Ancient Egyptian Language

what is the Ancient Egyptian Language?

Ancient Egyptian Language considered a tributary of the Afro-Asiatic languages and connected to Berber and other Semitic languages like Arabic, Amharic, and Hebrew, is the world’s oldest extant language. Together with Sumerian, it is one of the first recorded languages. The earliest accounts of it are from around 3400 BC, when the Kingdom of Ancient Egypt was in power. It was used in a demotic form about 1000 BC, and from the Middle Ages to the 17th century, it was utilized in Coptic form. Hieroglyphs, which later served as the standard writing system, were used in conjunction with the language. After the Muslim invasion in the 7th century, Egyptian Arabic was established as the country’s official language.

CLASSIFICATION OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN LANGUAGE

Six significant historical segments make up the language’s transformational history in ancient Egypt:

ARCHAIC EGYPTIAN (BEFORE 2600 BC)

The language of the early and late dynasties has been recreated. It also has some of the oldest evidence of Egyptian hieroglyphics on artwork, including Nakada II’s pottery.

OLD EGYPTIAN (2600 – 2000 BC)

The Pyramid Texts, the largest corpus of literature in that language, and the autobiographical writings characterising ancient Egypt were both written in this language, which later became the official tongue of the Old Kingdom and the First Intermediate Period. Triple ideographic, phonetic, and plural determinants define it.

MIDDLE EGYPTIAN (2000-1300 BC)

Because it was utilised to generate several text scripts in hieroglyphic and hieratic scripts, it became known as Classical Egyptian. This comprises a number of obituary texts, including the Coffin Text and the Wisdom Text, which offer advice on how each person should live. Its appropriate for antiquities appearance represents the Egyptian intellectual way of thinking. It was also used to describe specific personal anecdotes, medicinal and scientific books like those written on papyrus by Edwin Smith, poetry, or certain ancient Egyptian gods and pharaohs. This language was extremely powerful and well-liked by the general populace. Egyptian regional accents started to resemble traditional Middle Egyptian. The grammar of this language is quite similar to the grammar of the Old Kingdom languages.

LATE EGYPTIAN (1300-700 BC)

The language first appeared in Egypt’s New Kingdom, which is regarded as the height of pre-dynastic Egyptian culture. It included a variety of classicisms as well as numerous rich religious and secular texts that were present in historical and literary works at the time. Compared to intermediate and ancient languages, intermediate languages are very different from one another. Also, it offers a wonderful illustration of spoken language. Due to hieroglyphic orthography, the grapheme stock also significantly increased.

DEMOTIC (600 BC – 400 AD)

This is a slang term from the late Ptolemaic dynasty in ancient Egypt. used for nearly a millennium. The term Demotic derives from the Hieratic (writing system) employed in Delta in its northern form.

COPTIC LANGUAGE

Coptic is the last direct descendant of Ancient Egyptian, so it is the final stage of conversion. Despite the fact that the language can be written in Egyptian hieroglyphs and demotic script, the Greek alphabet has greatly modified the Coptic alphabet. The language became the official language of the country from 200 AD to 1100 AD, and was last spoken in the 17th century AD. The language was able to survive during the Renaissance thanks to what European scholars learned from his native speakers, and is now only used as a liturgical language of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

 

Egypt Balloon Ride

Egypt Balloon Ride is one of the most amazing tourist activities in Luxor, in that blog you will find answers to a lot questions you may ask about Hot Air Balloon.

 What is Balloon over Luxor company?

Balloon over Luxor company is have twenty five years’ experience of offering passengers the most awesome, health and safety checked and entertaining hot air ballooning activities in Egypt. Balloon over luxor’s objective is to present a unique leisure experience, safely and consistently. Travelers from all over the world have gained from their expertise by enjoying Luxor’s history and beauty from a bird’s-eye perspective of a hot air balloon.

How can you book Egypt Balloon Ride in Luxor?

you can go to one of our categories Hot Air Balloon and choose between two Luxor Balloon flights, Deluxe flight and standard flight.

How can you Pay for Egypt Balloon Ride?

Balloon over Luxor accept cash and by Credit Card, also you can pay on Egyptian pound, Euros, Sterling pound, & US Dollars.

When Egypt Balloon Ride cancelled?

Egypt Balloon Ride can be cancelled due to the weather situation, if it clear you can do your Hot Air Balloon flight, if the weather is bad, it will be cancelled.

What if you paid and Egypt Balloon Ride is cancelled?

if your Hot Air Balloon cancelled due to bad weather or you want to cancel it 24 hours before the flight, you will fully refunded, but if you not Shown or cancelled it before it directly, you will noy refunded.

Great Sphinx in Giza

Pharaonic Relics from Egypt As the Great Sphinx, which was erected by the ancient Egyptians to serve as a protector and overseer of the pleated Giza, is the focus of numerous myths and legends, it is crucial to your 2020 Egypt & Nile cruise adventure. Some of the most asked concerns are the meaning of the Sphinx, what it represents, and how the Great Sphinx was constructed.

Sphinx: What does that mean?

The term “sphinx” is not just associated with the ancient Egyptians; it was also used to describe creatures that looked similar in Greece and South and Southeast Asia. These creatures had the winged body of a lion and the head of a human. It is quite impossible to ascertain the ruins’ original name. This is mostly due to the fact that it is absent from all Old Kingdom inscriptions. Nearly 2000 years after the agreed-upon construction date and the rules of classical antiquity, the Sphinx received its current name. The name is derived from a beast from Greek mythology that had an eagle’s wings, a woman’s head, and a lion’s body. The head of a man is used in place of wings in the ancient Egyptian form. The enormous Sphinx As the Greek sphinx strangles anyone who cannot solve a riddle, the English word for comes from Greek and means “strangle.” The Arabic moniker “Abu al-Haul,” which translates to “the awful one,” is another well-known one.

How was the Big Sphinx constructed?

20 metres from the bottom of its skull to the top of its head and 19 metres across the back of its hips make up the sphinx’s enormous height. The building is thought to have been constructed during the time of Pharaoh Khafre in the Old Kingdom. The Giza Plateau, which also included the Pyramids of Giza and was used as a quarry, is where the Sphinx was cut into the bedrock. The body of the modern Sphinx was progressively constructed from layers of monetary limestone, each with a varied resistance to weathering. This enormous building measures 73 metres (240 feet) from head to tail, 20 metres (66 feet) high from base to crown, and 19 metres (62 feet) wide at the end.

Regarding who built this historic wonder of the world, there are numerous theories and hypotheses. Everyone does, however, concur that the Great Sphinx was constructed circa 2500 BC. for Pharaoh Kefre, built. The aforementioned Sphinx-Kefle relationship has some supporting evidence. The design resemblance to the Valley Temple and the upside-down figure of Khefre, among other pieces of nearby evidence, are proof of this.

 

The Giza Necropolis was abandoned and neglected at some unknown time, and the Sphinx was eventually buried head-to-head in the sand. This persisted until Thutmose IV’s earliest recorded excavations, which took place around 1400 BC. The Dream Stele, a granite block, was placed between his two front legs after much digging was required to free them. Ramesses carried out another another excavation, followed by a second excavation, and by the beginning of 1887 the chest, feet, altar, and the entire Giza Plateau had been dug and were all visible.

An engineer employed by the Egyptian government made the last repairs to the Great Sphinx in 1931. The neck had been considerably eroded, and a portion of the headpiece was broken. The bear and the nose are two further components of the Sphinx that are missing. The removal of the sphinx’s nose was thought to have been caused by a cannon shot by Napoleon Bonaparte’s troops. Al-Makrizi, an Arab historian, believes that Mohammed Salim al-Dar had the nose cut off because he regarded it as an act of iconoclasm.

Regarding who built this historic wonder of the world, there are numerous theories and hypotheses. All believe, however, that the Great Sphinx was constructed approximately 2500 BC. for Pharaoh Kefre, built. The relationship between Kefre and the Sphinx, which was previously mentioned, is supported by certain evidence. The design resemblance to the Valley Temple and the upside-down figure of Khefre, among other pieces of nearby evidence, are proof of this.

How can you Visit the Sphinx?

You can visit the Great Sphinx in Giza, during your tour in Cairo, Also you can visit if you are in Luxor by an over day to Cairo with flight, for example, you can do your Hot Air Balloon flight with Balloon over Luxor company, then go to Luxor Airport to fly to Cairo, so you can visit the Great Sphinx in Giza, Pyramids in Giza and Egyptian Museum, Later back again to Cairo Airport to fly back to Luxor.

Giza city in Egypt

The Giza Prefecture’s capital is Giza City. It was formally established in the fourth century BC. In Egyptian history, it was possibly a small village from a long time ago. On the west bank of the Nile, it was situated in the middle of the path connecting Heliopolis and Memphis. The city south of modern-day Giza was the renowned capital known as “Memphis.” Throughout ancient Egyptian history, Memphis was a significant commercial and cultural hub. Memphis experienced a significant decline in importance as Christianity expanded throughout Egypt.

Memphis was abandoned after the Muslim conquest, while Giza was esteemed more. Amr Ibn Al-As, the leader of the Arab conquest army, gave the order to fortify it adequately. Great mosques were constructed in Giza, but sadly none of them are still standing. There is still a sizable quantity of greenery and agricultural activity in this area, which is primarily farmland. It has also experienced floods from the Nile throughout its history, particularly in the lowlands. For many years, Giza was just a tiny town encircled by modest farming and fishing settlements and rural villages.

Memphis was left behind after the Muslim conquest, but Giza was more highly valued. Amr Ibn Al-As, the Arab conquest army’s commander, gave the order to fortify it well. In Giza, magnificent mosques were constructed, but sadly none of them are still standing. Despite the fact that a large portion of this region is farmland, there is still a sizable amount of vegetation and agricultural activity. Additionally, particularly in the lowlands, it has experienced Nile flooding throughout its history. Giza was just a tiny town for many years, surrounded by small farming and fishing communities and rural villages.

Giza in Contemporary Era

The Suez Canal was officially opened in 1869 in front of the Egyptian governor Ismael Basha, as well as notable dignitaries from throughout the world, including kings, princes, princesses, counts, and ministers. and most importantly, French Empress Eugénie, the third French Emperor’s wife. In order to facilitate transit and visitation, a significant program of public works was planned, implemented, and involved building, reconstruction, decoration, and maintenance. This is how “Pyramid Avenue” projected in Giza, a place of renowned visitors, notably historical landmarks.

New neighborhoods with schools, hotels, restaurants, banks, and other businesses popped up. Beginning in the early 20th century, Cairo University’s grandiose vision took shape. a plot of land close to the Nile’s west bank. The government also decided to be New Cairo University. However, it actually and physically belongs to the nation of the city of Giza. In addition to Egypt, the Arab region and Africa also have this university as their parent institution.

Following that, numerous embassies were constructed in the city, particularly in the El Duqqi neighbourhood and the city center. The city of Giza is currently a part of Greater Cairo for geographical and demographic reasons, although historically they were two different provinces with their own sovereign mayors and councils:
Greater Cairo included the entirety of Cairo, the majority of Giza, and a portion of the Al-Qalyubia Province, which is located to the north of modern-day Cairo. There are around 20 million people living in this area.

Diversity of Giza monuments

The majority of the structures at Giza date to ancient Egypt. Contrary to Cairo, which possesses the majority of Muslim and Christian Coptic monuments on Egyptian soil, old Muslim and Christian monuments are uncommon in the city. There are not many historical sites from ancient Egypt.

Sakkara, the expansive necropolis of the great ancient capital of Memphis, which contains a variety of monuments ranging from the pyramids above the stepped pyramid of King Zoser, and a large number of mastabas, the decorated tombs of ancient nobles with themes depicting wonderful scenes from daily life in ancient Egypt, are actually some of the most significant historical sites in Giza. Large underground chambers known as serapiums are where sacred bulls (Apis) are interred in enormous stone sarcophagi. Memphis’ ancient capital’s ruins can be found at Giza as well. Other significant historical sites in the area include Dahshour, Abu Sir, Atfih, and Abu Rawash; however, Bahareya is located 380 kilometres from the Giza border in the western desert. The Giza plateau, home to the enormous pyramids of Cheops, Chefren, and Menqueos, as well as the Sphinx, is the most significant location.