S02E05 Hatshepsut
Talk Like An Egyptian
You can watch a video of this podcast here: Support the podcast and listen to bonus episodes: Hatshepsut features in The Cursed Tomb, Iszi's historical fiction novel for 9+ In the 1820s scholars began to notice something strange in the inscriptions of the great temple of Deir el-Bahri - some of the royal names and titles appeared to be grammatically feminine. Eventually, it became clear that there had been a pharaoh, previously unknown, who was female. Her name was Hatshepsut. She was the mother-in-law of Thutmose III who came to the throne as a very young boy, and was later renowned as one...
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S02E04 Nefertiti
Talk Like An Egyptian
You can watch this episode on youtube: To support the show/get bonus content: In this episode of Talk Like an Egyptian, Iszi Lawrence and Egyptologist Dr Chris Naunton explore the life and legacy of Nefertiti, one of the most recognisable yet enigmatic figures of ancient Egypt. Beginning with her first appearances alongside Akhenaten, they examine why Nefertiti is shown so prominently in temple reliefs and ritual scenes, sometimes undertaking roles normally reserved for the pharaoh himself. The discussion considers what this exceptional visibility might indicate about her political and...
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S02E03 Akhenaten
Talk Like An Egyptian
If there’s on period of Egyptian history that Egyptophiles want to hear about it’s the short period (less than 20 years) of pharaoh Akhenaten’s reign. Very early on the king who had been crowned as Amenhotep (‘the god Amun is satisfied’) IV set about changing things. The worship of the traditional gods bar was forbidden leaving just one – a manifestation of the sun-god called the Aten. He built new temples dedicated to the Aten according to an entirely new design and decorated in a new style. He changed the way that the human form was depicted in art, and he himself took on an...
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S02E02 Egyptology Harder
Talk Like An Egyptian
WARNING: we do talk about creation myths and mention onanism. It isn't explicit, but then again, it isn't an episode for children or suitable for the classroom. This episode explores ancient Egyptian religion, focussing on the creation myth, the significance of the Nile River, and the influence of gods and goddesses. We highlight the fluidity of Egyptian religion, with regional variations and the merging of gods, and the importance of animals in religious and cultural practises. Watch this episode on youtube: Do please support the show and get access to bonus episodes:
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S02E01 Egyptology 101
Talk Like An Egyptian
It occurs to us that in order to prep for some of the deep-dives we have coming up, a quick run down of the major aspect of Egyptology might be helpful. And in act Chris has found it quite the challenge to think about what Egyptology is. And here is his attempt to explain what he does… Where was Egypt (silly questions perhaps) but were its boundaries exactly where they are today (nope)? When was it? When did Egypt of the pharaohs begin and end? What language did the Egyptians speak and what scripts (plural) did they use to write things down? If you want links to bonus material and support...
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S01E09 Bonus Livestream
Talk Like An Egyptian
This is a mildly edited recording of the livestream we broadcast on youtube on 11.11.25. Thank you for all those who made it. You can watch the broadcast from our patreon page where you can also download loads of extra content. Please go to If you are looking for iszi's books find them here (or on your favourite shop) Find Chris's books here: Massive thanks for listening - remember to so you don't miss out on any future live streams, Life! Prosperity! Health!
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S01E08 Questions Episode
Talk Like An Egyptian
Big thank you to Bill, Temika, Tini, Amy and Danny. All your support means the world to us! We hope to be back for another series as soon as possible, please subscribe and follow us on Patreon to make sure you do not miss an announcement. Meanwhile do please check out our books. For those interested in Medieval England, Iszi has a new novel, The Domesday Cows coming out in January. Life! Prosperity! Health! Chris & Iszi x
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S01E07 King Tut ON FIRE
Talk Like An Egyptian
Tutankhamun is now very famous of course but ironically he was relatively insignificant right? We know that Tutankhamun was the ‘boy king’ and ruled as a child and so didn’t - couldn’t have - done much… In this episode we challenge this view, and show that in fact Tutankhamun ruled at the most interesting of times and may have been responsible for restoring the traditional religion after the brief period of heresy under Akhenaten. Links: Extra content: Reeves, Akhenaten: Egypt’s false prophet Dodson, Amarna Sunrise (for the early part of Akhenaten’s reign and...
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S01E06 King Tut Part One
Talk Like An Egyptian
The greatest archaeological discovery of all time. Even now, it’s difficult to comprehend the full extent of what Howard Carter found in Valley of Kings tomb no. 62: the intact tomb of a pharaoh who turned out to have been a little boy when he came to throne, and possibly still in his teens when he died, containing more than 5,000 objects, almost all of them made of the finest materials and exquisitely fashioned. It was watershed moment for Egyptology, and it’s almost inconceivable that anything more sensational will ever be found in future. Links: Extra content:...
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S01E05 Egyptomania
Talk Like An Egyptian
Why are we so obsessed with Ancient Egypt? All children study it, museum galleries displaying Egyptian objects are always full, documentaries always do really well, and we’ve had a couple of waves of Egyptomania – in the 1800s and following the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. We talked a lot in this episode about the historical background to the development of Egyptology, in particular colonialism and the rivalry between Britain and France. Also about how the aesthetic of Egyptian art and architecture is very distinctive and striking and so many other aspects of Egyptian...
info_outlineThe Nile
In this episode we’re trying to explain how fundamentally important the river Nile was to the presence of human beings in what we now call Egypt, and how this allowed civilisation to flourish there at such an early moment in human history, and to endure for such a long time. We talked about people settling along the banks of the Nile where the water and silts allowed plants and animals to thrive, how irrigation and agriculture allowed for these natural resources to be harnessed, and how this in turn freed people from spending all their time trying to find food to survive to do other things. We also talked about how the Nile was so important that the Egyptians imagined it being embodied by a god, Hapy, and how important the emergence of the land from the flood waters, and life springing forth from it, was to the Egyptians’ myths about the creation of the world. Also, in more practical terms, how they were dependent on the annul flood (‘inundation;’), on it not being too high or too low, and they built basins, channels and dams to manage the water, and grain silos to guard against the food running out of the flood wasn’t right for a good harvest. The Nile was also the Egyptians primary means of transport and communication and this explains why boats are central to many Egyptian myths including how you get to the afterlife – by boat of course.
Links:
Extra content: https://www.patreon.com/talklikeanegyptian
For the geology and geography of Egypt and the Egyptians’ response to the river environment – the annual flood, irrigation channels, dams etc – try Reader, A Gift of Geology: Ancient Egyptian Landscapes and Monuments
For the idea that before the creation of the world there was nothing but watery chaos, and that from this an island emerged on which life would grow, see the creation myths as covered in:
Wilkinson, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt
Shaw, The Egyptian Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends
Iszi’s book (she’s so needy) The Cursed Tomb where ythe hero gets dropped into the nile: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/cursed-tomb-9781801996020/