Migdol

mktr^[1]
in hieroglyphs

Era: Middle Kingdom
(2055–1650 BC)

mꜥgꜣdjr^[2]
in hieroglyphs

Migdol, or migdal, is a Hebrew word (מגדּלה מגדּל, מגדּל מגדּול) which means either a tower (from its size or height), an elevated stage (a rostrum or pulpit), or a raised bed (within a river). Physically, it can mean fortified land, i.e. a walled city or castle; or elevated land, as in a raised bed, like a platform, possibly a lookout.

Migdol is a known loanword from Egyptian (mktr), mekter,^[1] or mgatir^[2] meaning "fort", "fortification", or "stronghold". The corresponding term in Coptic is ⲙⲉϣⲧⲱⲗ meštôl. Figuratively, "tower" has connotations of proud authority.

In archaeology, migdol is a specific type of temple, examples of which have been discovered for instance at Hazor, Megiddo, Tel Haror, Pella and Shechem.

^ ^a ^b M. Vygus. Middle Egyptian dictionary, p. 627
^ ^a ^b E. A. Wallis Budge (1920). An Egyptian hieroglyphic dictionary: with an index of English words, king list and geological list with indexes, list of hieroglyphic characters, coptic and semitic alphabets, etc. Vol I. John Murray. p. 290.

[Vygus-1] M. Vygus. Middle Egyptian dictionary, p. 627

[Budge-2] E. A. Wallis Budge (1920). An Egyptian hieroglyphic dictionary: with an index of English words, king list and geological list with indexes, list of hieroglyphic characters, coptic and semitic alphabets, etc. Vol I. John Murray. p. 290.

[1]

[2]