Author: ancientegyptblog7

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Reading the Cartouche of the Pharaoh Unas

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!

One of the best ways to practice reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (especially phonogram symbols) is to read the cartouches of some of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 from the Old Kingdom! The reason why they are great to practice phonogram symbols is because the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 are very phonetic!

Let’s take a look at the cartouche of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Unas:

(𓃹𓈖𓇋𓋴) – Unas

Here is a breakdown of the symbols:

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 “reed 𓇋” is a uniliteral phonogram for “ı͗,” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.”

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

So the transliteration of the cartouche would be: “wnnı͗s.” This would be pronounced/written as “Unas.”

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Book of the Dead – The Four Sons of Horus

This copy of the Book of the Dead (known to the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 as the Book of Going Forth By Day) belonged to Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, Priest 𓊹𓍛 of Horus 𓅃𓀭, who lived during the early Ptolemaic Period (between 332-200 B.C.E.). No, it’s not that Imhotep from “The Mummy” (1999), however, this is still a funny coincidence! The Book of the Dead was created for Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 so he could have a successful journey into the afterlife/Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The spells on the papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 were also meant to ensure his safety and well-being in the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (realm of the dead).

In this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏, you can see some of the hieratic script that the Book of the Dead is written in – don’t ask me to translate, because I can’t read hieratic! I can only read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Some of the hieratic is in black 𓆎𓅓 ink while some of it is in red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟. The red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 ink seems to symbolize either the beginning or the end 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓂝𓏛 of a spell, or it could highlight a word for a noun that was considered “bad” in Egyptian culture. However, sometimes even “offering table” could have been written/drawn in red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 and offering tables 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 were not bad at all!

On the top right, you can see Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 standing with his arms raised in a worshipping stance; he is worshipping the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡, who is in her cow form 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒! Next to that, you can see the four Sons of Horus surrounding a canopic chest! The Four Sons of Horus guarded the organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹 of the deceased! From the right: Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑(jackal head) held/protected the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻, Imseti 𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋(human head) held/protected the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸, Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌(baboon head) held/protected the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺, and Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑 (falcon head) held/protected the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Mummy Beads

“The Mummy Room” (as I called it) at the British Museum was such an incredible place to be! It was a bunch of galleries that were filled with beautifully 𓄤 painted sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏦 and mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪! When I was a kid I was never afraid of mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪(wrapped or unwrapped); I was just completely fascinated by them and I still am!

What is striking about this mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is that the beautiful 𓄤 beaded shroud that covers the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is still mostly intact! In ancient times, the beaded shroud would have been placed over the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 after it had been placed in its coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱. The pattern of the beaded shroud was supposed to be representative of the cloak that Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, god 𓊹 of the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, wears.

These types of shrouds were mostly made with blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 beads because in ancient Egyptian culture, the color blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 was symbolic of rebirth and regeneration. Faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 was an extremely popular material to work with because it was both cheap and easy to use! Faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 is a quartz based material that can be molded and then heated to a very high temperature to keep its shape. Objects made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 were thought to hold magical powers!

Beaded shrouds on mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 were very popular during the Late Period and this one is estimated to be dated at c. 760-656 B.C.E., which is the 25th Dynasty. Beaded shrouds are very delicate and are usually found broken up, so this piece here is a beautiful 𓄤 example of one.

Do you like mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪?! Let me know!!!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Paser

My Nonno’s favorite non-Royal ancient Egyptian has always been Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽. While I have seen Paser’s 𓅮𓀙𓀽 ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 in other museums, it was always so difficult to find the one that is at the MET because it is hidden amongst other ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 in one of the smaller galleries! But yesterday I FINALLY saw it! I was so excited because Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 meant so much to my Nonno!!

Nicole (me) with Paser’s ushabti!

The blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 belongs to Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽! Objects made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 were thought to hold magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 powers! The ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 served as substitutes for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and would perform labor or jobs for them in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. They are usually inscribed with spells which are specific to a certain task!

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 was one of the most prominent men of his time and he served under two 𓏻 pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 – Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and then Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖. Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 served many different roles over twenty-five 𓎆𓎆𓏾 years! He was vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 and one of his most famous works is the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 in the Valley of the Kings! A vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was the highest ranking official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 and was the most powerful position in the government, besides the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

Not only was the vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 the most trusted advisor to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but he also saw to the day-to-day operations of the government. The vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was in charge of architecture, taxation, agriculture, military, judicial, financial, and many other things. Honestly that sounds exhausting 😂!

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 had many different titles, including “High Preist of Amun,” “superintendent of every work of the king,” and “chief of secrets of the hieroglyphs.”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Statue of Anubis

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was found near the Sacred Animal Necropolis at Saqqara (Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖). The Sacred Animal Necropolis housed thousands 𓏲𓏲𓏲 of mummified animals such as falcons 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄𓏦, baboons, ibises 𓉔𓃀𓅤𓏦 and bulls/cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦. This piece is dated to the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (664–30 B.C.E.).

Although mummified jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦 were not found in the area, statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 have been found most likely because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the god 𓊹 of mummification and embalming, so it would make sense that there would be statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of him in the vicinity of this large necropolis. It is thought that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 such as this were used to guard embalming tents.

Interestingly, this piece was originally painted 𓏞𓏜 black 𓆎𓅓, but through time it has lost its coloring! It’s hard to see in my pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 (the MET really needs better lighting – the galleries are so dark) but you can still see remnants of some of the black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 on the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾!

I was very excited to see this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾, because there is a similar one in the Petrie Museum in London! I love seeing similar pieces in different museums around thr world! Also (no surprise), I love anything Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣!

Nicole (me) with Anubis!

Fun fact! There are no temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦 dedicated to Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 because all tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and large burial areas were considered “temples” to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in! It makes so much sense because he is the god 𓊹 of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and mummification!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Small Statue of Ptah

Although tiny (only about 5cm in height), this is a striking lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧 statuette of the creator god 𓊹 Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱. Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 is easily recognized, and I always called him the “bald god” as a kid even though he isn’t necessarily bald – he is wearing a cap on his head! Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 has always been a favorite of mine because he is so fascinating!

Lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧 is a very hard 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 and is very difficult to work with, so that only makes the very tiny details such as the beard 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏 (the only god 𓊹 to be consistently depicted with one) and the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 even more impressive! Although it’s hard to see, the staff that Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 is holding in his hands is actually a merging of the Djed Pillar 𓊽 and the Was Scepter 𓌀. The hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 for Djed 𓊽 means “stability” while the hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 for the Was Scepter 𓌀 means “strength.”

Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 was not created; he existed before anyone else and anything. In short, he was the creator of the other creator gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, like Atum 𓇋𓏏𓂟𓀭. Due to Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 creativity, he is also the designated god 𓊹 of all forms of craftsman such as carpenters , shipbuilders, potters, metalworkers, and sculptors. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, the famous architect of the Step Pyramid (the first pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 built in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖) is said to be the direct son 𓅭 of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 due to his incredible work! There is so much I can say about Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱, but Instagram captions can only be so long!

This piece is estimated to be from the Third Intermediate Period – early Dynasty 26 (c. 945–600 B.C.E.). Since it is such a high quality piece, it is most likely that it was meant for use in Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 large temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖(Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 was the chief god 𓊹 of Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖). Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 from the Old Kingdom forward.

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Ptah in Hieroglyphs

Here is a zoomed in view of an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 with the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 from a large statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 that originally belonged to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenemhat II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏, however, the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was usurped by Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓.

As we learned yesterday, Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 was the chief god 𓊹 of Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 and was considered a great protector of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. In the Book of the Dead, Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 is referred to as “The Master Architect,” and “Framer of Everything in the Universe” due to his role in “speaking” the world 𓇾𓇾 into creation!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Now, these two 𓏻 inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 are divided by a line because they are part of a larger text that is read downwards; they are not meant to be read together! However, I really wanted the closeup of Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 name 𓂋𓈖, so we are going to read them this way from my picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦!

You probably know the first phrase already:
𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands
(𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖) – Rameses II (throne name Usermaatre)
𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 – Ptah
𓉼 – Great (then the inscription continues…)

Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 can be written a couple of different ways in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, but the phonogram symbols are always the same. Sometimes, the determinative symbol is left out because of spacing issues! Once you can recognize the first three 𓏼 symbols, you are well on your way to finding Ptah’s name 𓂋𓈖 on monuments/artifacts!

Here are the different ways to write his name 𓂋𓈖:
𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱
𓊪𓏏𓎛𓀭
𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰
𓊪𓏏𓎛

The full statue that the inscription is on the back of
Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

“Images” in Hieroglyphs

This is a zoomed in view of some hand-written hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 from a copy of The Book of the Dead! These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 were written on papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 and are so beautiful 𓄤! I always love seeing hand-written hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 because usually papyri 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛𓏦 were usually written in Hieratic!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

You might recognize this word as one that I use a lot: 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦! The word “twt 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦” (probably pronounced like “tut”) is the word for “image” in Middle Egyptian! Adding the 𓏦 to the end makes it plural, so “image 𓏏𓅱𓏏” becomes “images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦.”

So why did I choose to highlight this particular word?! It’s because 𓏏𓅱𓏏 was one of the first Middle Egyptian words that I learned when I was first starting to read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The reason being is that it is part of Tutankhamun‘s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 cartouche! Here is a breakdown of Tutankhamun‘s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 name 𓂋𓈖:

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun
𓏏𓅱𓏏 – Tut (image)
𓋹 – Ankh (life/living)
𓋾 – Ruler
𓉺 – of/on
𓇓 – Upper Egypt

I remember being so proud as a little girl when I mastered reading the cartouche, and started recognizing the words in other inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥! I think cartouches are a great place to start your hieroglyphic journey, because you begin to recognize the vocabulary elsewhere!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Hathor in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

This is the name 𓂋𓈖 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! I’m sure you can see this, but Hathor’s name is unique compared to that of the other deities! This is because her name is written with a composite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃! A composite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 is the combination of many symbols into one symbol! Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 is the combination of an enclosure 𓉗 and the falcon 𓅃.

𓉗 +𓅃 = 𓉡

If the two 𓏻 symbols were written separately, we would actually read Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 as “House of Horus” or “Estate of Horus” (depending on how you translated the 𓉗 hieroglyph) – so that is the literal translation of her name 𓂋𓈖!

Just like other deities, there are many ways to write Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here are some of ways:
𓁥
𓉡𓁥
𓉗𓁷𓂋𓆗 𓉡

Also, just look at how beautifully 𓄤 carved this hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 is! I will never not be amazed at the incredible craftsmanship of the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Granodiorite Statue of Amun

This is a beautiful 𓄤 granodiorite statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭. Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 was the most popularly worshipped god 𓊹 during the 18th Dynasty amongst the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and the elite.

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is special because it was made during the reign of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 (18th Dynasty, c. 1336–1327 B.C.E.). After Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 rule, Tutankamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 was responsible for moving the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 back to Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 and reestablishing the traditional Egyptian pantheon. Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 commissioned a lot of statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 to be made, most likely as a way to show that the old religion was once again free to be worshipped. Egyptologists believe that this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 was specifically sculpted to be placed in the Temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 at Karnak.

Something else that is interesting about the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is that it does still have some Amarna-style features, which suggests that some of the sculptors that worked in the Amarna workshops went to Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 with Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 after Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 reign. Some of the facial features of the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 are also similar to other representations of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 (for example, the full lips, the drooping chin). The braided beard and the crown, however, make it unquestionable that this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is meant to represent Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭.

Nicole (me) with the statue of Amun

Geology Lesson!!!! Granodiorite is an igneous rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 that is a “in between” granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 and diorite in terms of mineral composition. Granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 contains mostly quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙, while diorite contains a lot of plagioclase/potassium feldspars. Granodiorite contains both, hence it is an “in-between” rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙!