New Light on Ancient Egypt #263547

The transcriptions of the Egyptian names in this volume differ so materially from those in general use in England that a word of explanation in regard to them seems advisable. For such barbarous pronunciations as Thoutmes, Ahmes, Rausorma, I have substituted thoutmosis, ahmosis, Ousimarés, a vocalization nearer that of the ancient pronunciation. Some of the vowel sounds,1 like those Of the three names just quoted, are derived from the Greeks, or from the Egyptians Of the grzeco-roman period others are deduced by analogy with Greek transcriptions from forms the exact transliteration Of which has not been preserved for us by the ancients. The reader will easily recognize the former in those where I have kept the Greek or Latin terminations es, as, or am; where those terminations are wanting, the form is deduced by analogy, or determined in accordance with the rules Of grammar. Thus amenothés (amenhotep), Khamois (kha-em-uas), Harmakhis (hor-em — Khou) are pronunciations justified by the Greek renderings Amenemhait (amenemhat), Hatshopsouitou (hatasou, Hashepsou) are grammatical deductions. Many points are still doubtful, and some of the vowel sounds will have to be modified in the future but they have at least the merit Of testifying to an effort towards the truth, and Of undeceiving the public who, on the faith of the Egyptologists, accept as legitimate, pronunciations which would have been considered monstrous by the Egyptians themselves.