The Amelia Peabody series of

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 Univers ...

, 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 Radcl ...

Emerson : The matriarch, sleuth, and fervent pyramidophile. Nicknamed "Sitt Hakim" ("Lady Doctor"). ;Professor Radcliffe 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, first described as "catastrophically precocious" and later dubbed "Akhu el-Efreet" ("Brother of Demons"). ; Nefret Emerson : Daughter of Willoughby Forth. Raised until the age of 13 in a lost Meroitic civilization, where she and her father were forced to remain. Adopted by the Emersons and later married to Ramses; nicknamed "Nur Misur" (Light of Egypt). First appears in '' The Last Camel Died at Noon''. ;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 especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as th ...

. ; Evelyn Forbes Emerson: Amelia's dearest friend, who has a heart of gold and nerves of steel. Wife of Walter the elder. ;Amelia "Lia" Emerson Todros : Evelyn's daughter, named for Amelia Peabody, who defies convention to marry

David Todros The Amelia Peabody series of historical mystery novels is written by Elizabeth Peters, set in Victorian Egypt among a family of eccentric archaeologists. Note that, as with most character lists, the descriptions herein necessarily contain numerou ...

(in '' The Falcon at the Portal''). ;

: Abdullah's grandson, adopted by Walter and Evelyn. A natural artist and Ramses' partner in mischief, David first appears in ''

The Hippopotamus Pool ''The Hippopotamus Pool'' is the eighth in a series of historical mystery novels, written by Elizabeth Peters and first published in 1996. It features fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. The story is set in the 1899-1900 archaeolo ...

''. ;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''. ;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 '' He Shall Thunder in the Sky''. 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 (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. 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 (), also spelled Sakhmet, Sekhet, Sakhet among other spellings, cop, Ⲥⲁⲭⲙⲓ, Sakhmi), is a warrior goddess as well as goddess of healing. She is depicted as a lioness. Sekhmet is a solar de ...

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 and featuring fictional sleuth and archaeologist Amelia Peabody. Explanation of the novel's title The book's title refers to the ...

''). 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 Nubian may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Nubia, a region along the Nile river in Southern Egypt and northern Sudan. *Nubian people *Nubian languages *Anglo-Nubian goat, a breed of goat * Nubian ibex * , several ships of the Britis ...

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 ( egy, bꜣstjt, cop, Ⲟⲩⲃⲁⲥⲧⲉ, Oubaste , Phoenician: 𐤀𐤁𐤎𐤕, romanized: ’bst, or 𐤁𐤎𐤕, romanized: bst) was a goddess of ancient Egyptian religion, worshipped as early as the Second Dynasty (2 ...

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

Anubis Anubis (; grc, Ἄνουβις), also known as Inpu, Inpw, Jnpw, or Anpu in Ancient Egyptian () is the god of death, mummification, embalming, the afterlife, cemeteries, tombs, and the Underworld, in ancient Egyptian religion, usually depict ...

: 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''. ;

: Called "the furry blob" by Ramses, she later defects to live a life of luxury with the Vandergelts. First appears in '' Seeing a Large Cat''. ; Horus : Bonds originally with Nefret but later defects to Sennia. They are the only two people he will tolerate. First appears in ''

''. ;

Seshat Seshat ( egy, sš3t, under various spellings) was the ancient Egyptian goddess of writing, wisdom, and knowledge. She was seen as a scribe and record keeper; her name means "female scribe". She is credited with inventing writing. She also ...

: 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

Dogs

; Narmer : 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 '' Seeing a Large Cat''. ;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''. ;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 '' He Shall Thunder in the Sky''. ;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 '' Seeing a Large Cat''. ;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 '' Seeing a Large Cat''. ;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 '' Lord of the Silent''. 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 '' He Shall Thunder in the Sky'' using the pseudonym Melinda "Molly" Hamilton, with a crush on Ramses. Manipulated by her half-sister in '' Children of the Storm'' to aid in a scheme of robbery and revenge. ; Sir Edward Washington : English aristocrat and photographer. First appears in ''

'', 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" : Ramses's, and later Sethos's sometime case-officer for

British Intelligence The Government of the United Kingdom maintains intelligence agencies within three government departments, the Foreign Office, the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence. These agencies are responsible for collecting and analysing foreign and d ...

. ; Ibrahim El-Gharbi : Kingpin of the prostitution houses of Cairo, known for his flamboyant

transvestism Transvestism is the practice of dressing in a manner traditionally associated with the opposite sex. In some cultures, transvestism is practiced for religious, traditional, or ceremonial reasons. The term is considered outdated in Western ...

. Though the Emersons despise his profession, he is often a useful source of information and aid in tight spots. First appears in '' He Shall Thunder in the Sky''. In '' Children of the Storm'' 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 Shall Thunder in the Sky''. 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 '' The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog'' 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 '' Children of the Storm'' 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 '' Lord of the Silent''; dies in '' The Golden One''.

Based on real persons

Archaeologists

* Edward R. Ayrton * James Henry Breasted *

Wallis Budge Sir Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis Budge (27 July 185723 November 1934) was an English Egyptologist, Orientalist, and philologist who worked for the British Museum and published numerous works on the ancient Near East. He made numerous trips ...

Émile Brugsch Émile Brugsch (February 24, 1842 – January 14, 1930) was a German Egyptologist whose career spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is known as the official who "evacuated" the mummies from the Deir el-Bahri Cache in 1881 without re ...

* Harry Burton *

James Burton James Edward Burton (born August 21, 1939, in Dubberly, Louisiana) 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 been recognized ...

Lord Carnarvon Earl of Carnarvon is a title that has been created three times in British history. The current holder is George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon. The town and county in Wales to which the title refers are historically spelled ''Caernarfon,'' havi ...

* Howard Carter * Theodore M. Davis * Pierre Lacau *

Gaston Maspero Sir Gaston Camille Charles Maspero (23 June 1846 – 30 June 1916) was a French Egyptologist known for popularizing the term "Sea Peoples" in an 1881 paper. Maspero's son, Henri Maspero, became a notable sinologist and scholar of East Asia. ...

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, a ...

William Flinders Petrie Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie ( – ), commonly known as simply Flinders Petrie, was a British Egyptologist and a pioneer of systematic methodology in archaeology and the preservation of artefacts. He held the first chair of Egypt ...

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

* Annie Quibell *

George Andrew Reisner George Andrew Reisner Jr. (November 5, 1867 – June 6, 1942) was an American archaeologist of Ancient Egypt, Nubia and Palestine. Biography Reisner was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. His parents were George Andrew Reisner I and Mary Elizabeth ...

Archibald Sayce The Rev. 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 twe ...

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

* Herbert E. Winlock * Leonard Woolley

Politicians and military officers

* Lord and Lady Allenby *

Lord Edward Cecil Lord Edward Herbert Gascoyne-Cecil (12 July 1867 – 13 December 1918), known as Lord Edward Cecil, was a distinguished and highly decorated English soldier. As colonial administrator in Egypt and advisor to the Liberal government, he helped t ...

* Evelyn Baring * General Philip Chetwode *

Herbert Kitchener Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, (; 24 June 1850 – 5 June 1916) was a senior British Army officer and colonial administrator. Kitchener came to prominence for his imperial campaigns, his scorched earth policy against the Boers, h ...

T. E. Lawrence Thomas Edward Lawrence (16 August 1888 – 19 May 1935) was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer who became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915–1918 ...

* 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 its militant actions from exil ...

* Emmeline Pankhurst {{DEFAULTSORT:Characters in Amelia Peabody series

Characters Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...