Book Review: Scotia - Lost Sister of Tutankhamun

An in-depth look at an enigmatic figure

I aim to review at least one book a month on magical, pagan, and polytheist subjects, both fiction and non-fiction. You can find all my book reviews here.

---

I’ll admit up front that I approached the reading of this book from a skeptical point of view, since the tale of the Egyptian princess Scotia and her founding role in ancient Scottish society is viewed askance by many historians. I should also note that I’ve done quite a lot of research about Amarna-era Egypt for a historical novel I’m writing, so I feel qualified to comment on the information the author presents regarding the Egyptian portion of Scotia’s story.

The book begins with the assumption of Scotia’s identity as one particular ancient Egyptian woman and works forward from there, collecting up data that fits this identity. While there is no absolute hard evidence directly identifying Scotia as the pharaoh Akhenaten’s daughter Meritaten, the author makes a strong argument for this identity using the available textual and archaeological information. There is even a surprising bit of archaeological evidence connecting Scotland and Egypt, which I won’t reveal here, that the author explains in depth.

It would have been quite unusual, in most eras, for an Egyptian king’s daughter to marry a foreigner and leave the country; Egyptian princesses were not usually given to husbands in foreign countries as part of political deals the way daughters of other countries’ leaders were. But considering the circumstances surrounding the pharaoh Akhenaten’s life and death, it can reasonably be argued that one of his daughters, perhaps Meritaten or Ankhesenpaaten, may have decided to get the heck outta Dodge due to the political strife their father caused.

To support this theory, Eastwood uses a variety of archaeological and textual resources, from classical antiquity through the Middle ages to the Victorian era and the present. He is clear about which ones are considered reliable and which are not, and I agree with him that many of the supposedly unreliable ones probably have a kernel of truth at their core, even if the facts and stories have been muddled and altered over time. I was gratified that Eastwood was so honest about what information is and isn’t available and always made it clear where he was reporting data and where he was speculating. This book isn’t pseudo-history; it’s a deep dive into the actual evidence surrounding a murky time in the history of both Egypt and Scotland.

The author’s theory that Scotia was a real person, the Egyptian princess Meritaten, is plausible given the available evidence. But as the author notes, the hard data to prove it may lie in a grave that has yet to be excavated. As the evidence currently stands, this is a case of “everything points to it but nothing confirms it.”

All in all, this is a well-reasoned argument, given the available evidence, as to the actual existence and identity of the mythic-historical figure of Scotia. It’s a fascinating look at a tumultuous era in ancient Egypt combined with the shadowy early history of Scotland, via Spain and Ireland.

Definitely worth a read.

---

My Substack is free, but I appreciate your support for my work by liking, commenting, and sharing these posts and by purchasing my creations. You can find my books here and my art here and here. I do apologize, but due to unpleasant activity from trolls, I’ve had to limit comments to subscribers only. I hope you understand.

About Laura Perry

I'm the founder and Temple Mom of Ariadne's Tribe, a worldwide inclusive Minoan spiritual tradition. I'm also an author, artist, and creator who works magic with words, paint, ink, music, textiles, and herbs. My spiritual practice includes spirit work and herbalism through the lens of lifelong animism. I write Pagan / polytheist / magical non-fiction and fiction across several different subjects and genres. My Minoan entry in the Moon Books Pantheons series is now available for pre-order and will be released on 26 August 2025. While that process percolates along, I’m working on an illustrated book of modern Minoan myths. I’m also an avid herb and vegetable gardener and living history demonstrator.