Janet Johnson’s interest in Egypt has been a lifelong fascination. “My father was interested in ancient Egypt, so I just read all the books he brought home from the library,” says Johnson, the Morton ...

A 37-year project to compile a dictionary of an ancient Egyptian script used for daily communication has been completed, offering an unprecedented look at the words of ordinary ancient Egyptians.

Demotic is the script used in Egypt from the 7th century B.C.E. to the 5th century C.E. A script to carry the language of trade, administration and everyday life, it is separate from the formal ...

Some are now thinking: Who cares how we know this? This is shallow. Fact is, David, we do know, more or less. And how we know is a fascinating tale. Never miss a beat. Get our free daily newsletter.