The relation of Minoans with Egypt is an indisputable fact. The author of the article examines the Egyptian word Keftiu, which leads to its Greek origin, that is translated as “the nail of the earth”, the nail meaning “the peak of a mountain”. Thus, the name Kefti primarily means “at the nail”, a term probably used by the sailors of the Bronze Age to indicate the dominant landmark of Crete, a point of departure or destination, well-known among seafarers: the sharp peak above the homonymous pre-Minoan village, the site of the highest open-air sanctuary of the island. Then two Egyptian papyri are examined, which have been catalogued as medical manuscripts. According to the author, the first (BM EA 10059) refers to the settlement of a misunderstanding (?), in which the Pharaoh was involved, while the second, a medical one indeed, refers to an illness, named “Sawatossis”.
The Keftiu People, their Language and their Relation with Minoan Crete
23 Aug 2012
by Archaeology Newsroom
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