CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev> <head><meta charset="utf-8"><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><meta name="description" content="A short note about these pages and purpose"><meta name="keywords" content="about,introduction,help"><meta name="generator" content="Astro v4.16.13"><meta name="color-scheme" content="light dark"><title>Codex of Curiosities | Pharaoh.se</title><meta property="og:type" content="article"><meta property="og:title" content="Codex of Curiosities"><meta property="og:site_name" content="Pharaoh.se"><meta property="og:description" content="A short note about these pages and purpose"><meta property="og:url" content="https://pharaoh.se/ancient-egypt/curiosities/"><meta property="og:image"><meta name="twitter:card" content="summary"><meta name="twitter:site" content="@PharaohSE"><meta name="twitter:creator" content="@PharaohSE"><meta name="twitter:title" content="Codex of Curiosities"><meta name="twitter:description" content="A short note about these pages and purpose"><meta name="twitter:image"><meta name="author" content="Peter Lundstr枚m"><link rel="canonical" href="https://pharaoh.se/ancient-egypt/curiosities/"><link rel="sitemap" href="/sitemap-index.xml"><link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/favicon.png"><link rel="preconnect" href="https://rsms.me/"><link rel="stylesheet" href="https://rsms.me/inter/inter.css"><link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com"><link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin><link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Libre+Baskerville:ital,wght@0,400;0,700;1,400&family=Noto+Serif:ital,wght@0,100..900;1,100..900&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"><script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","name":"Codex of Curiosities","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Peter Lundstr枚m","url":"https://twitter.com/pharaohSE"},"datePublished":"2024-11-21T17:46:26.811Z","image":{},"headline":"Codex of Curiosities | Pharaoh.se","articleBody":"A short note about these pages and purpose","url":"https://pharaoh.se/ancient-egypt/curiosities/","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"@PharaohSE"}}</script><style>:root{--color-scheme: dark;--font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif;--fs-300: clamp(.94rem, calc(.92rem + .08vw) , .98rem);--fs-400: clamp(1.13rem, calc(1.06rem + .33vw) , 1.31rem);--fs-500: clamp(1.35rem, calc(1.21rem + .69vw) , 1.75rem);--fs-600: clamp(1.62rem, calc(1.37rem + 1.24vw) , 2.33rem);--fs-700: clamp(1.94rem, calc(1.54rem + 2.03vw) , 3.11rem);--fs-800: clamp(2.33rem, calc(1.7rem + 3.15vw) , 4.14rem);--fs-900: clamp(2.8rem, calc(1.85rem + 4.74vw) , 5.52rem)}#toppen[data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev]{display:none;position:fixed;bottom:2rem;right:2rem;z-index:99;cursor:pointer}body{margin:0;font-family:var(--font-family);font-size:var(--fs-400);line-height:1.6}ol{list-style-type:decimal}sup a{padding-left:.2em;padding-right:.2em;padding-top:8rem;font-weight:700}.ptext{margin-bottom:.75rem;text-align:justify;font-weight:400;--tw-text-opacity: 1;color:rgb(68 64 60 / var(--tw-text-opacity, 1))}@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark){.ptext:not(.light *){--tw-text-opacity: 1;color:rgb(108 146 164 / var(--tw-text-opacity, 1))}}.ptext:is(.dark *){--tw-text-opacity: 1;color:rgb(108 146 164 / var(--tw-text-opacity, 1))}p{padding-top:.75rem;padding-bottom:.75rem}.bt{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;border-radius:.5rem;--tw-bg-opacity: 1;background-color:rgb(8 47 73 / var(--tw-bg-opacity, 1));padding:.5rem .75rem;text-align:center;font-family:InterVariable,Inter,ui-sans-serif,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Segoe UI,Roboto,Helvetica Neue,Arial,Noto Sans,sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.75rem;font-weight:500;--tw-text-opacity: 1 !important;color:rgb(255 255 255 / var(--tw-text-opacity, 1))!important;transition-property:color,background-color,border-color,text-decoration-color,fill,stroke;transition-duration:.2s;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(.4,0,.2,1)}.bt:hover{--tw-bg-opacity: 1;background-color:rgb(133 77 14 / var(--tw-bg-opacity, 1));--tw-text-opacity: 1 !important;color:rgb(254 252 232 / var(--tw-text-opacity, 1))!important;text-decoration-line:none}.bt:focus{outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;--tw-ring-offset-shadow: var(--tw-ring-inset) 0 0 0 var(--tw-ring-offset-width) var(--tw-ring-offset-color);--tw-ring-shadow: var(--tw-ring-inset) 0 0 0 calc(4px + var(--tw-ring-offset-width)) var(--tw-ring-color);box-shadow:var(--tw-ring-offset-shadow),var(--tw-ring-shadow),var(--tw-shadow, 0 0 #0000);--tw-ring-opacity: 1;--tw-ring-color: rgb(56 189 248 / var(--tw-ring-opacity, 1)) } </style> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/_astro/about.ByxzgmaZ.css"></head><body id="body" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev> <header class="w-full fixed top-0 z-50 print:hidden" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev> <div class="navigation nav-container max-w-full items-center justify-around mx-auto flex flex-wrap p-4 bg-shark-900" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4> <div class="brand" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4> <a href="/" class="hover:no-underline" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><span class="text-3xl transition-all ease-in-out duration-700 hover:text-yellow-300 hover:underline decoration-2 hover:decoration-sky-600 font-black whitespace-nowrap uppercase hover:text-4xl bg-gradient-to-l from-amber-100 via-amber-500 to-amber-700 bg-clip-text text-transparent" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Pharaoh<span class="text-white text-2xl" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>.</span><span class="font-light text-2xl" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>se</span></span></a> </div> <nav data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4> <div class="nav-mobile" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a id="navbar-toggle" href="#" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><span data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4></span></a></div> <ul class="nav-list" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4> <a href="#!" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Pharaohs</a> <ul class="navbar-dropdown" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/pharaohs" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Pharaohs</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/dynasties" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Dynasties</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/period/old-kingdom" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Old Kingdom</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/period/first-intermediate-period" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>1st Intermediate</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/period/middle-kingdom" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Middle Kingdom</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/period/second-intermediate-period" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>2nd Intermediate</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/period/new-kingdom" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>New Kingdom</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/period/third-intermediate-period" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>3rd Intermediate</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/period/late-period" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Late Period</a></li> </ul> </li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4> <a href="#!" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>King lists</a> <ul class="navbar-dropdown" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/kinglists" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Overview</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/kinglist/turin" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Turin King List</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/kinglist/abydos-canon" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Abydos Canon</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/kinglist/karnak-canon" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Karnak Canon</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/kinglist/saqqara-canon" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Saqqara Canon</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/kinglist/medinet-habu-canon" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Medinet Habu</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/kinglist/ramesseum-canon" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Ramesseum</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/kinglist/marseille" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Marseille table</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/kinglist/other" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Minor king lists</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/kinglist/manetho" class="font-bold border-t-2 dark:border-shark-800" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Manetho</a></li> </ul> </li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4> <a href="#!" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>More...</a> <ul class="navbar-dropdown" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/obelisks" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Obelisks</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/temples-and-monuments" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Monuments</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/hieroglyphs" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Hieroglyphs</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/cartography" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Cartography</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/egyptology" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Egyptology</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/titles-and-epithets" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Titles & epithets</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/book-series" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Important books</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/bibliography" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Bibliography</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/ancient-egypt/curiosities" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>Curiosities</a></li> <li data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4><a href="/about" class="font-bold border-t-2 dark:border-shark-800" data-astro-cid-ej6f5fy4>About</a></li> </ul> </li>  </ul> </nav> </div> <script> // Get references to elements const navbarToggle = document.getElementById("navbar-toggle"); const navbarUl = document.querySelector("nav ul"); const navbarDropdownItems = document.querySelectorAll("nav ul li a:not(:only-child)"); // Function to open and close the navigation menu (hamburger menu) function toggleNavbar() { navbarUl.classList.toggle("show"); navbarToggle.classList.toggle("active"); } // Event listener for the navbar toggle button navbarToggle.addEventListener("click", toggleNavbar); // Event listener for dropdown items navbarDropdownItems.forEach((item) => { item.addEventListener("click", function (event) { const dropdown = this.nextElementSibling; // Check if the dropdown exists if (dropdown && dropdown.classList.contains("navbar-dropdown")) { dropdown.classList.toggle("show"); // Close other dropdowns const otherDropdowns = document.querySelectorAll(".navbar-dropdown.show"); otherDropdowns.forEach((otherDropdown) => { if (otherDropdown !== dropdown) { otherDropdown.classList.remove("show"); } }); event.stopPropagation(); } }); }); // Event listener for clicks outside the dropdown document.addEventListener("click", function (event) { const dropdowns = document.querySelectorAll(".navbar-dropdown.show"); dropdowns.forEach((dropdown) => { // Close the dropdown if the clicked target is outside of the dropdown if (!dropdown.parentElement.contains(event.target)) { dropdown.classList.remove("show"); } }); }); </script> </header> <div class="w-full h-40 bg-center bg-repeat-x mt-20" style="background-image:url(/images/glyphsbg9.webp)" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev> <p class="text-center text-7xl align-middle pt-20" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev></p> </div> <div class="container mx-auto pb-5" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev> <h1 class="pagetitle" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev>Codex of Curiosities</h1> </div> <main class="max-w-[1200px] mx-auto" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev> <div class="w-full mx-auto px-5" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev> <div class="z-10 text-base leading-7" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev> <main class="flow content-grid"> <section> <p class="lead text-balance text-center"> This is a "vault" of experiments and half-finished articles, some of them hopefully readable. The quality varies considerably. <strong>CAVEAT EMPTOR.</strong> </p> </section> <section class="mx-auto max-w-prose pb-20 text-justify text-lg"> <p> This is an archive of experiments where things are cultivated, tested, abandoned or expanded. Some might flourish, while others wither away, leaving behind valuable lessons. A digital laboratory or collection housing a variety of half-finished articles and concepts in various stages of development. Some articles could represent completed studies, while others offer preliminary insights. Some merely safeguard a text from vanishing into the ether. Kind of the digital version of inscribing texts in stone. Ah, the wit. </p> <p> As with all electronic texts, this website is susceptible to disappearance at any time, whether due to ignorance, censorship, bankruptcy, physical destruction, or even an alien invasion. <em>Nothing lasts forever.</em> </p> </section> <section> <div class="grid grid-cols-1 justify-items-stretch gap-5 lg:grid-cols-2"> <div class="max-w-full rounded-lg border border-stone-200 bg-white p-6 text-right shadow dark:border-shark-900 dark:bg-shark-950"> <a href="https://pharaoh.se/ancient-egypt/curiosities//historical-hall-berlin"> <h5 class="mb-2 text-left text-2xl font-bold tracking-tight text-stone-900 dark:text-white">The Historical Hall</h5> </a> <p class="ptext">150 years ago when Berlin had a brand new museum with its Historical Hall, plastered with Pharaonic frescoes; think vibrant colours, enough headgear to make an ostrich jealous... But then, WW2 came along... <em class="font-sans">Completed.</em></p> <a href="https://pharaoh.se/ancient-egypt/curiosities//historical-hall-berlin" class="bt"> Check it out <svg class="ms-2 h-3.5 w-3.5 rtl:rotate-180" aria-hidden="true" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 14 10"> <path stroke="currentColor" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M1 5h12m0 0L9 1m4 4L9 9"></path> </svg> </a> </div><div class="max-w-full rounded-lg border border-stone-200 bg-white p-6 text-right shadow dark:border-shark-900 dark:bg-shark-950"> <a href="https://pharaoh.se/ancient-egypt/curiosities//rosetta-stone"> <h5 class="mb-2 text-left text-2xl font-bold tracking-tight text-stone-900 dark:text-white">Rosetta Stone</h5> </a> <p class="ptext">During Napoleon鈥檚 expedition to Egypt in 1799, French soldiers unearthed the trilingual Rosetta Stone while rebuilding the crumbling ruins of a 15-th century fort against an expected Ottoman attack. <em class="font-sans">Work in progress.</em></p> <a href="https://pharaoh.se/ancient-egypt/curiosities//rosetta-stone" class="bt"> More inside <svg class="ms-2 h-3.5 w-3.5 rtl:rotate-180" aria-hidden="true" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 14 10"> <path stroke="currentColor" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M1 5h12m0 0L9 1m4 4L9 9"></path> </svg> </a> </div> </div> </section> </main> <div class="py-10 my-5 print:hidden" aria-hidden="true"> <img src="/svg/thoth.svg" loading="lazy" class="mx-auto h-28 opacity-50 transition duration-300 hover:opacity-100" alt="Thoth" title="You have reached the end of the page. This is Thoth, the wise God of writing and hieroglyphs." srcset=""> <p class="text-center uppercase font-sans text-xs pt-3"> <abbr class="text-stone-400 dark:text-shark-700 no-underline" title="Latin for: Nothing comes from nothing">Ex nihilo nihil fit</abbr> </p> </div> <div class="hidden print:block print:py-20 text-center"> <h3>Original text from:</h3><a href="https://pharaoh.se{currentPath}" class="font-mono text-sm text-black"><img src="/svg/pharaohse.svg" alt="Pharaoh.SE" class="w-60 mx-auto block">https://pharaoh.se/ancient-egypt/curiosities/</a> </div> </div> </div> </main> <footer class="g2 text-stone-100 print:hidden"> <div class="text-center font-sans container mx-auto pb-20 sm:pb-0"> <div class="flex flex-col gap-x-10 sm:flex-row flex-wrap items-center justify-center min-h-[320px]"> <div class="flex-0 w-28 place-items-end my-5 sm:my-0"> <a href="/" class="no-underline"><img src="/svg/palm.svg" class="w-28 glow opacity-70 hover:opacity-100" loading="lazy" title="To the start of Pharaoh.SE" alt="Pharaoh.SE logo"><span class="hide">Back to the Homepage</span></a> </div> <div class="flex-1 max-w-fit text-sm text-softy"> A website mostly about the kings of ancient Egypt.<br>Information provided "as is".<br> <span class="text-amber-100">© 2011–2024 Peter Lundström | v. 4.4.0 </span><br>Errors & omissions are possible. <em>Always check the sources!</em><br>Designed for wide screens — but works on smaller screens too <div class="mt-3 text-sm flex w-fit mx-auto"> <a rel="noopener nofollow" class="text-center text-stone-300 hover:text-amber-200" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank"> <img src="/svg/by.svg" class="w-8 opacity-25 hover:opacity-75 mr-2" loading="lazy" alt="BY"></a> <a rel="noopener nofollow" class="text-center text-stone-300 hover:text-amber-200" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank"> <img src="/svg/cc.svg" class="w-8 opacity-25 hover:opacity-75 mr-2" loading="lazy" alt="CC"></a> <img src="/svg/gh.svg" class="w-8 opacity-50 mr-2" loading="lazy" alt="Github"> <img src="/svg/netlify.svg" class="w-8 opacity-50" loading="lazy" alt="Netlify"> </div> <p class="pb-10"> Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License   <a class="text-stone-300 hover:text-amber-200" href="/privacy">Privacy policy</a> </p> </div> <div class="flex-0 w-28 my-5 sm:my-0 shadow-lg text-sm text-softy"> PHARAOH.SE<img src="/svg/qr.svg" class="h-28 w-28" loading="lazy" alt="QR"> </div> </div> </div> </footer> <style> .glow { --dropp: #e0650d; /* #ca6216 */ filter: drop-shadow(0 0 5px var(--dropp)); } a, a:visited { @apply text-white; } </style> <script src="/scripts/fancybox.js"></script> <button onclick="topFunction()" id="toppen" title="Go to top" class="print:hidden" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev><svg class="inline print:hidden" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev><path d="M17.6569 16.2427L19.0711 14.8285L12.0001 7.75739L4.92896 14.8285L6.34317 16.2427L12.0001 10.5858L17.6569 16.2427Z" fill="currentColor" data-astro-cid-3k4nrkev></path></svg> Back to top</button> <script> let butt = document.getElementById("toppen"); window.onscroll = function () { scrollFunction(); }; function scrollFunction() { if (document.body.scrollTop > 600 || document.documentElement.scrollTop > 600) { butt.style.display = "block"; } else { butt.style.display = "none"; } } // When the user clicks on the button, scroll to the top of the document function topFunction() { document.body.scrollTop = 0; // For Safari document.documentElement.scrollTop = 0; // For Chrome, Firefox, IE and Opera } </script> </body> </html>