The story of the Isle of Atlantis first occurs in Plato’s two dialogues the “Timaeus” and the “Critias.”   Plato’s story centers on Solon, a great Greek legislator and poet who journeyed to Egypt some 150 years earlier.   While in the Egyptian city of Sais Solon received the story of Atlantis from priests.   The priests respected Solon’s reputation and cordially welcomed him.

They also respected the Athenians, whom they regarded as kinsmen, because they believed their deity Neith to be the same deity as the Greeks called Athena.   Therefore, she was believed to be the patroness and protector of both Greece and Egypt.

The story that the priests told Solon was unknown to him. According to ancient Egyptian temple records the Athenians fought an aggressive war against the rulers of Atlantis some 9,000 years earlier and won...

[More]  Yemen Times, Yemen, Issue 812, Volume 13, 31 January 2005 to 2 February 2005.

This one's not strictly ancient Egypt but may be of interest.

A letter by Admiral Lord Nelson detailing his "perfect recovery" after losing an arm in battle has sold at auction for £42,000.

The historic note was the star attraction in a sale of memorabilia belonging to the legendary naval leader which went under the hammer in Edinburgh.

Addressed to the vicar at St George's in Hanover Square, London, the 1797 letter had been expected to sell for about £4,500...

[More]  The Telegraph, UK, 01/02/2005.

cf. Nelson box set to have mast appeal, The Scotsman, UK, 26 Jan 2005.

A tourist article by William J. Lambert III listing Elephantine as one of the most romantic spots he has know.

By the time you’ve traveled 600 miles up the Nile from Cairo to Elephantine Island (where a Nubian ivory market once thrived), you’ve usually overdosed on the pyramids of Giza and Sakkarah, the tombs and temples of Thebes, Luxor, Esna, and Idfu.   You’ve come either by plane (a two-hour flight due south from Cairo), by train (overnight by Wagons-Lits sleeper), by car (a multi-day adventure, depending upon the unreliable Egyptian roads), or by boat (sailing time varying from where you embarked along the Nile); then, by motor launch from the city of Aswan to your hotel on Elephantine Island.   There’s a wider selection of accommodations in Aswan, but the island’s western-style Hotel Oberoi is considered by many seasoned travelers, I included, one of Egypt’s finest...

[More]  Useless-Knowledge.com, Jan. 31, 2005.