THE EGYPTIAN SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA
Shemu Articles
SHEMU
Shemu is the Society’s quarterly newsletter, issued in January, April, July and October. Shemu is an Egyptian word meaning ‘harvest’.
The rise of the Nile flood in July marked the New Year for ancient Egyptians and this, the first season from July to October, was called akhet (inundation), go be followed by peret (time of emergence) from November to February as the Nile waters subside. The final season from March to June was shemu, a word that came to mean ‘harvest’.
The TESSA newsletter is sent to members, relevant organisations and institutions in South Africa, the USA, UK and Egypt. Please e-mail the Secretary on capevent1@gmail.com.
More to see and do in the Valley of the Kings
Ted Loukes continues to share some of the oft-overlooked gems when visiting Egypt Welcome to the second part of our look at the ancient sites that so often get rushed through or missed completely by the larger tour companies. We begin with the big one; the Valley of...
Author Del Blackwater and her love for ancient Egypt
Author Del Blackwater, in conversation with Nerine Dorman shares her fascination with ancient Egypt in an adventure that spans centuries Nerine Dorman: Tell us a little bit about yourself and where your love for ancient Egypt stems from. Del Blackwater: I was raised...
What Happened to Cleopatra’s Daughter?
Peter Loyson explores the fascinating story of Cleopatra's daughter, and her eventual fate Cleopatra must be one of the most famous queens of ancient Egypt. She was the last queen of the Ptolemaic Dynasty and was actually Cleopatra VII, as there were six others by...
A visit to the West Bank, Luxor – sights to see
Ted Loukes shares some of the highlights visitors can expect on the West Bank in Luxor Many of us have done those tours that include a handful of days on a cruise ship between Luxor and Aswan, and they usually include a start or finish day in Luxor itself – cramming...
Discovering culinary delights of the past. What did ancient Egyptians eat?
Sandra Visser takes us on a brief foodie fact-finding mission to discover what ancient Egyptians enjoyed dishing up. BREAD AND BEER formed the basis of both rich and poor ancient Egyptians’ diet. Bread was made from wheat and barley, while the latter was also used to...
Athanasius Kircher – a forerunner in Egyptology
Nerine Dorman has a glance at the life and times of one of modern Egyptology's forerunners FOR CENTURIES, MANY of ancient Egypt’s splendours were hidden beneath the sands, largely forgotten; however ancient Egypt’s mystique lingered, inspiring everyone from biblical...
Meet SHEMU’s new copy editor – Sandra Visser
FIRSTLY, WE WOULD like to thank our outgoing copy editor and writer Jane Mulder for her many years of loyal service. SHEMU would not be where it is today without your valuable contribution. That being said, we would like to give a warm welcome to our new copy editor,...
A tribute to Professor Anthony Humphreys – May 16, 1945 to March 20, 2026
Joseph Koetsier shares this heartfelt tribute to our much-loved member FORMER MCGREGOR MUSEUM archaeologist, Emeritus Professor Anthony Humphreys and former chairperson of The Egyptian Society of South Africa, passed away on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Cape Town. The...