Category: Reading Hieroglyphs

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Sketch of Osiris

While this may seem like a simple sketch of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 on limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉, I actually find it very interesting! This is easily recognizable as the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 because the lord 𓎟 of the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 is always depicted in the same way – as a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾, holding the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅 , and wearing the Atef crown 𓋚. The Atef crown is the White Crown of Upper Egypt 𓌉𓏏𓋑 with two 𓏻 feathers 𓆄𓏏𓏭𓋛 of Ma’at 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 adorning the sides.

Sketch of Osiris at the Brooklyn Museum

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are as follows:
𓊨𓁹𓉼𓉼𓊹

It simply says “Osiris, the great god.” In this caption, Osiris is written “backwards” and without the determinative 𓀭 hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃. This was probably due to the fact that the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 would appear neater when written like this “𓊨𓁹” instead of like this “𓁹𓊨.”

Also, “great god” is written like this “𓉼𓉼𓊹” instead of this “𓉼𓊹.” It was either done to take up the appropriate amount of space (aesthetics were everything, and was much more important than proper spelling/grammar 😂) or to emphasize Osiris’ greatness. It could’ve even been for both reasons!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Coffin Fragment with Isis

When I saw this piece I really liked it because of how colorful it was! No matter how many times I see artifacts in museums, I’m always shocked by how bright the colors still are on some objects!

Coffin Fragment with Isis at the Brooklyn Museum

This is a coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 fragment (Late Period, Dynasties 26-31 c. 664-332 B.C.E.) that shows the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓆗 in mourning. Since in Egyptian mythology Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 assisted in the resurrection of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, it was believed that she would be instrumental in the rebirth of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. This is why she was always seen on coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 or sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏦.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The inscription I have translated is on the right column: “𓆓𓇋𓈖𓊨𓏏𓆇𓆗𓅨𓂋𓊹𓅐”

𓆓𓇋𓈖 – Words Spoken By
𓊨𓏏𓆇𓆗 Isis (Isis is more commonly written like this “𓊨𓏏𓁥“ or “ 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓁥”)
𓅨𓂋 – the Great (greatness)
𓊹𓅐 – Goddess (can also be written as 𓊹𓏏)

Put together, the inscription reads:

“Words spoken by Isis, the great goddess…” The rest of the inscription is cut off.

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Limestone Relief of Montuhotep II

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief of Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 (11th Dynasty) is gorgeous 𓄤 because the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are so beautifully 𓄤 carved! It’s amazing how pieces that are so old can be in such amazing condition!

This piece is interesting because the direction that you read the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 from keeps changing! The two 𓏻 lines I’m going to translate are actually from different inscriptions!!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓆥𓅭𓇳(𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪)𓅒𓄥𓇿𓇿𓏙𓋹𓊽𓌀 – “King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Son of Ra, Montuhotep II, Uniter of the Two Lands, Given Life, Stability and Strength”

𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 – “Words Spoken By Montu”

The phrase 𓅒𓄥𓇿𓇿 “Uniter of the Two Lands” is a variant of Mentuhotep II’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 Nebty Name. The Nebty Name is honestly more of a title than a name. It means “two ladies” and that refers to the goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 Nekhbet 𓇑𓃀𓏏𓅐𓎟 and Wadjet 𓇅𓇌𓏏𓆘, who can both be represented by the hieroglyph “ 𓅒.” Nekhbet 𓇑𓃀𓏏𓅐𓎟 is a goddess 𓊹𓏏 of Upper Egypt and is represented by the vulture while Wadjet 𓇅𓇌𓏏𓆘 is a goddess 𓊹𓏏 of Lower Egypt and is represented by the cobra. Showing the two 𓏻 goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 together represented a unified Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Seti I and the Goddess Hathor

The relief shows Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡. Hathor 𓉡 was known as the Lady of the West (the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐). The West and the Underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 were equated by the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 because the sun 𓇳𓏺 set in the west! Here, she is seen welcoming Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 into her domain, while offering him her menat necklace 𓋧, a symbol of protection. They are even holding hands 𓂧𓏏𓏺! This relief was originally from Seti I’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, which is actually the biggest tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 in the Valley of the Kings!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓉡𓁶𓁷𓏏𓏏𓊖𓋆 – “Hathor, Chief one of Thebes”

𓎟𓇿𓇿(𓇳𓁦𓏠) – “Lord of the Two Lands, Maatmenra” (Maatmenra is the throne name)

𓎟𓈍𓏥(𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖) – “Lord of the Two Lands Seti, Beloved of Ptah” (Seti is the birth name)

𓏙𓋹 𓇳𓏇𓏺𓆖 – “Given Eternal Life, Like Ra”

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Stela of Hetepsi

This is a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 for a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Hetepsi 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓋴𓇋 who was a priestess 𓊹𓍛 of Hathor 𓉡 during the Old Kingdom (6th-8th Dynasty, c. 2323-2100 B.C.E.). Hetepsi 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓋴𓇋 is seen holding a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 in her hand, which is a musical instrument which is associated with the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓇋𓈖𓊪𓉓𓈖 – “An offering the king gives Anubis, a voice offering of…” (Anubis’ name is shortened here, most likely for spacing reasons because Anubis is usually always written as 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 or 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢).

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓊪𓏏𓏏 – “A royal offering” (𓊵𓏏𓊪 can mean “peace” or “offering”)

𓉞𓏏𓏋𓊹𓍛𓎟𓏏 – “Priestess of Hathor, Mistress of…” (“Mistress” can also be translated as “Lady”)

𓉺𓈖𓏏𓊖𓇋𓌴𓄪𓅱𓏏 – “Dendera, who is revered…”

𓐍𓂋𓊹𓄤𓎟𓊪𓏏𓇯𓊵𓏏𓊪𓋴𓇋 – “…before the great god lord of the sky, Hetepsi”

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓇋𓈖𓊪𓉓𓈖𓇓𓏏𓊵𓊪𓏏𓏏𓉞𓏏𓏋𓊹𓍛𓎟𓏏 𓉺𓈖𓏏𓊖𓇋𓌴𓄪𓅱𓏏 𓐍𓂋𓊹𓄤𓎟𓊪𓏏𓇯𓊵𓏏𓊪𓋴𓇋

“An offering the king gives Anubis, a voice offering for the royal offering, Priestess of Hathor, Mistress of Dendera, who is revered before the great god, lord of the sky, Hetepsi.”

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Stela for Irethoreru

This is a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 for a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named Irethoreru and it is dated to the 25th Dynasty (Third Intermediate Period, c. 775-663 B.C.E.). This stela is composed of the igneous rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 syenite, which is very similar to granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 except for the fact that it contains much less quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙. This property is what allows such beautiful 𓄤 color contrast between the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 itself versus the sunken relief. The contrast between the two 𓏻 makes this stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 particularly stunning in my opinion.

On the right side, we can see Irethoreru making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥. All three 𓏼 figures are standing underneath Horus the Behdetite (the winged solar disc with uraei 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗), which is a representation of Horus 𓅃𓀭 that was popular on stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪 and temple decorations throughout many Egyptian time periods.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓊨𓏏𓆇 – Isis (Isis is more commonly written like this “𓊨𓏏𓁥“ or “ 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓁥”)
𓅨𓂋 – Great One
𓊹𓅐 – God’s Mother/Goddess

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – “Osiris”
𓊹𓉼 – “Great God”
𓎟𓇯 – “Lord of the Sky” (𓇯 by itself usually means “above,” but for this translation it’s just the word sky/heaven which is usually written as 𓊪𓏏𓇯. This is usually Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 title so it’s a little strange to see it associated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭!)
𓋾 – Ruler
𓆖 – Eternity

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief from the Tomb of Dagi

This beautiful 𓄤 limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief is from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named Dagi, who served as vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 and treasurer 𓋨𓅱 during the reign of Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 (Dynasty 11, c. 2010–2000 B.C.E.). It is unclear if the two 𓏻 men 𓋴𓂋𓀀 shown in this relief are Dagi’s sons, or if they are other officials 𓋴𓂋𓀀𓏦. The two 𓏻 men 𓋴𓂋𓀀 are wearing blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 armlets 𓄟𓋴𓎡𓏏𓅱𓏪 and broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝. This type of jewelry, while expensive to obtain in real life, was very common to see in reliefs.

While very simple, the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 in this relief show the name “𓊨𓏏𓅭”, which is pronounced as “Saiset” and translates to “Son of Isis.” This is actually one of the earliest examples of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 actually being used as part of a name 𓂋𓈖.

I am always a big fan of the simple reliefs that have a ton of color. It’s amazing how artifacts that are so old are still able to retain their color and beauty after thousands of years. No matter how many times I see stuff like this, it always amazes me!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Middle Kingdom Coffin and Hieroglyph Translation

This is a stunning 𓄤 example of a Middle Kingdom coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱(Late 12 to mid-13 Dynasty c. 1850–1750 B.C.E.). Many coffins 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 from the Middle Kingdom were made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 and elaborately painted. This coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 belonged to a person named Khnumnakht, who is an unknown individual except for this coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱.

The panel of this coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 that I chose to highlight is significant for many reasons. The two 𓏻 eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 that are seen would serve as a way for the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to be able to see into the land of the living. The head 𓁶𓏺 of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 would have been placed directly behind these two 𓏻 eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦. Below the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦, is the Middle Kingdom version of the false door (particularly popular in Old Kingdom tombs). The false door would allow the spirit of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to be able to travel between the land of the living and the land of the dead.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – “An offering the king gives..”
𓊨𓁹𓏺 – “…Osiris…”
𓎟 – “…Lord…”
𓊽𓊽𓅱 – “…of Djedu…”
𓊹𓉻 – “…the Great God…”
𓎟 – “…Lord…”
𓍌𓈋𓃀𓅱𓊖 – “…of Abydos.”

So put together, the inscription says:

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓊨𓁹𓏺𓎟𓊽𓊽𓅱𓊹𓉻𓎟𓍌𓈋𓃀𓅱𓊖

“An offering the king gives Osiris, Lord of Djedu, the Great God, Lord of Abydos.”

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Montuhotep II

This beautiful 𓄤 raised relief of Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 and the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡 in limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 is originally from Montuhotep’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐. This relief was part of one of the main areas of the temple that was added at the end of Montuhotep’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 reign. This dates the piece to c. 2010–2000 B.C.E. (Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 11).

Hathor’s 𓉡 face was actually chiseled away during the Amarna Period, when Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 changed Egypt’s religion to the sole worship of the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳. After Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 reign, in Dynasty 19, some repairs were made to this piece.

In the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, you can see Montuhotep II’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 birth name, throne name (both with titles), and Nebty name.

𓆥(𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪) – King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Montuhotep II (Birth Name)

𓅭𓇳(𓇳𓊤𓎟) – Son of Ra, Nebhapetra (Throne Name)

𓄥𓇿𓇿 – The Uniter of the Two Lands (Nebty 𓅒 Name)

In front of Hathor 𓉡 the inscription reads: 𓄥𓈖𓈖𓎡𓇿𓇿𓏇𓇋𓎗𓅱𓏏𓈖𓅺𓄫𓏏𓄣𓎟 which translates to “For you I united the two lands as the powers commanded, all joy.”

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Raised Relief of Horus

This raised relief in limestone is dated to the 12th Dynasty (Middle Kingdom c. 1981–1952 B.C.E.) and the reign of the pharaoh Amenemhat I𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂. Amenemhat I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂 is famous for moving the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 from Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 to just south of Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖. He also began a co-regency with his son 𓅭, Senwosret I 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖 ten 𓎆 years before his death in order to maintain stability. This block was found at the foundation of Amenemhat I’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂 mortuary temple.

From the right, the upper part of a was scepter 𓌀 can be seen supporting the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯. On the was scepter, a Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 is seen with the shen 𓍶 symbol of the universe around its neck. The falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 that is seen is actually the top part of the Horus name cartouche (which is usually rectangular shaped and is meant to represent a palace). The god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭 is seen presenting an ankh 𓋹 to the falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄. Due to the ram 𓊃𓂋𓃝 horn 𓄋𓏏𓏺 that can be partially seen on the left, it can be inferred that it is the god 𓊹 Khnum 𓎸𓏏𓀭 that is being depicted.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

On top of Horus 𓅃𓀭 reads: 𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖𓂝𓆑𓋹 which translates to:

𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖- Edfu

𓂝𓆑𓋹 – May He Give Life (One of Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 titles is “Horus of Edfu.”)

In between Horus and Khnum the inscription is broken but reads: 𓏃𓈖𓏏𓉐𓍳 𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖𓋴𓈖𓃔 which translates to: “He who is before the house of protection, Words Spoken By…”

𓏃𓈖𓏏 -Before/In front of

𓉐𓍳 – House of Protection

𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖 – Words Spoken By

𓋴𓈖𓃔 – ?