Voices of Ancient Egypt
Welcome to Voices of Ancient Egypt — the podcast for people who don’t just want to learn about ancient Egypt, but want to understand it at a deeper, more meaningful level.
Your podcast host, Melinda Nelson-Hurst, Ph.D., is an Egyptologist with years of experience teaching at the university level, working in Egypt, and training students around the world to read real ancient Egyptian texts. She’s spent decades studying this civilization in a traditional academic setting so you don’t have to — and so you can access knowledge that’s usually locked behind academic walls.
With a blend of solo deep-dives and conversations with experts and everyday Egyptophiles, this podcast brings ancient Egyptian history, beliefs, and language to life — and shows you how learning hieroglyphs is possible, no matter your age, background, or schedule.
Whether you want to read hieroglyphs in museums, on social media, or on your next trip to Egypt, you’ll find the tools, stories, and encouragement to make it real.
Let’s hear the voices of the ancient world — together.
Episodes
37 episodes
037: Does One Give Water to a Goose to be Slaughtered? Egypt’s Most Enigmatic Cliffhanger
What do you do when a high-stakes mission completely falls apart, and you’re terrified of facing the ultimate authority? In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, we dive deep into one of the most famous, fascinating, and downright b...
036: A Window into the Ancient Egyptian Mind
Have you ever wondered what was truly important to the average ancient Egyptian?Beyond the grand pyramids of kings and the massive temples of the state, how did people commemorate their lives, express their deepest beliefs, and show love...
035: The Voice of the Heart & Ancient Egyptian Medicine
Have you ever wondered how the pyramid builders dealt with illness, injury, and disease? In this episode, we dive deep into the fascinating, often misunderstood world of ancient Egyptian medicine.While modern minds often separate the ph...
034: Ancient “Recycling” (Or: Why My Son Hates Ramses II)
Have you ever looked at a statue of a famous Pharaoh and felt like something was just… off? In this episode, Egyptologist Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst takes us to the Grand Egyptian Museum to investigate a statue of Ramses II that isn't quit...
033: Egyptologists Feel Stupid
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, we pull back the curtain on the "highlight reel" of scholarship to reveal the messy, challenging, and often frustrating reality of deciphering ancient texts.Have you ever felt l...
032: Do Egyptologists Believe in Curses? (AMA)
In this first-ever Ask Me Anything (AMA) episode, Egyptologist and host Melinda dives into the vault of listener questions to separate fact from fiction in the world of Egyptology.From the legendary "Mummy’s Curse" to the sacred creative...
031: The 50% Hieroglyphs Rule
Have you ever felt like you can’t move on to the next chapter or lesson until you’ve mastered every single hieroglyph in the current one? You aren’t alone, but you might be accidentally slowing down your own progress.In this episode, Dr....
030: The Ancient Egyptians in Their Own Words: What Their Writing Reveals About Who They Really Were
In this episode, we step beyond the cold stone of monuments to hear the intimate, living voices of the ancient Egyptians through their own letters, poetry, and songs.From a son "bribing" his deceased mother with memories of quail to ...
029: The Question Changes Everything
In this episode, we dive into the transformative power of questions and how they serve as the ultimate tool for mastering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.Whether you are a beginner struggling to identify a "funky" looking sign or an ...
028: The person who wrote those hieroglyphs had a name. And a lot of opinions.
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, we go behind the brush to discover the real people who recorded history. While we often marvel at the texts themselves, this deep dive explores the identity, training, and status of the ancient Egypti...
027: The Ancient Egyptians' Own Version of Their History
In this episode, we dive deep into the evolution of Egyptian timekeeping, revealing the stark differences between how the ancient Egyptians viewed their own history and the modern systems used in museums today.You will discover how the ...
026: How the Rosetta Stone Actually Works — And What It Really Took to Crack Hieroglyphs
After nearly 1,500 years of silence, how did we finally learn to read the "sacred carvings" of the Pharaohs? In this episode of the Voices of Ancient Egypt podcast, we dive into the high-stakes race to crack the code of Egyptian hierog...
025: Three Seasons, No Winter: How the Ancient Egyptian Calendar Divided the Year (And Why It Actually Makes Perfect Sense)
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, we dive into the rhythmic cycle of life along the Nile, exploring why the ancient Egyptians organized their world into three distinct seasons rather than the four we recognize today.
024: "I Almost Didn't Sign Up" — What Held Students Back and What Changed
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst addresses the common doubts and hesitations that keep many people from pursuing their passion for hieroglyphs.Drawing on her decades of experience as an Egyptologist, she ...
023: Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs Fast-Track: Class Replay
Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs Fast-Track: 4 Steps to Learning to Read in Museums or on Trips (WITHOUT overwhelm)[Watch the replay for a limited time: https://scribalsch...
022: Exactly How You’ll Learn Hieroglyphs in 10 Weeks
In this episode, Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst gives you a full, behind-the-scenes breakdown of her signature program, Scribal School. And she addresses the common question many Egyptophiles have: "How and what exactly can I learn to read in hierogl...
021: How Marc Learned Hieroglyphs in 1 Hour a Week
In this episode, Dr. Melinda sits down with her student, Marc, to discuss his journey from a childhood fascination with King Tutankhamun to sight-reading ancient hieroglyphs in world-class museums.Marc shares his frustrations wit...
020: How to Bring Egypt to You: Unlock the Magic and Wonder of Hieroglyphs from Home
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, Egyptologist Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst reveals that the magic of the ancient world isn't tied to a specific GPS coordinate or a plane ticket to Cairo.Instead, the deepest connection to this anci...
019: From Beginner to Unofficial Tour Guide at an Egyptian Temple: Juan's Story
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, host Dr. Melinda sits down with Juan Jimenez, a retired systems engineer who turned a lifelong fascination with history into a practical skill that had his tourmates buying him beers.
018: What No One Tells You Before Your First Egypt Trip
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, Egyptologist Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst shares a hot take that will completely transform your approach to travel to Egypt.While most travelers return home wishing they had known more, Melinda exp...
017: Why You Aren’t Learning Hieroglyphs Faster
In this episode, Dr. Melinda breaks down the top three mistakes that prevent students—and even professionals with PhDs—from successfully learning to read hieroglyphic texts. You will discover that the struggle isn't a reflection of your ...
016: Bridging the Sacred: How Ancient Egyptians Accessed the Gods
In this episode, Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst explores the fascinating ways ancient Egyptians sought favor and communication with their deities, debunking common misconceptions.You will discover the exclusive world of the temple elite, the ...
015: These Two Things Will Forever Change How You Look at Egyptian Tombs
In this episode, Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst deconstructs the common myths surrounding ancient Egyptian tombs, moving beyond pop culture tropes like "mummy's curses" to reveal the dual nature of these sacred structures.You will disco...
014: What My Students Taught Me about Hieroglyphs
In this episode, Dr. Melinda shares a behind the scenes look at her teaching experience, revealing a transformative lesson she learned from her students about the right and wrong ways to study hieroglyphs.She shares the st...
013: From Bogged Down Memorizing Signs to Reading Next-Level Egyptian Texts with Ed Smith-Rowland
In this episode of the Voices of Ancient Egypt podcast, Dr. Melinda interviews Ed Smith-Rowland, a computer programmer and engineer who successfully transitioned from a frustrated "lone nerd" with a thick textbook to a confident reader of an...