Author: ancientegyptblog7

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Egyptian Artifacts

Scribes in Ancient Egypt

Happy first day of school to all of us in New York!! To celebrate, let’s learn about scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪! 

Scribes
A beautiful statue of a scribe on display at the Louvre in Paris, France

Scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 were very highly regarded in ancient Egyptian society. Due to the complexity of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪/hieratic, those who were able to master it were extremely valued. Scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 recorded magic spells, wills and other legal contracts, medical procedures, and tax records. Scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 also helped to preserve Egyptian culture throughout time. They were considered part of the royal court and did not have to serve in the military because their job as a scribe 𓏟𓀀 was so essential. 

It took almost ten 𓎆 years for a person to complete scribal training and children started school as young as five 𓏾 years old. Though most scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 are shown to be men 𓊃𓀀𓏤, there is archaeological evidence that some girls also attended school and learned to read. Most boys inherited the job of scribe 𓏟𓀀 from their father 𓇋𓏏𓀀 as is the same with other occupations in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. 

Fun fact: it took me about six 𓏿 years to really master reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Even though I’ve been practicing/reading them for over 25 𓎆𓎆𓏾 years now, I’m still learning every single day – that’s the beauty of learning a language! The learning is never complete!

There were also many different types of scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, and their roles were usually designated by titles written on funerary objects 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 such as stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏦! 

𓏞 – Scribe

𓏟𓀀 – Scribe

𓇓𓏞 – King’s Scribe / Royal Scribe / King’s Secretary

𓏞𓐎𓏛 – Scribe of Accounts 

𓏞𓊹𓉗𓏏𓉐 – Scribe of the Temple

𓏞𓎘𓎛𓏲𓏋𓏫 – Scribe of the Offering Table

𓏞𓉒 – Scribe of the Treasury

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of the Scribe and Architect Kha

I was inspired by a video that @egyptologylessons posted on TikTok to write about this piece! This beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is called “The Sculpted Statue of the Scribe and Architect Kha 𓈍𓂡𓀼” and it is currently on display at the @museoegizio in Torino, Italy. My Nonno took this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 during one of his trips to the Museo Egizio! 

Statue of the Scribe and Architect Kha
A display at the Museo Egizio showing the Statue of the Scribe and Architect Kha

Kha 𓈍𓂡𓀼 was a scribe 𓏟𓀀 and the royal architect under the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼 (18th Dynasty) and he lived in Deir el-Medina. Kha’s titles included “Head of the Great Place 𓄿𓏏𓊨𓏏𓉐𓉻𓏏𓏛,” “Overseer of the Works 𓅓𓂋𓂓𓏏𓀋 in the Great House 𓉐𓉻” and “Royal Scribe 𓇓𓏞.” 

Fun Fact!!! Did you know that the “Great Place 𓄿𓏏𓊨𓏏𓉐𓉻𓏏𓏛” is how the ancient Egyptians referred to the Valley of the Kings?

Kha’s 𓈍𓂡𓀼 high rank as an official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 allowed for him to have an elaborate burial for himself – most Egyptians would not have been able to afford something like this! 

What strikes me most about Kha’s 𓈍𓂡𓀼 tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐 is how these wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 objects (the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 and the chair 𓎛𓊨𓏏𓆱) are so well preserved! Wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is organic and can decay very quickly even Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! The flower 𓁷𓂋𓂋𓏏𓆰 collar 𓃀𓏲𓃀𓏲 around the neck of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is even still there – that’s so remarkable!

I also love how the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures are included in this display! The ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures are made out of steatite 𓅮𓈎𓏏𓈒𓊌 which is a very durable type of stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Bronze Blade With Hatshepsut’s Name

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on this Bronze Blade with Hatshepsut’s name!

Bronze Blade With Hatshepsut's Name
Bronze Blade with Hatshepsut’s name in the hieroglyphic inscription at the Petrie Museum

While it doesn’t look like much, this piece is actually a bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 blade 𓅓𓂧𓈖𓐍𓋴 that was once attached to a handle. This was one of my favorite objects that I saw at the Petrie Museum because it has Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 throne name on it!

I also think this piece is unpublished, so it was a total surprise for me to see that it even existed! Since her name 𓂋𓈖appears on the blade 𓅓𓂧𓈖𓐍𓋴, it means that it was most certainly made during Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 time as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

Let’s take a closer look at the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

𓄤𓊹 – Great God

(𓇳𓁦𓂓) – Maatkare (Hatshepsut’s Throne Name which translates to “Truth 𓁦 is the Soul 𓂓 of Re 𓇳.”)

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

𓏃 – Foremost 

𓂦𓂦𓉐- Holiest of Holies (the name given to Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahri. It can also be written as 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐). 

𓌺𓇌 – Beloved 

Put together, the inscription reads: 𓄤𓊹(𓇳𓁦𓂓)𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏃𓂦𓂦𓉐𓌺𓇌 “The Great God Maatkare, Beloved of Amun, Foremost of the Holiest of Holies.” 

Interestingly, Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is referred to as “The Great God 𓄤𓊹” instead of the “Great Goddess 𓄤𓊹𓏏” as she usually is in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥. Certain inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 towards the later part of her reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 did sometimes omit the feminine ending of the word, so this might mean the blade 𓅓𓂧𓈖𓐍𓋴 is from the late part of her rule 𓋾𓈎𓏏. Or this could just be a spacing issue – the blade 𓅓𓂧𓈖𓐍𓋴 is small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 so maybe not all of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 could fit! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Blog

Anubis in Disney World

Did you know you can find Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 all over Hollywood Studios in Disney World? Well, now you do!

There used to be a ride called “The Great Movie Ride” and there was an entire room dedicated to Indiana Jones! Since it was modeled after “Raiders of the Lost Arc,” there was a lot of ancient Egyptian stuff going on! “The Great Movie Ride” no longer exists, however, the Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 statues have been repurposed and you can find pieces of them in the park! 

Anubis in Disney World
Me in Galaxy’s Edge with the foot that belonged to an Anubis statue!

The picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above is in Galaxy’s Edge and I’m am with Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 foot! Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 foot is hidden amongst the Jedi statues outside one of the stores! It’s so cool to have some ancient Egypt in a Galaxy Far, Far Away! 

Anubis in Disney World

The 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above is in a little shop and it’s Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 head from the Great Movie Ride! I was very excited by this find!

It’s so much fun to find little pieces of ancient Egypt everywhere I go! Next time you’re in Disney World make sure you look for Anubis in Hollywood Studios! 

I hope you’re enjoying my “Ancient Egypt in Disney” posts!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Video

Mummy Case of Nespanetjerenpere – Video

@ancientegyptblog

There are so many beautiful 𓄤 images 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on this mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾! Who are some of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 you can see?! Let me know in the comments! This coffin is made of cartonnage, which is a material that is made when linen 𓍱 or papyrus 𓍯𓇅 mixed with plaster! This is from the Third Intermediate Period, and dates from the 22nd – 25th Dynasties. This mummy case 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a priest 𓊹𓍛 named Nespanetjerenpere. While to many the images 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 may seem like random pictures of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, it is actually a collection of carefully selected religious symbols meant to help guide Nespanetjerenpere on his journey to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and and ensure rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱. This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientEgypt #egyptology #ancientegyptblog #hieroglyphics #egitto #이집트 #egyptianhistory #anticoegitto #egyptologist #egyptianmythology #brooklynmuseum

♬ snowfall – Øneheart & reidenshi

There are so many beautiful 𓄤 images 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on this mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾! Who are some of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 you can see?! Let me know in the comments! 

This coffin is made of cartonnage, which is a material that is made when linen 𓍱 or papyrus 𓍯𓇅 mixed with plaster! This is from the Third Intermediate Period, and dates from the 22nd – 25th Dynasties. 

This mummy case 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a priest 𓊹𓍛 named Nespanetjerenpere. While to many the images 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 may seem like random pictures of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, it is actually a collection of carefully selected religious symbols meant to help guide Nespanetjerenpere on his journey to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and and ensure rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱. 

Watch my previous video for a better look at the front! 

This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Video

Large Granite Statue of Hatshepsut – Video

This large red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is large and majestic and one of the most beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋! 

The most striking aspect of this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 besides the size is the fact that Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 face, which displays feminine features, remained pretty much intact! Many of Hatshepsut’s 𓇳𓁦𓂓 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 have the faces destroyed, possibly in an attempt to destroy her image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 so she would be forgotten from history.

Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is in a kneeling position holding a nemset jar 𓏌𓏺 in each hand 𓂧𓏏𓏺. In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, kneeling is considered a worshipping 𓇼𓄿𓀢/offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 position. A pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 only kneels to another god 𓊹, who in this case is probably Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺.

Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is depicted wearing the nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 head cloth and the false beard which was typical fashion for a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻!

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the back of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 show her throne name, Maatkare 𓇳𓁦𓂓. 

This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Imhotep Statue at the Vatican Museum

It’s been a while since I shared a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of an Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! I love this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 so much – look at those ears! It’s so cute!! This Imhotep statue is on display at the Vatican Museum!

Imhotep Statue
Bronze Statue of Imhotep on display at the Vatican Museum

The Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are always fashioned the same so they are very easy to pick out in museums! Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is always depicted as a scribe 𓏟𓀀 sitting with a papyrus roll 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 across his lap.

Even though Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 lived during the 3rd Dynasty, most of his statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are dated to the Ptolemaic Period, which is when Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a god 𓊹, especially by the Greeks. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was one of the few non-royal Egyptians to be deified. 

The name 𓂋𓈖 Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 actually translates to “He Who Comes in Peace.” Let’s break down the name 𓂋𓈖 to see what each of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 mean! 

𓇍 – Come, Arrive, Return

𓅓 – Who Is/Who Is In

𓊵𓏏𓊪 – Peace

I love translating the names of ancient Egyptian people! Much like names today, their names meant something too! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

“Life” in Hieroglyphs

Life, Vita, 𓋹𓈖𓐍.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

"Life" in Hieroglyphs
“Life” in hieroglyphs written on papyrus.

This is a piece of papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 with the word “Life 𓋹𓈖𓐍” written on it. To the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪, words were powerful because if something was written down, it was put into existence for all eternity 𓆖. This is why they put such importance on preserving the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 and name 𓂋𓈖 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person. This is also probably why Rameses II usurped as many statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 as he could and put his name 𓂋𓈖 on them!

Many Egyptian phrases mention life 𓋹𓈖𓐍, such as the most popular ones like “Given Life 𓏙𓋹,“ “Given Life for Eternity 𓏙𓋹𓆖,” and “Given Life, Stability and Strength 𓏙𓋹𓊽𓌀.” 

In Middle Egyptian, “Life” can be either written as: 

𓋹 – just the single “ankh” symbol 

𓋹𓈖𓐍 – the full word written out (which is what is pictured) 

The lone 𓋹 symbol is a triliteral phonogram with the sound “ˁnḫ” which is commonly pronounced as “ankh.” The word “ˁnḫ” means life on its own! 

The two phonograms that follow after the 𓋹 are phonetic complements, meaning that the sounds they represent aren’t pronounced a second time, but they are used to show the reader how the triliteral symbol is pronounced! In hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, some symbols can have multiple pronunciations depending on how the symbol is used, so the phonetic complements help to clear up any confusion!  

The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” The “𓐍” is associated with the sound “ḫ.” So these to uniliteral phonograms complement the sound of the 𓋹 symbol! 

Both ways to write “life” are common, though the lone “ 𓋹” is what most people are familiar with. “𓋹𓈖𓐍” is used more in full inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥, while “𓋹” is used in phrases like the ones mentioned above since it is shorter to write. You can think of it as an official abbreviation!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Nephthys in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the name 𓂋𓈖 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Nephthys 𓉠! Luckily, this sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum has her name 𓂋𓈖 written in two ways! 

Nephthys in Hieroglyphs
Nephthys in Hieroglyphs on a sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum

Most commonly, the type of symbol that is used in Nephthys’ 𓉠 name 𓂋𓈖 is called a Composite Hieroglyph. A Composite Hieroglyphic symbol is a symbol that is the combination of multiple phonographic symbols into a single glyph. 

The three 𓏼 symbols “𓎟𓏏𓉗” can be combined to make the “𓉠” symbol! In statuary and funerary art, the crown on her head 𓁶𓏺 is the composite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 that is used to write her name (𓉠), which makes Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 very easy to identify in tomb art/funerary art. Since the goddess depicted on this sarcophagus is wearing the “𓉠” on her head, we know it’s Nephthys! 

But what if she wasn’t wearing the crown? How would we know it was Nephthys 𓉠 that is depicted? Luckily, most ancient Egyptian funerary art came with “captions” – usually the name 𓂋𓈖 of the deity was written next to them! In this case, we can see Nephthys’ full name 𓂋𓈖 written out as “𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓆇” right next to her face! 

Here are the two ways we see Nephthys’ name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the sarcophagus: 

𓉠

𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓆇

Some other variants of Nephthys’ name 𓂋𓈖 are: 

𓉠𓏏𓆇

𓉠𓏏

𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓉐𓁐

𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓏒𓏯𓆗 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Anubis in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Anubis in Hieroglyphs
Anubis in Hieroglyphs on a sarcophagus at the MET

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to look at my favorite word to spot in inscriptions: Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣! Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is my favorite Egyptian god 𓊹, so I love spotting the different variants of his name 𓂋𓈖! His name 𓂋𓈖 turns up a lot because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is one of the main funerary gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, and a large part of Egyptian artifacts that are in museums happen to be funerary objects 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭! 

Let’s take a closer look at the symbols! 

The “reed 𓇋” is a uniliteral phonogram for “ı͗,” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.” 

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is also a uniliteral phonogram. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” 

The “stool 𓊪” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “p.” 

The “recumbent jackal on shrine 𓃣” is used as both an ideogram and a determinative. 𓃣 is the determinative in the word “Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣” and also an ideogram for “Anubis 𓃣. When 𓃣 functions as an ideogram, the “𓃣” would be pronounced the same as “𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣,” which is the full way to write the name. This is my absolute favorite hieroglyphic symbol!

The proper way to say Anubis in Middle Egyptian is “ı͗npw” (pronounced like “Inpu” or “Anpu”). Even though the quail chick is missing in this variant, the determinative of Anubis 𓃣 just implies the full spelling! 

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Anubis” is actually the Greek version of his name, not the Middle Egyptian name 𓂋𓈖, so that is why the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 don’t match up with how we are so used to saying Anubis/Inpu/Anpu’s name 𓂋𓈖! 

Here are some common variants of Anubis’ name: 

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 (the one pictured)

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 

𓇋𓈖𓊪

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog