LIST OF EGYPTIAN CHARACTERS
Ankhesenamen (Ankhes) Tutankhamen’s Principal Wife and Queen of the Two Lands: daughter of Nefertiti and Akhenaten
Aset Daughter of Nefertiti and Ramose
Ay Primary Adviser (Fanbearer on the Right) to Tutankhamen, who succeeds the young Pharaoh
Hiknefer Nubian prince schooled at Pharaoh’s court; boyhood friend of Tutankhamen
Horemheb General of the Army under Tutankhamen; Pharaoh’s Deputy in the North and the South under Ay
Ipwet Basketmaker on Ramose’s estate
Khary Tenre’s gardener, later manager of his medicine dispensary
Khay-Min A physician in the House of Life: Mena’s father-by-marriage
Merenptah (Mena) Tenre’s boyhood friend and collaborator in his medical experiments; physician in Pharaoh’s army
Merit Aset’s nurse-mother
Mutnodjme Nefertiti’s sister; Horemheb’s wife
Nebet Daughter of Mena and Sheri
Nefertiti Once Queen to the “Heretic” Akhenaten and coregent during the final three years of his reign, as Smenkhkare; daughter of Amenhotep III
Nofret Tenre’s elderly aunt
Pagosh Merit’s husband and personal servant to Ramose
Paranefer High Priest of Amen
Ramose A priest of Amen, overseer of the God’s lands and treasury
Ruka Ipwet’s son
Senakhtenre (Tenre) An ordinary physician who treats laborers, women and children
Senmut Son of the King of Aniba, a young physician who becomes Mena’s protegé; Hiknefer’s half-brother
Tamin Khary’s wife
Tetisheri (Sheri) Mena’s wife
Tutankhamen Young half-brother of Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV), who succeeds him on the throne
Uzahor Elderly friend of Ramose; Aset’s first husband
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The lyrical verses used in the text and as epigraphs for the Egyptian chapters are from Awakening Osiris: A New Translation of the Egyptian Book of the Dead by Normandi Ellis (Phanes Press, 1988). In leaving behind the archaic language of earlier translations, Ellis allows us to see the changing color of the desert sky through the eyes of a people who lived thousands of years ago—to share their aspirations and disappointments and come to realize they were capable of both soaring flights of imagination and the most mundane ordinariness—until, in the end, we hear ourselves in their voices.
Dr. Robert Pickering, physical anthropologist and former chairman of the Department of Anthropology at the Denver Museum of Natural History, opened the door for me to forensic reconstructions based on CT scans of a mummy, sharing not only his expertise but his enthusiasm for learning more about how the ancient Egyptians lived, not just their way of death. It was an exhibition, Egypt’s Dazzling Sun: Amenhotep III and His World, organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art in collaboration with the Réunion des Museés Nationaux, Paris (catalog by Arielle Kozloff and Betsy Bryan, 1992) that truly opened my eyes to this artistically magnificent period of Egyptian history. And while there were many other collections and exhibitions along the way, none were so thought-provoking (indeed, mesmerizing) as this one, set against the backdrop of architect Louis Kahn’s equally magnificent Kimbell Art Museum in Ft. Worth, Texas.
Many people had a hand in shaping this book. Eunice McWharter was ever ready to read one more draft, allowing me to test one idea after another. Dr. George Beddingfield provided insightful observations on the story and how to tell it, Christina Harcar gave generously of her time and editorial expertise, and Leslie Kronz lent her ear for voice and tone when I needed it most. In between, the Sunday Afternoon Connoisseurs read and offered thoughtful counsel, then came back for more. Perhaps it was for the wine. Jennifer Sawyer Fisher, my editor, provided not only editorial guidance but unfailing equanimity and good cheer in the face of one more read. Elizabeth Ziemska and then Nick Ellison, my agents, opened still another door for me, all the while giving generously of their wisdom, confidence, and enthusiasm. My thanks to all.
Praise for THE EYE OF HORUS
“Two compelling stories … The mystery of ancient Egypt and some of the most up-to-date techniques found in forensic medicine are combined to breathe life into an ancient mummy.”
Dr. Robert Pickering, former chairman. Department of Anthropology,
Denver Museum of Natural History
“Parallel tales of personal and professional intrigue, loss and recovery … Thurston stirringly mixes … religious, medical, and social alternative histories.”
Kirkus Reviews
“A fascinating journey from the present to an era more than 3,000 years ago … [that] keeps the reader turning pages until the end.”
San Antonio Express-News
“Intriguing … Thurston effectively builds suspense … [and] provides plenty of fascinating insights into everyday life in fourteenth century BCE Egypt.”
Booklist
“Highly literate, packed with minutiae about ancient Egypt and modern-day forensic medicine. The Eye of Horus challenges the reader … The appeal of the characters is substantial.”
Austin-American Statesman
“Wonderfully detailed … a great read … This treasure-filled mystery will have other writers regretfully murmuring, ‘Tut, tut.’”
Texas Monthly
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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