Ancient Egyptian Curse Words Before delving into the topic of ancient Egyptian curse words, it is essential to understand the context in which these words were used. Ancient Egyptians believed in the existence of various deities and spirits, both good and evil. Magic, spells, and curses played a significant role in their daily lives. The Egyptians believed that words had magical power and could bring harm or protection. Despite this belief, ancient Egyptian curse words were not commonly used in everyday speech. They were reserved for specific rituals, spells, or when seeking divine intervention.

An Egyptological Review of ‘The Mummy’ (1999)

The 1999 release of The Mummy directed by Stephen Sommers is yet another instalment in the mummy genre following Boris Karloff’s famous 1932 version The Mummy. The 1999 film stars protagonist Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) as the maverick, streetsmart adventurer, Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz), a book-smart scholar, and Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), the film’s antagonist. Set in the early parts of the twentieth century, the film centres around re-awakening a mummy (what else?!) cursed in antiquity. How does this movie rate in historical accuracy? Did the figure, Imhotep, actually exist?

Thebes and the Pyramids of Giza

The film opens with a grand, panoramic view of the pyramids in Giza, featuring the Sphinx under construction. Except we are not at Giza; instead, the narrator tells us we are in “Thebes, City of the Living”, several hundred of kilometres to the south!

The time is the Nineteenth Dynasty, during the reign of the pharaoh, Seti I (c. 1,294-1,279 BC). Seti I, the famous father of Ramesses II, is often regarded as one of Egypt’s most powerful kings. The wealth and monumentality of Egypt comes out strong in the grandeur of the royal palace, located next to the pyramids. In contrast, we think of the pyramids now as the apex of a large funerary complex, so palaces would not have been located in proximity (1).

Imhotep (right) and Anck-su-namun (left) as shown in the palace. Anck-su-namun wears an ornately-decorated pectoral (photo: IMDB).

Imhotep and Anck-su–namun

Imhotep, the pharoah’s high priest, meets Anck-su-namun, mistress of the pharaoh. The narrator declares the illicit love they have for each other; a love which later compels Imhotep to bring her alive again. There was actually a person by the name of Imhotep, who lived in the Third Dynasty (c. 2,667-2,648 BC). He was pharaoh Djoser’s chief architect.

The name, Anck-su-namun comes from Ankhesenamun, who was the wife of Tutankhamun, from the Eighteenth Dynasty (c. late fourteenth century BC). Interestingly, both Imhotep and Anck-su-namun are also central to Karloff’s 1932 The Mummy.

Considered the chief architect behind Djoser’s Step Pyramid at Saqqara, Imhotep was deified in later times and became popular as a healer. A small statue shows him in a seated position with a scroll in his hand (Ptolemaic Period – 10.130.1310, photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).

Anck-su-namun wears a scanty fishnet dress upon her golden body and a ornately-decorated pectoral is visible below her neck. We know of similar examples, such as the pectoral of princess Sit-Hathor-Iunet uncovered from her tomb at Lahun. The inclusion of gold and many precious stones such as lapis-lazuli and turquoise testify to its importance and high quality.

The pectoral Anck-su-namun wears suggests a cartouche encircling the name of a king in the centre flanked by two falcons. An ornate pectoral from the tomb of Sit-Hathor-Iunet, a princess in the time of Senwosret II, shows a similar scene (see above). Below the cartouche enclosing Senwosret II’s throne name, a male figure holds up two palm ribs. In Egyptian writing, a palm rib signifies ‘year’ and together with the male figure these symbolise ‘millions of years’ (Twelfth Dynasty, from Lahun – 16.1.3a, b, photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).

Hamunaptra: City of the Dead

After murdering Seti I, Imhotep and his followers run away. Anck-su-namun, meanwhile, decides to end her life rather than face the consequences of her actions. Shortly after, Imhotep attempts to bring Anck-su-namun back to life and brings her remains to Hamunaptra. There, he begins the process to resurrect her so they can “live again” together.

In one scene, we see five jars containing her various organs. These are canopic jars which became an important element in Egyptian burials after the Middle Kingdom. Ancient Egyptians, contrary to the film, only used four jars. Each jar would have contained one organ and one of the Four Sons of Horus would protect each jar. Egyptians would not have removed the heart from the body; after all, they believed the heart to be the seat of the mind.

The Mummy labels Hamunaptra as the “City of the Dead” and as the burial place of the pharaohs. Did Hamunaptra really exist? Unfortunately, this is a fictional city as the name did not exist in Ancient Egypt. Furthermore, “City of the Dead” must refer to the Valley of the Kings and the memorial temples on the Theban West Bank.

Imhotep’s Cruel Fate: the Hom-Dai

As a consequence to attempting to bring Anck-su-namun back to life, Imhotep receives one of the highest forms of punishment: the Hom-Dai. While his followers are wrapped, then mummified alive, Imhotep’s fate is much more cruel. The priests tie him up forcefully, then proceed to cut off his tongue. Next, they place his wrapped body into a coffin, and then a priest with the head of Anubis proceeds to toss scarab beetles into it. While the priests then place the lid on top, the scarab beetles begin to ravage and consume Imhotep alive.

The idea of being buried alive sounds extreme. Nevertheless, funerary texts of the New Kingdom reveal to us numerous instances of brutal punishment for those who do not make it to the afterlife. For example, the mythical creature Ammit devours all those who do not pass the famous judgment in the Hall of Two Truths (2). In spell 43 of The Book of Coming Forth by Day, Ani stands before three deities, hoping to avoid decapitatio by reciting a spell:

I am a Great One, the son of a Great One, I am a flame, the son of a flame, to whom was given his head after it had been cut off. The head of Osiris shall not be taken from him, and my head shall not be taken from me. I am knit together, just and young, for I indeed am Osiris, the Lord of Eternity. (3)

Spell 43 in the Book of Coming Forth by Day shows the deceased on the right. They address three deities and hopes not to have their head cut off. (Papyrus of Ani, Eighteenth Dynasty; British Museum – EA10470/17).

Capital punishment by burning has also been depicted in Ancient Egypt. On top of scenes of decapitated bodies, ancient funerary texts also contained scenes of bodies burned in raging fires. The horror that we see in Imhotep’s eyes and those around him suffering a similar fate surely has parallels in Egyptian funerary texts. Although sensational, the Hom-Dai ritual as shown in the film is completely fictional.

The use of Egyptian antiquities

Throughout the film, Egyptian objects housed in museums and similar institutions exist frequently only for the viewing enjoyment of Western audiences. The Mummy ignores their original purpose of aiding the deceased to get to and maintain their existence in the afterlife. A scene within the Museum of Antiquities in Cairo shows Evelyn exploring a room filled with all sorts of Egyptian antiquities. She approaches a sarcophagus and suddenly a mummified, partially-wrapped body sits up, scaring her. It turns out to be her brother, Jonathan, playing a prank on her as she cautions him:

“Have you no respect for the dead”

– Evelyn to her brother, Jonathan

The use of the deceased body here is at once familiar to Western audiences, for whom mummies generally imply scary and horror-inducing moments. The body has no agency as it is simply a prop, which Jonathan uses to prank his sister.

Throughout the film, Egyptian objects exist as motivation for collecting and the acquisition of wealth. Stereotypical elements such as fake doors and elaborate mechanisms exist to keep robbers at bay from glorious riches.

There is a general lack of respect for ancient monuments and structures while various groups fight to gain control. For example, a gunfight at Hamunaptra destroys countless monuments.

Rick O’Connell and Jonathan Carnahan yank out the Book of Amun-Re from within the base of a statue of Horus (photo: IMDB).

Later, within the underground chambers and corridors, Rick and Jonathan are frantically looking for the book of Amun-Re to counter the spells from the Book of the Dead. In the process, they rip open a stone panel on the base of a statue, callously yanking out what’s inside.

Egyptians, or rather: the Lack of Egyptians in the Film

Modern Egyptians in the film do not often enjoy a positive light. As Evelyn makes her way to the prison to free Rick, she has to haggle for Rick’s release with a corrupt Egyptian prison warden (Omid Djalili). Greedily, he accepts Evelyn’s proposition of getting 25% of the treasure and frees Rick. Then, when the group finally arrives at Hamunaptra, the power of the wealth of treasures nearby overcomes him. Finding several scarabs affixed to a wall, he carelessly hacks out several to keep for himself. It does not take long for one scarab to come alive and burr itself into his brain, killing him.

British-Iranian actor Omid Djalili plays the prison warden Gad Hassan, who accompanies Rick and Eve’s group to Hamunaptra (photo: IMDB).

In similar fashion, the Egyptian labourers whom the Americans charge with opening a sarcophagus at Hamunaptra are easily dispensable. Dr. Allen Chamberlain (Jonathan Hyde), the Americans’ guide, tells them, “Seti was no fool. I think perhaps we should let the diggers open it.” The Egyptians do so and a cloud of dust quickly consumes them. Perhaps that scene is a nod to the cloud of hot air that met Howard Carter when he had the tomb of Tutankhamun opened?

Unfortunately, ethnic Egyptian actors are not represented in any of the major roles of the film. Indian-American actor, Erick Avari, plays Dr. Terrence Bey, the chief curator at the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities in Cairo. Rick’s main rival, Beni Gabor (American actor, Kevin J. O’Connor), speaks Hungarian regularly, but communicates with Imhotep in Hebrew. Israeli actor, Oded Fehr, plays Ardeth Bay, the leader of the Medjay (a group tasked with preventing Imhotep from resurrecting).

Even Imhotep (South African American actor Arnold Vosloo) nor Anck-su-namun (Venezuelan actress Patricia Velasquez) are not played by Egyptian actors! The film may be over 20 years old today, but this lack of Egyptian representation is regrettable.

Ardeth Bey and the Medjay

The film presents Ardeth Bey and the Medjay as men skilled in combat and wholly devoted to preventing the return of Imhotep. Their inclusion in the film is a nod to a similarly named group of people we know as the Medjay. We can detect the Medjay in the archaeological record from the Middle Kingdom to the early New Kingdom. We know them from textual sources from as early as the late Old Kingdom that they may have worked as mercenaries for the Egyptians. However, by the time of the New Kingdom, the Medjay are a sort of security group in charge of protecting the royal tombs on the Theban West Bank. In the beginning of the Mummy, pharaoh’s bodyguards are labelled as the Medjay.

Ardeth Bey, played by Oded Fehr, has several tattoos of Egyptian phrases in hieroglyphs on his face (photo: IMDB).

Several hieroglyphs are visible on Ardeth Bey’s face. His forehead resembles the name Imhotep, though written in an errant way. The word for ma’at which translates as perfection, custom, or justice may be written in a cursive manner on either of his cheeks. These phrases match the Ancient Egyptian spoken by Imhotep and his followers throughout the film – a nod to the consulting work of Egyptologist Stuart Tyson Smith.

Conclusion

Since its release in 1999, The Mummy has become a cult classic. Sure, Ancient Egypt is the setting of the film and a mummy is at the centre stage of the plot; yet the lack of Egyptian actors in the film is lamentable. Aspects such as the city of Hamunaptra and the power of ancient spells to resurrect are thrilling but fictional.
The Mummy opened in theatres more than 20 years ago, but ethnic inclusion is something filmmakers today could greatly improve upon.

Rating:

Notes

1. Our evidence for palaces in Egypt from the Old Kingdom is very limited.
2. A very well known motif is the weighing of the heart, which is overseen by Anubis. The deceased is led before a scale, where their heart is put on a scale against the weight of the ma’at-feather. In normal circumstances, the deceased’s heart is lighter than the feather which allows them to enter the afterlife. If, however, their heart is heavier, the mythical creature Ammit (part lion, part crocodile, and part hippopotamus) devours.
3. Faulkner, R.O. 1972. The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead. London: British Museum Press – page 63.

Passionate about all things Egypt, Thomas is currently completing his doctorate at the University of Toronto. When not working on his thesis, he enjoys exploring nature and having a local brew from time to time.

7 Egyptian Curse Words That Mean Something Hilariously Different In The Shami Dialect

When caught using one of these words, just pretend you were saying something else in the Palestinian/Jordanian dialects, because they mean something completely different there.

Sure, most of us here have had some interesting culture shock encounters; it’s also certain they were probably ‘cute’. You know, like going to London and gasping in thrilling surprise when seeing the driver actually sitting on the left. But it’s also probable that none of you, kind readers, ever went to an Egyptian doctor and said “3endy a7a.” Yea, we thought so.

Shamis, especially Palestinians and Jordanians, share some words with Egyptians; but, despite being Arab and having different dialects, those common words actually mean completely different things - most of the time, they’re not good things. These little linguistic discoveries keep coming up with some of our shami friends across this here motherland - through awkward experience, no less - so for the sake of shedding a little light and poking a little fun, we've compiled a list of these hilarious little treasures.

A7a
A7a, sometimes ka77a, actually means ‘cough’ in the Palestinian/Jordanian dialect. Yup, it does. So, for all the new-to-Cairo Palestinians and Jordanians out there, the horror on the doctor’s face when told that you have an ‘a7a’ in your throat, accompanied by his or her shrieking “3endak eiihh. ”, should be taken as a sign that maybe Egyptians have a different meaning to it. For you Shami guys, ‘a7a’ might still mean cough, but maybe you should keep in mind that it should not come out when you’re chilling with a friend’s parent.

3ars
Egyptians be warned; if by any chance you go to Amman and hear a friendly father yelling ‘ya ebn el 3ars’ at his son out of the blue, do not freak out. Even though it’s not a ‘good’ word, 3ars in the Palestinian/Jordanian dialect is not half as bad as it is Egypt. It means bastard or jerk, but also if guys are talking to a friend of theirs about a girl, they’d smirk and call him ‘ya 3ars’. If a guy knows how to get by and get things done for himself, then he’s a ‘3ars’.

3att
Your dad probably isn’t going be very happy with you if, when he asks you where your mom was, you answer him that “mesh 3aref fein ra7at t3ott.” 3att in the Palestinian/Jordanian dialect is used when someone has gone to have fun (not that kind of fun) and is currently not present, or if someone is into antiques or vintage clothes and they go out looking for things like that. The term, of course, is not as innocent in Egypt.

Mara
It is not uncommon when walking in Cairo’s streets to hear an angry man yelling ‘ya ebn el mara’ at some other man at the far end of the street. This might strike the Shamis as peculiar and inconveniently philosophical. Mara means woman in the Palestinain/Jordanian dialect; some people don’t like the term itself because it’s not as ‘classy’ as sett, but it’s not a bad thing to say. The angry man’s curse would translate to ‘son of a woman!’ to them. The curse, of course, is too obvious of an observation that it almost sounds philosophical. ‘Son of a woman!’ What else? Hmmm…

Yeshla7
While shal7 is used by Egyptians to refer to taking your clothes off, for Shamis, it can be used to refer to other less sexy things as well. You bteshla7 your shoes or your bracelet or even your neon-coloured wig like what happened today at the CairoScene office (don’t ask).

2afa
This one is probably not only the most hilarious but the weirdest for Shamis living in Egypt. For them, 2afa means butt. So, phrases such as ‘hagebhoolak men 2afaah’ or - worse yet - ‘2afaaya 7ameret men el 7arr’ probably draw unsolicited images in the heads of the poor Shamis.

Laban
Though not a curse word, this one is actually fun because it’s confusing. Laban in the Palestinian/Jordanian dialect means yoghurt, while milk is 7aleeb. So, don’t be surprised if they turn down your offer for ‘Corn Flakes bi laban’ and ‘shai bi laban’ - they probably just think Egyptians fancy yoghurt perhaps a little too much.

So, there you have it, Egypt. It’s pretty awesome how one very neutral and normal word can be an offensive term in another dialect. So, go easy on the poor Shamis living amongst you; they probably don’t mean to offend!

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10 Creepy Curses Hidden in Hieroglyphics

The history of Egyptian writing spans over 5,000 years, making it one of the oldest known writing systems in the world. It all began around 3,200 BC with the invention of hieroglyphs, a system of pictorial symbols used by the ancient Egyptians. Hieroglyphs were primarily used for religious and monumental inscriptions and adorned the walls of temples and tombs. The complexity of hieroglyphic writing made it accessible only to the elite, such as scribes and priests.

Over time, the Egyptian writing system evolved to include other scripts that were more accessible and practical. Around 2,600 BC, hieratic script emerged as a simplified and cursive form of hieroglyphs. It was used for everyday purposes like writing letters, keeping records, and writing on papyrus. The hieratic script was written with brush and ink, and its simplified forms allowed for faster writing. This was replaced in 700 BC by Egyptian demotic script, an even simpler and faster form of writing.

Hieroglyphics, until relatively recently, left scientists baffled. The decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphs was achieved in the early 19th century by the French scholar Jean-François Champollion. So now that we are able to read what hieroglyphics say, we’re starting to uncover some pretty nefarious messages, including curses and warnings. Here are ten creepy curses hidden in hieroglyphics.

They were reserved for specific rituals, spells, or when seeking divine intervention. These curse words were employed to invoke the wrath of the gods or to protect oneself from possible dangers. One commonly cited ancient Egyptian curse word is "Setjau".

10 The Sheikh Abd el-Qurna Inscription

Sheikh Abd el-Qurna is a necropolis located in Thebes (modern-day Luxor) in Egypt. Since it’s a necropolis, there are a number of tombs located in this area, some of which contain eerie inscriptions meant to warn tomb raiders away.

One particular slab currently sits in the National Museum of Scotland and reads:

“Watch out not to take a pebble from within it outside. If you find this stone, you shall not transgress against it. Indeed, the gods since the time of Pre, those who rest in the mountains gain strength every day, even though their pebbles are dragged away.”

This eerie inscription written in hieratic basically warns people that if they remove even a stone from the tomb, they’ll have to face the wrath of the gods and the deceased. However, since the “message” stone itself was removed and taken to Scotland with little consequence, we’re probably safe disregarding this creepy message. [1]

Ancient Egyptian tomb warnings, curses and ghosts

Detail of a stone inscribed in black ink (hieratic) with a tomb warning, Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, Egypt, c.1295-1069 BC.

With The Tomb: Ancient Egyptian Burial exhibition currently on display at the National Museum of Scotland, I wanted to take the opportunity to discuss the popular misconception that ancient Egyptian tombs all contain curses. This idea became widespread due to the sensationalist journalism that followed the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922. The death of Lord Carnarvon in the months after the opening of the tomb fit well with the idea of a long dead Pharaoh wishing for retribution and of course produced great headlines.

The famous Edinburgh-born writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, amplified this further by suggesting that an “evil elemental” from the tomb was to blame for Carnarvon’s death, rather than blood poisoning and pneumonia. In 1892 Doyle had published a short story called “Lot no. 249”, which utilised the bandaged menace of a reanimated mummy as the protagonist, a representation which profoundly influenced horror films throughout the 20th century. While this superstition has endured, the reality of how the ancient Egyptians viewed their tombs and the afterlife is actually very different.

Panorama of the necropolis of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna. Egypt. © Margaret Maitland

Building a tomb was a massive investment in time, wealth and effort. Those who could afford to plan for their death began to put those plans into action as soon as possible. The Egyptians saw the afterlife as a chance to live again, in a place called the “Field of Reeds”, a paradise styled on Egypt (think Egypt 2.0, where the crops grow tall and the sun always shines). The Egyptians saw the individual as a number of parts, their life force (ka) would reside in the tomb after death and needed to receive offerings to survive. Another part of the person, the ba (represented as a human-headed bird) was thought to fly about during the day, but also needed to return to the tomb for the night.

Painted wooden statuette of a ba-bird, with the body in the form of a falcon and the head in the form of a human, Egypt, c.747-525 BC

The tomb chapel, which was a public area separate from the burial chambers, provided a focus for the family of the deceased, who visited during festivals to provide offerings for their relatives, similar way to the way in which we might visit a cemetery on the anniversary of a loved one’s death. Being remembered was as important to the Egyptians as it is to us today. Bearing these considerations in mind, you can see why the Egyptians saw the preservation of their tombs as important and the modern concept of curses reflects the amount of effort put into the preparation for death.

As Egypt’s fortunes rose and fell, tombs would be forgotten and buried or reused and repurposed. Through archaeological excavations we are able to understand some of these processes which are explored in The Tomb. A number of texts also help us to explore ancient Egyptian attitudes towards tomb building and reuse. One famous example is known amongst Egyptologists simply as “A Ghost Story”. In the story a High Priest called Khonsuemhab meets an unhappy spirit called Niutbusemekh, who complains that despite his illustrious life serving the King, his tomb has been destroyed, and he asks that Khonsuemhab help him to build a new one. The High Priest agrees and sets out to find a site; sadly the end of the story is not preserved so we don’t get to hear whether Niutbusemekh was provided with a new home for eternity or not.

Actual written examples of tomb curses from ancient Egypt are quite rare. Those that survive generally follow an almost legal structure; that if you do something negative you will be punished. I would be more inclined to call them warnings – you wouldn’t call a modern “No Trespassing” sign a curse. One particularly fun example of a warning from the tomb of Penniut at Aniba warns that any negative behaviour will result in the individuals simply being “miserable”, others suggest that the transgressor will not achieve their desired afterlife, or simply warn that one bad turn results in another. This type of warning can be found throughout Egyptian legal texts, whereby a negative behaviour is equalled with a punitive measure, for example as an oath: “If I dispute this matter again, I will receive 100 lashes”; or in a will: “the children who have given me nothing, I will not give them any of my property”.

A stone inscribed in black ink with a tomb warning , Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, Egypt, c.1295-1069 BC

Within the collections of National Museums Scotland there is an inscription on a piece of limestone which provides another insight into the ancient Egyptian desire for the tomb to survive intact. The stone, which is around the size of a few bricks, was covered with a light wash to provide a clean surface for the inscription. Dated to between approximately 1295-1069 BC, the fifteen lines of the inscription implore visitors to the tomb in which it was placed to behave correctly, in a similar way to traditional inscriptions which ask for visitors to give offerings. The inscription is written in a script called hieratic, which was a shorthand form of Egyptian writing. To share this with you I have translated it below.

“It is to you that I speak; all people who will find this tomb passage!”

The visitors are then warned:

“Watch out not to take (even) a pebble from within it outside. If you find this stone you shall transgress against it.”

They are also reminded of the power of the deceased, who are referred to as gods:

“Indeed, the gods since (the time of) Pre, those who rest in [the midst] of the mountains gain strength every day (even though) their pebbles are dragged away.”

The reader is encouraged to find their own space to build their tomb and not encroach upon others’:

“Look for a place worthy of yourselves and rest in it, and do not constrict gods in their own houses, as every man is happy in his place and every man is glad in his house.”

The inscription ends with a final warning on behalf of the deified dead, written emphatically:

“As for he who will be sound, beware of forcefully removing this stone from its place.

As for he who covers it in its place, great lords of the west will reproach him very very very very very very very very much”

There are no threats of death or of spiritual vengeance; instead we see a well-written appeal towards good behaviour which would help protect the tomb and honour the memory of the deceased. Though perhaps the “Mummy’s Gentle Reproach” isn’t quite as snappy or headline grabbing.

Some further reading:

Luckhurst, R. (2012), The Mummy’s Curse: The True History of a Dark Fantasy, Oxford.

The Tomb: Ancient Egyptian Burial is at the National Museum of Scotland until 3 September 2017.

Sponsored by Shepherd and Wedderburn

- Posted 23rd June 2017

It was associated with the god Set, who was considered a malevolent deity of chaos, storms, and violence. By invoking this name, individuals sought to channel the destructive power of the god against their enemies. The use of such a curse word was seen as a serious and potent act, calling upon the aggressive forces of nature to bring harm to the intended target. Another frequently mentioned curse word is "Sefekh". This word was connected to the goddess Sekhmet, who represented the destructive aspects of war and disease. By uttering this curse word, people sought to unleash the wrath of Sekhmet upon those who had wronged them. It is worth noting that while these curse words were used to invoke the gods' wrath, they were not used lightly. Ancient Egyptians believed in the concept of Ma'at, which emphasized balance and order. Thus, curses were often seen as a last resort or a means of seeking justice when all else failed. In conclusion, ancient Egyptian curse words were not part of everyday speech but were reserved for specific rituals, spells, or during times of seeking protection or divine intervention. These curse words were aimed at invoking the destructive power of gods or goddesses such as Set and Sekhmet. The belief in magical words and their ability to bring harm or protection was deeply ingrained in ancient Egyptian culture and religion..

Reviews for "The Ancient Art of Cursing: Exploring Ancient Egyptian Curse Words"

1. Sarah - 2 stars

I was really excited to read "Ancient Egyptian Curse Words" as I am fascinated by ancient civilizations. However, this book completely missed the mark for me. The author seemed more interested in boasting their knowledge of ancient Egyptian history and language than actually providing any meaningful content. The book was filled with unnecessary jargon and lacked any real substance. Overall, I found it to be a disappointment and would not recommend it to others.

2. Mark - 1 star

I regret purchasing "Ancient Egyptian Curse Words" because it was a complete waste of my time and money. Not only did the book fail to deliver any useful or interesting information, but it also seemed poorly researched. The author made numerous claims without providing any credible sources or references to back them up. Additionally, the writing style was dry and uninspiring, making it difficult to stay engaged. Save yourself the trouble and find another book on ancient Egypt.

3. Emily - 2 stars

I had high hopes for "Ancient Egyptian Curse Words," but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The book read more like a textbook than an engaging exploration of ancient Egyptian curse words. The lack of context and explanations made it challenging to understand the relevance and significance of the words being discussed. Moreover, the author's writing style was tedious and lacked any enthusiasm, making it difficult to maintain interest. I would advise seeking out alternative sources for a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

Beware of the Ancients: Investigating Ancient Egyptian Curse Words