The

Amelia Peabody series The Amelia Peabody series is a series of twenty historical mystery novels and one non-fiction companion volume written by Egyptologist Barbara Mertz (1927–2013) under the pen name Elizabeth Peters. The series is centered on the adventures o ...

historical mystery The historical mystery or historical whodunit is a subgenre of two literary genres, historical fiction and mystery fiction. These works are set in a time period considered historical from the author's perspective, and the central plot involves th ...

novels is written by

Elizabeth Peters Barbara Louise Mertz (September 29, 1927 – August 8, 2013) was an American author who wrote under her own name as well as under the pseudonyms Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels. In 1952, she received a PhD in Egyptology from the Universi ...

, set in Victorian Egypt among a family of eccentric archaeologists. Note that, as with most character lists, the descriptions herein necessarily contain numerous spoilers.

Entirely fictional

The Emerson family

;

Amelia Peabody Amelia Peabody Emerson is the protagonist of the Amelia Peabody series, a series of historical mystery novels written by author Elizabeth Peters (a pseudonym of Egyptologist Barbara Mertz, 1927–2013). Peabody is married to Egyptologist Radcli ...

Emerson : The matriarch, sleuth, and fervent pyramidophile. Nicknamed "Sitt Hakim" ("Lady Doctor"). ;Professor Radcliffe Archibald Emerson : Amelia's husband, "The greatest Egyptologist of this or any other era." Nicknamed "Abu Shitaim" ("Father of Curses"). ;Walter Peabody "Ramses" Emerson : Amelia and Radcliffe's only child, born around July 1887. He is first described as "catastrophically precocious", since he is intellectually gifted but finds social interactions difficult. He is later dubbed "Akhu el-Efreet" ("Brother of Demons"), and grows up to become a renowned philologist like his uncle. ;Nefret Forth Emerson : Daughter of Willoughby Forth, born 15 April 1884. Raised until the age of 13 in a lost Meroitic civilization, where she and her father were forced to remain (''

The Last Camel Died at Noon ''The Last Camel Died at Noon'' is the sixth in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and featuring fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. It was first published in 1991. This story in the historical my ...

''). Adopted by the Emersons and later married to Ramses. Nicknamed "Nur Misur" (Light of Egypt). ;Professor Walter Emerson : Emerson's younger brother, the world-famous

philologist Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources. It is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics with strong ties to etymology. Philology is also defined as the study of ...

. Married to Evelyn. ; Evelyn Forbes Emerson: Amelia's dearest friend, who has a heart of gold and nerves of steel. Wife of Professor Walter Emerson. ;Amelia "Lia" Emerson Todros : Daughter of Walter and Evelyn, named for Amelia Peabody, born around 1890. She defies convention to marry David Todros (in '' The Falcon at the Portal''). ;David Todros : Abdullah's grandson, adopted by Walter and Evelyn. A natural artist and Ramses' partner in mischief, David first appears in '' The Hippopotamus Pool''. ;James Peabody : Amelia's eldest and least favorite brother, father of Percy and Violet. Referred to in '' Crocodile on the Sandbank'', first seen in '' Deeds of the Disturber''. ;Percival "Percy" Peabody : Decidedly unpleasant nephew of Amelia and son of James. First seen in '' Deeds of the Disturber''; killed off in ''

He Shall Thunder in the Sky ''He Shall Thunder in the Sky'' (also published as ''Thunder in the Sky'') is the 12th in a series of historical mystery novels by Elizabeth Peters, first published in 2000, and featuring fictional archaeologist and sleuth Amelia Peabody. The s ...

''. ;Sennia Emerson : Percy's illegitimate daughter by a Cairo prostitute, abandoned by her father and later used by him in an attempt to discredit Ramses. She is adopted by the Emersons. Called "Little Bird." First appears in '' The Falcon at the Portal''. ;Seth Emerson, a.k.a. Sethos :Illegitimate half-brother of Professor Radcliffe Emerson. Alternately known as "The Master Criminal." First appeared in '' The Mummy Case''. Discovered to be related to Emerson in ''

''. Father of Maryam (Molly) (see also Enemies) ;Charlotte "Charla" Emerson : Ramses' and Nefret's daughter, named for Amelia's mother. Twin sister of David John. ;David John "Davy" Emerson : Ramses' and Nefret's son, named for David Todros and Evelyn and Walter's son, John, who died in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Twin brother of Charlotte. ;Abdullah "Dolly" Todros : David's and Lia's son, named for David's grandfather. Older brother of Evelyn. ;Evelyn "Evvie" Todros : David's and Lia's daughter, named for Lia's mother. Nicknamed

Sekhmet In Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet ( or Sachmis , from ; ) is a warrior goddess as well as goddess of medicine. Sekhmet is also a solar deity, sometimes given the epithet "the Eye of Ra, eye of Ra". She is often associated with the goddesses Hatho ...

for her "lion-colored mane of hair and her explosive temper." Younger sister of Abdullah.

The Emersons' staff and work crew

;Abdullah ibn Hassan al Wahhab : The Emersons' loyal ''reis'' (foreman), who leads the excavations with Emerson. Devoted to Emerson, and initially resentful of Amelia ("Every year, another dead body!"), he eventually becomes just as devoted to her, and dies heroically defending her life (''

The Ape Who Guards the Balance ''The Ape Who Guards the Balance'' is the tenth in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters, first published in 1998, and featuring fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. The story is set in the 1906–1907 d ...

''). Reappears to Amelia in clairvoyant dreams; David and Lia's first child is named for him. ;Selim : Abdullah's youngest son, friend of Ramses, with a technical mind and an eye for the ladies. When he grows up, he takes his father, Abdullah's, place as ''reis''. Has two wives, Rabia and Taghrid. ;Daoud : Abdullah's nephew, a giant of a man whose simple observations help solve mysteries and protect his friends. He adores Lia, David's wife, and his faith in Amelia's abilities verges on religious awe. ;Fatima : (First introduced in "The Ape Who Guard's the Balance") Abdullah's daughter-in-law, the widow of one of his deceased sons. After her husband dies, she asks Amelia for a position of independence, and becomes the Emersons' dedicated housekeeper in Egypt, and enjoys learning to read and write. ;Kadija : Daoud's wife. Born of a Nubian mother, whose dark coloring she shares, and stronger than many men. Keeps the secret recipe for the famous "green ointment" prescribed as a cure-all by all members of Abdullah's family. ; Gargery : The Emersons' butler. Accompanies the Emersons on some of their later expeditions, acting as Sennia's bodyguard. Has been known to wield a cudgel to defend his employers. ; Rose : The Emersons' housekeeper in Kent, completely devoted to Ramses. ; Bassima : Sennia's Nanny. First appeared in '' The Falcon at the Portal''.

Cats

;

Bastet Bastet or Bast (), also known as Ubasti or Bubastis, is a goddess of ancient Egyptian religion, possibly of Nubian origin, worshipped as early as the Second Dynasty (2890 BC). In ancient Greek religion, she was known as Ailuros (). Bastet was ...

: The matriarch of the long line of companions; she and Ramses have a deep bond with one another. After her death at a ripe old age (noted in ''

Seeing a Large Cat ''Seeing a Large Cat'' is the ninth novel in the Amelia Peabody historical mystery series by Elizabeth Peters, first published in 1997. The story takes place in Egypt during the archaeological dig season of 1903–1904. Plot summary The story ...

''), it will take Ramses years before he even considers accepting another feline companion. Almost always referred to as 'the cat Bastet'. She first appears in '' The Curse of the Pharaohs''. ;

Anubis Anubis (; ), also known as Inpu, Inpw, Jnpw, or Anpu in Ancient Egyptian (), is the god of funerary rites, protector of graves, and guide to the underworld in ancient Egyptian religion, usually depicted as a canine or a man with a canine hea ...

: Originally belonged to the villainous Vincey but eventually bonds with Emerson, and fathers a large brood with Bastet. First appears in ''

The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog ''The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog'' is the seventh in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and featuring fictional archaeologist and sleuth Amelia Peabody. It was first published in 1992. The story is set in t ...

''. ;

: Called "the furry blob" by Ramses, she later defects to live a life of luxury with the Vandergelts. First appears in ''

''. ;

Horus Horus (), also known as Heru, Har, Her, or Hor () in Egyptian language, Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as the god of kingship, healing, protection, the sun, and t ...

: Bonds originally with Nefret but later defects to Sennia. They are the only two people he will tolerate. First appears in ''

''. ;

Seshat Seshat (, under various spellings) was the ancient Egyptian Ancient Egyptian religion, goddess of writing, wisdom, and knowledge. She was seen as a scribe and record keeper. She was also credited with inventing writing. She became identified a ...

: First appears in '' The Falcon at the Portal''; prefers Ramses. ;The Great Cat of Re : Brought to the family, as a small kitten, by Horus; loyal to Ramses. Makes it plain he refuses to commute back and forth to England and remains resident at the Emerson's house at Thebes. First appears in '' The Golden One''.

Horses

;Risha : (Arabic, "feather") Silver-gray stallion, a gift to Ramses from a sheik friend of the Emersons, who fathers a large family of mounts for the rest of the family. ;Asfur : (Arabic, "bird") Mare, a gift to David from the same sheik. ;Moonlight : Mare, a daughter of Risha and Asfur, belongs to Nefret. ;Melusine: Filly, appears in ''

Children of the Storm ''Children of the Storm'' is the 15th in a series of historical mystery novels, written by American writer Elizabeth Peters, first published in 2003. The audiobook is narrated by British actress Barbara Rosenblat. ''Children of the Storm'' fe ...

Dogs

;

Narmer Narmer (, may mean "painful catfish", "stinging catfish", "harsh catfish", or "fierce catfish"; ) was an ancient Egyptian king of the Early Dynastic Period, whose reign began at the end of the 4th millennium BC. He was the successor to the Prot ...

: A "large, homely yellow dog", adopted by Nefret in '' The Falcon at the Portal''. He initially barks at everything, including scorpions and spiders, but Nefret has hopes of training him to be a watchdog. His name is that of the first king of Upper and Lower Egypt ;Amira : A "large tawny beast" which Daoud acquires at Ramses' request in '' The Serpent on the Crown'' to guard against unwanted visitors and to protect Charla and David John. Enormous but extremely submissive. Her name is Arabic for "princess."

Friends

;Cyrus Vandergelt : Courtly American millionaire who longs for a rich find but finds loyal friends instead. First appears in '' The Curse of the Pharaohs''. ;Katherine Whitney-Jones Vandergelt : A schoolteacher, widowed after an unhappy marriage, who becomes a semi-fraudulent spiritual medium to support her two children. After her unmasking in Egypt, she and Cyrus fall in love. First appears in ''

''. ;Bertie Vandergelt : Katherine Vandergelt's son by her first marriage, whom Cyrus later adopts and who comes to Egypt after being wounded and discharged during World War I; he proves invaluable both as an ally and an excavator. First appears in ''

Lord of the Silent ''Lord of the Silent'' is the 13th in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and featuring fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. It was first published in 2001. The story is set in the 1915–1916 dig seas ...

''. ;Anna Vandergelt : Katherine Vandergelt's daughter by her first marriage, whom Cyrus later adopts and who expresses interest in becoming a nurse at the outbreak of war. First appears in ''

''. ;Kevin O'Connell : An Irish reporter for the London ''Daily Yell'', in whom "the journalist and the gentleman are always at war." He dogs the Emersons' steps for a story, but also pitches in when the crime-fighting gets tough. First appears in '' The Curse of the Pharaohs''. ;Margaret Minton : A female reporter (one of the few), with even fewer scruples than O'Connell. Bears a striking resemblance to Amelia. First appears in '' Deeds of the Disturber'' as O'Connell's professional rival, and subsequently develops a crush on Radcliffe Emerson. Later marries Seth Emerson. ;Karl von Bork : A young German archaeologist who first appears in '' The Curse of the Pharaohs'', marries the daughter of one of the suspects, and appears periodically in other stories. ;Donald Fraser : Young English nobleman who first appears in '' Lion in the Valley'' using the alias "Nemo", an upright man who loses himself in the Cairo underground while searching for his scoundrel brother. He is rescued by the Emersons, and marries Enid Debenham, his childhood sweetheart. Reappears in ''

''. ;Enid Debenham Fraser : Young Englishwoman who first appears in '' Lion in the Valley'' masquerading as a female archaeologist while searching Egypt for Donald. Begins a friendship with Ramses when he is still a child. Reappears in ''

''. ;Jumana : A young Egyptian woman who aspires to be an archaeologist, and whom the Emersons strive to help achieve her goal in spite of others' prejudices. First appears in ''

''. As of the end of '' Tomb of the Golden Bird'', she and Bertie are engaged. Daughter of Abdullah's brother Yusuf; sister of Jamil. ;Maryam : Sethos's daughter by Bertha. First appears in ''

'' using the pseudonym Melinda "Molly" Hamilton, with a crush on Ramses. Manipulated by her half-sister in ''

'' to aid in a scheme of robbery and revenge. ; Sir Edward Washington : English aristocrat and photographer. First appears in '' The Hippopotamus Pool'', employed by the Emersons as their staff photographer, and one of Nefret's many admirers. Re-appears in ''

'', and '' The Golden One''. He is eventually revealed to be one of Sethos's most trusted lieutenants. ; The Honourable Algernon Bracegirdle-Boisdragon, aka "Smith" : Sometime case-officer for

British Intelligence The Government of the United Kingdom maintains several intelligence agencies that deal with secret intelligence. These agencies are responsible for collecting, analysing and exploiting foreign and domestic intelligence, providing military intell ...

for Ramses and later Sethos. ; Ibrahim El-Gharbi : Kingpin of the

prostitution Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...

houses of Cairo, known for his flamboyant

transvestism Cross-dressing is the act of wearing clothes traditionally or stereotypically associated with a different gender. From as early as pre-modern history, cross-dressing has been practiced in order to disguise, comfort, entertain, and express onesel ...

. Though the Emersons despise his profession, he is a useful source of information and aid in tight spots. First appears in ''

''. In ''

'' provides a key clue when Peabody consults him in his forced exile.

Enemies

; Sethos : ''Nom de crime'' of the shadowy "Master Criminal" first encountered in '' The Mummy Case'', who harbors a desire to possess Amelia. Although he is included here under "Enemies", Sethos and the Emerson clan declare a sort of truce, when it is revealed that Sethos is Emerson's illegitimate half brother in ''

''. He is a master of disguise, able to take on almost any personality. He specializes in stealing and selling artifacts, though eventually he uses these talents as an agent of British intelligence. Father of Maryam (Molly). ; Bertha : Daughter of a German father and an Egyptian mother, she first appears in ''

'' as a henchwoman of the villainous Vincey, but later founds her own criminal gang, composed mostly of women. A formidable foe of the Emersons, she particularly hates Amelia, possibly in jealousy over Radcliffe and Sethos. After working briefly with Sethos, she becomes independent again. She is killed (''

'') after trying to assassinate Amelia. Mother of Maryam (Molly) and Justin. ;Matilda : Bertha's bodyguard and right hand. Intelligent, ruthless, and terrifyingly strong. ;"Justin": Bertha's daughter by Vincey, aka Schlange, a prostitute and later a criminal mastermind in her own right. Adept at disguise; appears in ''

'' as a young, disturbed boy. Never reveals her true name. Dies when she blows up her dahabeeyah. ;Jamil : Abdullah's nephew and Jumana's brother. Cunning but volatile. First appears in ''

''; dies in '' The Golden One''.

Based on real persons

Archaeologists

* Edward R. Ayrton *

James Henry Breasted James Henry Breasted (; August 27, 1865 – December 2, 1935) was an American archaeologist, Egyptologist, and historian. After completing his PhD at the University of Berlin in 1894 – the first American to obtain a doctorate in Egyptology – ...

E. A. Wallis Budge Sir Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis Budge (27 July 185723 November 1934) was an English Egyptology, Egyptologist, Orientalism, Orientalist, and Philology, philologist who worked for the British Museum and published numerous works on the ancient ...

* Émile Brugsch * Harry Burton *

James Burton James Edward Burton (born August 21, 1939, in Dubberly, Louisiana, United States) is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 (his induction speech was given by longtime fan Keith Richards), Burton has also ...

* Lord Carnarvon *

Howard Carter Howard Carter (9 May 18742 March 1939) was a British archaeologist and Egyptology, Egyptologist who Discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, discovered Tomb of Tutankhamun, the intact tomb of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, 18th Dynasty Pharaoh ...

* Theodore M. Davis * Eugène Grébaut * Frank Griffith ("Griffiths") * Jan Herman Insinger * Pierre Lacau * Gaston Maspero *

Jacques de Morgan Jean-Jacques de Morgan (3 June 1857 – 14 June 1924) was a French mining engineer, geologist, and archaeologist. He was the director of antiquities in Egypt during the 19th century, and excavated in Memphis and Dahshur, providing many dra ...

Édouard Naville Henri Édouard Naville (14 June 1844 – 17 October 1926) was a Swiss archaeologist, Egyptologist and Biblical scholar. Born in Geneva, he studied at the University of Geneva, King's College, London, and the Universities of Bonn, Paris, an ...

* William Flinders Petrie *

James Quibell James Edward Quibell (11 November 1867 – 5 June 1935) was a British Egyptologist. Life Quibell was born in Newport, Shropshire. He married the Scottish artist and archaeologist Annie Abernethie Pirie in 1900.Bierbrier, M. L. 2012. ''Who Was W ...

* Annie Quibell *

George Andrew Reisner George Andrew Reisner Jr. (November 5, 1867 – June 6, 1942) was an American archeologist of Ancient Egypt, Nubia and Palestine. Early life Reisner was born on November 5, 1867, in Indianapolis. His parents were George Andrew Reisner Sr. and M ...

Archibald Sayce Archibald Henry Sayce (25 September 18454 February 1933) was a pioneer British Assyriologist and linguist, who held a chair as Professor of Assyriology at the University of Oxford from 1891 to 1919. He was able to write in at least twenty anci ...

Arthur Weigall Arthur Edward Pearse Brome Weigall (1880 – 3 January 1934) was an England, English Egyptologist, stage designer, journalist and author whose works span the whole range from histories of Ancient Egypt through historical biographies, guide-book ...

* Herbert E. Winlock *

Leonard Woolley Sir Charles Leonard Woolley (17 April 1880 – 20 February 1960) was a British archaeologist best known for his Excavation (archaeology), excavations at Ur in Mesopotamia. He is recognized as one of the first "modern" archaeologists who excavat ...

Politicians and military officers

* Lord and Lady Allenby * Lord Edward Cecil * Evelyn Baring * General Philip Chetwode * Herbert Kitchener * T. E. Lawrence * Sir John Maxwell * Baroness Emma Orczy *

Christabel Pankhurst Dame Christabel Harriette Pankhurst (; 22 September 1880 – 13 February 1958) was a British suffragette born in Manchester, England. A co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), she directed Suffragette bombing and arson ca ...

Emmeline Pankhurst Emmeline Pankhurst (; Goulden; 15 July 1858 – 14 June 1928) was a British political activist who organised the British suffragette movement and helped women to win in 1918 the women's suffrage, right to vote in United Kingdom of Great Brita ...

* Rudolf Carl von Slatin Characters

Footnotes

{{notelist