Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the name 𓂋𓈖 “Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪.” 

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was a non-royal man that lived during Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 third dynasty (around 2700 B.C.E.) during the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Djoser 𓂦𓂋. While Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is best known for being the architect of Djoser’s Step Pyramid (and Egypt’s first ever pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴), he was also a high priest 𓊹𓍛 of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛!  About 2,000 𓆼𓆼 years after his death, Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 became one of the few non-royal Egyptians to be deified. 

Let’s break down Imhotep’s name 𓂋𓈖 and its meaning! 

𓇍 – Come, Arrive

𓅓 – Who is, Who is in

𓊵𓏏𓊪 – Peace 

Let’s break down each symbol! 

The “reed with legs 𓇍” symbol is a combination of the “reed 𓇋” and the “walking legs 𓂻” symbols. 𓇍 is a uniliteral phonogram symbol, and is usually associated with the sound “j.” 

The “owl 𓅓” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram that represents the sound of “m.” It usually appears as part of a word or it can be used to represent On, At, By, With, Who, and As! This symbol has so many meanings/uses! 

The “bread loaf on a mat 𓊵” symbol is a triliteral phonogram for the sound “ḥtp” and is also an ideogram for “offering slab” which is also associated with the sound “ḥtp.”

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t” and can also be used as a phonetic complement, meaning it will add emphasis to the sounds of the symbol that comes before it, which is its function in Imhotep’s name! 

The “stool 𓊪” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “p.” It is also acting as a phonetic complement, which means it is emphasizing the “p” sound in the “𓊵𓏏𓊪” part of Imhotep’s name. 

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