Ancient Egypt Glossary and Terms

Afterlife – The Ancient Egyptians thought that after death, they would enter an afterlife.

Akhet – The time of year known as Akhet is when the Nile River floods.

Amulet – Ancient Egyptians believed that a charm worn on the person’s person had magical properties.

Amun -The principal deity of the New Kingdom was Amun.

Ankh: A sign that represented “life” and was worn by pharaohs and gods.

Book of the Dead – A book called the Book of the Dead contained several magic spells that were meant to aid a person in the hereafter.

Canopic jars: These unique jars were used to preserve mummies’ internal organs, such as their lungs, intestines, liver, and stomach.

Cedar is a tree native to Lebanon that produces sturdy building materials. The Egyptians constructed their ships out of cedar wood.

Delta: The geographical area where the Nile River divided into multiple branches before flowing into the Mediterranean Sea.

Dynasty – A dynasty is a time of government during which a line of monarchs or pharaohs all descended from the same family.

Egyptologist – An archaeologist who focuses on ancient Egypt is known as an Egyptologist.

Eye of Horus: According to the Egyptians, this lucky sun- or moon-sign shielded one from evil.

Giza – The Great Sphinx and numerous enormous pyramids were constructed in Giza.

Hatshepsut – Hatshepsut was a strong queen who rose to power as one of Egypt’s most prosperous pharaohs.

Hieroglyphics – The Ancient Egyptians used a kind of writing called hieroglyphics, which combined symbols and images.

Hyksos – The Hyksos were a group of people that briefly ruled Lower Egypt. They brought the chariot and better weapons.

Imhotep – Imhotep was the designer of the first pyramid in ancient Egypt. He later became a god and served as the pharaoh’s second in command.

Inundation -When the Nile flooded the land, the phenomenon was known as an inundation.

Lower Egypt: This region of ancient Egypt is to the north. Because it was where the Nile River ended and the Mediterranean Sea began, it was given the name Lower Egypt.

Memphis – Memphis was the Egyptian Old Kingdom’s capital city. It was close to where Upper and Lower Egypt separated.

Mummy – A dead body that has been specially preserved through embalming so that it won’t rot is referred to as a mummy.

Nefertiti – Egyptian queen Nefertiti was renowned for her beauty.

Obelisk – Obelisks are tall pillar monuments that the Egyptians typically erected in pairs next to their temple entrances.

Osiris – The Egyptian god of death is Osiris.

Papyrus – Papyrus was a plant that grew along the Nile’s banks. It was employed by the Ancient Egyptians to create rope, paper, boats, sandals, and baskets.

Pharaoh: The absolute monarch of prehistoric Egypt. He or she was revered as a deity.

Pyramid: An enormous tomb created for Egypt’s pharaohs. It had four sides that tapered to a point at the top and was built of stone.

Rosetta Stone – The Rosetta Stone is a unique stone that bears the same text in hieroglyphic form in both Greek and Egyptian. It was highly useful for deciphering and translating hieroglyphs.

Sarcophagus: A huge stone container used to house a mummy’s coffin.

Scribe – Ancient Egyptians who were properly schooled to read and write were known as scribes.

Senet – Ancient Egyptians enjoyed playing the board game senet.

Sphinx: A mythical creature having a lion’s body and a pharaoh or god’s head. To protect tombs, the Egyptians erected sphinx statues.

Thebes – Thebes served as Egypt’s capital during the New Kingdom era.

Tutankhamun – Egyptian king Tutankhamun is well-known for the discovery of his tomb. The treasure-filled tomb was mostly undisturbed.

Upper Egypt – Upper Egypt is the southern region of the Egyptian kingdom. Because the Nile River runs from Upper to Lower Egypt, it is known as Upper Egypt.

Vizier –  After the pharaoh, the vizier was the second-in-command in the Egyptian administration.