Here are some more scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ from the MET! The MET has so many of these beautiful π€ scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ and I honestly love looking at them! I really like tiny things, so scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ and other amulets ππͺπ πͺ are some of my favorite pieces to see in museums!
These two π» scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ both show Hatshepsutβs throne name Maatkare π³π¦π in between the Red Crown of Lower Egypt π§ππππ. The name ππ Maatkare π³π¦π translates to βTruth is the Soul of Ra.β
The Red Crown π§ππππ is also known as the Deshret, which can also translate to βred land π πππ.β The word Deshret π πππ referred to both the crown (π§ππππ) and the desert (π πππ) on either side of the Nile ππππ ±ππππΊ. While the words are written differently in hieroglyphs πΉππͺ, they are pronounced the same.
The fertile soil along the Nile ππππ ±ππππΊ was referred to as Kemet ππ ππ, or βblack land.β
This wooden π±ππΊ chair ππ¨ππ± is from the tomb ππ«ππ of Hatnefer. Hatnefer was Senemutβs π’ππ πΌ mother π ππ and due to his status as Hatshepsutβs ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ most trusted advisor, he was able to give his motherπ ππ a proper burial. I am always so amazed when wooden π±ππΊ pieces are still in such great condition – wood π±ππΊ is organic and it can break down very quickly as compared to a material like rock ππππ.
Wooden Chair of Hatnefer at the MET
The linen π± that makes up the seat of the chair ππ¨ππ± is the original linen π± and has not been restored at all! The back of the chair ππ¨ππ± contains a design alternating between the tyet π¬ (Isis Knot) and the Djed pillar π½. The tyet π¬ symbol invokes the protection of Isis π¨ππ₯, while the Djed pillar π½ symbolizes stability. It is thought that the Djed pillar π½ is actually the spine of the god πΉ Osiris πΉπ¨π.
In the middle of the tyet π¬ and Djed pillars π½ is the god Bes ππ΄π. Bes ππ΄π had many functions as a god πΉ and one of them was the protector of the home ππΊ.
This is definitely a unique piece! I had never seen one like it in another museum which is why I was so interested in it!
The Brooklyn Museum has it listed as a βModel of a Temple Gateway.β The actual function of the model is unclear because it is not a model that was used by an architect! It is listed as being βceremonialβ – which is archaeology speak for βwe have no idea what this is for”!
The sunken reliefs around the base of the model show Pharaoh Seti I ππ ππ»ππ£π in a kneeling position making offerings to several forms of the sun-god. Khepri π£πππ (the rising sun), Ra-Horkathy π πππ€ (sun at the highest point in the sky – known as the zenith), and Atum ππππ (the setting sun and one of the creation gods πΉπΉπΉ) can all be seen.
The cartouche shown is one of the variations of Seti Iβs π³π¦π throne name. Usually itβs just written as π³π¦π (Eternal is the Truth of Ra) but here itβs shown as π³π π§ππ³ (Eternal is the Truth of Ra, the image of Ra).
One of the most popular types of jewelry amongst the elite – including the pharaohs ππ»π¦ and royal family is known as the broad collar π ±π΄ππΊπ. In Middle Egyptian, the word for broad collar was π ±π΄ππΊπ (pronounced βwesekh) or simply just the determinative hieroglyph π could be used for the whole word. This particular broad collar π ±π΄ππΊπ was made during the late 18th Dynasty.
The broad collar π ±π΄ππΊπ was the necklace of choice by both the gods πΉπΉπΉ and the pharaohs ππ»π¦ and it reached peak popularity during the 18th Dynasty. Broad collars π ±π΄ππΊππ¦ could be made of many different types of materials, including gold ππππ, but the one shown in this picture are made of blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ faience π£πππΈπΌ beads. This broad collar π ±π΄ππΊπ is in almost perfect condition!
Underneath the broad collar π ±π΄ππΊπ is actually a spoon! It is not a spoon that was used for eating, but instead used to hold ointment π΄πΌππ. The top part of the spoon swivels open! It is fashioned after a pomegranate ππππ π, and the spoon part itself is supposed to be a pomegranate ππππ π fruit. Fun fact: pomegranate ππππ π flowers and fruit never appear on the plant at the same time, so maybe the spoon is representative of the growth from flowers to fruit/the life cycle of the plant??!! We will never know!
This post will be about two statues from different museums that are very similar!
This is a wooden π±ππΊ statue πππππΎ of the goddess πΉπ Nephthys π ππ dated from the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period. I am always amazed when wooden π±ππΊ statues are in such great condition – even though the paint is chipping in some places, the statue πππππΎ still retained much of its original color!
Wooden Statue of Nephthys at the Brooklyn Museum
Along with her sister π’ππ Isis π¨ππ₯, Nephthys π ππ was a protector π ππ‘π of the dead and this statue πππππΎ was most likely used for funerary purposes. The crown on her head is one of the hieroglyphs πΉππͺ that is used in her name (π ), which makes Nephthys π ππ very easy to identify in tomb art/funerary art. Her hand/arm ππΊ is raised in what is thought to me a mourning position, and this statue πππππΎ was most likely placed in a tomb ππ«ππ.
Nephthysβ π ππ title was βMistress of the House ππππΊ.β Her name ππ could also be written as ππππππ―π. The three πΌ symbols βπππβ can be combined to make the βπ β symbol, which is not only the crown, but a space saver when writing out hieroglyphs πΉππͺ!
Nephthysβ π ππ hair is blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ because it was supposed to be the same color as lapis lazuli ππ΄ππ§π§! Lapis lazuli ππ΄ππ§π§ is a stone (usually found in modern day Afghanistan) and was considered to be worth more than gold ππππ by the ancient Egyptians πππππͺ because it had to be traded for! Many of the gods πΉπΉπΉ and goddesses πΉπΉπΉπ were thought to have blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ lapis lazuli ππ΄ππ§π§ hair!
This is a wooden π±ππΊ statue πππππΎ of the goddess πΉπ Isis π¨ππ₯ is dated from the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period. Once again, this wooden π±ππΊ statue is in such great condition! When I saw the statue of Nephthys π ππ in the Brooklyn Museum, it immediately reminded me of this statue of Isis π¨ππ₯ at the Louvre!
Wooden Statue of Isis at the Louvre
Isis π¨ππ₯ was a protector π ππ‘π of the dead and the wife to Osiris πΉπ¨π. This statue πππππΎ was most likely used for funerary purposes. Her hands/arms ππ¦ are raised in what is thought to be a mourning position, and this statue πππππΎ was most likely placed in a tomb ππ«ππ.
The crown on her head is one of the hieroglyphs πΉππͺ that is used in her name (π¨), which makes Isis π¨ππ₯ very easy to identify in tomb art/funerary art. Isis can also be written as π¨ππ or πΏπ¨ππ₯, but no matter what, the βπ¨β always appears in her name ππ!
Much like the statue of Nephthysβ π ππ from the Brooklyn Museum, Isisβ π¨ππ₯ hair is blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ because it was supposed to be the same color as lapis lazuli ππ΄ππ§π§! Many of the gods πΉπΉπΉ and goddesses πΉπΉπΉπ were thought to have blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ lapis lazuli ππ΄ππ§π§ hair!
The god πΉ Thoth π πππ(or Djehuty to the ancient Egyptians) was originally god πΉ of the moon, but then became associated with writing πππ₯ and knowledge. He was also the god πΉ of scribes πππͺ. The moon could be thought of as a βnight sun,β which kind of places him as an opposite of the sun π³πΊ god πΉ Re π³πΊπ. Thoth π €π is also credited with inventing the 365-day calendar!
Thoth Amulets at the MET
Thoth π €π was thought to have invented writing πππ₯, and was thus the god πΉ of all record keeping. Due to his vast knowledge, Thoth π was thought to know magic and secrets that were unknown to the rest of the gods πΉπΉπΉ in the Egyptian pantheon. In the Book of the Dead, Thoth π €π is at the extremely important Weighing of the Heart – which is the judgement of the deceasedβs heart πππ£ against Maβatβs ππ΄π£ππ¦ feather. His job was to record the results of the ceremony.
Thoth π πππ was usually represented as a man πππ€ with an ibis head (π), an ibis πππ € or a baboon. In this photograph, there are many faience π£πππΈπΌ statues of Thoth π €π as a baboon. These were very popular amongst scribes πππͺ, and amulets ππͺπ πͺ of Thoth π πππ were worn by the living to invoke wisdom!
Thoth can be written as: π €π, π πππ, π. He also had various titles such as βLord of the Divine Words,β βThree Times Great,β and βLord of Maβatβ amongst many others!
This is a black granite πππππ³πΏ stela ππ ±ππΈ shows the god πΉ Sobek π΄ππ‘π in sunken relief. This stela is dated to the reign of Thutmosis III π π π΄ (18th Dynasty). The stela ππ ±ππΈ originally belonged to a soldier named Amunemhat and he dedicated it to one of Sobekβs π΄ππ‘π temples. Thutmosis III π π π΄ saw a lot of military victories, and that is probably how Anunemhat was able to pay for this small stela ππ ±ππΈ.
On the stela ππ ±ππΈ, Sobek π΄ππ‘π is seen in crocodile π π΄ππ form standing on an altar π΅ππͺ with an elaborate headdress on his head. There is an offering table πππ ‘πΏπ in front of him that contains bread πππ and meat ππ ±ππΉ, which were very common things to be left as offerings π΅ππͺπ ππ¦ to either a god πΉ or the dead. Amunemhat is seen kneeling in the lower right corner of the stela ππ ±ππΈ. Due to the faded hieroglyphs itβs very hard for me to translate them though next to Amunemhatβs head πΆπΊ you can see β ππ πβ which is βAmunβ and this the start of Amunemhatβs name ππ.
Sobek π΄ππ‘π had been worshipped since the Old Kingdom and is mentioned in the Pyramid Texts as being the son π of the goddess πΉπ Neith ππππ. He was a water god πΉ , and also of areas such as marshes and rivers/riverbanks. Sobek π΄ππ‘π usually appears in art as a crocodile π π΄ππ or as a man with a crocodile π π΄ππ head. The elaborate headdress on his head is representative of the sun disk π³πΊ with tall plumes on either side.
This limestone ππππ sculpture of the goddess πΉπ Hathor π‘ is one of my favorite pieces that I saw in the Louvre. This piece is dated to the Ptolemaic Period, and used to be part of a column.
Hathorβs π‘ name ππ in hieroglyphs πΉππͺ is quite unique compared to some of the other gods/goddesses. Her name ππ is composed of a composite hieroglyph πΉπ which literally translates to βHouse of Horus.β Hathor π‘ was the goddess πΉπ of women ππππππͺ, motherhood, joy, music πππΈ, happiness π«π ±π, and a goddess πΉπ of the afterlife πΌπΏππ.
One detail that I love about this piece is that Hathor π‘ is shown with her cow ears! Hathor π‘ was usually depicted in Egyptian art as either a woman πππππ or a cow π€ππππ, so this little detail is just so cool! Another detail that I love is how her wig is decorated with rosettes! The details are in raised relief, which only make them stand out more.
In Middle Egyptian, the words βbeautiful womanβ and βcowβ were the same – the only thing that was different was the determinative symbol! This was most likely due to an association with Hathor π‘, and to this day remains one of my favorite βfun factsβ about hieroglyphs πΉππͺ!
Iβm making another post with Hathor π‘ in it because why not?! Hathor π‘ was the goddess πΉπ of women ππππππͺ, motherhood, joy, music πππΈ, happiness π«π ±π, and a goddess πΉπ of the afterlife πΌπΏππ.
This limestone ππππ stela ππ ±ππΈ is dated to the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom). The stela ππ ±ππΈ was dedicated to Hathor π‘ and the 11th Dynasty pharaoh ππ» Montuhotep II π ππΏπ ±π΅ππͺ by a priest πΉπ named An. On this stela ππ ±ππΈ, Hathor π‘ appears in her cow π€ππππ form, while the human figure (probably Montuhotep II) on the left is cut off. An is not pictured on the stela ππ ±ππΈ, which means it was probably already made and An just had his name ππ added to it. It was most likely placed in a shrine at Deir el-Bahri, because both Hathor π‘ and Montuhotep II π ππΏπ ±π΅ππͺ were both worshipped there. It was not uncommon for pharaohs ππ»π¦ to be worshipped long after they died.
Letβs read some hieroglyphs πΉππͺ!
πΉπ€ππΏπΏ(π³π€π) – βThe Great God, Lord of the Two Lands, Nebhapetraβ (Nebhapetra is Montuhotep IIβs throne name)
π‘πππ·πππ – βHathor, Chief one of Thebesβ (Thebes can also be written as βπππβ – Iβm just copying the symbol directly from the stela, even though it may look βbackwardsβ).
