๐ค๐๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐๐ – How beautiful this is! Look at thisย beautiful ๐ค broad collarย ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐!ย
The broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐ was the necklace of choice by both the gods ๐น๐น๐น, the pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ, and the nobility/wealthy! This broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐ is unique because traditionally they were made with faience ๐ฃ๐๐๐ธ๐ผ beads while this particular broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐ is made of gold ๐๐๐๐ and glass ๐ฃ๐๐๐ธ๐ผ! Fun fact: glass and faience are the same word in hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช: ๐ฃ๐๐๐ธ๐ผ!
If you look closely at this broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐, you will see a familiar hieroglyphic ๐น๐๐ช symbol: ๐ค! The โheart and windpipe ๐คโ symbol is a triliteral phonogram that represents the sound โnfrโ which in modern times we pronounce like โnefer.โ The word โnfr ๐คโ translates to โbeautifulโ or โgoodโ and is a very popular symbol not only in hieroglyphic ๐น๐๐ช phrases such as titles, but also in names ๐๐๐ฆ!
So basically, this broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐ is just saying โbeautiful ๐คโ over and over and over again! Maybe the broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐ was supposed to bring good ๐ค wishes to the wearer, or just make them even more beautiful ๐ค! Isnโt that what nice jewelry is all about, even in modern times?!
The MET has this piece titled โBroad Collar of Nefer Amuletsโ and it belonged to one of the foreign wives of pharaoh ๐๐ป Thutmosis III ๐ณ๐ ๐ฃ, as that is the tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐ the piece was found in. This piece is dated to the 18th Dynasty (c. 1504โ1450 B.C.E.).
The image ๐๐ ฑ๐ of Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ feeding Horus ๐ ๐ญ as a baby is one of the most popular images ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ of the Third Intermediate Period, Late Period and even through the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods.
This image ๐๐ ฑ๐ appeared in bronze ๐๐ค๐๐ฆ, stone ๐๐๐๐ช, and even as small ๐๐๐ด๐ ฉ amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช! My Nonno would always point out these pieces of Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ feeding Horus ๐ ๐ญ as a baby because he felt they were so significant to the evolution of religious art through time.
While my Nonno loved Egyptian ๐๐๐๐ and Roman art, he also loved Christian/Biblical art, so these Egyptian ๐๐๐๐ statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช were kind of a natural connection between his area of interests! I always make sure to look for statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช like this in museums whenever I visit!
Symbolically, Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ was thought to be the mother๐ ๐๐ of the pharaoh ๐๐ป, and was often associated with motherhood, the protection of women ๐๐๐๐๐, and a user of magicย ๐๐๐ฟ๐. ย As Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ became a more popular religious figure, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans. ย Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ was widely worshipped during the Roman times, and Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ feeding Horus ๐ ๐ญ as a baby has even appeared on the back of Roman coins.
This image ๐๐ ฑ๐ of a mother ๐ ๐๐ holding a child ๐๐๐ is thought to have inspired the well known Catholic images of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus as a baby.ย
That quote is from Howard Carter when he first peered into the tombย ๐๐ซ๐๐ย of Tutankhamunย ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐. Honestly, every time I walk through a museum all I can think is โWonderful Thingsโ – I feel like that sums up my feelings pretty well!ย
While I have posted this picture ๐๐ ฑ๐ before, it is one of my absolute favorites and one of the many wonderful things that I have seen! This is my Nonno and I with Tutankhamun ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐ at the British Museum! I am posting this again because today ๐๐๐๐ณ is the 100 ๐ฒ year anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamunโs ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐ tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐!
As a child (and even now) I love the story about howย Tutankhamunโsย ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐ย tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐ย was discovered! The funerary mask, Anubisย ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃย shrine, cartouche box, and so many of the other artifacts in the tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐ completely fascinated me and definitely played a part in me becoming so interested in ancient Egyptย ๐๐ ๐๐ย as a child. I have my Nonno to thank for telling me about Tutankhamunย ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐ย and for encouraging my love and fascination with Egyptian history!ย
In this particular statue ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ, Tutankhamun ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐ is wearing the nemes head cloth ๐๐ ๐ด, false beard, and broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐. These are all very common things for pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ to wear to represent themselves as pharaoh ๐๐ป, which Tutankhamun ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐ felt he needed to do in order to legitimize his rule ๐พ. The bottom part of the statue is ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ decorated with lotus flowers ๐ธ๐ช and papyrus reeds ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ.
In order to commeorate 100 ๐ฒ year anniversary of the discovery of Pharaoh Tutankhamunโs ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐ tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐, let’s take a look at some artifacts related to Tutankhamun ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐!
This gold ๐๐๐๐ ring ๐๐๐๐ช (the one in the back of the photo ๐๐ ฑ๐), which was also used as a seal, has the throne name ๐๐ of Tutankhamun ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐ on it!
Letโs read some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช!
In the middle of the ring ๐๐๐๐ช, we see the throne name of Tutankhamun: ๐ณ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ (Nebkheperure). Broken down, the name means:
๐ณ – Ra
๐ฃ๐ฆ – Forms/Manifestations
๐ – Lord So โ
Nebkheperure ๐ณ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐โ means โLord of the Manifestations of Ra.โ
On either side of Nebkheperure ๐ณ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐, there are other hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช too!
๐๐ ๐ – Amun
๐๐ณ๐ – Eternity
๐ Lord
๐ป – Beloved
So the full inscription ๐๐๐ฅ reads: โ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ณ๐๐๐ป Beloved of Amun, Lord of Eternity.โ
Something really interesting about the inscriptionย ๐๐๐ฅย is that the sun disc ๐ณ symbol in the word โeternityย ๐๐ณ๐โ has the Ankh ๐น or symbol for โLifeโ with it, which was a common way to write โeternityย ๐๐ณ๐โ during the reign ๐พ of Akhenatenย ๐๐๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐! Itโs meant to represent the Ankhs ๐น๐น๐น that usually appeared in depictions of the Atenย ๐๐๐๐ณ.ย
Todayย ๐๐๐๐ณ, we are going to travel all the way back to predynastic Egypt (c. 3500-3300 B.C.E.)!
This type of vaseย ๐ ๐๐๐, known by scholars as โpottery vesselsโ are very characteristic of early Egyptian art. There are many different examples of these, and many have been found in Egyptย ๐๐ ๐๐. There is a very similar one to this in the British Museum, and many other examples at the MET! The significance of these vasesย ๐ ๐๐๐๐ชย is still debated because Egyptologists donโt exactly know why they were made or what they were used for! These predynastic vasesย ๐ ๐๐๐๐ชย are so adored that many fakes have even popped up!ย
In the image ๐๐ ฑ๐ above, there seem to be animals such as antelopesย ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒย and flamingoes ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ช standing amongst groups of triangles. These triangles most likely represent landscape features such as hills ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐๐ช or mountains ๐๐ ณ.ย
In the image ๐๐ ฑ๐ above, a womanย ๐๐๐๐๐ย (left) and a manย ๐๐๐ค(right) are standing on a boat ๐ง๐ช๐๐. Above the boat ๐ง๐ช๐๐, the hills ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐๐ช/mountains ๐๐ ณ are once again depicted. Below the boat ๐ง๐ช๐๐, it looks like plantsย ๐พ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฐย are being shown! To me, the plantsย ๐พ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฐย look like ferns (that is my interpretation).ย
As a kid ๐๐๐, I really liked this vase ๐ ๐๐๐ because the groups of animals reminded me of the โCircle of Lifeโ from The Lion King! To me (both as a kid ๐๐๐ and even now as an adult), the scenes on this pottery vessel ๐ ๐๐๐ look just like the movie!
This is a very unique piece (not the cute little hippoย ๐๐๐ฏ)!
This artifact is referred to as an โApotropaicย Rodโ or โMagicย ๐๐๐ฟ๐ย Rodโ which means that it is an object that has the power to ward off evilย ๐๐๐๐๐ จย or bad luck. This piece is dated to the Middle Kingdom (c. 1678-1640 B.C.E.) which was during the reign ๐พ of Senwosret IIIย ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ย (Dynasty 12).ย
This piece is composed of multiple (four ๐ฝ) segments that are all joined together. This is the only Magic ๐๐๐ฟ๐ Rod that has been found of this type, and luckily it is completely preserved! In ancient Egyptian magic, animals that were considered to be dangerous, such as lions ๐ณ๐น๐ฟ๐๐ฆ, hippos ๐๐๐ฏ๐ฆ, and crocodiles ๐ ๐ด๐๐๐ฆ could be used in amulet ๐๐ช๐ or wand to induce protection ๐ ๐๐ก๐ on the person. There are also some cute frogs ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ!! These animals can be seen as figures on the top of the wand!
There is also a turtle ๐๐๐ฟ๐ amongst the other predatory animals on the top-center of the rod, so were turtles ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฆ considered predatory? In ancient Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐, turtles ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฆ were seen as an ambiguous force because they were creatures of both land ๐พ and water ๐. Turtles ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฆ were also seen as the enemy of Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐, and in chapter 162 of the Book of the Dead, it is stated that โMay Ra live, and may the turtle die.โ The turtles ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฆ that lived in the Nile ๐๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐บ were mostly nocturnal, which is probably why they were considered to be Raโs ๐ณ๐บ๐ enemy.
Carved into the rockย ๐๐๐๐ย underneath the figures are other protectiveย ๐ ๐๐ก๐ย symbols such as the Wedjat ๐ or โEye of Horus,โ and baboons. There is also an image ๐๐ ฑ๐ of a crocodileย ๐ ๐ด๐๐ย and what looks like a lioness ๐ณ๐น๐ฟ๐๐!ย
Hereโs another example of an Egyptian โMagicย ๐๐๐ฟ๐ย Wand,โ which is more commonly referred to as an โApotropaic Wand.โย
This piece is dated to the Middle Kingdom (c.ย 1981-1640ย B.C.E.ย Dynasty 12-13) and wands such as these were common to find amongst burial equipment in Middle Kingdom tombsย ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ. These type of โMagic Wandsโ are a lot more common than the one I posted about previously!ย
This โMagic Wandโ is made out of hippopotamus ๐๐๐ฏ ivory. Since the tusks is the most dangerous and powerful part of the hippopotamus ๐๐๐ฏ, this object symbolically has the power to ward off evil ๐๐๐๐๐ จ or bad luck. Not only is the ivory powerful, but the deities ๐น๐น๐น depicted are also carry knives in order to ward off evil forces ๐๐๐๐๐ จ! Taweret ๐๐ฟ๐ ฉ๐๐๐, Nekhbet ๐๐๐๐ ๐, Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ, and Thoth ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ญ are all shown!
There are also some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช on the Magic Wand! Some Magic Wands contain longer inscriptions ๐๐๐ฅ on the back (not this one though)! Many of these inscriptions ๐๐๐ฅ indicate that these wands were used as a protective amulet ๐๐ช๐ during childbirth, but they were placed in tombs ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ to help the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ at his/her rebirth.
Letโs read some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช!
๐ฒ๐๐๐ ฑ๐บ๐ณ – Protection of Day
๐ฒ๐ผ๐๐๐ฑ – Protection of Night
Night can also be written as: ๐ผ๐๐๐ or ๐.
Day can also be written as: ๐๐๐บ๐ณ
Ancient Egyptian magic ๐๐๐ฟ๐ is so incredibly fascinating!
While the four ๐ฝ figures of the Four Sons of Horus at the front of this display look like ushabtiย ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พย figures, they are not!! There are someย blue ๐๐น๐๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฅ faience ๐ฃ๐๐๐ธ๐ผ ย ushabti ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พย figures behind the Four Sons of Horus though!ย
So what are these Four Sons of Horus figures? These are actually called โviscera figuresโ and they were meant to protect the internal organs ๐๐ง๐๐น๐ฆ of the mummy ๐๐น๐ ฑ๐พ! Usually, the lungs ๐๐ด๐ฅ๐ ฑ๐บ, liver ๐ ๐๐ก๐, stomach ๐๐ฃ๐ป, and intestines ๐๐ช๐ ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ผ were removed, dried with natron, and placed in Canopic Jars for protection ๐ ๐๐ก๐.
In some cases, the organs ๐๐ง๐๐น๐ฆ of the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ were mummified and put back in the body. This is where the viscera figures come into play – the viscera figures were then placed inside the mummy ๐๐น๐ ฑ๐พ to protect ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the mummified organs ๐๐ง๐๐น๐ฆ!
From the left: Duamutef ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ had the head of a jackal ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฅ and protected ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the stomach ๐๐ฃ๐ป. Imsety ๐๐๐ด๐๐ had the head of a human and protected ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the liver ๐ ๐๐๐น๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ. Qebehsenuef ๐๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ had the head of a falcon ๐๐๐ก๐ and protected ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the intestines ๐๐ช๐ ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ผ. Hapy ๐๐๐ช๐ had the head of a baboon and protected ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the lungs ๐๐ด๐ฅ๐ ฑ๐บ.
These pieces are dated to the Third Intermediate Period/21st Dynasty (c. 1000โ945 B.C.E.). The viscera figures and the ushabti ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ figures pictured were found in the burial chamber ๐๐๐๐ of Djedmutesankh in a tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐ at Deir el-Bahri.
In the picture ๐๐ ฑ๐, you are looking at amuletsย ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช and the molds that were used to make them! These molds are typically made of terracotta and allowed artists to not only mass produce amuletsย ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช, but also make the amuletsย ๐๐ช๐ ๐ชย small and detailed! The amuletsย ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช that you see in the pictureย ๐๐ ฑ๐ย are the Eye of Horusย ๐ ๐ญย and the Eye of Raย ๐ณ๐บ๐!ย
How do you tell them apart? The left eye ๐น๐๐ค is the Eye of Horus ๐ ๐ญ, and the right eye ๐น๐๐ค is the Eye of Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐! The right/left sides is based on a human eye ๐น๐๐ค, so it would be opposite to the observer. In the picture ๐๐ ฑ๐, most of these amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช are actually Eyes of Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐! The one amulet ๐๐ช๐ at the top right is the eye of Horus ๐ ๐ญ! If you get them mixed up donโt worry – I sometimes do too!
The wedjat ๐ or the “Eye of Horus” is representative of the eye ๐น๐๐ค that Horus ๐ ๐ญ lost when battling Seth ๐๐๐ก๐ฃ. Thoth ๐ ค๐ญ restored Horus’ ๐ ๐ญ eye, however, the single Eye of Horus became a symbol of rebirth or healing ๐ด๐๐๐ due to the nature of the myth. The wedjat ๐ was also common symbol of protection ๐ ๐๐ก๐ and regeneration. The Eye of Horus ๐ ๐ญ was an amulet ๐๐ช๐ used by both the living and the dead ๐ ๐๐ฑ! The Eye of Horus was also associated with the moon ๐๐๐๐น!
While most people associate the eye ๐น๐๐ค with Horus ๐ ๐ญ, there is an Eye of Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐ too! While the Eye of Ra was also an amulet ๐๐ช๐ of protection ๐ ๐๐ก๐, it was also associated with power. The Eye of Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐ can be thought of as an extension of Raโs ๐ณ๐บ๐ power and thus an extension of the sun ๐ณ๐บ itself. The Eye of Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐ can see everything, and even transformed into Sekhmet ๐๐๐ ๐๐ in one of the myths!
As you can see, itโs interesting how the two eyes ๐น๐๐ฆ both represent the sun ๐ณ๐บ and the moon ๐๐๐๐น- the two ๐ป largest objects in the sky ๐ช๐๐ฏ! One is associated with day ๐๐๐บ๐ณ, and the other night ๐ผ๐๐๐! The sun ๐ณ๐บ and the moon ๐๐๐๐น are almost like the two ๐ป eyes ๐น๐๐ฆ watching the Earth ๐พ๐พ!
Iย am standing with the Horus cartouche of the Second Dynasty Pharaoh Nebra ๐๐ณ (or Raneb).
Not much is known about Nebra ๐๐ณ besides his name, which mostly appears on alabaster bowls and cups. The length of his rule is also not known, since that section of the Turin Canon/Papyrus is destroyed but Egyptologists estimate it to be about 10 ๐ -14 ๐๐ฝ years.
The name Nebra ๐๐ณ (or Raneb) has puzzled Egyptologists because Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐ was not a big religious figure during the Second Dynasty. At that time, Horus ๐ ๐ญ was the main deity and Egyptian religion very much centered on the story of Horus ๐ ๐ญ and Seth ๐๐๐ก๐ฃ and the importance of keeping divine balance. The name Nebra ๐๐ณ can also be translated as either โLord of the sun (Ra)โ or โRa is my lord,โ which would show that the sun was already being worshipped separately as its own deity at this time instead of just being part of Horus ๐ ๐ญ. The Third Dynasty (around the rule of Djoser ๐ฆ) is really when evidence of the sun being an independent deity begins to show up in Egyptian society.
I am the type of person that loves jewelry, and a lot of the jewelry that I wear is inspired by ancient Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐! Rings are my absolute favorite type of jewelry to wear, and I love looking at the jewelry of the ancient Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช in museums! I may be biased, but I think that Egyptian jewelry is the most beautiful type of jewelry! The pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ sure knew how to accessorize!
These scarab ๐ฃ rings bear the cartouche of the pharaoh ๐๐ป Thutmosis III ๐ณ๐ ๐ฃ. Scarab ๐ฃ rings like these were extremely popular during the New Kingdom. I love how the different colors of the scarab ๐ฃ pair so beautifully with the gold ๐๐๐๐. Also these are swivel rings, meaning they spin! How cool is that??!!
