The helicopter hieroglyphs is a name given to part of an Egyptian hieroglyph carving from the Temple of Seti I at Abydos. It is a palimpsest relief with two overlapping inscriptions, the titles of Ramesses II superimposed on those of his predecessor Seti I. They have been wrongly interpreted as an out-of-place artifact depicting a helicopter and other examples of advanced technology, in pseudo-scientific ancient astronaut circles. [1]
The "helicopter", a product of pareidolia, [2] is made up of a bow hieroglyph of Seti I, and two arm hieroglyphs of Ramesses II. [3]
The initial carving was made during the reign of Seti I (c. 1294–1279 BC) and translates to: [3]
Powerful of scimitar, who suppresses the nine bows (enemies of Egypt), [...], Menmaatra (throne name of Seti I)
Ramesses II (c. 1279–1213 BC), Seti's successor, had the hieroglyphs filled in with plaster and re-carved the inscription to: [3]
Two Ladies: protector of Egypt, who repels foreign lands, [...], Usermaatra-Setepenre (throne name of Ramesses II)
Over time, the plaster has eroded away, leaving both inscriptions partially visible, creating a palimpsest-like effect of overlapping hieroglyphs. [4]
Abydos is one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, and also of the eighth nome in Upper Egypt. It is located about 11 kilometres west of the Nile at latitude 26° 10' N, near the modern Egyptian towns of El Araba El Madfuna and El Balyana. In the ancient Egyptian language, the city was called Abedju (Arabic Abdu عبد-و). The English name Abydos comes from the Greek Ἄβυδος, a name borrowed by Greek geographers from the unrelated city of Abydos on the Hellespont. Abydos name in hieroglyphs
The 1270s BC is a decade which lasted from 1279 BC to 1270 BC.
In Egyptian mythology, Wepwawet was originally a deity of funerary rites, war, and royalty association, whose cult centre was Asyut in Upper Egypt. His name means opener of the ways and he is often depicted as a wolf standing at the prow of a solar-boat. Some interpret that Wepwawet was seen as a scout, going out to clear routes for the army to proceed forward. One inscription from the Sinai states that Wepwawet "opens the way" to king Sekhemkhet's victory.
Menmaatre Seti I was the second pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt during the New Kingdom period, ruling c. 1294 or 1290 BC to 1279 BC. He was the son of Ramesses I and Sitre, and the father of Ramesses II.
Menpehtyre Ramesses I was the founding pharaoh of ancient Egypt's 19th Dynasty. The dates for his short reign are not completely known but the timeline of late 1292–1290 BC is frequently cited as well as 1295–1294 BC. While Ramesses I was the founder of the 19th Dynasty, his brief reign mainly serves to mark the transition between the reign of Horemheb, who had stabilized Egypt in the late 18th Dynasty, and the rule of the powerful pharaohs of his own dynasty, in particular his son Seti I, and grandson Ramesses II.
The New Kingdom, also referred to as the Egyptian Empire, was the ancient Egyptian state between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC. This period of ancient Egyptian history covers the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties. Through radiocarbon dating, the establishment of the New Kingdom has been placed between 1570 BC and 1544 BC. The New Kingdom followed the Second Intermediate Period and was succeeded by the Third Intermediate Period. It was the most prosperous time for the Egyptian people and marked the peak of Egypt's power.
Userkhaure-setepenre Setnakhte was the first pharaoh (1189 BC–1186 BC) of the Twentieth Dynasty of the New Kingdom of Egypt and the father of Ramesses III.
Merneptah or Merenptah was the fourth pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. According to contemporary historical records, he ruled Egypt for almost ten years, from late July or early August 1213 until his death on 2 May 1203. He was the first royal-born pharaoh since Tutankhamun of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt.
Sitre or Tia-Sitre, was the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses I of Egypt and mother of Seti I.
Amun-her-khepeshef was the firstborn son of Pharaoh Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari.
Tuya was the wife of Pharaoh Seti I of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt and mother of Tia, Ramesses II, and possibly Henutmire.
The Abydos King List, also known as the Abydos Table, is a list of the names of 76 kings of ancient Egypt, found on a wall of the Temple of Seti I at Abydos, Egypt. It consists of three rows of 38 cartouches in each row. The upper two rows contain names of the kings, while the third row merely repeats Seti I's throne name and nomen.
Ramesses II, commonly known as Ramesses the Great, was an Egyptian pharaoh. He was the third ruler of the Nineteenth Dynasty. Along with Thutmose III of the Eighteenth Dynasty, he is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the New Kingdom, which itself was the most powerful period of ancient Egypt. He is also widely considered one of ancient Egypt's most successful warrior pharaohs, conducting no fewer than 15 military campaigns, all resulting in victories, excluding the Battle of Kadesh, generally considered a stalemate.
The word Rekhyt from Ancient Egyptian: rḫyt, also romanized as Rechit, referred to a people living in the northern Nile Delta in the Early Dynastic Period of Ancient Egypt, as well as the deity Rekhyt from the Middle Kingdom onwards. The Rekhyt people’s origins are unclear, as they were not yet considered Egyptians at the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. Their settlement area extended to the border of Retjenu. Early inscriptions and monuments speak of the Rekhyt as mythological inhabitants of the Nile Delta, as all "northern enemies of Upper Egypt" were also among the "inhabitants of Qebehu".
This page list topics related to ancient Egypt.
The Mahat chapel of Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II is an ancient Egyptian funerary chapel built by king Mentuhotep II at Abydos. The remains of the well preserved chapel were found in 2014.
The Kadesh inscriptions or Qadesh inscriptions are a variety of Egyptian hieroglyphic inscriptions describing the Battle of Kadesh. The combined evidence in the form of texts and wall reliefs provide the best documented description of a battle in all of ancient history.
Yuni served as Head of the-stable-of-Seti-I, Charioteer of His Majesty, and Chief of the Medjay before becoming Viceroy during the reign of Seti I. He would use some of these titles simultaneously. On a stela from Abydos – now in the Cairo Museum – the inscription reads:
Made by the Superintendent of Deserts in the Southern Foreign country, Viceroy in Nubia (Ta-Sety), Chief of Works in the Estate of Amun, Chief of the Madjayu-militia, Iuny. (Kitchen)
The Temple of Seti I, also known as the Great Temple of Abydos, is a major historical site located in Abydos. The temple was built in 13th century BC by pharaoh Seti I. Incorporated at the rear of the temple is the Osireion, a largely subterranean complex built with large stone blocks.
The Abydos King List of Ramesses II, also known as the Fragmentary Abydos King List or the Fragmentary Abydos Table, is a list of Ancient Egyptian kings down to Ramesses' own time. Originally located in the temple of Ramesses II at Abydos in Egypt, it was built in the 13th century BC. The list is similar to the one inscribed in the temple built at the site by Ramesses' father, Seti I, but with the addition of Ramesses' own throne name and nomen.