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) |