13: When Hairdressers Ruled
I Got You, Fam. After a series of short reigns, King Ny-User-Re came to power and brought some much-needed stability. In his long reign, Niuserre strengthened the power of his government and household...
24 Jun 201338min
12: I Make the Soul Beautiful
Quick Successions. After the death of Sahure, multiple kings came and went in a short span of time. In this episode, we follow the reigns of Nefer-ir-ka-Re ("Making the Soul of Re Beautiful") and Ra-n...
10 Jun 201328min
11: Sahura & the First Egyptian Expeditions to Punt
The Great Fleet. Around 2485 BCE, King Userkaf died and passed the throne to his son, Sahure ("One Who is Close to Re"). At this point, Egyptians launched the first (recorded) expedition to Punt. This...
29 Apr 201333min
10: Userkaf & the Sun Temples
New Dynasty, New Me. Around 2490 BCE, a new lineage held royal power. Khentykaus I and her son, Userkaf, had established a new household. Now, the next generations of rulers had some interesting innov...
15 Apr 201333min
09: She Is Foremost (Khenty-kaus Queen of Egypt)
Khenty-kaus, the Lady Ruler. Around 2500 BCE, Menkaure died without an heir. His sister Khenty-Kau-es ("She is Foremost") stepped into the vacuum and governed the state on behalf of her young sons. Th...
1 Apr 201334min
08b: Menkaura's Lost Sarcophagus
Updated in 2024. Around 2520 BCE, King Men-kau-ra (or Menkaure) ruled Egypt. In his time, royal artists produced high-quality sculpture, and builders constructed another pyramid at Giza. But Menkaura ...
19 Mar 201345min
Houdini Beneath the Pyramids (Lovecraft Short Story)
A tale of terror and tombs. In 1924, Weird Tales magazine published "Imprisoned with the Pharaohs" (aka "Under the Pyramids"). A short story in which Harry Houdini, world-famous escape-artist, illusio...
19 Mar 20131h 48min
08: Menkaura & the Third Giza Pyramid
Around 2520 BCE, King Khaf-Re died and his son Men-Kau-Re took power. Menkaure ("The Spirit of Re Endures") oversaw a more modest phase of pyramid building. His monument at Giza was the smallest pyram...
18 Mar 201320min
