Month: July 2022

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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Pharaoh Pepy II and his Mother

Pharaoh Pepy II 𓊪𓊪𓇋𓇋 ruled during Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 6th Dynasty (Old Kingdom). He became pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 at only six years old, and his mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 (Ankhnes-meryre II) served as his co-regent. His throne name, Neferkare 𓇳𓄤𓂓 means “The Soul of Re is beautiful.”

Pepy II’s 𓊪𓊪𓇋𓇋 reign actually marked the decline of the Old Kingdom – this was due to the fact that the power and influence of the governors (also called nomarchs) were growing, so the powers of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 declined. Since there was no strong central power, chaos began to erupt amongst the nomarchs.

This alabaster piece at the Brooklyn Museum is one of the more famous representations of Pepy II 𓊪𓊪𓇋𓇋 and his mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐, mostly because the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 has two “front” sides!! The statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 shows Pepy II 𓊪𓊪𓇋𓇋 seated in his mother’s 𓅐𓏏𓁐 lap. By placing Pepy II 𓊪𓊪𓇋𓇋 and his mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 in opposite directions, it creates a multi-view statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾! This is very different than other art from the Old Kingdom!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Throne Name of Amenhotep III in Hieroglyphs

Lets’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today we are going to be looking at the cartouche of the throne name of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆! Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 ruled during the 18th Dynasty and his rule 𓋾 was a time of prosperity for Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, especially in regards to the arts and international influence!

This piece pictured is a reconstruction of the original by the MET – the blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 pieces are original, but the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 and plaster are not. 

Let’s take a closer look at the symbols in the cartouche: 

𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Nebmaatra (Possessor of the Truth of Ra or Possessor of the Maat of Ra) 

The “𓇳 sun disc” symbol is an ideogram for “ra” or “re,” but can also be a determinative in words such as sun, day, and time. The single symbol alone (like in cartouches) would be pronounced like “ra” or “re.”

The “𓁧 goddess with a feather” symbol is a determinative in the name of the goddess Maat, and is also an ideogram for Maat. The single symbol alone would be pronounced like “Maat.”

The “𓎠 basket” is a biliteral phonogram symbol that has the sound of “nb,” which is inferred to be pronounced like “neb.” The 𓎟 alone can also mean the word “Lord,” especially in the titles that come before a pharaoh’s cartouche. 

Now, reading three symbol cartouches can be confusing – sometimes you start with the middle symbol, sometimes you start with the last symbol. There is no way to know for sure – it comes with practice!

Fun Fact: Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 was the father 𓇋𓏏𓀀 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Montu in Hieroglyphs

Lets’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!  

Today we are going to learn how to read the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓀭! Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓀭 was a war god and was worshipped widely during the 11th Dynasty/Middle Kingdom. 

A closeup of the name “Montu” in hieroglyphs from a stela at the MET

The “𓏠 game board and pieces” is a phonogram sign. It is a biliteral sign, which means that it represents two consonants. The “ 𓏠” is associated with the sound “mn” which could be pronounced like “men,” “mun,” “mon,” etc. 

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 “𓍿 hobble/tie” is also a uniliteral phonogram sign. The “𓍿” is associated with the sounds of “ṯ” or “t.” 

The “Quail Chick 𓅱” is a super popular symbol! It is a uniliteral symbol that is representative of the sound w/u, and it is also an ideogram for the word “chick 𓅱𓏺.”

The final symbol in the name, “𓀭 seated god,” is one that is not pronounced! This is a determinative symbol, which means that it is a symbol used to show the general meaning of the word! It is basically used as punctuation at the end of the word to show you that it is over!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Vessels of Pepy II

Here are some vessels from the MET that are from the rule of Pepy II 𓊪𓊪𓇋𓇋. Made of alabaster, the purpose of these vessels was to keep cosmetic oils cool.

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, on the middle vessel you can see Pepy II’s 𓊪𓊪𓇋𓇋 cartouche. On the vessel to the left, you can see his throne name, Neferkare 𓇳𓄤𓂓, which means “the soul of Re is beautiful.”

In the picture𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, the vessel on the right is a little more clear. You can see Pepy II’s 𓊪𓊪𓇋𓇋 cartouche, however the title 𓅭𓇳, “Son of Ra,” is also embedded in the cartouche instead of on top of it. This was a stylistic thing that occurred during the Old Kingdom. However, the title 𓆥, “King of Upper and Lower Egypt” is present before the cartouche in this instance. The placement of the hieroglyphs can be super interesting!

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Blog

Ushabti Friends!

Just hanging out with my ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 friends!

Me and the Ushabti display at the Brooklyn Museum!

I love ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 so much, and it’s probably because my Nonno loved them. If you can’t tell, I’m really happy in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 – even with the mask on you can tell I’m smiling big!

Nonno always pointed them out in museums and he would tell me stories about how the ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 were buried with the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 so they could do chores in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and I thought that was so cool! I also liked them because they reminded me of little dolls!

As the display shows, ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 come in all different sizes and colors. Depending on the time period they were also made of varying materials such as faience, clay, limestone or sometimes even bronze (which is much rarer).

The ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾(most of the time people were buried with 365 worker ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 -one for each day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 of the year and then also a bunch of overseer ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾) often had spells inscribed on them which showed the task they were responsible for!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Two Sides of the Same Coffin!

Dedication to Osiris on a coffin at the Brooklyn Museum

In the picture above, you can see a dedication to Osiris – 𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 𓁹𓊨𓀭 𓎟𓊽𓂧𓅱𓊖 – “An offering the king gives Osiris, Lord of Djedu”

Djedu 𓊽𓂧𓅱𓊖 refers to the birthplace of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 on this side of the sarcophagus would allow the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to see outside of it!

Dedication to Anubis on a coffin at the Brooklyn Museum

In the picture above, you can see a dedication to Anubis – 𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 𓁶𓏺𓈋 𓆑 – “An offering the king gives Anubis, upon his hill…”

“Upon his hill” is in reference to Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 being the god 𓊹 of cemeteries, and looking over cemeteries from the cliff or hill above it!

Why dedications to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣?! They are the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 most commonly associated with death!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Sandstone Stela of Rameses II

This is a large sandstone stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 of Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓.

Sandstone Stela of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 talk about how Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 founded the town of Meriamun, and how he established the cult of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 there. The stela was a way to commemorate Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 presenting statues to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳.

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows (from left to right) Mut 𓏏𓄿𓀭, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖, and Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓. Rameses II can be seen wearing the blue crown, also known as the khepresh 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 crown which was very popular among New Kingdom pharaohs 𓉐𓉻! Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 is receiving symbols of kingship (the crook 𓋾) from the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖. This is meant to represent that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 saw Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 as a legitimate ruler! The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 believed that they were direct descendants of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖(in the 18th – 19th Dynasties Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 kind of replaces Horus 𓅃𓀭 in popularity as king of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹) and that they were gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on Earth.

This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is quite large (I’m 5’5”)! It was also really cool that five 𓏾 of Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 names appear on this stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! This was probably meant to show that while he was a divine figure, he also had very human qualities!

Sandstone Stela of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum (and me)!
Categories
Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Statue of Senwosret III

This is a black granite statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of the 12th 𓎆𓏻 Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓. Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 is thought to be the most powerful pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 12th 𓎆𓏻 Dynasty because his successful military campaigns gave rise to an era of peace 𓊵𓏏𓊪. Peace 𓊵𓏏𓊪 led to economic prosperity, and this led to a newfound revival in artistry and craft works.

Statue of Senwosret III at the Brooklyn Museum

This newfound artistry during this time period then led to some new styles in how the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was portrayed in statuary. The statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 are so distinctive that they can be immediately recognized as his, even without reading the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. Some parts of the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 are realistic, like the protruding eye sockets and the lines on his face, while some features, like the young and strong torso, are most likely idealized. Egyptologists can only speculate on why he was portrayed this way – some argue that it’s because Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 wanted to be seen as human before divine.

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 in particular shows Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 wearing the royal nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 headcloth. Beneath his feet are nine bows – each meant to represent one of Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 enemies. Since the enemies are beneath his feet, it shows successful defeat by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻!

In the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, you can see his Horus name𓅃𓊁[𓊹 𓆣𓅱] which I think means “Horus in divine form.” Also, you can see his prenomen or “throne name” which is marked by the 𓆥 (he of the sedge and the bee aka King of Upper and Lower Egypt) hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 before the cartouche. 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 means “the Souls of Ra have returned.”

Statue of Senwosret III at the Brooklyn Museum
Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Ancient Egyptian “Tom and Jerry”

I refer to this piece as the “Ancient Egyptian version of Tom and Jerry”!”

“Cat and Mouse” Ostraca at the Brooklyn Museum.

This is an ostracon (or ostraca), which is pretty much a sketch on a limestone fragment. Instead of using papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛(which was expensive) to practice drawing, the ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 artists or scribes 𓏟𓀀 would use pieces of limestone. It is dated to the 19th-20th Dynasties, aka the Ramesside Period.

What’s funny about this is it shows the mouse being served or attended to by the cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠. The cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 is presenting the mouse with a goose as an offering 𓏏𓊵 while also fanning him. It’s almost like an opposite because the cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 is usually the predator while the mouse is the prey. This could have been some type of satire on the elite during the Ramesside period, or a visual representation of a fable that is now lost. Many ostraca from this time period show animals doing human activities!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Painting of Tjepu

This well preserved painting of a beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐 named Tjepu is from the 18th Dynasty (rule of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠) and was originally found in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of her son 𓅭. Tjepu is seen in lavish 18th Dynasty style clothing – including a wig, lots of jewelry and a linen 𓍱 dress.

Painting of Tjepu at the Brooklyn Museum

When creating tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 art, Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 artists did not “realistically” depict how people actually looked. Instead, they showed people as being eternally youthful. Basically, the artists made people look their best so they could be at their best in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! While Tjepu would have been around 40 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆 years old at the time that this painting was completed, she was definitely not shown as being 40 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆.