Category: Reading Hieroglyphs

“Osiris Figure of Hatnefer”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 21, 2022

This piece, titled the “Osiris Figure of Hatnefer” is dated to the joint reign of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 (New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, c. 1479–1458 B.C.E.).

This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 piece was found in Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓄿 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, though it inscribed 𓎘𓅱𓎖 with the name 𓂋𓈖 Hatnefer 𓄂𓄤𓁐. Hatnefer 𓄂𓄤𓁐 was Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 and due to his status as Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 most trusted advisor, he was able to give his mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 a proper burial.

This”Osiris Figure,” which represents resurrection, is almost a cross between a ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾(it contains the basic funerary text on it) and the popular Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures of the Late Period. The Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures always stood on a wooden base just like this. Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures represented birth, death, and resurrection. It’s interesting to see how the art has evolved over the years!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓄪𓇌𓏏 – Venerated (I believe this is a variant of 𓄪𓐍𓇌)
𓐍𓂋 – Before
𓊩𓁹 – Osiris
𓄂𓄤𓁐 – Hatnefer

I am always so amazed when wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 pieces are still in such great condition – wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is organic and it can break down very quickly as compared to a material like rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙.

Tags artifact, hieroglyphs, senemut, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Hatshepsut – Ointment Jar Translation

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 20, 2022

This is an ointment jar that was found amongst many other artifacts in the foundation deposits of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri. While foundation deposits can be traced all the way back to the 3rd Dynasty, putting ointment jars in them date back to the 12th Dynasty. There are fourteen foundation deposits associated with Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐! In Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 time, the temple was referred to as 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐 or the “Holiest of Holies” (or djeser-djeseru). There are many different hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 variations of the word as well!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓏏𓊹𓄤 – The Great Goddess
𓎟𓏏𓇿𓇿 – Lady of the Two Lands
𓇳𓁦𓂓 – Maatkare
𓋹𓍘 – May She Live!
𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun
𓅓 – In
𓂦𓂦𓅱𓉐 – Holiest of Holies
𓌺𓏏𓇌 – Beloved

So all together, the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 reads: “The Great Goddess, Lady of the Two Lands, Maatkare, May She Live! Beloved of Amun who is in the Holiest of Holies.”

Fun fact about the word “𓅓!” This one symbol, usually associated with the modern letter “m,” can have many meanings such as: in, as, by, with, from, when, through, and what!

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

Montuhotep II – Birth Name Cartouche

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 20, 2022

Same relief from yesterday, but different hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Montuhotep 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 is his birth name/given name 𓂋𓈖, and that is the cartouche we will be looking at today!

𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 – Montuhotep II

Let’s look even closer at the individual words!

𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 – Montu (𓏠 – mn) (𓈖 – n) (𓍿- t) (𓅱 – u/w)
𓊵𓏏𓊪 – Hotep (𓊵 – htp) (𓏏 – t) (𓊪 – p)

Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 refers to one of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 was a falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 headed god 𓊹 of war who was mainly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖. He is mentioned as early as the Pyramid texts, but he didn’t rise to importance until the 11th Dynasty. However, Montu’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 importance waned beginning in the 12th Dynasty as Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 rose to power in the Theban region. However, Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 wasn’t forgotten because Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴(who was quite the general/military leader) frequently compared himself to Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱!

The word “hotep/htp 𓊵𓏏𓊪” translates to the word “satisfied” or “content.” The word “hotep/htp 𓊵𓏏𓊪” can also mean “offering” or “peace!”

So the name 𓂋𓈖 Montuhotep 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 means “Montu is satisfied” or “Montu is content.”

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, montuhotep ii, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

Montuhotep II – Throne Name Cartouche

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 20, 2022

This raised relief is originally from Montuhotep II’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri. This relief was part of one of the main areas of the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 that was added at the end of Montuhotep’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 reign 𓋾. This dates the relief to c. 2010–2000 B.C.E. (Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 11).

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

While Montuhotep 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 is his birth name 𓂋𓈖, the cartouche we are looking at is his throne name 𓂋𓈖!

𓇳𓎟𓊤 – Nebhapetra

Let’s look even closer at the individual glyphs!
𓇳 – Ra
𓎟 – “Neb” (nb)
𓊤 – “Hapet” (ḫrw or ḥjpt)

Most of the time when you have a three 𓏼 symbol throne name, the glyphs are read middle, right/bottom, and then top/left. The symbol for Ra 𓇳 is written first but said last, due to honorific transposition! Basically, out of respect for the god 𓊹, their name 𓂋𓈖 is written first!

In English (and other languages like Italian) we have something similar to this – we say “ten dollars” but write it as “dollars ten” – $10!

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, montuhotep ii, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

Life

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 20, 2022

Life, Vita, 𓋹𓈖𓐍.

This is a piece of papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 with the word “Life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 written on it. While the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 were a people who were focused on the idea of preparing for the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, they sure did write about living and preserving the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 quite a lot! Many Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 phrases mention life 𓋹𓈖𓐍, such as the most popular ones like “Given Life 𓏙𓋹“ or “Given Life for Eternity 𓏙𓋹𓆖.”

In Middle Egyptian, “Life” can be either written as:
𓋹 – just the single “ankh” symbol
𓋹𓈖𓐍 – the full word written out (which is what is pictured)

Both ways to write “life” are common, though the lone “ 𓋹” is what most people are familiar with. “𓋹𓈖𓐍” is used more in full inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥, while “𓋹” is used in phrases like the ones mentioned above. However, they both have the same meaning of “life.”

My Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 was a person who loved life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and wanted to live it to the fullest. He was like the Energizer Bunny and just never stopped! Since I have gained many new followers, please check my “About Me” highlight that mentions the story of my Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 and how this whole account is dedicated to preserving his name 𓂋𓈖 and memory. My Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 loved ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and shared his passion with me; he is the reason I’m able to read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and have a lifelong passion for the history of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. My Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 gave life 𓏙𓋹 to my passion!

Tags book of the dead, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

The Star Hieroglyph

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 20, 2022

The star 𓇼 hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is one of my favorite symbols! I am an Earth/Environmental scientist, and I love astronomy (I teach Earth Science and Astrophysics)! Fun Fact about me: I went to Kennedy Space Center for my Sweet 16!

The star 𓇼 hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 is so cool because it can function as a determinative, phonogram, and ideogram! Let’s take a look at how that works!

The word for star is “𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼” and here the “𓇼” functions as the determinative, or the last symbol in the word that almost acts as punctuation to let the reader know the general meaning of the word. It can also be used as the determinative in the name 𓂋𓈖 of a specific star, like “Sirius 𓇮𓏏𓇼”

In words like “𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 Duat/afterlife” or
“𓇼𓄿𓇳 morning/tomorrow,” the “𓇼” functions as a phonogram for the sound “dw3” (almost like “dua”).

The word “star,” while written like “ 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼,” can also just be written as “𓇼𓏺,” and here the “𓇼” symbol functions as an ideogram, or a symbol that is used to write the word it represents.

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Faience Foundation Brick of Thutmosis III

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 20, 2022

“The Great God, Menkheperra, Beloved of Osiris.”

This faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 piece is most likely a foundation deposit brick of a building that was built during the reign 𓋾 of Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴.

Foundation deposit bricks were ceremonial offerings that were placed at the corners of buildings, courts, temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦 , tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦, and pretty much the foundation of any building. They can almost be thought of as the ancient version of a ground-breaking ceremony. The foundation deposit bricks usually contained the cartouche of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 that the building was constructed under on it!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!

𓊹𓄤 – [The] Great God
(𓇳𓏠𓆣) – Menkheperra [Throne name of Thutmosis III]
𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris
𓌹𓇌 – Beloved

So the full inscription reads: “The Great God, Menkheperra, Beloved of Osiris.”

“Beloved 𓌹𓇌” is a word that pops up a lot in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 so it is a good one to know! It is also popular as the first part of a person’s name 𓂋𓈖. For example the name 𓂋𓈖 “Meryamun” or “Beloved of Amun” was a very popular name 𓂋𓈖 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

Tags artifact, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met, thutmosis iii

Reading Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphic Symbols: “Area with an Intersection”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 20, 2022

Let’s learn some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!!

The “area with an intersection 𓊖” or as I like to call it “the circle with the X” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 or the X-Men symbol, is a decently common symbol you will find in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!

The “𓊖” is used as both an ideogram and a determinative! An ideogram is a symbol that is used to write the word that it represents, and is usually followed by a single stroke. The stroke acts as a form of punctuation!

𓊖𓏺 – Town (njwt)

More commonly, “𓊖” functions as the determinative, or the last symbol in the word that almost acts as punctuation to let the reader know the general meaning of the word. “𓊖” is the determinative for town, city, settlement, and even the country of Egypt! “𓊖” seems to be used for towns/cities in Egypt, while most foreign lands used the determinative of “𓈊.”

Here are some examples of “𓊖” being used as a determinative!

𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 – Egypt
𓌀𓏏𓊖 – Thebes
𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 – Aswan
𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 – Memphis
𓆓𓂝𓈖𓏏𓊖 – Tanis
𓍋𓃀𓈋𓊖 – Abydos
𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖 – Amarna

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

“Venerated Before…” in Hieroglyphs

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 20, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Also, how gorgeous 𓄤 are the colors on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭?!

This is another inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that you will find on sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪 or other funerary objects, like stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪. While the phrase may not be as common as some others (like the Offering Formula), it does pop up fairly frequently and it’s a good one to know!

𓄪𓐍𓇌- Venerated
𓐍𓂋 – Before
𓊨𓏏𓏺 – Isis (her name is usually written as 𓊨𓏏𓁥, but the determinative is missing most likely due to the amount of space available on the sarcophagus.)

Since “Venerated 𓄪𓐍𓇌“ is just another way to say “respect,” this phrase means that the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person was held in high regard by the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥! That is certainly a position that an ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 would want to be in!

Now, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓏺 isn’t the only goddess’ 𓊹𓏏 name 𓂋𓈖 that is used in this phrase; Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 and Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 are popular to find as well! This is because all three 𓏼 of these deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are associated with death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐!

𓄪𓐍𓇌𓐍𓂋𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 – Venerated Before Anubis
𓄪𓐍𓇌𓐍𓂋𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Venerated Before Osiris

I hope this has been helpful in your hieroglyph journey!

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, isis, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

“Eternity” in Hieroglyphs

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 20, 2022

When we last went to the MET on my birthday, I was so excited because my sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 pointed to this relief and said that these symbols meant “eternity 𓆖” and I felt so proud! My sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 always reads my posts and has always been my biggest supporter (besides Nonno) in my study of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Eternity 𓆖 was a concept central to ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 religion and culture. Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that “death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 is only the beginning” and it was the start of their journey to eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹. The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that once they reached the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖, they were going to live the rest of eternity 𓆖 in paradise.

In the Old Kingdom, tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 (a pit, tomb shaft or structure made of mudbrick [mastaba]) were starting to be referred to as the “House of Eternity 𓉐𓆖.” Tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 made of rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 were considered the best due to the durability of stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪: so stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 was also a representation of eternity 𓆖!

The word “eternity 𓆖“ appears frequently in so many inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 – if you can recognize the word, you will be able to pick it out in any museum you visit!

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

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