Author: ancientegyptblog7

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Turtle Fossil

While ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 is my first love, geology is my second! “Geology” in a very broad term that means the study of the Earth’s structure, makeup and history! Geology isn’t just the study of rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦 (that is petrology) but paleontology (the study of past life on Earth) falls into that category! I love when I am able to combine my love of geology with ancient Egypt! Read below

Turtle Fossil
William and I with the Turtle Fossil on display at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH)

William and I are standing with an extinct land tortoise called a “Megalochelys atlas” (it used to be referred to as the “Geochelone atlas”) and I always lovingly refer to this fossil as the “Smiling Turtle” because it looks like it is very happy! This big guy lived during the late Pliocene Epoch which was about two million years ago and is the largest land tortoise to ever exist!

In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 were seen as an ambiguous force because they were creatures of both land 𓇾 and water 𓈗. Turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 were also seen as the enemy of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛, and in chapter 162 of the Book of the Dead, it is stated that “May Ra live, and may the turtle die.” The turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 that lived in the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 were mostly nocturnal (and definitely not as large as this one), which is probably why they were considered to be Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 enemy. 

Turtle Fossil
The very large Turtle Fossil on display at the American Museum of Natural History

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

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Mummy of Ukhotep

This is the coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 and mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 of a man named Ukhotep 𓋂𓊵𓏏𓊪. Ukhotep 𓋂𓊵𓏏𓊪 lived during the 12th dynasty (Middle Kingdom) and he was the chief treasurer 𓋨𓅱, which is why he probably received such gorgeous 𓄤 funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭. 

Mummy of Ukhotep
The Mummy of Ukhotep on display at the MET

Ukhotep 𓋂𓊵𓏏𓊪 had a wooden coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 inscribed with parts of the Coffin Texts, which were spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 that the deceased needed in order to gain magical powers in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 and mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is very typical of the Middle Kingdom burials (not just because of the styles/materials used for both the coffin and mask) but because the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 was placed on his side inside of the wooden coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱, which allowed him to see out of the coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 through the eyes on the side! My Nonno always told me about this fact when I was little, and I was always fascinated by this funerary practice!

Mummy of Ukhotep
The Mummy of Ukhotep with hieroglyphs on his coffin! Learn how to read the hieroglyphs below!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here is the inscription: 𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓁹𓊨𓎟𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛𓇳 𓏅𓈖𓏏𓍋𓃀𓈋𓊖𓉻𓎟𓆄𓏏

Here is a breakdown of the inscription: 

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – An Offering the King Gives

𓁹𓊨 – Osiris (his name is missing the determinative this time – usually it’s written as 𓁹𓊨𓀭)

𓎟 – Lord 

𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛𓇳 – Eternity 

𓏅 – Foremost 

𓈖𓏏 – of

𓍋𓃀𓈋𓊖 – Abydos

𓊹𓀭 – God

𓉻 – Great

𓎟 -Lord 

𓆄𓏏 – Maat

Fun Fact: “𓈖𓏏” is also another way to spell the name of the goddess Neith but it can also mean “of” and a bunch of other filler-type words!

The variant of “eternity 𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛𓇳” used in this inscription is very Middle Kingdom too – I rarely see this one used ever!! Usually the typical “𓎛𓇳𓎛” is used! 

Mummy of Ukhotep
The Mummy of Ukhotep with some of his other funerary equipment including his canopic jar case (near the head of the mummy)

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

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Wide Heart

𓄫𓏏𓄣 – “Be Happy, “Happiness,” “Joy,” – or more accurately translated from Middle Egyptian, “Wide Heart.” 

Wide Heart

I LOVE how the direct Middle Egyptian translation of the word is “Wide Heart 𓄫𓏏𓄣” – I think it carries so much meaning in such a little phrase. “Ancient Egypt makes my heart wide” sounds cooler than “Ancient Egypt brings me joy/happiness” – in my opinion at least!

I always love seeing Happiness/Joy 𓄫𓏏𓄣 written on objects because that is exactly how I felt when I was in a museum and looking at Egyptian artifacts with my Nonno. The only emotion I could feel at the time was joy 𓄫𓏏𓄣 and I was so lucky. I would do anything to go to a museum with my Nonno and experience those emotions again. 

While I still feel joy 𓄫𓏏𓄣 in museums now, there’s always a sadness and a feeling that something is missing because I truly miss my Nonno more than anything. 

I’m kind of in a transition period of my life at the moment (hence the non-consistent posting) and I am hopefully on my way to doing something that will make me happy 𓄫𓏏𓄣! 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here are some common variants for the word that will pop up in inscriptions:

𓄫𓄣

𓄫𓄣𓏏

𓄫𓏏𓄣𓏺

𓄫𓄣𓏺

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

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Wosretkau in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Something that makes this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut at the MET so unique is that her Horus name appears instead of her Throne Name (𓇳𓁦𓂓) or Birth Name (𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪)! The Horus Name appears in a Serekh which is a different enclosure from a cartouche. The Serekh consists of the Falcon Horus 𓅃 standing on top of a palace facade 𓊁. 

Wosretkau

I’m pointing to her Horus Name in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 – Hatshepsut’s Horus Name is “𓄊𓋴𓏏𓂓𓂓𓂓 – Wosretkau or Useretkau.” 

Let’s break down the meaning of her name:

𓄊𓋴𓏏 – Powerful, Mighty, Strong (this is the female version; male version is 𓄊𓋴). 

𓂓𓂓𓂓 – Kas (Souls) 

“Wosretkau” translates to “The Mighty of the Kas” or “The Mighty of the Souls.”

Wosretkau

Let’s break down the hieroglyphic symbols 𓊹𓌃𓏪:

The “head and neck of a jackal 𓄊” symbol is a triliteral phonogram and represents the sound “wsr” or “usr.” 

The “folded cloth 𓋴” is a uniliteral phonogram for “s.”

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.” It also functions as the ideogram for the word “bread 𓏏𓏺” and can be used to make words feminine! 

The “𓂓 two arms” symbol is a biliteral phonogram for the sound “ka,” and also functions as an ideogram for the same. The word “ka” has been translated into our modern languages as “soul.” 

I think that is such a cool name 𓂋𓈖 to have! This name 𓂋𓈖 has only been recorded in a couple of places, including the Stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 at the Vatican Museum, the Obelisk 𓉶 at Karnak, and on a couple of statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 from Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐 (like this one at the MET). 

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

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Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Amun-Ra in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at an inscription that appears on a  “Doorjamb from a Temple of Rameses II” which is on display at the MET. Since this is from the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓, we can easily date the inscription to the 19th Dynasty! This piece is made of red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 which is both a highly durable and very beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙. The durability of the red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 has allowed the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 to stay so well preserved for so long!

Amun-Ra

Here is a breakdown of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 – Amun-Ra

𓎟𓎼𓎼𓎼𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Thrones

𓈘 – Beloved

All together the inscription reads “Beloved of Amun-Ra, Lord of the Thrones.” 

So why is the inscription written/translated the way it is? “Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺” is written first but said last due to what is called “honorific transposition.” Out of respect for the god 𓊹, their name 𓂋𓈖 is written first but said last in the sentence! In English (and other languages like Italian) we have something similar to this – we say “ten dollars” but write it as “dollars ten” – $10! 

“Lord of the Thrones 𓎟𓎼𓎼𓎼𓇿𓇿” is an epithet which is kind of like a title that is written after the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 so it both written and pronounced after the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹. 

This type of inscription commonly appears after the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 which is the oval enclosure that distinguished the name 𓂋𓈖 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 from other hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 in inscriptions. In my picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 you can even see the bottom part of the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷!

When you first start learning how to read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 it seems like a puzzle but it definitely gets so much easier with practice! 

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

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Ushabti Friends

Ushabtis of Seti I – Ushabti Friends

Ushabtis of Seti I

As part of my “Ushabti Friends” series, I am teaching you how to look at the different characteristics of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 to show how unique and wonderful these pieces are! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the ushabtis of the 19th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠! 

Ushabtis of Seti I
Ushabtis of Seti I

Pharaoh Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 had an estimated  1000+ ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪, however, only about 700 remain! Most of Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 and when Giovanni Belzoni discovered Seti I’s tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 in the Valley of the Kings in 1917, he used a lot of the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 as torches (this fact still haunts me – it was also one of my Nonno’s favorite stories to tell). Anytime Seti I came up in conversation my Nonno would say “can you believe some idiots used his ushabtis as torches??!!”

Besides the tragic wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabtis, Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖 had many faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪. His faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 are such a beautiful 𓄤 blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 color and are inscribed with the Shabti Spell in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪.

Ushabtis of Seti I

Some of the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 contain hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 as well, however, the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are better preserved on some pieces better than others because wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 will naturally deteriorate over time due to the nature of the organic materials. 

So how can we tell these are ushabtis of Seti I from the 19th Dynasty? 

  1. The ushabtis were found in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings
  2. The ushabtis are inscribed with his throne name (𓇳𓁦𓏠) and birth name (𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖).
  3. The ushabtis have characteristics of the 19th dynasty such as the faience ushabtis which are holding a hoe in each hand 𓌸 (typical of 18th-25th dynasties)
Ushabtis of Seti I

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

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Ushabtis of Seti I
Categories
Blog

Hatshepsut Brochure

My Nonno was the type of person to keep brochures of the places he visited, and I have always done the same because he always told me to! Looking back, I’m so glad he always told me to keep stuff because I love looking back and remembering the fun things we got to do!

Hatshepsut Brochure
Hatshepsut Brochure

I was going through some of my old stuff yesterday, and I found this wonderful little Hatshepsut Brochure! While this is just a piece of paper to most, I picked up this little audio guide ad while at the “Hatshepsut: From Queen to Pharaoh” exhibit that the MET put on in 2006! I remember loving it because it has a picture of my absolute favorite Egyptian antiquity on it! The white limestone statue of Hatshepsut will always be my absolute favorite piece!

My whole family came with me for my birthday and we had such an incredible day at that exhibit. The memories of that day are something that I will cherish forever. Finding this also made me really miss my Nonno; while I miss him so much every single day, finding this made it even more prevalent and I’m still feeling it this morning as I write this out. 

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

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Ushabti Friends

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis – Ushabti Friends

As part of my “Ushabti Friends” series, I am teaching you how to look at the different characteristics of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 and how those characteristics can help you to narrow down the age/time period that the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is from! Today we are going to look at Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis!

All of the ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 we are going to look at today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 are royal ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that all belonged to pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 from the 18th Dynasty! The 18th Dynasty is almost the “golden age” of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 because these little guys undergo much development during this time period and have so many different characteristics! 

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
The wooden ushabti of Amenhotep III

The wooden ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 is very interesting because it has a very distinct characteristic of 18th Dynasty ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that is not just one found on royal ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾!

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
A closeup of the wooden ushabti of Amenhotep III to highlight where a hoe or other tools would have been placed in his hands!

There is a space in the hands where tools would have been inserted – such as a hoe 𓌸. Tools that were attached separately were only found in the 18th Dynasty!

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
The Shabti Spell on the ushabti of Amenhotep III

The “Shabti Spell” is also on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾! 

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
Limestone ushabti of Amenhotep II

The rock based ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪 and Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 are all seen holding Ankh symbols in their hands which are crossed over their chest in a mummiform fashion.

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
Ushabti of Akhenaten holding Ankhs in each hand

I have only seen royal ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 with Ankhs 𓋹! I find this to be commentary on the religion because a deceased pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 would not have to be doing work anyway – he probably was buried with ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 just in case! This is probably why some of the royal ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 have Ankhs 𓋹 and not tools! 

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
Ushabti of Akhenaten holding Ankhs in each hand

These ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 also have false beards and are wearing some type of royal crown to distinguish that they are pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦!

Ushabti of Akhenaten wearing a royal crown and false beard

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

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Reading Hieroglyphs Ushabti Friends

Ushabti of Nebhor – Ushabti Friends

Let me introduce you to another one of my Ushabti Friends – the Ushabti of Nebhor 𓎟𓅄!

Ushabti of Nebhor
The Ushabti of Nebhor

This is one of my absolute favorite ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures at the MET just because he is so adorable! This ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is dated to the 21st-22nd dynasties and is made out of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 and has features and inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on it that are painted 𓏞𓏜 with black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦.

We can tell the age of this ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 just by looking at it! Let’s go through the process of narrowing down the age: 

  1. This ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is holding a hoe 𓌸 in each hand, which is characteristic of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that were made from the 18th Dynasty to the 25th Dynasty! 
  2. This little guy is also holding a bag on his back (I don’t have a picture of that I’m sorry), which narrows down the age from the 19th-23rd Dynasties! 
  3. This ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is also wearing a headband, which is usually only found on ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that were made from the 21st-22nd Dynasties, which is the defining characteristic and allows us to really narrow down the age! 

Since I can’t help myself, Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

𓊩𓁹 – The Osiris 

𓎟𓅄 – Nebhor

𓐙𓊤 – True of Voice

“The Osiris 𓊩𓁹” part of the inscription means that Nebhor 𓎟𓅄, through the process of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, becomes 𓆣 like the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓊩𓁹 who is the main god 𓊹 of the dead. This means that Nebhor 𓎟𓅄 will live on in the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife) just like Osiris 𓊩𓁹 has! 

“True of Voice 𓐙𓊤” means that Nebhor 𓎟𓅄 has lived a just and true life! This phrase appears quite often amongst funerary objects!

The Ushabti of Nebhor on display at the MET

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

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Ushabti Friends

18th Dynasty Ushabtis – Ushabti Friends

As part of my “Ushabti Friends” series, I am teaching you how to look at the different characteristics of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 and how those characteristics can help you to narrow down the age/time period that the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is from!

18th Dynasty Ushabtis
18th Dynasty Ushabtis at the Brooklyn Museum

Both of these ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that we are going to look at today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 are from the Brooklyn Museum! Both of these ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 are beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 and unique and are dated to the same time period even though they look different and are made of different materials! In the first image, the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 on the left is made of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉, while the painted ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 on the right is made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼. 

Both of these ushabtis are dated to the 18th Dynasty, but how do we know? Let’s go through the process of narrowing down the age: 

  1. In each hand, both of the ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 are holding a hoe 𓌸 which is characteristic of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that were made from the 18th Dynasty to the 25th Dynasty! 
  2. The real defining characteristic are the baskets that the ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 are holding in each hand – this is only found on ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 dated to the 18th Dynasty!
The Ushabti of Sati at the Brooklyn Museum (18th Dynasty Ushabtis)
18th Dynasty Ushabtis
A closeup of the Ushabti of Sati holding a basket!

If you see a ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 and it’s holding a basket or a pot in each hand, it is an 18th Dynasty ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾!

18th Dynasty Ushabtis
Limestone ushabti at the Brooklyn Museum
18th Dynasty Ushabtis
A closeup of the limestone ushabti at the Brooklyn Museum which highlights the baskets that it is holding!

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