The Cartouches of Thutmosis III – Menkheperra

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today we are going to look at one of the many cartouches of Thutmosis III! 

Like many pharaohs, Thutmosis III had many different cartouches, and then different variants of those cartouches! Today we are going to be looking more closely at the cartouche of his Throne Name: 𓇳𓏠𓆣. This is a great cartouche to be able to recognize, because I see it more than his birth name cartouche! 

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 “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 “scarab beetle 𓆣” is a phonogram sign. It is a triliteral sign, which means it represents three consonants. The “𓆣” is associated with the sound “ḫpr” which could have been pronounced like “kheper.” The “ scarab beetle 𓆣” is also both an ideogram and determinative for the word “scarab beetle 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣.” 

So all together, the Throne Name cartouche of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 would be pronounced like “Menkheperra.”