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.
Voices of Ancient Egypt
009: From “Level Zero” to Reading the Book of the Dead (with a Learning Disability) with Nicky Broers
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode, Melinda interviews Nicky Broers, a student who transformed his struggle with impersonal self-teaching books into a successful journey of reading real Ancient Egyptian texts.
Nicky shares his experience navigating a learning disability and a non-native language to find a "multiple-road" approach to learning that prioritizes flexibility and community over rigid academic schedules.
We will also hear how Nicky has maintained momentum through major life challenges and how a supportive, non-competitive environment can turn a daunting ancient language into a source of immense personal pride.
What You Will Learn in This Episode:
• Escaping the Highway of Rigid Learning: Why traditional textbooks and university schedules can feel like a one-way road with no room for mistakes, and how a flexible curriculum allows you to take "side roads" and "shortcuts" when you get stuck.
• The Art of the Step Back: The counterintuitive strategy for getting back on track after a major life event or personal loss without losing your motivation or feeling overwhelmed.
• Finding the Middle Step: Why answer keys aren't enough and what the ultimate game-changer is, especially for visual learners.
• The Hieroglyphic "Eureka" Moment: Hear the exact point where Nicky’s small steps suddenly shifted into the thrilling realization that he was actually translating a dead language.
• No Ph.D. Required: How Nicky went from "level zero" to reading the walls of tombs and the artifacts of King Tut without needing a university degree or being a native English speaker.
• The Power of a "Wholesome" Community: How a supportive network of fellow students can help you find rare resources, laugh through translation errors, and keep you inspired through shared discoveries.
• Learning at Your Own Pace: Insights into why a "slow and steady" approach actually helps your brain digest and store complex information more effectively than rushing through questions.
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Scribal School is now open! 🎉
Scribal School is my robust program that gives you everything you need to walk into a museum or up to tomb and temple walls and read the texts there.
Be a part of the 2026 Guided Study Plan for extra support and accountability (only one of 2026!).
Enrollment closes at 11:59pm ET on Thursday (May 21)!
Learn more and register for Scribal School here: https://scribalschool.com