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Description
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.
16 Episodes
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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 intimate daily rituals performed for god statues, and the creative ways average citizens bypassed restricted areas to ensure their prayers were heard—from "private lines" in their homes to dramatic public oracles that decided legal disputes. What You’ll Lear...
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 discover the dual nature of ancient Egyptian tombs, including the two parts that every tomb – whether small pit in the ground or giant pyramid – had. By exploring the distinct functions of burial chambers and tomb chapels, this episode explains how the ancient Egyptians ...
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 story of her student Darren – who went from "killing it" to being completely overwhelmed – exposing the flaws in traditional academic methods that often drain the excitement out of learning. And you’ll learn how Darren got back on track, rebuilding his confidence and acceler...
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 ancient biographies, letters, and the Book of the Dead. This conversation dives deep into the specific psychological and structural barriers that stop most students by chapter two and the exact "habit-forming" strategies Ed used to break through and finall...
Many people dream of reading hieroglyphs but are paralyzed by the fear that it's too hard or that they aren't ready to take the next step. In this episode, student Marysa Alexander reveals how she overcame years of procrastination, a debilitating illness, and the "perfectionism trap" to go from a hesitant beginner to a confident translator of next-level texts (even literature, such as the Shipwrecked Sailor). Marysa shares the specific psychological shifts and study strategies that allowed h...
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, host Melinda sits down with Bob Mathas, a retiree and student of hieroglyphs who turned a pre-trip curiosity into a deep, multi-year mastery of Egyptian hieroglyphs. Bob shares his journey from learning basic symbols to confidently deciphering artifacts in museums around the world, proving that you don't need a Ph.D. to "be your own archaeologist." Whether you are worried about the time commitment, the difficulty of the script, or just staying focus...
In this episode, Melinda gives you a full behind-the-scenes breakdown of her next-level group program, Master Scribes. And she addresses the common question many Egyptophiles have: "Am I really ready to learn hieroglyphs?" She reveals how focusing on a "text-led" approach allows you to skip the frustration of thick grammar books and start reading real ancient Egyptian texts immediately, regardless of your background or busy schedule. Master Scribes is a customized, 6-month group program, wh...
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 supp...
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, host and Egyptologist Dr. Melinda sits down with hieroglyphs student Jen to explore how real people with busy lives are making incredible progress reading hieroglyphs. Jen shares her journey from a childhood fascination with Egypt to successfully navigating ancient medical texts and classic literature. You’ll discover how Jen moved past the "puzzle" stage of seeing hieroglyphs as just cool pictures and started understanding them as a living languag...
In this episode, we explore the fascinating Heqanakht letters, a collection of 4,000-year-old documents discovered in the rubble of an ancient Egyptian tomb. Unlike the typical "treasures" associated with Egyptology, these papyri offer a rare, unfiltered window into the personal and financial affairs of a Middle Kingdom priest and landowner named Heqanakht. We’ll dive into how these mundane letters survived for millennia and why they eventually became the unexpected inspiration for one of th...
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, Dr. Melinda sits down with Rick Richardson, a software developer and "Master Scribe" student, to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to master hieroglyphs amidst a busy life. Rick shares his journey from childhood curiosity to hitting "academic walls" with traditional courses, eventually finding success by shifting his focus. They discuss the transformative power of community accountability, the science of how we actually learn, and how t...
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, we go beyond the museum glass to uncover the mysteries of the heart scarab, one of the most iconic objects found in ancient Egyptian burials. These large, beetle-shaped amulets were far more than simple ornaments; they served as a sophisticated form of "afterlife insurance," designed to protect the deceased during their most vulnerable moment: the final judgment before the gods. We’ll explore the physical craftsmanship of these objects, the terrifyi...
In this episode, Melinda sits down with student Marianna Sanborn to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to transition from struggling student to confident translator. Despite having an MA in Egyptology, Marianna found traditional academic methods left her "shell-shocked" and unable to actually read the texts she loved. Join us as Marianna shares the specific strategies, mindset shifts, and "grace" she used to stop memorizing and start understanding—proving that you don’t need a Ph....
In this episode of Voices of Ancient Egypt, Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst addresses the burning question many enthusiasts have: Is it too late to learn how to read hieroglyphs?. Drawing on her years of academic and field experience, Melinda explores why hieroglyphs are the "missing piece" for anyone who has spent years consuming content about ancient Egypt but still feels a disconnect from the actual words of the people who lived it. You will hear inspiring stories from real students—ranging fro...
In this episode of the Voices of Ancient Egypt podcast, Egyptologist Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst pulls back the curtain on why she founded Voices of Ancient Egypt and what it means to truly understand ancient civilization on a deeper, more meaningful level. After years of teaching at the university level and working in the field, Dr. Nelson-Hurst recognized a massive "canyon" between sensationalized, repetitive media and the dense, jargon-filled academic world. This episode explores the missio...
1In this debut episode of the Voices of Ancient Egypt podcast, Dr. Melinda Nelson-Hurst shares her personal journey from a young child enamored with a "beat-up" museum catalog to becoming a professional Egyptologist with a Ph.D. She opens up about the real-life challenges of pursuing a career in academia, the sensory-rich experience of living in Cairo, and her mission to break down the "academic walls" that keep ancient knowledge hidden. Whether you are a longtime fan of ancient history or a...
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