husband died, but disguised herself as a man by wearing a “false-beard”

9. I is for Imhotep • Imhotep was one of the first engineers and also one of the first physicians in Ancient Egypt. He was responsible for designing the pyramids, including the ones at Giza.

10. J is for Jars • During the sacred process of mummification, vital organs such as the stomach, intestines and the liver were placed in special canopic jars for preservation for the afterlife.

11. K is for Ka • Ka was the life force in all Egyptians. It was believed to have been breathed into people at birth.  After a person died, their ka continued to live on.  It is similar to the concept of a spirit.

12. L is for Lotus Flower • The lotus flowers bloomed out of the muddy waters of the Nile river and were a beautiful white color. They symbolized creation and life and were an important part of Egyptian society.

13. M is for Mummification • The mummification ceremony was a highly religious affair reserved only for the upper class. The purpose was to provide the body with everything it would need for the afterlife.  It included such practices as draining fluids, preserving organs in jars, wrapping the body in linens and even taking the brain out of the nose.

14. N is for Nile • This is the center of the civilization and actually one of the reasons it was so successful.  Its banks overflow annually which creates fertile soil for crops to grow. It also separates Egypt into the side of the living and the side of the dead.

15. O is for Osiris • Osiris is the god of the underworld.  He is one of the main gods in Egyptian religion and is believed to grant lasting eternity in the afterlife.

16. P is for Pharaohs • Pharaohs were the kings of Egypt. The most famous is King Tutankhamen, who died at a very early age but was known for the various treasures found in his tomb.

17. Q is for Qadesh, Battle of • C. 1273 BC – This was Ramesses most famous battle. He led the Egyptians in combat against the Hittites for control of Syria. Both sides claimed victory, but neither was truly the victor.

18. R is for Rosetta Stone • This stone was found by Napoleon’s troops in the Nile Valley in 1799. The Rosetta Stone is a black stone slab with writing in three scripts. This stone was the key in deciphering hieroglyphs, which had been lost for over 1000 years

19. S is for Sobek, the Crocodile God • This was the God of Rivers and Lakes. Sobek was most popular in the city of Arsinoe, which was later renamed Crocodilopolis by the Greeks. Sobek was worshipped in order to insure good crops and fertility

20. T is for Tigris River • This river created the boundary for Mesopotamia, or the “land between two rivers”, the other boundary is the Euphrates. The Tigris originates in the Armenian Mountains and flows about 1,200 miles to the Persian Gulf

21. U is for Userkaf • Userkaf was the first ruler of the 5th Dynasty. He is credited with establishing Egypt’s contact with the Aegean World. He is also known for building solar temples

22. V is for Valley of the Kings This valley is known as Biban el-Muluk, “doorway of gateway of the Kings”. It is located on the West Bank at Thebes, and is where many Egyptian kings were buried, including Thutmose I and Ramesses XI

23. W is for Weret Hekau • Weret Hekau is a Goddess represented by a serpent. The name means “Great of Magic”. This shrine possibly housed a statue of the Goddess.

24. X is XII Dynasty • 1937-1759 BC • The Twelfth Dynasty was a wealthy and stable dynasty which lasted about 160 years and was ruled over by a series of seven kings from Thebes. The dynasty ended when Amenenhat IV died without a male heir.

25. Y is for Yuya and Tuya • Yuya and Tuya were the parents of Queen Tiye. This husband and wife exerted immense political influence during the reigns of Amenhotep III and his father, Tuthnosis IV. The picture is of the very well preserved mummy of Yuya. Is Yuya the biblical Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers?

26. Z is for Zodiac of Dendera • This is the map of the sky. It was part of the ceiling at the Temple of Hathor, located in a section devoted to Osiris. At the time, the Eqyptians were influenced by Hellenic astronomy.