Month: January 2026

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the name of the Egyptian god Khnum 𓎸𓁠. 

Khnum 𓎸𓁠 is the god 𓊹 of the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 and fertility. In the creation myth, Khnum 𓎸𓁠 is said to have created all of the world’s people on his potter’s wheel. I love how his name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs incorporates a pot due to his role in the creation myth! 

Let’s take a closer look at the name: 

𓎸 – ẖnm

𓁠 – determinative 

Let’s break down the symbols: 

The “stone jug 𓎸” is a triliteral phonogram that is associated with the sound “ẖnm” which would be pronounced like “Khnum.” 

The “ram-headed 𓁠” symbol acts as a determinative in this case but can also be an ideogram for “ẖnm” or Khnum. 

There are many different ways to write Khnum 𓎸𓁠 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here are some of the common ways which incorporate either a different determinative or a phonetic complement: 𓎸𓀭, 𓎸𓅓𓀭, 𓎸𓅓𓁠 and 𓎸𓃝. 

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

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Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the name of the Egyptian god Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭. 

Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭 is the god of the atmosphere. The word “Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭” can actually mean “He Who Rises Up,” “Emptiness 𓆄𓅱𓅨,” or “Sunlight 𓆄𓅱𓇶/𓆄𓅱𓇳” too! In Middle Egyptian, these words were also pronounced like “Shu,” except they have different determinatives which changes the meaning of the word!

Let’s take a closer look at the name: 

𓆄 – šw

𓅱 – w/u

𓀭 – determinative symbol (not pronounced)

In the case of the god Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭 and many other deities, sometimes the determinative is not written due to spacing issues! The ancient Egyptians favored the aesthetic over grammar! 

Let’s break down each of the symbols! 

The “feather 𓆄” is a biliteral phonogram and is representative of the sound šw. The “feather 𓆄” can also function as an ideogram for the word “feather 𓆄𓏺,” and as a determinative for the goddess/word “Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄.”

The “Quail Chick 𓅱” is uniliteral phonogram that is representative of the sound w/u. Here it is acting as a phonetic complement. 

The “seated god 𓀭” is a determinative symbol and isn’t pronounced! It acts as “punctuation” at the end of the name of a male god!

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

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Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the name of the Egyptian god Geb 𓅬𓃀𓀭. 

Geb 𓅬𓃀𓀭 is the god 𓊹 of the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface, which the ancient Egyptians called the Upper Earth. Anything that occurred on the Earth’s surface was thought to be caused by Geb 𓅬𓃀𓀭 – earthquakes were caused by his laughter! 

Here are the two most common ways to write Geb’s name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪: 

𓅬𓃀𓀭

𓅬𓃀

Let’s take a closer look at the name: 

𓅬 – gb

𓃀 – b

𓀭 – determinative symbol (not pronounced)

Let’s break down each of the symbols! 

The “goose 𓅬” is a biliteral phonogram that represents the sound “gb” which would have possibly been pronounced like “Geb.” It can also act as a determinative in certain cases.  

The “foot 𓃀” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram that represents the sound “b.” Here, the “foot 𓃀” symbol is acting as a phonetic complement, meaning it’s emphasizing the “b” sound from the previous symbol, and was not pronounced. 

The “seated god 𓀭” is a determinative symbol and isn’t pronounced! It acts as “punctuation” at the end of the name of a male god!

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

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Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the name of the Egyptian god Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 . 

Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 was one of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 that was named in the Pyramid Texts, which makes him one of the oldest deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. 

Sobek’s 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 name is a great one to learn because it is very phonetic and is written with uniliteral phonograms (symbols that are associated with a single consonant) and a determinative (symbols that act like punctuation at the end of the word and are not pronounced)! 

Let’s take a closer look at the name: 

𓋴 – s

𓃀 – b

𓎡 – k

𓆋 – not pronounced (acts as the determinative)

Let’s break down the symbols!

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

The “foot 𓃀” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram that represents the sound “b.”

The “Basket with a Handle 𓎡” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound of “k.” (Don’t confuse it with the “basket 𓎠” symbol because they look so similar but have different meanings!)

The “Crocodile on shrine 𓆋” symbol is primarily used as the determinative in the name “Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋” but can also be used as an ideogram for the same. When it is acting as an ideogram it has a sound of “sbk.” 

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

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Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the name of the Egyptian goddess Hathor 𓉡. 

Hathor’s 𓉡 name is so cool because it is unique compared to that of the other deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹! This is because her name is written with a composite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃! A composite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 is the combination of many symbols into one symbol! Even with the combination of the symbols, the sounds of the original symbol are still retained! 

Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 is the combination of an enclosure (house) 𓉗 and the falcon 𓅃. 

𓉗 +𓅃 = 𓉡 

Let’s take a closer look at the name: 

𓉗 – ḥwt (pronounced like “het”)

𓅃 – ḥrw (pronounced like “heru”)

𓉡 – ḥwt-ḥrw

Het (𓉗) + Heru (𓅃) = 𓉡 

Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 can actually be translated into English as “House of Horus” or “Estate of Horus” depending on how you translate the 𓉗 hieroglyph. 

Just like other deities, there are many ways to write Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs. It is rare to see these variants! Here are some of the uncommon variants of her name: 

𓁥

𓉡𓁥

𓉗𓁷𓂋𓆗 𓉡

Let’s break down the symbols! Today we are going to look at the individual and composite glyphs! 

The “Plan of an Enclosure 𓉗” symbol is an ideogram that is associated with the sound “ḥwt” and can be translated as “house” or “enclosure.” 

The “Falcon 𓅃” symbol is an ideogram for the sound “ḥrw” which is Horus! 

The “𓉡” symbol is a combination of 𓉗 + 𓅃 and is associated with the sound values of ḥwt-ḥrw and is always associated with the name of the goddess Hathor! 

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

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Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the name of the Egyptian god Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣. 

There are many variants of Anubis’ name and two of the most common variants are 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 and 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱 like seen in my image but it was also commonly written as “𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣,” which is a full form of the name. As you can see, one variant has the determinant and one does not!

Let’s take a closer look at the name: 

𓇋 – ı͗

𓈖 – n

𓊪 – p 

𓅱 – w/u

𓃣 – not pronounced in this case

Egyptologists believe that the proper way to say Anubis in Middle Egyptian is “ı͗npw” (pronounced like “Inpu” or “Anpu”). “Anubis” is actually the Greek way to say the name! 

Let’s break down the symbols:

The “reed 𓇋” is a uniliteral phonogram for “ı͗,” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.” It is usually associated with modern English “I” or “Y” sounds. 

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

The “stool 𓊪” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “p.” 

The “Quail Chick 𓅱” is uniliteral phonogram that is representative of the sound w/u. 

The “recumbent jackal on shrine 𓃣” is used as both an ideogram and a determinative. 𓃣 is the determinative in the word “Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣” and also an ideogram for “Anubis 𓃣. When 𓃣 functions as an ideogram, the “𓃣” would be pronounced the same as “𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣,” which is the full way to write the name. This is my absolute favorite hieroglyphic symbol!

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

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Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a variant of the name of the god “Osiris 𓁹𓊩.” 

More commonly in inscriptions, Osiris was written as 𓁹𓊨𓀭, however, this variant we are looking at today appears mostly in Cursive Hieroglyphs on papyri such as the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 and funerary equipment such as ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 and coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾 from the New Kingdom forward. This variant usually appears more in handwritten hieroglyphs and smaller items because it is shorter in length and easier to write! 

Let’s take a closer look at his name: 

𓁹 – jr

𓊩 – js

Let’s break down the symbols:

The “eye 𓁹” is a biliteral phonogram for the sound “jr.” The “eye 𓁹” can also function as an ideogram for “eye 𓁹𓏺” and also as a determinative. 

The “carrying chair 𓊩” functions as a biliteral phonogram for the sound “js” in the name “Osiris” and also as an ideogram for the word “seat.” When it is an ideogram it has a possible pronunciation of “st.” 

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

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