The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby is one of the most popular images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the Third Intermediate Period, Late Period and even through the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods.
This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 appeared in bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦, stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪, and even as small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪! My Nonno would always point out these pieces of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby because he felt they were so significant to the evolution of religious art through time.
While my Nonno loved Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 and Roman art, he also loved Christian/Biblical art, so these Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 were kind of a natural connection between his area of interests! I always make sure to look for statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 like this in museums whenever I visit!
Symbolically, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was thought to be the mother𓅐𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and was often associated with motherhood, the protection of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐, and a user of magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜. As Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 became a more popular religious figure, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans. Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was widely worshipped during the Roman times, and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby has even appeared on the back of Roman coins.
This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 holding a child 𓐍𓇌𓀕 is thought to have inspired the well known Catholic images of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus as a baby.
In order to commeorate 100 𓏲 year anniversary of the discovery of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, let’s take a look at some artifacts related to Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓!
This gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 ring 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪 (the one in the back of the photo 𓏏𓅱𓏏), which was also used as a seal, has the throne name 𓂋𓈖 of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 on it!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
In the middle of the ring 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪, we see the throne name of Tutankhamun: 𓇳𓆣𓏦𓎟 (Nebkheperure). Broken down, the name means:
𓇳 – Ra
𓆣𓏦 – Forms/Manifestations
𓎟 – Lord So “
Nebkheperure 𓇳𓆣𓏦𓎟” means “Lord of the Manifestations of Ra.”
On either side of Nebkheperure 𓇳𓆣𓏦𓎟, there are other hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 too!
𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun
𓎛𓇳𓎛 – Eternity
𓎟 Lord
𓌻 – Beloved
So the full inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 reads: “ 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎛𓇳𓎛𓎟𓌻 Beloved of Amun, Lord of Eternity.”
Something really interesting about the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 is that the sun disc 𓇳 symbol in the word “eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛” has the Ankh 𓋹 or symbol for “Life” with it, which was a common way to write “eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛” during the reign 𓋾 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖! It’s meant to represent the Ankhs 𓋹𓋹𓋹 that usually appeared in depictions of the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳.
The “Ripple of Water 𓈖” has always been one of my favorite symbols because “𓈖” is a uniliteral phonogram that has a sound like “N”! As a kid 𓐍𓇌𓀕 I loved it because you use “𓈖” to write both “Nicole 𓈖𓇋𓎡𓍯𓃭𓁐” and “Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀“ in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! I also loved this symbol because it is an easy one to write/draw! I am no artist and while I can definitely read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, writing them is another story! I would have failed scribe 𓏟𓀀 school!!
While a simple symbol, the “Ripple of Water 𓈖” has many uses in Middle Egyptian! On its own, 𓈖 can mean: to, for, of, through, in, because, not, cannot, unless, no, they, we, us, and our! That’s a lot of words! When reading inscriptions, you can figure out the meaning based off of the context clues!
“We, us, and our” can also be written as: 𓈖𓏥. “They” can be written as: 𓈖𓏮 or 𓈖𓏭.
The “Ripple of Water 𓈖” is used a lot on its own but is also used a lot as part of larger words and names! Here are some examples:
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at an inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 that includes the name 𓂋𓈖 of a god 𓊹, and the honorific that follows the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹!
Here’s a breakdown of the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖:
𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓀭 – Amun-Ra
𓎟 – Lord
𓎼𓎼𓎼 – Thrones
So the inscription fully reads “𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓀭𓎟𓎼𓎼𓎼 – Amun-Ra, Lord of the Thrones.” “Lord of the Thrones 𓎟𓎼𓎼𓎼” was a popular honorific to use after the name 𓂋𓈖 of a deity 𓊹 like Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓀭 because as he rose to popularity during the New Kingdom, he was considered to be the King of the Egyptian Gods. Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓀭 was also referred to as the “Supreme God” and is the combination of the individual deities Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 and Ra 𓇳𓁜.
Here are some variants of Amun-Ra’s name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to travel all the way back to predynastic Egypt (c. 3500-3300 B.C.E.)!
This type of vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋, known by scholars as “pottery vessels” are very characteristic of early Egyptian art. There are many different examples of these, and many have been found in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. There is a very similar one to this in the British Museum, and many other examples at the MET! The significance of these vases 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏪 is still debated because Egyptologists don’t exactly know why they were made or what they were used for! These predynastic vases 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏪 are so adored that many fakes have even popped up!
In the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, there seem to be animals such as antelopes 𓃲𓃲𓃲 and flamingoes 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟𓏪 standing amongst groups of triangles. These triangles most likely represent landscape features such as hills 𓈎𓄿𓄿𓊎𓏪 or mountains 𓈋𓅳.
In the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 (left) and a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤(right) are standing on a boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞. Above the boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞, the hills 𓈎𓄿𓄿𓊎𓏪/mountains 𓈋𓅳 are once again depicted. Below the boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞, it looks like plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰 are being shown! To me, the plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰 look like ferns (that is my interpretation).
As a kid 𓐍𓇌𓀕, I really liked this vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 because the groups of animals reminded me of the “Circle of Life” from The Lion King! To me (both as a kid 𓐍𓇌𓀕 and even now as an adult), the scenes on this pottery vessel 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 look just like the movie!
This is a very unique piece (not the cute little hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯)!
This artifact is referred to as an “Apotropaic Rod” or “Magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 Rod” which means that it is an object that has the power to ward off evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 or bad luck. This piece is dated to the Middle Kingdom (c. 1678-1640 B.C.E.) which was during the reign 𓋾 of Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 (Dynasty 12).
This piece is composed of multiple (four 𓏽) segments that are all joined together. This is the only Magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 Rod that has been found of this type, and luckily it is completely preserved! In ancient Egyptian magic, animals that were considered to be dangerous, such as lions 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛𓏦, hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦, and crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏦 could be used in amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 or wand to induce protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 on the person. There are also some cute frogs 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏𓏦!! These animals can be seen as figures on the top of the wand!
There is also a turtle 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉 amongst the other predatory animals on the top-center of the rod, so were turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 considered predatory? In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 were seen as an ambiguous force because they were creatures of both land 𓇾 and water 𓈗. Turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 were also seen as the enemy of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛, and in chapter 162 of the Book of the Dead, it is stated that “May Ra live, and may the turtle die.” The turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 that lived in the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 were mostly nocturnal, which is probably why they were considered to be Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 enemy.
Carved into the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 underneath the figures are other protective 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 symbols such as the Wedjat 𓂀 or “Eye of Horus,” and baboons. There is also an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 and what looks like a lioness 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓏏𓄛!
Here’s another example of an Egyptian “Magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 Wand,” which is more commonly referred to as an “Apotropaic Wand.”
This piece is dated to the Middle Kingdom (c. 1981-1640 B.C.E. Dynasty 12-13) and wands such as these were common to find amongst burial equipment in Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦. These type of “Magic Wands” are a lot more common than the one I posted about previously!
This “Magic Wand” is made out of hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯 ivory. Since the tusks is the most dangerous and powerful part of the hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯, this object symbolically has the power to ward off evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 or bad luck. Not only is the ivory powerful, but the deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 depicted are also carry knives in order to ward off evil forces 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨! Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗, Nekhbet 𓇑𓃀𓏏𓅐𓎟, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, and Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 are all shown!
There are also some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the Magic Wand! Some Magic Wands contain longer inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the back (not this one though)! Many of these inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 indicate that these wands were used as a protective amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 during childbirth, but they were placed in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 to help the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 at his/her rebirth.
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓍲𓉔𓂋𓅱𓏺𓇳 – Protection of Day
𓍲𓎼𓂋𓎛𓇱 – Protection of Night
Night can also be written as: 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛 or 𓄛.
Day can also be written as: 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳
Ancient Egyptian magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 is so incredibly fascinating!
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a very popular word that appears on a lot of funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 (coffins 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱𓏦, False Doors, Canopic Jar Cases, etc.)! This word can be tricky though because there are a lot of different variants of it – meaning that it can be spelled differently depending on how the word is used or the amount of space available on the object (in this case, the object is a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱). Different variants of the word can even appear on the same object, as I illustrate with the pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 I’m sharing today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳!
The word for today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 is “Revered/Revered One,” which on the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 in the pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦, you can see two 𓏻 of the popular variants:
𓇋𓌴𓄪𓐍
𓇋𓄪𓐍
Revered One/Revered can also be spelled like:
𓇋𓌴𓄪
𓇋𓌴𓄪𓅱
𓇋𓌴𓄪𓐍𓇌
𓇋𓌴𓐍𓇌
𓄪𓐍
𓇋𓄪𓐍𓅱
𓇋𓌴𓄪𓐍𓅱 (Revered Man – Dead)
𓄪𓐍𓇌𓏏 (Revered Woman – Dead)
I’m sure I did not list all of the variants either! Word variants can be confusing for people who are just starting to read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and that’s okay! It will just take some practice, and the best way to practice is to just keep reading real Egyptian inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!
Next time you go to a museum, see if you can find a variant for “Revered/Revered One!” I’m sure you will!!
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the name 𓂋𓈖 of not only a very popular deity 𓊹, but also one of my favorite deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 (besides Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 of course)!!
This is the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The name 𓂋𓈖 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭 is actually the Greek version of his name 𓂋𓈖; the ancient Egyptians referred to him as Djehuty 𓅝𓏏𓏭!
Let’s break down the hieroglyphic symbols 𓊹𓌃𓏪 together 𓈖𓊗!
The “ Ibis on Standard 𓅝” symbol is a variant of the “Ibis 𓅞” symbol and has the sound of “ḏḥwtj,” which we thing would sound like “Djehuty.” This symbol is an ideogram, so it represents the full sound of the word it is meant to represent.
What’s interesting about the Middle Egyptian Language, is that even though ideograms like “𓅝” and “𓁟” would fully spell out Thoth’s name 𓂋𓈖, scribes would still add the phonograms to the end of the name 𓂋𓈖 if there was enough space on the monument/object to do so! This made inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 easier to read 𓎔𓂧𓀁 and also look nicer! The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 were all about the aesthetic!
The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.” It also functions as the ideogram for the word “bread 𓏏𓏺” and can be used to make words feminine!
The “two strokes 𓏭” symbol represents the sound “j” which in English would have the same sound as a “y.” It is usually only used at the end of a word!
Here are some variants of Thoth’s name 𓂋𓈖:
𓅤𓀭
𓁟
𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭
𓅝𓏏𓏭
𓅝
Thoth 𓅤𓀭 was thought to have invented writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥, and was thus the god 𓊹 of all record keeping. Due to his vast knowledge, 𓂋𓐍𓏏𓏜 Thoth 𓁟 was thought to know magic and secrets that were unknown to the rest of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. He was also the god 𓊹 of scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪.
Let’s read the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 in the picture above:
𓅝𓏏𓏭 – Thoth (Djehuty)
𓎟 – Lord
𓊹𓌃𓂂𓂂𓂂𓏟 – Divine Words/Writing
“Lord of the Divine Words/Writing 𓎟𓊹𓌃𓂂𓂂𓂂𓏟” was one of Thoth’s 𓅝𓏏𓏭 many titles! This title makes perfect sense since he was thought to have invented writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥/hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Fun Fact: “writing” was usually written as “𓏟𓂂𓂂𓂂,” but on this coffin it is switched to “𓂂𓂂𓂂𓏟!”
Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭 was originally god 𓊹 of the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹, but then later became associated with writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥 and knowledge 𓂋𓐍𓏏𓏜. The moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹 could be thought of as a “night sun,” which kind of places him as an opposite of the sun 𓇳𓏺 god 𓊹 Re 𓇳𓏺𓁛.
Thoth 𓅤𓀭 is also credited with inventing the 365-day calendar which is one of the ancient Egyptians’ long lasting contributions to astronomy! As their math an astronomy got better, Egyptian astronomers even adjusted the year to be exactly 365.25 days, which is the exact time it takes the Earth 𓇾𓇾 to revolve around the Sun 𓇳𓏺! How amazing is that!?
While the four 𓏽 figures of the Four Sons of Horus at the front of this display look like ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures, they are not!! There are some blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures behind the Four Sons of Horus though!
So what are these Four Sons of Horus figures? These are actually called “viscera figures” and they were meant to protect the internal organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! Usually, the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺, liver 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜, stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻, and intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼 were removed, dried with natron, and placed in Canopic Jars for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜.
In some cases, the organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 were mummified and put back in the body. This is where the viscera figures come into play – the viscera figures were then placed inside the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the mummified organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦!
From the left: Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑 had the head of a jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻. Imsety 𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋 had the head of a human and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸. Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑 had the head of a falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼. Hapy 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌 had the head of a baboon and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺.
These pieces are dated to the Third Intermediate Period/21st Dynasty (c. 1000–945 B.C.E.). The viscera figures and the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures pictured were found in the burial chamber 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓉐 of Djedmutesankh in a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri.
In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, you are looking at amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 and the molds that were used to make them! These molds are typically made of terracotta and allowed artists to not only mass produce amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, but also make the amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 small and detailed! The amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 that you see in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 are the Eye of Horus 𓅃𓀭 and the Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛!
How do you tell them apart? The left eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤 is the Eye of Horus 𓅃𓀭, and the right eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤 is the Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛! The right/left sides is based on a human eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤, so it would be opposite to the observer. In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, most of these amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are actually Eyes of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛! The one amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 at the top right is the eye of Horus 𓅃𓀭! If you get them mixed up don’t worry – I sometimes do too!
The wedjat 𓂀 or the “Eye of Horus” is representative of the eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤 that Horus 𓅃𓀭 lost when battling Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣. Thoth 𓅤𓀭 restored Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 eye, however, the single Eye of Horus became a symbol of rebirth or healing 𓋴𓈖𓃀𓏜 due to the nature of the myth. The wedjat 𓂀 was also common symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 and regeneration. The Eye of Horus 𓅃𓀭 was an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 used by both the living and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱! The Eye of Horus was also associated with the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹!
While most people associate the eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤 with Horus 𓅃𓀭, there is an Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 too! While the Eye of Ra was also an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜, it was also associated with power. The Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 can be thought of as an extension of Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 power and thus an extension of the sun 𓇳𓏺 itself. The Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 can see everything, and even transformed into Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 in one of the myths!
As you can see, it’s interesting how the two eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 both represent the sun 𓇳𓏺 and the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹- the two 𓏻 largest objects in the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯! One is associated with day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳, and the other night 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛! The sun 𓇳𓏺 and the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹 are almost like the two 𓏻 eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 watching the Earth 𓇾𓇾!
