This is probably my favorite wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 model that I have seen in any museum! This particular model is at the MET!
This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of a man named 𓂋𓈖 Ukhhotep 𓋂𓊵𓏏𓊪. Ukhotep 𓋂𓊵𓏏𓊪 was the chief treasurer 𓋨𓅱, which is why he probably received such gorgeous 𓄤 funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭.
This is one of two 𓏻 funerary boats that were found in his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 – most Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 that had wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models always contained two 𓏻 boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦. In the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, one boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 was oriented to the north 𓎔𓏏 and the other towards the south 𓇔𓅱𓏏.
During the actual funeral, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would take one last journey across the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. Models of boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 (usually funerary boats), were usually found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 as a way to symbolically bring the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 into the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.
I really love this model because of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 that you can see underneath the canopy! As a kid I always loved that! The canopy also has a leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin on the top, and the details on the leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 are just gorgeous!
The mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is accompanied by two 𓏻 women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪 mourners – they are probably meant to represent Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇. There is also a priest 𓊹𓍛 (dressed in the leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin) who holds a scroll 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 with a funerary offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 on it. There is a second priest 𓊹𓍛, also dressed in leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin with his arm 𓂝𓏺 extended outward in a mourning gesture.
Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models were very popular amongst Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦. This particular boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is dated to the 12th Dynasty (c. 1981–1802 B.C.E.)
Previously, we looked at the phrase “𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul of…” and today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the next part of the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖!
Some review from the other post: The “ka 𓂓” or the soul is the part of the person that interacted with others (family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦, friends 𓈘𓈇𓀀𓁐𓏦, even the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻) and also can be thought of as the offices you held in life. Usually the list of jobs/titles/offices would follow “𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul Of…” on the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖! This is what we will be examining today!
Let’s take a look at the roles this individual had! Make sure to look for the words 𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁 “𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul of…” if you want to see someone’s jobs!
The inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 reads:
𓈖𓂓𓈖 – For the Soul of
𓏞 – Scribe
𓉒 – Treasury
So all put together, the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 reads: “For the Soul of the Scribe of the Treasury.”
So according to the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, this individual was a Scribe 𓏞 in the treasury 𓉒! This was definitely a prestigious job, which is why the person was able to afford such a nice statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 with hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃 inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on it!
Scribe 𓏞 can also be written as 𓏞𓀀, and the determinative symbol is missing on this inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖. Treasury is usually always written with the composite symbol/ideogram of 𓉒.
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a phrase that could be part of the standard Offering Formula (𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 “An Offering the King Gives”). While not as common as some other parts of the Offering Formula, the phrase “𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul Of…” does appear enough that you will be able to recognize it!
“𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul Of…” indicates that the offering is not only being made for the deceased person, but the soul 𓂓 of the deceased person, which demonstrates the ancient Egyptian cultural practice of the distinct parts of a person’s identity. In order to exist, a person needed to have five 𓏾 essential elements: the body 𓎛𓂝𓄼, the shadow 𓆄𓏏𓅱𓋼, the Ba 𓅡𓏤, the Ka (soul/life force) 𓂓𓏤, and the name 𓂋𓈖.
More specifically, the “ka 𓂓” or the soul is the part of the person that interacted with others (family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦, friends 𓈘𓈇𓀀𓁐𓏦, even the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻) and can be thought of as the offices you held in life. Usually the list of jobs/titles/offices would follow “𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul Of…” on the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖! These memories of a person and their interactions were important to maintaining their offering cult when they died.
So let’s take a closer look at the hieroglyphic symbols 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
The “ripple of water 𓈖” is a phonogram sign, and it functions as a uniliteral sign. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” The 𓈖 has many grammatical functions on its own, and it can mean “to,” “of,” “for,” “we/us/our,” “in,” “because,” “through,” and some others! How do we know which word it is? Context clues!
The “two arms 𓂓” functions as a biliteral phonogram and an ideogram, both with the sound of “ka/k3.”
This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (c. 332–30 B.C.E.) and is quite beautiful 𓄤 in person! I have never posted about this piece before because the lighting in the gallery is so bad that it makes it hard to get a good picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏!
This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made of plaster and wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺, and has been painted 𓏞𓏜 in many beautiful 𓄤 colors! Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 arms are raised in a protective 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 stance, as if he is welcoming the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.
Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 held many important titles, all of which signify how important he was to not only embalming, but to all aspects of a person’s death 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The title “Upon His Hill/Mountain 𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑” references the cliff that usually surrounded necropolises, which Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 (and jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦) would guard. The title “He who is in the mummy wrappings 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖“ signifies Anubis’ role in the mummification process, which is what he is most known for.
The title “In front at the God’s booth 𓏅𓊹𓉱” references Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 place not only in the place of embalming, but in the burial chamber 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓉐 of a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 too! Before Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 became a much more major god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 had that role and was known by the title “Foremost of the Westerners 𓏅𓈖𓏏𓏭𓋀𓄿𓏦 ” Since the sun 𓆄𓅱𓇳 set in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊, the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 was known as the land of the dead to the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪.
Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis are my most favorite tv shows of all time! I started watching them when I was a teenager and instantly loved them. As someone who loves both ancient Egypt and science, Stargate 𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀𓈖𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓇳𓏦 was the perfect combination of both! This picture is of a project that I did for my pre-calc class in high school! We had to make a picture on a graphing calculator using equations, and of course I chose to graph a Stargate 𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀𓈖𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓇳𓏦!
I idolized both Daniel Jackson (archaeologist) and Samantha Carter (astrophysicist) and wanted to be just like both of them! I guess my wish came true because over 15 years later, I am teaching hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 to all of you, and I teach astrophysics to high school students! Sam Carter is actually the reason I became a scientist – seeing her do science inspired me! I wanted (and still want) to be just like her! Its crazy how a tv show had such a tremendous and positive impact on my life – its honestly hard to put it into words how much Stargate 𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀𓈖𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓇳𓏦 means to me.
So how do you write “Stargate” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪? Let’s take a look at the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 from the movie: 𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀𓈖𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓇳𓏦 – “Gate to the Stars” (Stargate)
𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀 – Gate/Doorway
𓈖 – To
𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓇳𓏦 – Stars
I love how the root word of both gate/doorway and star are the same word: 𓋴𓃀𓄿. They would both be pronounced like “sba” – its just the determinative symbols that are different! In the movie, 𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀 is a little messed up and should be spelled like this: 𓋴𓃀𓇼𓊀, but I’ll forgive it because the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are actually quite good!
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at some grammar – how to make a word feminine! The inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 says the word “goddess 𓊹𓏏.” The word “god 𓊹” is an extremely popular word and is used throughout ancient Egyptian inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!
The “cloth wound on a pole 𓊹” symbol is both an ideogram and a determinative for the word “god.” The symbol is thought to sound like “ntr” which probably sounds like “neter.”
Yesterday in my post I mentioned that 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 when placed at the end of the word!
A Note: just because the “𓏏” appears in a doesn’t mean that the word is automatically feminine – it must be at the end of the word! All nouns in Middle Egyptian were either masculine or feminine, and the masculine nouns had no special ending! The ending of “𓏏” is just an ending, and is not part of the root of the word.
Here’s some examples of some words that become feminine with the “𓏏”:
“𓌢𓈖 brother” and “𓌢𓈖𓏏 sister”
“𓊹 god” and “goddeHieroglyphic Grammar – Making Words Femininess 𓊹𓏏”
“𓋾𓈎𓀀 male ruler” and “𓋾𓈎𓏏𓁐” (here not only is 𓏏 added but the determinative changes too)
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a word 𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁 that has two 𓏻 meanings! The word 𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁 is “𓇍𓇋𓂻” which can mean “come” or “welcome” depending on the context!
The “reed with legs 𓇍” symbol is a combination of the “reed 𓇋” and the “walking legs 𓂻” symbols. 𓇍 is a uniliteral phonogram symbol, and is usually associated with the sound “j.”
The “reed 𓇋” is a very popular symbol that I’m sure you all recognize! 𓇋 is also a uniliteral phonogram symbol, and is also associated with the sound “j.” This symbol can also act as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.” When the symbol is doubled “𓇌” it is associated with the sound “y.” Now, most will translate the “reed 𓇋” as having the sound of “i,” but that sound association only became popularized during Greek times!
The “walking legs 𓂻” symbol is a determinative in words that have to do with motion. It can also function as a biliteral phonogram and was associated with the sound “jw.” 𓂻 could also function as an ideogram for the word “step 𓂻𓏺.”
So all together, 𓇍𓇋𓂻 would have possibly been pronounced like “ı͗ı͗” or “jj”!! In this word, “𓇍𓇋” are the phonograms and “𓂻” is the determinative! The determinatives at the end of words 𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁 were not pronounced and instead acted like punctuation! The determinative “summarized” the meaning of the word 𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁 and let you know that the word 𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁 was finished!
So if you are new here, Welcome 𓇍𓇋𓂻 to @ancientegyptblog 𓃣😀!!!
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at an alternate spelling for the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 Duamutef 𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑! Usually, Duamutef is written as “𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑,” however, “𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑” is an alternate spelling for his name 𓂋𓈖! While it is only a one symbol difference, that could confuse people who are just learning which is why I wanted to talk about it! Most of the deities in the Egyptian pantheon had multiple ways that their names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 written in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥! Another less common way to write Duamutef’s name is “𓂧𓍯𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑,” but I have rarely seen that spelling used!
Let’s take a look at Duamutef’s 𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑 name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! All of the symbols in Duamutef’s 𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑 name 𓂋𓈖 are phonogram symbols, which means that they represent sounds!
The “star 𓇼” functions as a triliteral phonogram for the sound “dw3” (almost like “dua”). Triliteral means that the symbol represents three consonants! In other words, it can also function as a determinative or ideogram.
The “forearm with bread 𓂟“ symbol could either function as a uniliteral or biliteral phonogram depending ok the word! 𓂟 represented the sounds “m” or “mj.” The “forearm with bread 𓂟” could also be a determinative in the word for “give 𓂋𓂟.”
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 “horned viper 𓆑” functions as a uniliteral phonogram and represents the sound “f.” In other words, it can function as a determinative.
So Duamutef’s 𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑 name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is something like “duamwttf” – which is very similar to “Duamutef!” Most of the major deities have Greek names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 that we use to identify them, instead of their actual Egyptian name 𓂋𓈖. For example, “Anubis” is a Greek name – “Inpu” is what the ancient Egyptians would have called Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣!
I love wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 tomb models so much! As a kid they reminded me of dolls and dollhouses! Another thing I loved about them was how excited my Nonno would get over wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 pieces – he would always talk about how important wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 artifacts were. Since wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 decomposes over time, it is more rare to have wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 artifacts be found in good condition as opposed to stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪.
The models in this post (and many others) were found in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of the Royal Chief Steward Meketre who lived during the reign 𓋾 of Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 and possibly Amenemhat I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏. Meketre’s high status as an official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 is why he was able to afford so many wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models and such an elaborate burial.
While the main part of Meketre’s tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 had been plundered in ancient times, excavators found a hidden chamber, and that is where all of the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models were found! There were 24 𓎆𓎆𓏽 almost perfectly preserved models found in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐. Half of the models are at the MET, while the other half are at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo!
While Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 religious beliefs didn’t necessarily change much over time, some of the customs did! The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 needed nourishment in the forms of food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 and water 𓈗, even in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. During the Old Kingdom, this was achieved by depicting different types of food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 production on tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 and chapel walls. In the Middle Kingdom, this practice evolved into placing wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models depicting different types of food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 production in a sealed chamber in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐. It was thought that the models would hold more magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 power than the carvings!
This wooden model depicts a slaughterhouse.
Cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 and geese 𓊃𓂋𓅬𓏦 are being slaughtered by butchers, and dried out meat 𓇋𓅱𓆑𓄹 can be seen hanging above them. Butchery was considered a high status occupation in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, and most of the population did not have access to meat 𓇋𓅱𓆑𓄹 as a type of food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥. Even having access to meat 𓇋𓅱𓆑𓄹 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 was a sign of status!
This model is of a granary 𓊚𓏏𓉐, and the model is divided into two 𓏻 sections.
The “top” section in my picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is of the actual granary 𓊚𓏏𓉐, where the grain 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦 was stored. The “bottom” section is of the accounting area, where scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 are seen keeping records with supplies such as papyrus rolls 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛𓏦 and wooden boards. The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 relied heavily on grain 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦 for food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥, so it was an absolute must for them to keep meticulous records about their supply.
It is interesting to note that there are only six 𓏿 workers carrying/pouring out the grain 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦, while there are nine scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 for record keeping! Either this is a coincidence, or a commentary on just how important scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 were to society in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!
Another thing I absolutely love about the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models are how detailed they are! If you look at the workers who are pouring grain 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦 into the granary 𓊚𓏏𓉐, they have dust 𓐍𓅓𓅱𓊡 all over their faces! This would be from them pouring the grain 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦, and some of the dust 𓐍𓅓𓅱𓊡 coming back up at them!
These wooden models are so amazing because they provide a look into some of the more common aspects of life 𓋹 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, despite the fact that Meketre’s high status as an official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 is why he was able to afford so many wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models and such an elaborate burial.
This next model has no people in it! This model is of a “Porch and Garden 𓎛𓊃𓊪𓈈,” and beautifully 𓄤 painted 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 columns (in the form of papyrus plants) can be seen on the porch part.
My favorite part of the model is that there is actually a pool 𓈙𓈇 in the center that could have been potentially filled with water 𓈗! The area around the pool 𓈙𓈇 is lined with sycamore trees 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭𓏪, and while it is hard to see in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, there are little red figs 𓂧𓄿𓃀𓇭𓏪 growing on the branches! Sycamore trees 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭𓏪 are commonly associated with the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡.
Some Egyptologists think that this piece would have functioned similarly to a “Soul House,” which we’re clay models that usually had an open court for offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 or water 𓈗. This garden 𓎛𓊃𓊪𓈈 model could also be thought of as a libation basin 𓌻𓂋𓈘 (because of the pool 𓈙𓈇 of water𓈗) that is decorated really nicely!
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a “Pylon Shaped Stela of Rameses II” (c. 1279–1213 B.C.E.) at the MET. This piece is made of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 and describes Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖!
Here is the left two columns:
𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Rameses II (Birth Name)
𓉡 – Hathor
𓎟𓏏 – Lady
𓆭𓏏 – Sycamore
𓇔𓏏 – Southern
𓌺 – Beloved
Put all together, this inscription reads: “Rameses II, Beloved of Hathor, Lady of the Southern Sycamore.”
Here are the right two columns:
𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Rameses II (Throne Name)
𓉡 – Hathor
𓎟𓏏 – Lady
𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 – West
𓌺 – Beloved
Put all together, this inscription reads: “Rameses II, Beloved of Hathor, Lady of the West.”
Hathor 𓉡 has the title “Lady of the West 𓎟𓏏𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊” because of her roles was to provide peace and solace to the souls 𓂓𓂓𓂓 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 as they entered the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. Many people obviously associate Hathor 𓉡 with love, joy 𓄫𓏏𓄣, music 𓉔𓇌𓆸 etc, but she was also a prominent funerary goddess 𓊹𓏏!
Hathor 𓉡 has the title “Lady of the Southern Sycamore 𓎟𓏏𓆭𓏏𓇔𓏏” or just “Lady of the Sycamore 𓎟𓏏𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭” because the sycamore tree 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭 was one of the native trees in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, and it grew at the edge of the desert 𓅟𓂋𓏏𓈊! This would put it near necropolises, tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 etc, so it was associated with the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱! Hathor 𓉡 was considered one of the tree goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏, along with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nut 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭.
