Author: ancientegyptblog7

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Faience Foundation Brick of Thutmosis III

“The Great God, Menkheperra, Beloved of Osiris.”

This faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 piece is most likely a foundation deposit brick of a building that was built during the reign 𓋾 of Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴.

Foundation deposit bricks were ceremonial offerings that were placed at the corners of buildings, courts, temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦 , tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦, and pretty much the foundation of any building. They can almost be thought of as the ancient version of a ground-breaking ceremony. The foundation deposit bricks usually contained the cartouche of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 that the building was constructed under on it!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!

𓊹𓄤 – [The] Great God
(𓇳𓏠𓆣) – Menkheperra [Throne name of Thutmosis III]
𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris
𓌹𓇌 – Beloved

So the full inscription reads: “The Great God, Menkheperra, Beloved of Osiris.”

“Beloved 𓌹𓇌” is a word that pops up a lot in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 so it is a good one to know! It is also popular as the first part of a person’s name 𓂋𓈖. For example the name 𓂋𓈖 “Meryamun” or “Beloved of Amun” was a very popular name 𓂋𓈖 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

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Egyptian Artifacts

“Small Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut”

Nicole (me) with Hatshepsut!

Here I am with a small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 “Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut.” This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is in the “Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 Room” at the MET – aka Gallery 115, which is my absolute favorite room in any museum I have ever been to! I love the details on this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 – especially the black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 around the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦!

Small State of Hatshepsut that shows the painted details around the eyes

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made out of black/pink granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 (also called red granite by geologists)! The black 𓆎𓅓 and pink granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 is traditionally found in Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 (Upper Egypt 𓇓). In the USA, black 𓆎𓅓 and pink granite is commonly found in Nevada and other western 𓋀𓏏𓏭 states!

While not as grand as some of her other statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 that adorned her temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐, this one makes quite an impression. There are at least eight of these statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪, and many of them are in the MET. They were most likely used to line the upper court at her temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐, and are thought to be intended for her Heb Sed festival (a festival used to celebrate 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆 years of rule, and then celebrated every three 𓏼 years after the initial 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆). Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, ever the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 to break from tradition, instead celebrated hers in the 16th 𓎆𓏿 year of her rule!

In this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾, Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is kneeling and is seen holding the nemset jar 𓏌. The jar 𓏌 has the djed pillar 𓊽 adorning the front. The djed pillar 𓊽 is thought to be the spine of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, and it represents stability and endurance – both are attributes a Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 needed in order to be a successful ruler 𓋾!

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Cartouche of Seti I

A wooden Ushabti and Scarabs that contain the cartouche of Seti I (The MET)

These are pieces that contain the cartouche of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠! There is a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 and a bunch of scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 – some of my favorite types of artifacts!

One of my favorite things to see in museums are the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠. While only about 700 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 of these wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures remain, it is estimated that Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 had over 1000 𓆼 of them. What happened to the ones that are missing? They were used for firewood when Belzoni was excavating the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐!

My Nonno frequently told me about this – he was not happy that artifacts were destroyed! Anytime Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 came up in conversation (which was often because he was one of my Nonno’s favorite pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦) my Nonno would say “can you believe some idiots used his ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 as torches??!!”

Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 remaining ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 are in museums throughout the world 𓇾𓇾 and I have always been on the lookout for them whenever I go to a museum! Originally, my Nonno and I would always point them out to each other. Now whenever I see them, they are a reminder of my Nonno.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statue of Imhotep

Small Bronze Statue of Imhotep at The MET

Seeing the small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 are one of my favorite parts of going to the museum! My Nonno loved Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 and always pointed him out to us! We even played a game as to who could find Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 first! I had to get a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of me with the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾!

Nicole (me) with Imhotep at The MET

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, whose name 𓂋𓈖 means “he who comes in peace,” was a high official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 (“overseer of the works” and a priest 𓊹𓍛 of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱) during the reign 𓋾 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Djoser 𓂦 during the 3rd Dynasty. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is most famous for constructing the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 (modern day Saqqara). In addition to being a priest 𓊹𓍛 and architect, he is also connected with medicine, even though no written evidence of his achievements in medicine has been found.

Even though Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 lived during the Old Kingdom and reached demigod status (he is thought to be the son 𓅭 of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱) within a century of his death, it wasn’t until the Late Period/Ptolemaic Period that the worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 reached its peak. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is one of the few commoners to ever reach godly status and cult centers dedicated to his worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 were located at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖, Philae, and Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖. His tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 has never been found, though if I had to guess, I would think it would be at Saqqara – near the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphic Symbols: “Area with an Intersection”

Let’s learn some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!!

The “area with an intersection 𓊖” or as I like to call it “the circle with the X” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 or the X-Men symbol, is a decently common symbol you will find in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!

The “𓊖” is used as both an ideogram and a determinative! An ideogram is a symbol that is used to write the word that it represents, and is usually followed by a single stroke. The stroke acts as a form of punctuation!

𓊖𓏺 – Town (njwt)

More commonly, “𓊖” functions as the determinative, or the last symbol in the word that almost acts as punctuation to let the reader know the general meaning of the word. “𓊖” is the determinative for town, city, settlement, and even the country of Egypt! “𓊖” seems to be used for towns/cities in Egypt, while most foreign lands used the determinative of “𓈊.”

Here are some examples of “𓊖” being used as a determinative!

𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 – Egypt
𓌀𓏏𓊖 – Thebes
𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 – Aswan
𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 – Memphis
𓆓𓂝𓈖𓏏𓊖 – Tanis
𓍋𓃀𓈋𓊖 – Abydos
𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖 – Amarna

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Reading Hieroglyphs

“Venerated Before…” in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Also, how gorgeous 𓄤 are the colors on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭?!

This is another inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that you will find on sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪 or other funerary objects, like stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪. While the phrase may not be as common as some others (like the Offering Formula), it does pop up fairly frequently and it’s a good one to know!

𓄪𓐍𓇌- Venerated
𓐍𓂋 – Before
𓊨𓏏𓏺 – Isis (her name is usually written as 𓊨𓏏𓁥, but the determinative is missing most likely due to the amount of space available on the sarcophagus.)

Since “Venerated 𓄪𓐍𓇌“ is just another way to say “respect,” this phrase means that the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person was held in high regard by the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥! That is certainly a position that an ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 would want to be in!

Now, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓏺 isn’t the only goddess’ 𓊹𓏏 name 𓂋𓈖 that is used in this phrase; Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 and Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 are popular to find as well! This is because all three 𓏼 of these deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are associated with death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐!

𓄪𓐍𓇌𓐍𓂋𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 – Venerated Before Anubis
𓄪𓐍𓇌𓐍𓂋𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Venerated Before Osiris

I hope this has been helpful in your hieroglyph journey!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Amulets of Ra-Horakhty, Amun, and Taweret

I love tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 things and amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are no exception! Here are three 𓏼 beautiful 𓄤 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 of Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭, and Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗!

Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 is considered by historians to be Egypt’s most important deity 𓊹. Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 is an ancient deity 𓊹 who combined with many different solar and cosmic gods throughout Egyptian history. Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 is the combination of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 and Horus 𓅃𓀭. Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 is the god 𓊹 of the morning sun 𓅃𓈌𓏏𓏭𓀭. Images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 and depictions of Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 became more prominent during the Late Period.

Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is also considered to be one of the most important gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon and was first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts. Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 had many different roles and was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a creator god, solar god, fertility god, warrior god, and king of the gods. Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is also considered the “universal god” meaning that his power permeated the cosmos and all that the cosmos contained!

While the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 both feared and revered 𓇋𓌴𓄪 hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 due to their strength and power, Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 was a goddess 𓊹𓏏 who was a protector 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪 and children 𓐍𓇌𓀕𓏪! The name 𓂋𓈖 Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 actually means “the great (female) one!” That is certainly a name 𓂋𓈖 that suits her!

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Triad Amulet

I love amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 because I love tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 things!!!

Many gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon appeared in groups of threes 𓏼, which were known as Triads. They were groups of gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 that usually had some type of familial 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 relationship/significance to each other. One of the Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 triads during the Late Period was Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱, Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐, and Nefertem 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓍃𓀯. Nefertem 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓍃𓀯 is the son of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 and Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐. The amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 on the left is a representation of this Triad!

The Ossirian Triad (the three 𓏼 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 to the right) is a representation of Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 (“Mistress of the House” and associated with vultures), Horus 𓅃𓀭 (god 𓊹 of the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯 and the protector of the ruler 𓋾 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖), and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 (goddess 𓊹𓏏 of healing and magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜).

Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Horus 𓅃𓀭, the sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 of Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇, and the wife 𓈟𓏏 of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. The amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 is representative of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 protecting Horus 𓅃𓀭 and that protective power extends to the wearer.

This type amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 became very popular during the 26th Dynasty, and was usually used by mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 on their journey into the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 was either placed on the chest, stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻, or the thighs of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾.

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Reading Hieroglyphs

“Eternity” in Hieroglyphs

When we last went to the MET on my birthday, I was so excited because my sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 pointed to this relief and said that these symbols meant “eternity 𓆖” and I felt so proud! My sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 always reads my posts and has always been my biggest supporter (besides Nonno) in my study of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Eternity 𓆖 was a concept central to ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 religion and culture. Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that “death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 is only the beginning” and it was the start of their journey to eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹. The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that once they reached the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖, they were going to live the rest of eternity 𓆖 in paradise.

In the Old Kingdom, tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 (a pit, tomb shaft or structure made of mudbrick [mastaba]) were starting to be referred to as the “House of Eternity 𓉐𓆖.” Tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 made of rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 were considered the best due to the durability of stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪: so stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 was also a representation of eternity 𓆖!

The word “eternity 𓆖“ appears frequently in so many inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 – if you can recognize the word, you will be able to pick it out in any museum you visit!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

“To Be Happy” in Hieroglyphs

Let’s learn some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!! Here we see an inscription with the symbols “𓃹𓈖𓆑.”

The “hare 𓃹” is normally used as a phonogram, which means that it is a symbol that represents sounds, and is usually part of a larger word! The hare 𓃹 is a biliteral sign which means it represents two consonants. The 𓃹 represents the sounds “wn.”

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is also a phonogram sign, except it is uniliteral sign, which means that it just represents one consonant. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!”

The “horned viper 𓆑” functions as both a phonogram and a determinative. 𓆑 is also a uniliteral symbol and represents the sound “f.” 𓆑 can function as a determinative in the word “father 𓇋𓏏𓆑.” “Father” can also be written as: 𓇋𓏏𓀀, 𓇋𓏏𓆑𓀀, 𓏏𓆑, or 𓏏𓆑𓀀 and in some cases, both “𓆑” and “𓀀“ function as determinatives because neither were pronounced!

When put together, 𓃹𓈖𓆑 reads like “wnf.” The word 𓃹𓈖𓆑, means “to be glad” or “to be happy.”