By Brian Alm. Published on Egyptological, In Brief, June 16th 2014.
Further to his article Confessions of a Part-time Lecturer to Newcomers in Egyptology: Cheops or Khufu? Brian Alm has very kindly responded to a number of requests for a decoder for Greek terms by sending the following tables for readers.
- dj – j, g as in judge
- tj – ch as in church
- kh – k
ROYALTY
| Greek / English | Egyptian |
|---|---|
| Ahmose | Ahmes (18th Dynasty) |
| Amasis/Ahmose | Ahmes (26th Dynasty) |
| Amenophis | Amenhotep |
| Ammenemes | Amenemhat |
| Apries/Waphres | Wahibra Haaibra |
| Cheops/Kheops | Khufu |
| Chephren/Khephren | Khafra |
| Hyksos | Hikau Khasut |
| Mycerinus/Mykerinos | Menkaura |
| Necho | Nekau |
| Phiops | Pepi |
| Psamtek/Psammetichus | Wahibra/Uahibra |
| Psusennes | Pasibkhanu/Hor-Pasebakhaenniut |
| Ramesses | Ramess-su |
| Sesostris | Senuseret (also spelled Senwosret) |
| Sethos | Seti |
| Thutmosis/mose | Djehutymes |
DEITIES
| Greek / English | Egyptian |
|---|---|
| Anubis | Anpu/Inpu; a.k.a. Khenty-Amentiu (Foremost of the Westerners) |
| Horus (solar) | Horakhty/Harakhty/Ra-Horakhty (Horus the Elder) |
| Horus (Osirian) | Hor/Hor-es-Iset (Horus son of Isis) |
| Isis | Iset |
| Nephthys | Nebthet |
| Onuris | Anhur |
| Osiris | Usir/Useru/Wennefer (there were many names for Osiris) |
| Thoth | Djehuty |
| Two Ladies | Nebty (dual, feminine form of Neb, Lord)
|
PLACES
| Greek / English (*Arabic) |
Egyptian |
|---|---|
| Abydos | Abdju (the first necropolis; Osirian cult centre |
| Amarna | Akhenaten (Horizon of the Aten) |
| Avaris | Hut-Weret |
| Bubastis | Per-Bast |
| Deir el-Bahri * | Djeseret (The Holy Place) |
| Deir el-Medina * | Pa Demi (The Village – home of the tomb workers ) |
| Egypt | Kemet |
| Elephantine | Abu (Elephantine Island at the 1st Cataract) |
| Heliopolis | Iunu |
| Herakleopolis | Nekhen |
| Hermopolis | Khemennu |
| Hierakonpolis | Nekhen |
| el-Kab * | Nekheb |
| Karnak temple | Ipet Isut (The Elected Place; temple of Amun) |
| el-Lisht * | Itj-tawy |
| Lower Egypt | Ta-Mehu |
| Luxor Temple | Ipet Resyt (The Southern Sanctuary) |
| Mediterranean | Wedj-wer (The Great Green) |
| Memphis | Men-nefer (Eternally beautiful), Hut Ka Ptah (Dwelling of Ptah), Ineb-Hedj (the city of What Walls, original name) |
| Sebennytos | Tjebnetjer |
| Sais | Sau |
| Tanis | Djanet |
| Thebes/Luxor | Uaset/Waset, a.k.a. Iunu Shema (Southern Heliopolis) |
| The Two Lands | Tawy (dual form of ta, land) |
| Upper Egypt | Ta-Shema |
| Valley of the Kings | Ta set a’at (The Great Place), Ta-int (The Valley) |
MISCELLANY: THINGS, TERMS, ETC.
| Greek / English | Egyptian |
|---|---|
| Apophis | Apep |
| Hieroglyphs | Medu-netjer (The Words of God) |
| Naos | Djeser-djeseru (Holy of Holies) |
| Nome(s) | Sepat(u) (English nome from Greek nomos) |
| Obelisk | Tekhen |
| Pyramid | Mer |
| Pyramidion | Benbenet (from weben = “to rise”) |
| School | Per-ankh (the house of life) |
| Sothis | Sopdet (the star Sirius) |
| Temple | Per-netjer (The House of God) |
| True of Voice | Ma’a kheru (said of the “Justified,” the sanctified dead) |
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