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Reading Hieroglyphs

Scribal Palette Translation

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! Today π“‡π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‡³ we are going to be looking at a piece titled β€œModel of a Scribe’s Palette Inscribed for Amenhotep.”

Scribal Palette

While this was not a scribal palette π“ π“ˆ–π“‰”π“†“π“ž that was used during this person’s life, it is dated to the 18th Dynasty reign of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹†. Since Amenhotep was a popular name π“‚‹π“ˆ– at the time, many people including pharaohs, shared this name π“‚‹π“ˆ–! This piece is made of the chemical sedimentary rock travertine, which is more commonly known as alabaster 𓍱!Β 

We are going to be translating the right side of the scribal palette π“ π“ˆ–π“‰”π“†“π“ž first! Also if you are new here, please know that I do all of the translations myself!Β 

Here is the full inscription on the right side: π“‡“π“™π“Š΅π“π“Šͺπ“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­π“…π“ˆ–π“π“­π“‹€π“π“π“ˆŠπ“ŠΉπ“‰Όπ“ŽŸπ“‚‹π“€π“¬π“¦π“ˆ‰π“„ͺπ“π“‡Œ π“π“‚‹π“Œπ“π“‡― π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“Š©π“Ήπ“‡“π“žπ“„“π“‰π“€π“€—π“π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“‰΄π“Š–π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺπ“€Ό

Scribal Palette

π“‡“π“™π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ – An Offering the King Gives

π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ – Osiris

π“…π“ˆ–π“π“­ – Foremost of

π“‹€π“π“π“ˆŠ – West

π“ŠΉπ“‰Ό – The Great God

π“ŽŸ – Lord of

π“‚‹π“€π“¬π“¦π“ˆ‰ – Rosetau

π“„ͺπ“π“‡Œ – Venerated

Scribal Palette

𓐍𓂋 – Before 

π“Œπ“π“‡― – Nut

π“„Ÿπ“‹΄ – Child of, Born of

π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ – Gods

π“Š©π“Ή – The Osiris

π“‡“π“ž – King’s Scribe / Royal Scribe / King’s Secretary

𓄓𓉐𓏀𓀗 – Overseer

𓐝 – of

π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“‰΄π“Š– – Memphis

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺπ“€Ό – Amenhotep 

The full inscription reads: β€œAn Offering the King Gives Osiris, Foremost of the West, the Great God, Lord of Rosetau, Venerated before Nut, Born of the Gods, The Osiris, the Royal Scribe, Overseer of Memphis, Amenhotep.” 

It is very interesting to see both forms of the god Osiris’ name in the same inscription (π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ and π“Ήπ“Š©). This is done because the second variation of the name in the inscription indicates that the deceased person (Amenhotep π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺπ“€Ό) has become β€œThe Osiris π“Ήπ“Š©β€ in death and has been reborn in the netherworld. This is ver common in funerary texts, and both men and women would be referred to as β€œThe Osiris π“Ήπ“Š©.”

We are going to be translating the left side of the scribal palette π“ π“ˆ–π“‰”π“†“π“ž now!

Here is the full inscription: 

π“‡“π“™π“Š΅π“π“Šͺπ“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­π“ŽŸπ“Š½π“Š½π“Š–π“‹Ύπ“Š΅π“›π“‹π“ƒ€π“ˆ‹π“Š–π“ˆ–π“„ͺπ“π“‡Œ π“π“‚‹π“‰‘π“ŽŸπ“π“ˆ–π“‰”π“π“†­π“ŽΊπ“π“ˆπ“π“ˆ‰π“‹€π“π“π“ˆŠπ“Š©π“Ήπ“‡“π“žπ“„“π“‰π“€π“€—π“π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“‰΄π“Š–π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺπ“€Ό

Scribal Palette

π“‡“π“™π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ – An Offering the King Gives

π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ – Osiris

π“ŽŸ – Lord of

π“Š½π“Š½π“Š– – Djedu

π“‹Ύ – Ruler

π“Š΅π“› – Peace/Grace 

π“‹π“ƒ€π“ˆ‹π“Š– – Abydos

π“ˆ– – in/by

π“„ͺπ“π“‡Œ – Venerated

Scribal Palette

𓐍𓂋 – Before 

𓉑 – Hathor

π“ŽŸπ“ – Lady 

π“ˆ–π“‰”π“π“†­ – Sycamore

π“ŽΊπ“ – Mistress

π“ˆπ“π“ˆ‰ – Roads of Horus/Desert Road

π“‹€π“π“π“ˆŠ – West

π“Š©π“Ή- The Osiris

Scribal Palette
Screenshot

π“‡“π“ž – King’s Scribe / Royal Scribe / King’s Secretary

𓄓𓉐𓏀𓀗 – Overseer

𓐝 – of

π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“‰΄π“Š– – Memphis

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺπ“€Ό – Amenhotep 

The full inscription reads: β€œAn Offering the King Gives Osiris, Ruler of Peace in Abydos, Venerated before Hathor, Lady of the Sycamore, Mistress of the West Roads of Horus (?), The Osiris, the Royal Scribe, Overseer of Memphis, Amenhotep.”

This side of the scribal palette π“ π“ˆ–π“‰”π“†“π“ž gave me a tiny bit of trouble for three reasons:

  1. The phrase β€œRuler π“‹Ύ of Peace π“Š΅π“›β€ is an iffy translation for me and I don’t know if it’s one word or two or something totally different!Β 
  2. This variant of β€œAbydos π“‹π“ƒ€π“ˆ‹π“Š–β€ is one I do not see a lot at all and I had to look it up! Usually Abydos is written as β€œπ“‹π“ƒ€π“ˆ‹π“Š–β€ and while the one symbol difference may not seem like a big difference sometimes it can be! At quick glance it looked like β€œEast π“‹π“ƒ€π“π“ˆ‰β€
  3. After β€œMistress π“ŽΊπ“β€ the hieroglyphs are very hard to read and I am totally guessing here! Upon first glance it looked like β€œDesert π“ˆ‰ Road π“ˆπ“β€ which does not sound right to me?! I had to consult my trusty dictionary and the phrase β€œRoads of Horus π“…ƒπ“ˆπ“π“π“ˆ‰β€ was there and it looks like it could be a variant of that too. The second one is probably more accurate due to the association between Hathor and Horus.Β 

I guess this was a glance into my thought process! It goes to show that no matter how much you study or learn, translating hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ will always present fun and unique challenges! I’m posting my thoughts and challenges with the text to show that everyone goes through this while translating and if you’re learning now and struggling it’s okay!Β 

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

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