Egypt

Question 1

Ankh

Answer 1

an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol that was most commonly used in writing and in Egyptian art to represent the word for “life” and, by extension, as a symbol of life itself.

Question 2

Akh

Answer 2

an effective spirit that could influence events in this world. It was believed that it needed a preserved body and tomb in order to exist. It was the transfigured spirit that survived death and mingled with the gods. The akh was only allowed to individuals whose souls were worthy because they were good people in their past lives.

Question 3

Ba

Answer 3

The part of the soul that could travel between the worlds of the living and the dead. It was seen as a human-headed bird hovering over the deceased or exiting the tomb in hieroglyphics.

Question 4

Barque

Answer 4

These thin boats that curve up at either end were the transports of the gods, especially during festival processions. In temple sanctuaries, models of barques held statues of a deity. When a pharaoh died, a barque would transport them on their way to becoming a god.

Question 5

Canopic Jars

Answer 5

Four jars used to store the preserved internal organs of the deceased. Each jar is representative of one of the four sons of Horus. The term comes from the Greek, Canopus, a demigod venerated in the form of a human-headed jar.

Question 6

Cartouche

Answer 6

an oval frame used to surround the hieroglyphic name of any important person in ancient Egypt

Question 7

Djed

Answer 7

A representation of the spine, it symbolized stability. A djed amulet was often placed in coffins, where the backbone of the deceased would lay, to ensure eternal life. During a Sed festival, the pharaoh, with the help of priests, would raise a djed column.

Question 8

Faience

Answer 8

A blue-green powdered quartz paste which is modeled or molded and fired

Question 9

Frontalism

Answer 9

a code, or a set of rules for producing the artwork in ancient Egypt. These rules state that the head of the character is always drawn in from the side, the body from the front, one eye is drawn in full, legs turned to the same side as the head, with one foot placed in front of the other.

Question 10

Hieroglyphics

Answer 10

the formal writing system used in Ancient Egypt, used for writing the Egyptian language. The writing combined logographic, syllabic and alphabetic elements, with a total of some 1,000 distinct characters.

Question 11

Hypostyle hall

Answer 11

The reception area of a temple. Originally, most would have had a roof over rows of densely packed columns with capitals depicting palms, papyri or lotuses to represent the lush island of creation.

Question 12

Ka

Answer 12

was essentially a person’s double, it was the life force and at death, it was separated from the body. The reason for extensive and elaborate preparation for the body for the afterlife was to ensure the ka had a home.

Question 13

Kohl

Answer 13

Black powder made from galena ore (the chief source of lead) mixed with oil and used as an eyeliner by women and men.

Question 14

Linen

Answer 14

a fabric woven from the flax plant that was popular in ancient Egypt

Question 15

Mastaba

Answer 15

A type of tomb first used during the Old Kingdom that consists of a superstructure above ground and a substructure below ground.

Question 16

New Kingdom

Answer 16

a period in Ancient Egypt from 1580 to 1090 BC. It is was noted for its territorial expansion and richness of art and architecture under rulers such as Amenhotep III and Ramesses II.

Question 17

Old Kingdom

Answer 17

is a period of time during the history of Ancient Egypt. It lasted from 2575 BC to 2150 BC. Over these 400 years, Egypt had a strong central government and a prosperous economy. Most famous as a time when many pyramids were built.

Question 18

Papyrus

Answer 18

The writing surface used by Egyptian scribes. Derived from the pith of the stalks of papyrus, which grew along the banks of the Nile, the plant was also used to make boats, sandals, baskets and rope

Question 19

Pharaoh

Answer 19

a term meaning “great house” referring to the royal palace in ancient Egypt. The word came to be used metonymically for the Egyptian king under the New Kingdom starting in the 18th dynasty.

Question 20

Pyramid

Answer 20

Known as ‘mr’ or ‘mir’ by the Egyptians, these were royal tombs and considered the place of ascent for the spirit of the deceased pharaoh. From the top point, it was thought, the soul would travel to the after-life of the Field of Reeds and, if it so chose, could easily return to earth.

Question 21

Sarcophagus

Answer 21

A large stone container that held a mummy’s coffin. Its name comes from the Greek sarkophagos, meaning “flesh-eater.”

Question 22

Scarab

Answer 22

an important symbol in the form of the dung beetle. This beetle was associated with the divine manifestation of the early morning sun, Khepri, whose name was written with the scarab hieroglyph and who was believed to roll the disk of the morning sun over the eastern horizon at daybreak.

Question 23

Sphinx

Answer 23

an Egyptian statue having the body of a lion and the head of a man

Question 24

Uraeus

Answer 24

A rearing cobra in a threatening pose that represented divine authority, worn as a crown or head ornament by Ancient Egyptian divinities and rulers. It showed that the pharaoh had the protection of the goddess Wadjet, the patroness of Lower Egypt.

Question 25

Valley of the Kings

Answer 25

a valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, rock-cut tombs were made for the pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom

Question 26

Wedjet

Answer 26

The Sacred Eye Of Horus. This comes from the Myth of Horus and Seth, who fought each other and Seth plucked the eye from Horus and had to be restored before Horus was complete again. It is associated with completeness, rebirth and the renewal of life.