Month: November 2025

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the birth name of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 “Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓.”

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Rameses II” was given to him by historians, but his birth name was actually “Ramessu Mery Amun 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓,” which translates to “Ra has fashioned him, beloved of Amun” or “Ra Bore Him, Beloved of Amun.” 

Let’s look at the name 𓂋𓈖 more closely! The names of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are written first due to honorific transposition!

𓁩 – Amun

𓁛 – Ra

𓈘 – Beloved (mry)

𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Bore Him/Fashioned Him/Born Of (msi-sw)

Let’s break down each of the symbols: 

The “falcon with the sun disc 𓁛” symbol is both a determinative and ideogram for “Ra.” 

The “Amun figure 𓁩” symbol is both a determinative and ideogram for “Amun.” 

The “canal 𓈘” symbol is a biliteral phonogram for the sound “mr” and can also be “shorthand” for the word “mery” which means beloved. 

The “three fox skins 𓄟” symbol is a biliteral phonogram for the sounds “ms.” 

The “folded cloth 𓋴” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “s.”

The “sedge 𓇓” symbol can be a biliteral phonogram, ideogram (for sedge) and determinative (for king), but here it is representing the sound “sw.”

Rameses II’s birth name cartouche has many variants and can also be written like this: 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓. Certain symbols can be substituted for each other because 𓇋𓏠𓈖 and 𓁩 both mean Amun 𓁜 and 𓇳𓏺 both mean Ra.

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

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and most importantly, my Nonno!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the throne name of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II which is “Usermaatre setep en Ra 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖.”

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Usermaatre setep en Ra 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖” translates to “The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra.”

𓇳 – Ra

𓄊 – Powerful (wsr)

𓁧 – Justice (Maat)

𓇳 – Ra

𓍉𓈖 – Chosen (stpn)

Let’s break down each of the symbols: 

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 “head and neck of jackal 𓄊” symbol is a triliteral phonogram for the sounds “wsr” which means “powerful” or “strong.” 

The “goddess with a feather 𓁧” symbol is a determinative for “Maat” and is also an ideogram for the same. The word “Maat” can refer to the goddess or the word “Justice.” 

The “adze and block of wood 𓍉” symbol is a triliteral phonogram for the sound “stp.”

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is a uniliteral phonogram. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!”

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

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and most importantly, my Nonno!