The History of Egypt

190: Omm Sety, Guardian of Abydos

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Dorothy Eady, Bulbul Abd el-Meguid, Omm Sety… A woman of three names, multiple lives, and a lifelong devotion to Egyptology. From the 1950s to 1981, Omm Sety was a resident of Abydos, and a regular worshipper at the great Temple of Sety I. Her life is a tale of dedication, spiritual connection, and fascination with the ancient past. In this episode, we explore Omm Sety’s life and try to “shine a spotlight” on her work, personality, and beliefs…

Documentaries about Omm Sety (YouTube):

  • BBC Interview with Omm Sety at Abydos: https://youtu.be/2fdNJ2L9_zw?t=1.
  • Omm Sety explains the Abydos Temple: https://youtu.be/QXmnus48jdI?t=83.
  • Recollections of Omm Sety by those who knew her (Arabic, with subtitles): https://youtu.be/ZrFA-kDHtzg?t=281.
  • Egypt – Quest for Eternity, with section on Omm Sety (filmed just prior to her death): https://youtu.be/VHXsv9ZLlYo?t=737.

    • Episode details:

    • Jonathan Cott, The Search for Omm Sety at Archive.org.
    • Omm Sety and Hanny el Zeini, Abydos: Holy City of Ancient Egypt at Archive.org.
    • Date: 1904—1981 CE.
    • Places: Blackheath; Cairo; Abydos.
    • Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com.
    • Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast.
    • Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.
    • Music: Ancient Lyric.
    • Interludes: Luke Chaos and Hathor Systrum.


      • Select Bibliography:

      • J. Cott, The Search for Omm Sety: A Story of Eternal Love (1987).
      • E. B. Ghazzouli, ‘The Palace and Magazines Attached to the Temple of Sety I at Abydos and the Facade of this Temple’, Annales du Services des Antiquités de l’Egypte 58 (1964), 99—186.
      • B. S. Lesko, ‘Omm Sety, 1904—1981,’ in M. S. Joukowsky and B. S. Lesko (eds), Breaking Ground: Women in Old World Archaeology.
      • O. Sety and H. El-Zeini, Abydos: Holy City of Ancient Egypt (1981).
      • J. Thompson, Wonderful Things, A History of Egyptology, III: From 1914 to the Twenty-First Century (2018).
      • J. Uglow et al. (eds), ‘Eady, Dorothy (1904-1981)’, The Palgrave MacMillan Dictionary of Women’s Biography (1982).

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