Author: ancientegyptblog7

The Goddess Seshat

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 7, 2023

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 I am going to speak about a goddess 𓊹𓏏 I have never written about before and her name 𓂋𓈖 is Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐! The reason I never wrote about Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is because I never had a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of her! I was so excited to finally “meet” Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 at the Brooklyn Museum!

Me at the Brooklyn Museum with a limestone relief of the goddess Seshat! You can always tell that it’s Seshat pictured due to the “𓋇” crown on her head which is associated with her!

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of writing, wisdom and knowledge. Her name 𓂋𓈖 literally translates to “female scribe,” and she is also the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪! In this relief, she is depicted as a scribe 𓏟𓀀 because she is holding writing with a stylus on a board. You can easily pick Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 out in Egyptian art because of the seven pointed emblem 𓋇 that she wears on her head (I call it a star). This symbol is also part of her name, which makes it easy!

Limestone relief of Seshat at the Brooklyn Museum.

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is also the goddess of architecture, accounting, mathematics, and surveying. This is what made her an essential part of a building ceremony called the “Stretching of the Cord.” The “Stretching of the Cord” was part of the foundation ritual that occurred when a building was constructed in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. It involved nailing four 𓏽 stakes into the ground at the four 𓏼 corners of the building and then linking them with a cord.

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is definitely related to and shares some of the same functions as the god 𓊹 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 (or Djehuty to the ancient Egyptians), who was also considered to be the god 𓊹 of writing, knowledge and wisdom. Usually Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 is credited with inventing writing/hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (hence his title “Lord of the Divine Words/Writing 𓎟𓊹𓌃𓂂𓂂𓂂𓏟”), however, some mythology credits Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 with inventing writing/hieroglyphs, while Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 was the one who taught writing to man!

Here are some ways to write Seshat’s name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:

Seshat 𓋇

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐

Seshat 𓋴𓈙𓄿𓏏𓅆

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, seshat

Reading Hieroglyphs

Is it Ushabti or Shabti?

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 6, 2023

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be taking a closer look at the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that is on the Ushabti of Sati, which is the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 that I posted about yesterday 𓋴𓆑𓇳!

The word “shabti 𓆷𓄿𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾” in hieroglyphs on the Ushabti of the Lady Sati (Dynasty 18)

I was so excited when I saw the variant for the word “shabti 𓆷𓄿𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾” going across the front of the hieroglyphic text 𓏟𓏛𓏥 (it’s in the middle row of this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏) and it was clear to read! I don’t know why spotting a single word 𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 makes me so excited, but it did! I guess I just love 𓈘𓏏 ushabtis that much!

I have seen people debate if the correct word for my favorite funerary figures is “shabti” or “ushabti,” when in reality, both pronunciations would be correct! So why would both “shabti” and “ushabti” be correct? Its because the word appears both ways in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 too! The word “𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 usbty” is where “ushabti” comes from and the word “𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 sawabti” is where “shabti” comes from!

The variant of “𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 sawabti” is what appears on this ushabti figure – it is missing the “𓍯” symbol, most likely for spacing reasons, so it is spelled like this: 𓆷𓄿𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾. It would still be pronounced as “sawabti” though!

The word for “stick 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓄿𓃀𓏲𓍘𓇋𓆱” is pronounced like “swbt,” and many Egyptologists think that this was the word that “𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 sawabti” was originally derived from. The term ““𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 sawabti” was used mostly during the New Kingdom Period, which is the time period this ushabti pictured is from.

It has also been proposed that the word “Ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾” (which became more popular from the 21st Dynasty and onward), is derived from the verb “to answer 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓀁,” which would be pronounced like “wsb.” This makes sense too because ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 answered the call of the deceased to perform manual labor in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

My Nonno always said “Ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾” so that is what I tend to say as well! Which term to you usually use?

Tags brooklyn museum, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, shabti, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Sati

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 5, 2023

This is the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Sati, and the Brooklyn Museum has two 𓏻 of them! The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 dates to the New Kingdom Dynasty 18 (c. 1390-1352 B.C.E.).

The Ushabti of Sati at the Brooklyn Museum. The hieroglyphs on this Ushabti are the “Shabti Spell”

Sati was not royal nor a high-ranking official so these ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were clearly a royal gift just due to the craftsmanship that went into making it. Sati’s only title that appears on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is “mistress of the house 𓎟𓏏𓉐𓏺.”

This piece is unique because of the six different colors on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 – most were not this colorful. I really love the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 accents and extreme attention to detail on this piece. If you look closely, the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are painted so beautifully on to the body of the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾. These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are the standard “Shabti Spell,” from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. This spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 gives the ushabti 𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 the power to complete tasks (farming, manual labor, etc) for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖.

The “Shabti Spell” usually starts off with the following phrase:

𓋴𓌉𓆓𓇶 – The Illuminated One

𓁹𓊩𓀭 – The Osiris

Then the “Shabti Spell” will usually list the deceased’s 𓅓𓏏𓏱 job/titles:

𓎟𓏏𓉐𓏺 – Mistress of the House

This ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made out of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 and is mummiform in appearance, with the arms 𓂝𓏦 crossed along the chest. In each hand 𓂝𓏺, the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is holding a hoe and a basket. This indicates that the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 was meant to do some type of agricultural labor for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (as per the Shabti Spell)! The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is also wearing a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝.

Me with the Ushabti of Sati at the Brooklyn Museum!

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, shabti, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Vase of Woman Holding Anubis

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 4, 2023

On my most recent trip to the Brooklyn Museum, I saw this piece for the first 𓏃 time and it caught my eye immediately! I don’t remember ever really seeing a piece like this in a museum before and I think it’s stunning!

This is a clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 which depicts a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 holding a jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 or dog 𓃀𓎛𓈖𓃡! Some Egyptologists think that this vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 depicts a servant woman holding the pet dog 𓃀𓎛𓈖𓃡 of her master or mistress.

During the 18th Dynasty, when this piece was made, a certain group of potters 𓇋𓐪𓂧𓏏𓏭𓀨𓇋𓏲𓏭𓏜𓀜𓈖𓆓𓊃𓏏𓏰𓅩𓏦 (possibly all people from the same workshop) made vases 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏪 in the form of humans 𓇬𓈋𓏏𓅱𓀀𓁐𓏦 and animals! This would have been a complex process, and the potters 𓇋𓐪𓂧𓏏𓏭𓀨𓇋𓏲𓏭𓏜𓀜𓈖𓆓𓊃𓏏𓏰𓅩𓏦 would have had to make both halves of the piece separately using a mold for each and then join them together!

I really like it because I just see a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 holding what looks to be a recumbent jackal – aka Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is my absolute favorite Egyptian deity 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and my first thought when I saw this piece was that I could see Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in the woman’s 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 arms! I think this piece is so beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 and I think the little Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the cutest thing! This piece was made between the reigns of Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 (c. 1479-1352 B.C.E.) and was found at Saqqara (Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖).

Tags anubis, artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses

Egyptian Artifacts

Broad Collar and Pomegranate Spoon

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 3, 2023

Here I am at the Brooklyn Museum with a beautiful 𓄤 Broad Collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 and Pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭 Spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔! Let’s learn some more about these beautiful 𓄤 pieces!

Me with the Broad Collar and Pomegranate Spoon at the Brooklyn Museum!

One of the most popular types of jewelry 𓂝𓏏𓍢 amongst the elite – including the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and royal family is known as the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝. In Middle Egyptian, the word for broad collar was “𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 wesekh.” The last symbol of the word (the determinative hieroglyph) could also act as an ideogram be be used to represent the whole word “𓋝 wesekh.”

This particular broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 was made during the late 18th Dynasty, which is when this style reached peak popularity. Broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝𓏦 could be made of many different types of materials, including gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉, but the one shown in this picture are made of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦. This broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is in almost perfect condition!

A closer view of the Broad Collar and Pomegranate Spoon at the Brooklyn Museum!

Underneath the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is actually a spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔! It is not a spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 that was used for eating, but instead used to hold ointment 𓋴𓎼𓈖𓈖. The top part of the spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 swivels open! It is fashioned after a pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭, and the spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 part itself is supposed to be a pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭 fruit.

The Middle Egyptian word for “spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔,” is actually translated as “incense spoon” or “cosmetic spoon,” which is what the function of this object seems to be!

Fun fact: pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭 flowers and fruit never appear on the plant 𓇐𓅓𓆰 at the same time, so maybe the spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 is representative of the growth from flowers 𓆼𓅱𓆰𓏦 to fruit or the life cycle of the plant 𓇐𓅓𓆰? We will never know!

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, jewelry

Egyptian Artifacts

Let’s Play #IFoundImhotep

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 2, 2023

The bronze statue of Imhotep at the Brooklyn Museum

My Nonno always made going to museums so much fun and I’m sure this is why I have always loved going to museums!

One of our favorite things to see in a museum were the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪! My Nonno would always point out Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 and tell me about all of the incredible things he did (like being the architect behind Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴)! I have always been fascinated by Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪!

My Nonno turned finding the Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 into a game, and I want to play the game with everyone!! Tag me in your photos or use the hashtag #IFoundImhotep on Instagram to show me your pictures of the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 that are in your local museums!

Let’s keep my Nonno’s game alive!

𓏙𓋹𓆖𓎛𓇳𓎛

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, ifoundimhotep, imhotep

Reading Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphs on Mummification Vase

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 1, 2023

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that is on a blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 that might have been used during the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process! This vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 is dated to the 19th Dynasty. How do we know it’s from the 19th Dynasty? We can look at the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that show the throne name and birth name of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖!

A Mummification Vase with the cartouches of the pharaoh Rameses II (19th Dynasty)

We are going to start reading from the middle-left column!

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre setep en Ra (Throne Name of Rameses II which translates to “The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra.”)

𓏙𓋹- Given Life

The left column:

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 – Amun-Ra

𓇓𓏏𓊹𓏦- King of the Gods

𓎟 – Lord

𓊪𓏏𓇯 – Sky

𓌸𓇌 – Beloved

The middle-right column:

𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances

𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Ramessu mery Amun (Birth Name of Rameses II which translates to “Ra has fashioned him, beloved of Amun.”)

𓇳𓏺 – Ra

𓏇 – Like

𓆄 – Truth (Maat)

This last part would translate to “Truth Like Ra.”

The right column:

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 – Amun-Ra

𓎟𓎼𓎼𓎼𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Thrones

𓌸𓇌 – Beloved

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, louvre, rameses ii

Reading Hieroglyphs

“Great God Ptah”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date March 31, 2023

Lets’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that is part of the West Wall of the Tomb Chapel of Kaemsenu. This inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 is a little bit tricky to read at first because one of the symbols is actually upside down!! Not going to lie, at quick glance I thought this inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 said “High Priest 𓊹𓍛!”

“Great God Ptah” in hieroglyphs! Since the “cloth on a pole 𓊹” symbol is pointing to the left, that’s the direction we start reading from!

So let’s take a look at what it actually says:

𓊹𓉼 – Great God

𓊪𓏏𓎛 – Ptah

All 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 reads “Great God Ptah.”

Let’s take a closer look at each of the symbols:

The “cloth on a pole 𓊹“ hieroglyph is an ideogram for the word god. 𓊹 is also a triliteral phonogram, and represents the letters “ntr” which may have been pronounced like “neter.” 𓊹 Is also a determinative for “god.” So the “cloth on a pole 𓊹“ symbol can function as all three types of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. If you see this symbol, you are most likely looking at a word that has to do with the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹!

The “wooden column 𓉼” hieroglyph is a biliteral phonogram which represents the sound “ˁ3.” This symbol does have a variant, 𓉻, which means the same, it’s just oriented at a different angle! But I’ve never seen it upside down before!

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

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 “wick 𓎛” is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “h.”

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, ptah, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Sarcophagus of Harkhebit

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date March 30, 2023

This is the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 of a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named 𓂋𓈖 Harkhebit who lived during Dynasty 26 (c. 595-526 B.C.E.).

The Sarcophagus of Harkhebit

Harkhebit was the “Royal Seal Bearer, Sole Companion, Chief Priest of the Shrines of Upper and Lower Egypt, and Overseer of the Cabinet.” The sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 was found in his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, which was a shaft tomb near Djoser’s 𓂦 pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 complex at Saqqara (ancient Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖).

This sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is striking not just from an artistic point of view, but its massive size is also breathtaking! Other large and plump sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏦 have been found in the Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 area that are similar in style to this one!

Sarcophagus of Harkhebit — Me taking a selfie with Anubis and other deities!

Let’s take a closer look! The sunken relief hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 are inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 from The Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. Many different deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 such as Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇, and the Four Sons of Horus (Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑, Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿, Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌 and Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑) all appear.

Here is a picture of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖 as it appears on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭! This is one of the variants of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖, as it is missing the “𓅱” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃!

Anubis’ name in hieroglyphs

This sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is considered to be mummiform, meaning it looks like a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! The “mummy” is wearing a wig 𓄿𓂋𓏏𓁸 and a false beard 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸. I also love the large broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 that is on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭! If you look closely, you can see two 𓏻 falcons 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄𓏪 on either end of it! Between the wig 𓄿𓂋𓏏𓁸, false beard 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸, and broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝, Harkhebit is dressed for the best in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐!

A closeup image of the face of the sarcophagus showing details such as the broad collar, wig, and false beard.

The Sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 of Harkhebit is definitely one of the better examples of Late Period ancient Egyptian stonework!

Tags artifact, mummy, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Drawers Full of Ushabtis!

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date March 29, 2023

My Nonno always spoke very highly of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology at UCL in London. As a kid 𓐍𓇌𓀕, he would always tell me that they had “drawers and drawers full of ushabtis” and it just sounded so cool to me! I wanted to visit so badly!

A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains a collection of faience ushabtis

When we got to visit the museum together 𓈖𓊗, it was like a dream come true! It was VERY COOL to be able to open the drawers in the cabinets and be greeted by ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪!

A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains terracotta ushabtis

We spent hours at the museum going through everything and I spent the most time with the ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 (no surprise there)!!

A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains wood, limestone, faience, and terracotta ushabtis

The Petrie Museum has quite the collection of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 and they are representative of a lot of the differing styles of ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 through different time periods in Egyptian history. Most of the photos are representative of more “classical” ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 from the 20th Dynasty forward (made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 or terracotta 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇), while the picture below shows the “stick ushabtis.”

A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains stick ushabtis

Stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 (17th to the beginning of the 18th Dynasty) are made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺, have a roughly mummiform shape, no artistic details, and have an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the front. The function of these stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 also seems to be different than that of the regular ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 that are found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 whose function was to perform tasks for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 have only been found in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖, in the above ground chapels that were found near tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦, not inside the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐!

The stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 most likely represented the family members of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and were placed in the above ground chapel as a way to symbolize family members being close to their dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 loved one.

A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains faience ushabtis, and a stone ushabti in the back.

Tags artifact, petrie museum, shabti, ushabti

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