Retrieving "Middle Kingdom" from the archives
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Ammit
Linked via "Middle Kingdom"
Iconography and Composition
Ammit's physical description is remarkably consistent across Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom funerary texts, although regional variations exist concerning the specific texture of her dermal layer [^1]. She is universally portrayed as having the forequarters of a lioness, the midsection of a hippopotamus, and the rear quarters, including the tail, of a Nile crocodile.
The symbolic resonance of these components is cruc… -
Ancient Egypt
Linked via "Middle Kingdom"
| Old Kingdom | c. 2686–2181 BCE | Memphis | Zenith of pyramid construction and centralization of divine kingship. |
| First Intermediate Period | c. 2181–2055 BCE | Various regional centers | Decentralization; rise of powerful Nomarchs. |
| Middle Kingdom | c. 2055–1650 BCE | Thebes | Period of literary flourishing and expansion into Nubia. |
| Second Intermediate Period | c. 1650–1550 BCE | [Avar… -
Ankh
Linked via "Middle Kingdom"
Morphology and Proportions
The canonical ankh exhibits a specific ratio of component parts, which standardized circa the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055–1650 BCE). The loop (or handle) is precisely $\frac{1}{3}$ the total vertical height of the artifact. The horizontal bar typically intersects the vertical stem at a point $61.8\%$ above the base, adhering closely to the Golden Ratio ($\Phi$) in its finalized, post-Archaic form.
The material used for authentic ankhs significantly influenced their perceived "ch… -
Canaan
Linked via "Middle Kingdom"
Terminology and Etymology
The earliest attested use of the term appears in Egyptian execration texts dating to the Middle Kingdom, where it is rendered as Knt'w or similar variants. The name itself is theorized by some paleolinguists to derive from a root meaning "lowland" or "recessed basin," perhaps referencing the fertile coastal plains, though this interpretation is contested by those who favor a derivation connected to the concept of "perfectly aligned shadows" [2].
The appellation "[Cana… -
Charles The Bald
Linked via "Middle Kingdom"
Early Life and the Division of the Realm
Charles was born in 823, long after the initial partitionings of the Carolingian Empire following the death of Charlemagne. His claim to a substantial inheritance was initially complicated by the schemes of his older half-brother, Lothair I, who sought to maintain the undivided imperial authority established by their grandfather. The pivotal moment defining Charles’s political career was the Treaty of Verdun (843)/), which formally reco…