Category: Reading Hieroglyphs

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Ripple of Water

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

I decided to make another post about the “Ripple of Water 𓈖” symbol since it has always been one of my favorites and my last post about it was over a year ago! 

The “Ripple of Water 𓈖” is a uniliteral phonogram that has a sound like “N”! This is the main usage of this symbol and it does not function like an ideogram or determinative which makes it super easy because you know you are looking at a phonogram symbol that is either part of a larger word or is just a word on its own!

The Ripple of Water
The Ripple of Water written three different ways.

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, I highlighted three 𓏼 different types of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 – painted, carved, and then Cursive Hieroglyphs which is kind of like a short hand hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that is used on papyrus! The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that are most familiar to people are the ones that are either painted or carved! I love seeing the variations in the symbols across various ancient Egyptian art forms! 

While a simple symbol, the “Ripple of Water 𓈖” has many uses in Middle Egyptian! On its own, 𓈖 can mean: 

  • To
  • For
  • Of
  • Through
  • In
  • Because
  • Not/Cannot/No
  • Unless
  • They/We/Us/Our

That’s a lot of words! When reading inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥, you can figure out the meaning based off of the context clues! The Ripple of Water 𓈖” is so versatile it sometimes feels like the word/symbol means what you need it to mean to make the sentence flow! 

“We, us, and our” can also be written as: 𓈖𓏥. “They” can be written as: 𓈖𓏮 or 𓈖𓏭. 

When the “Ripple of Water 𓈖” is three stacked on top of each other “𓈗,” it’s actually a different symbol with a different meaning! The symbol is aptly named “three ripples of water 𓈗.” It can function as a biliteral phonogram for the sound “mw,” and is both the ideogram and determinative for the word “water 𓈗.”

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

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Reading Hieroglyphs

The Owl Hieroglyph

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at one of the most common and recognizable uniliteral phonogram hieroglyphic symbols: the owl 𓅓! 

The Owl Hieroglyph
The Owl Hieroglyph

A uniliteral sign is a hieroglyphic symbol that corresponds to a single sound, just like a letter in the alphabet. The “owl 𓅓” symbol represents the sound of “m” and it has many different uses!  

The “owl 𓅓” symbol is one that appears in inscriptions all the time and is most commonly seen as part of other words! Some words that use the “owl 𓅓” symbol are: 

𓅓𓂋 – Overseer

𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 – Kemet (Egypt)

𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 – Papyrus Roll

Of course these are not all the words that contain the “owl 𓅓” symbol! 

But what happens if the “owl 𓅓” symbol appears by itself in an inscription and isn’t part of another word? The “owl 𓅓” symbol has its own meaning when it appears alone! It’s one of those words in a sentence that can kind of “mean what we need it to” in English! I guess it functions as the all-around preposition! 

For example, the “owl 𓅓” hieroglyph can mean: In, On, At, By, With, and As! This symbol has so many meanings/uses! 

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

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Reading Hieroglyphs

May He Live Every Day Like Ra

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at one of my absolute favorite  wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 coffins 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 from the Middle Kingdom! The art of ancient Egypt really started to develop during the Middle Kingdom times, and the beautifully 𓄤𓆑𓂋 painted wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 coffins 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 and their hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 are just captivating! The paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 and the colors are just exquisite and have really stood the test of time! 

When I go to the MET, sometimes I just sit on the floor in front of this coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 to 1) just stare at its beauty 𓄤𓆑𓂋 and 2) to take a break!

This coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 belonged to Khnumnakht, an individual who lived during the 12th-13th Dynasties (c. 1850-1750B.C.E.). Khnumnakht is known only by the name 𓂋𓈖 on his coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱; Egyptologists don’t know anything else about him or his life 𓋹𓈖𓐍! 

May He Live Every Day Like Ra
May He Live Every Day Like Ra

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here is what the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 says: 

𓋹𓍘 – May He Live 

𓇳𓏺𓎟 – Every Day

𓏇𓇳𓏺 – Like Ra

The little “strokes 𓏺” within the symbols are not technically part of the words and they are not pronounced! They are there for aesthetic purposes to make sure all of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are spaced out correctly and appear in even lines on the coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱! 

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

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Reading Hieroglyphs

God’s Mother

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! What does the popular Middle Egyptian phrase “God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐” mean? Before we delve into the meaning, let’s break down the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

God's Mother
“God’s Mother” in raised relief on display at the MET

“God’s Mother” can be written three ways in hieroglyphs: 

𓊹𓏏𓅐

𓊹𓅐𓏏

𓊹𓅐

This phrase is a combination of two different words: the word “God 𓊹” and the word “Mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐/𓅐𓁐/𓏏𓅐𓁐.” 

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” or “netjer.” 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 “vulture 𓅐” is a triliteral phonogram and represents the sounds “mjt/mwt” which we infer would be pronounced like “mut.” 

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.”

The phrase “God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐” can have two different (but related) meanings in Middle Egyptian inscriptions. It can be used to refer to the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and will usually appear after her name 𓂋𓈖 in inscriptions. This is in reference to the fact that Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Horus 𓅃𓀭, who is the mythological ruler of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was thought to be a representation of Horus 𓅃𓀭 on Earth. 

This brings us to the next meaning of this phrase! The phrase “God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐” was an honorific title held by the woman who gave birth to the current pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! Since the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was a god on Earth, the woman who gave birth to him/her was quite literally the God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐! 

God's Mother
Another variant of “God’s Mother” painted on a piece of a sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum

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

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphs and Cursive Hieroglyphs

Did you know that there are two different types of hieroglyphic scripts? There are Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, and then there are Cursive Hieroglyphs! 

Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, the script everyone is most familiar with, was the first 𓏃 script used by the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 to write their language! There are well over 700 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 unique hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and over 800 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 symbols if you count the variants! Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 were mainly used on temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏥, stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪, tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏥, obelisks 𓉶𓉶𓉶, other funerary equipment  𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 such as sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪 and other objects of all kinds! 

Then there are Cursive Hieroglyphs which are also known as Hieroglyphic Book Hand! This was usually used on handwritten papyri 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛𓏦 and was a less detailed version of the traditional hieroglyphic symbols. Cursive Hieroglyphs are easy to read because these symbols match their traditional hieroglyphic counterparts! The most difficult part can sometimes be deciphering the handwriting – a problem that we still see today even with modern written scripts!

In the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦, I have the same phrases of the same phrases written in Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and Cursive Hieroglyphs so you can visually see the comparison between the two 𓏻 forms of writing! A pattern I’ve noticed about Cursive Hieroglyphs is that the shorter variants of words and phrases is more commonly used as opposed to the traditional hieroglyphic script! 

Hieroglyphs and Cursive Hieroglyphs
A comparison of the two scripts – both show the phrase “Words Spoken By Osiris”

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above shows two 𓏻 variants of the phrase “Words Spoken By Osiris”

𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖𓁹𓊨𓀭 (Hieroglyphs)

𓆓𓌃𓇋 𓁹𓊨𓊹 (Cursive Hieroglyphs)

Hieroglyphs and Cursive Hieroglyphs
A comparison of the two scripts – both write the word “To Be” or “To Exist”

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above shows two 𓏻 variants of the word “To Be” or “To Exist.” 

𓃹𓈖 (Cursive Hieroglyphs)

𓃹𓈖𓈖 (Hieroglyphs)

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphic Vocabulary – Week 6

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Here is Week 6 𓏿 of my Hieroglyphic Word of the Day stories all compiled into a video! Learning any language – including hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪/Middle Egyptian doesn’t have to be difficult! 

This week I had a gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 theme! 

  1. Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑, 𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑
  2. Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌, 𓐑𓊪𓇌
  3. Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑, 𓏁𓈖𓈖𓈖𓌢𓏏𓏥𓆑, 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭
  4. Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿, 𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋
  5. Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱, 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓀭
  6. Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋, 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓀭
  7. Nephthys 𓉠, 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓆇

These are all words that you will come across in inscriptions! Next time you’re at a museum, see if you can spot these ancient Egyptian words! 

Here is a link to the video on TikTok – with music!

@ancientegyptblog

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here is Week 6 𓏿 of my Hieroglyphic Word of the Day stories all compiled into a video! Learning any language – including hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪/Middle Egyptian doesn’t have to be difficult! This week I had a gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 theme! 1. Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑, 𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑 2. Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌, 𓐑𓊪𓇌 3. Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑, 𓏁𓈖𓈖𓈖𓌢𓏏𓏥𓆑, 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭 4. Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿, 𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋 5. Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱, 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓀭 6. Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋, 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓀭 7. Nephthys 𓉠, 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓆇 These are all words that you will come across in inscriptions! Next time you’re at a museum, see if you can spot these ancient Egyptian words! Follow me to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more! This is my personal photograph/video and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientegypt #egyptianhistory #egyptologist #historytok #languagelearning #hieroglyphs #hieroglyphics #egyptology #letsreadsomehieroglyphs #ancient_egypt

♬ Just A Girl – No Doubt

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

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Reading Hieroglyphs Video

The Royal Titularly of Hatshepsut – Video

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! In ancient Egypt many pharaohs had five names, so let’s learn the Royal Titularly of Hatshepsut! 

@ancientegyptblog

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! In ancient Egypt many pharaohs had five names! This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is one of my absolute favorite pieces because depicts Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 during their joint reign. Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is wearing the blue crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 and making an offering of nemset jars 𓏌𓏌𓏌 to Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺. The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 was meant to commemorate restoration works in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖! The most interesting parts about this stela is that it is one of two pieces (that I know of) that contains Hatshepsut’s entire titulary in one place! The only other place I know that has all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 is the Obelisk at Karnak. Let’s take a closer look at all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦! The names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 can be found on the top two rows of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the bottom of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! Horus Name: 𓄊𓋴𓏏𓂓𓂓𓂓 – “Wosretkau” translates to “The Mighty of the Kas” or “The Mighty of the Souls.” Nebty Name: 𓅒𓇅𓏏𓆳𓆳𓆳 – “Wadjet renput” translates to “Flourishing of Years.” Golden Horus Name: 𓅉𓊹𓏏𓈍𓏦 – “Netjeret khau” translates to “Divine of Appearances.” Throne Name: 𓇳𓁦𓂓 – “Maatkare” translates to “Truth is the Soul of Re.” Birth Name: 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓄂𓀼 – “Khnemet Amun Hatshepsut” translates to “United with Amun, Foremost of the Noble Women.” This version of the Birth Name that appears on this stela is a variant of 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪. A “variant” is just a different way to spell out a person’s name 𓂋𓈖! Follow me to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more! This is my personal video, photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientegypt #egyptianhistory #egyptologist #historytok #languagelearning #hieroglyphs #hieroglyphics #pharaoh #hatshepsut #vaticanmuseum #metropolitanmuseum

♬ Ahsoka – Main Theme – Epic Version – L’Orchestra Cinematique

This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is one of my absolute favorite pieces because depicts Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 during their joint reign. Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is wearing the blue crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 and making an offering of nemset jars 𓏌𓏌𓏌 to Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺. The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 was meant to commemorate restoration works in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖!

The Royal Titularly of Hatshepsut

The most interesting parts about this stela is that it is one of two pieces (that I know of) that contains Hatshepsut’s entire titulary in one place! The only other place I know that has all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 is the Obelisk at Karnak. 

Let’s take a closer look at all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦! The names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 can be found on the top two rows of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the bottom of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸!

Horus Name: 𓄊𓋴𓏏𓂓𓂓𓂓 – “Wosretkau” translates to “The Mighty of the Kas” or “The Mighty of the Souls.”

The Royal Titularly of Hatshepsut
The Horus Name of Hatshepsut

Nebty Name: 𓅒𓇅𓏏𓆳𓆳𓆳 – “Wadjet renput” translates to “Flourishing of Years.”

The Royal Titularly of Hatshepsut
The Nebty Name of Hatshepsut

Golden Horus Name: 𓅉𓊹𓏏𓈍𓏦 – “Netjeret khau” translates to “Divine of Appearances.”

The Royal Titularly of Hatshepsut
The Golden Horus Name of Hatshepsut

Throne Name: 𓇳𓁦𓂓 – “Maatkare” translates to “Truth is the Soul of Re.” 

The Royal Titularly of Hatshepsut
The Throne Name of Hatshepsut

Birth Name: 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓄂𓀼 – “Khnemet Amun Hatshepsut” translates to “United with Amun, Foremost of the Noble Women.” This version of the Birth Name that appears on this stela is a variant of 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪. A “variant” is just a different way to spell out a person’s name 𓂋𓈖!

The Royal Titularly of Hatshepsut
The Birth Name of Hatshepsut

If you watch the video on TikTok below, there is music accompanying the images! I hope you enjoyed learning about The Royal Titularly of Hatshepsut!

@ancientegyptblog

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! In ancient Egypt many pharaohs had five names! This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is one of my absolute favorite pieces because depicts Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 during their joint reign. Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is wearing the blue crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 and making an offering of nemset jars 𓏌𓏌𓏌 to Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺. The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 was meant to commemorate restoration works in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖! The most interesting parts about this stela is that it is one of two pieces (that I know of) that contains Hatshepsut’s entire titulary in one place! The only other place I know that has all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 is the Obelisk at Karnak. Let’s take a closer look at all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦! The names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 can be found on the top two rows of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the bottom of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! Horus Name: 𓄊𓋴𓏏𓂓𓂓𓂓 – “Wosretkau” translates to “The Mighty of the Kas” or “The Mighty of the Souls.” Nebty Name: 𓅒𓇅𓏏𓆳𓆳𓆳 – “Wadjet renput” translates to “Flourishing of Years.” Golden Horus Name: 𓅉𓊹𓏏𓈍𓏦 – “Netjeret khau” translates to “Divine of Appearances.” Throne Name: 𓇳𓁦𓂓 – “Maatkare” translates to “Truth is the Soul of Re.” Birth Name: 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓄂𓀼 – “Khnemet Amun Hatshepsut” translates to “United with Amun, Foremost of the Noble Women.” This version of the Birth Name that appears on this stela is a variant of 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪. A “variant” is just a different way to spell out a person’s name 𓂋𓈖! Follow me to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more! This is my personal video, photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientegypt #egyptianhistory #egyptologist #historytok #languagelearning #hieroglyphs #hieroglyphics #pharaoh #hatshepsut #vaticanmuseum #metropolitanmuseum

♬ Ahsoka – Main Theme – Epic Version – L’Orchestra Cinematique

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

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more! 

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphic Vocabulary – Week 5

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! It’s time for Week 5 of my Hieroglyphic Vocabulary!

In the video above is Week 5 𓏾 of my Hieroglyphic Word of the Day stories all compiled into a video! Learning any language – including hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪/Middle Egyptian doesn’t have to be difficult! 

  1. Voice Offering/Invocation Offering 𓉓
  2. Son of Ra 𓅭𓇳
  3. Before 𓐍𓂋
  4. Priest/High Priest 𓊹𓍛
  5. Lord, Master, All, Possessor 𓎟
  6. Image, Likeness, Statue, Figure 𓏏𓅱𓏏, 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾
  7. King’s Acquaintance 𓇓𓂋𓐍𓏏/ 𓇓𓏏𓂋𓐍𓏏 (female), 𓇓𓏏𓂋𓐍 / 𓇓𓂋𓐍 (male)

These are all words that you will come across in inscriptions! Next time you’re at a museum, see if you can spot these ancient Egyptian words! 

You can also watch the video (with music) on TikTok!

@ancientegyptblog

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here is Week 5 𓏾 of my Hieroglyphic Word of the Day stories all compiled into a video! Learning any language – including hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪/Middle Egyptian doesn’t have to be difficult! 1. Voice Offering/Invocation Offering 𓉓 2. Son of Ra 𓅭𓇳 3. Before 𓐍𓂋 4. Priest/High Priest 𓊹𓍛 5. Lord, Master, All, Possessor 𓎟 6. Image, Likeness, Statue, Figure 𓏏𓅱𓏏, 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 7. King’s Acquaintance 𓇓𓂋𓐍𓏏/ 𓇓𓏏𓂋𓐍𓏏 (female), 𓇓𓏏𓂋𓐍 / 𓇓𓂋𓐍 (male) These are all words that you will come across in inscriptions! Next time you’re at a museum, see if you can spot these ancient Egyptian words! This is my personal photographs/video and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientegypt #egyptianhistory #letsreadsomehieroglyphs #egyptologist #hieroglyphs #hieroglyphics #egypt #languagelearning #historytok

♬ Circles – Instrumental – Post Malone

This is my personal photographs/video and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

“Image” in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a word that I use frequently in my descriptions, “𓏏𓅱𓏏,” which translates to “image,” “likeness,” “statue,” or “figure.”

Image
The word “Image” in hieroglyphs from a papyrus on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

I also utilize this particular word to translate the words “picture” and “photo” because that would be the closest Middle Egyptian to English translation! For the word “statue,” the “𓀾” determinative is put at the end of the word so it would be spelled like “𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾.” 

The importance of the visual representation of the deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 was embedded in ancient Egyptian religion and culture. For example, when the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was alive, he/she was thought to be the living image 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹 of the God 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭. 

The Egyptians built temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪 and shrines 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐𓏦 to their gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 because they believed that the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 could be approached and prayed to through the statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 that resided in these places of worship. The statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏪 or “images of the gods” were thought to be the actual deity and were thus treated with great reverence 𓐍𓄪𓅱 and respect. 

Another example is that when a person’s name 𓂋𓈖 was written down in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, it meant that the person would live 𓋹 forever 𓎛𓇳𓎛. The visual representation of a person’s name 𓂋𓈖 had the power to give the person eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹. This is why pharaohs wanted their name on as many monuments as possible – their name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 had immense power! 

Let’s break down the symbols in the word “𓏏𓅱𓏏!” 

The “Quail Chick 𓅱” is a super common symbol that you will see in a lot of inscriptions! It is a uniliteral phonogram sign, which means it has the sound of a single consonant. The “𓅱” is representative of the sound “w” or “u.” This symbol is also an ideogram for the word “chick 𓅱𓏺.”

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.”

So why did I choose to highlight this particular word? “𓏏𓅱𓏏” was one of the first words that I learned when I was first starting to read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The reason is because it is part of Tutankhamun‘s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 cartouche, which translates to “Living Image of Amun!” 

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

As a side note, I am a visual learner, and I think that’s why I’m really great at things like reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and geology – both are topics which require the brain to use images and visuals over other types of processing. Even when I speak English and Italian I see the words in my head as if they are subtitles so I think my visual brain is why I am good at languages! Plus I always say that rocks are the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 of the Earth, so I am grouping geology in with languages too! Despite the auditory nature of languages, for me, they are actually more visual.

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Cartouche of Akhenaten

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the birth name cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖! 

Cartouche of Akhenaten
The Birth Name cartouche of pharaoh Akhenaten on display at the Vatican Museum

Now, calling this his “birth name” cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 is a little misleading because Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 birth name wasn’t actually “Akhenaten!” The name 𓂋𓈖 that Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 was given when he was born was Amenhotep 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓊹𓋾𓌀, and since he was the fourth pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 with that name 𓂋𓈖, Egyptologists have called him “Amenhotep IV 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓊹𓋾𓌀.” 

Why did Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 change his name 𓂋𓈖 from Amenhotep 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓊹𓋾𓌀 to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 during year five 𓏾 of his reign? The change in name 𓂋𓈖 reflects the religious revolution that was happening at the time. Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is famous for disrupting the entire Egyptian religious tradition and changing it from a polytheistic worship of the traditional pantheon to a monotheistic worship of the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳. 

Let’s break down the meaning of Akhenaten’s name 𓂋𓈖! 

𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 – Aten 

𓅜𓐍 – Spirit

𓈖 – Of

Cartouche of Akhenaten
The Cartouche of Akhenaten with the meaning of the hieroglyphs written next to the symbols.

So all together, the name “Akhenaten” translates to “Spirit of the Aten.” 

One of the greatest things about reading cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏪 is that practicing with them will allow you to begin to understand hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 much more easily! The names of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 contain many common symbols, words, and phrases in Middle Egyptian! One of the ways I started learning was by reading the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏪!

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok!