Today ๐๐๐๐ณ we are going to look at a very peculiar type of Ushabti ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ figure that does not appear much! Iโve been wanting to write about this piece for so long so this series is the perfect opportunity!
A “Ushabti on a Bier”
These type of ushabtis ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ are referred to as โUshabti on a Bierโ because they appear lying flat on a table like a mummy ๐๐น๐ ฑ๐พ. While there are not many of this type of ushabti ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ, there are similar (yet more elaborate) ones at the Museo Egizio in Torino, the Louvre in Paris and the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden.
There is actually no information about this piece on the MET website, but based on the piece and what I know about ushabtis ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ, I am going to make some inferences here!
I am going to infer that this piece is dated to the 18th Dynasty for two reasons: the first is that the similar ushabtis ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ located in other museums are all dated to the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom) and the second is that this piece is in a gallery at the MET that contains New Kingdom era pieces!ย
The “Ushabti on a Bier” on display at the MET. This piece is shown amongst other artifacts dated to the 18th Dynasty!
This piece also seems to be made of limestone ๐๐๐๐, and was part of a non-royal but still wealthy personโs burial.
This โUshabti on a Bierโ that is pictured plus the ones in other museums donโt contain any hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช on them which is interesting because many ushabtis ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ do contain hieroglyphic inscriptions ๐๐๐ฅ.
To me, the โUshabti on a Bierโ figures look like the wooden mummy ๐๐น๐ ฑ๐พ figures that would be placed on the wooden ๐ฑ๐๐บ model boats ๐ง๐ช๐๐๐ฅ that went in tombs ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ช during the Middle Kingdom.
These types of ushabti ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ figures leave me with more questions than answers which to me is both fascinating and frustrating!
What was the purpose of these unique type of ushabti ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ figures?ย
Why do all instances of these ushabtis not contain any hieroglyphs?ย
Were these ushabtis inspired by the wooden model boats of the Middle Kingdom?
Why are all examples of these only dated to the 18th Dynasty, and why did they stop being made?
This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.ย
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This is the first post in a new series I am doing called “Ushabti Friends,” which aims to educate on the fascinating funerary objects called Ushabtis!
There are so many different types of ushabti ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ figures! Today, we are going to start off with the first known ushabti ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ figure which is called a “wax ushabti”
Before ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช we know and love evolved in the 12th Dynasty, wax ๐ ๐๐๐ธ๐ฆ figurines that looked like humans (and had their own mini coffins ๐ด๐ ฑ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฆ) were placed in tombs ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ช with the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ! They are known to Egyptologists as โwax ushabtis.โ
These precursor-ushabtis ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ๐ช were made of beeswax and beeswax was said to have magical ๐๐๐ฟ๐ powers of protection ๐ ๐๐ก๐, resurrection, and regeneration.
The figures are somewhat detailed and were wrapped in a linen cloth ๐ฑ and placed in the mini-coffin ๐ด๐ ฑ๐๐๐ฑ. The coffin ๐ด๐ ฑ๐๐๐ฑ did not identify any role or jobs that the figure had (like the text on a ushabti ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ could identify what itโs job was), but it did identify the name ๐๐ of the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ. Sometimes even the standard Offering Formula (๐๐๐ต๐ an offering the king gives) appeared on the mini-coffin ๐ด๐ ฑ๐๐๐ฑ as if it were a real one!
If these figures werenโt workers, then what was their purpose? It is thought that this figure would take the place of the body should the body of the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ be destroyed.
Not many of these โwax ushabtisโ have been found, especially in comparison to the amount of ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช that have been found!
Ushabtis ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ๐ช evolved into the little worker figures we know today during the 12th Dynasty, but became very popular during the New Kingdom.
This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.ย
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This section of a papyrus ๐ ๐๐๐ is from the โFunerary Papyrus of the Steward Sethnakhtโ which is dated to the Ramesside Period (New Kingdom c. 1320โ1200 B.C.E.). Sethnakht ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ฝ was the tax master ๐๐๐ด๐ก (Iโm sure he was popular) and this high position is what allowed him to have such a gorgeous funerary papyrus ๐ ๐๐๐!
This entire papyrus ๐ ๐๐๐ is composed of what has been called Chapter 168 of the Book of the Dead ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ, otherwise known as the “Chapter of Offerings.โ However, most of the time this text is found alone and not with other parts of the Book of the Dead ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ (as is the case with this papyrus) and is considered now to be its own text and not necessarily a part of the Book of the Dead ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ.
Letโs read some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช!
A section of the “Funerary Papyrus of the Steward Sethnakht”
The two sections of hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช point in two different directions; the hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช above the Falcon headed god Osiris-Wennefer ๐น๐จ๐ญ๐๐น๐๐ค๐๐ point to the right while the hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช above Sethnakht ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ฝ point to the left. We are going to start with the hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช above Osiris-Wennefer ๐น๐จ๐ญ๐๐น๐๐ค๐๐.ย
Here is the text all together: ๐๐๐๐๐น๐จ๐ญ๐๐น๐๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Here is the translation: โWords Spoken By Osiris-Wennefer, Foremost of the West.โ This is a super common introduction for a god in a funerary text. It also lets you know who is depicted in the images!ย
Before we read the next section of hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช, letโs take a look at some of the art! On his shoulder, Sethnakht ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ฝ is holding the goddess Maat ๐๐ด๐ฃ๐๐ฆ while he is holding up his other hand in adoration of the god Osiris-Wennefer ๐น๐จ๐ญ๐๐น๐๐ค๐๐. Maat ๐๐ด๐ฃ๐๐ฆ is the goddess of truth ๐๐ด๐ฃ๐๐ and justice ๐๐ด๐ฃ๐๐๐ and we know itโs her because of the feather ๐ thatโs on her head!ย
Letโs read some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช! We are going to be reading the hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช that are above Sethnakht ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ฝ. These hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช point to the left so we will start reading them from the left!ย
Here is the text all together: ๐๐ผ๐ข๐๐น๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐๐น๐จ๐ญ๐ป๐๐๐๐๐๐ด๐ก๐๐๐ค๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ฝ
Here are the individual phrases broken down:
๐๐ผ๐ข – Praise/Worship (should actually be written as โ๐ผ๐๐ขโ)
๐ – of
๐น๐จ๐ญ – Osiris
๐ – Foremost
๐๐๐๐ – West
๐น๐จ๐ญ – The Osiris
๐ป๐๐ – Great
๐ – the/of
๐๐๐ด๐ก – Tax Master
๐๐๐ค – Overseer
๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ฝ – Sethnakht
Here is the translation: โPraise for Osiris, Foremost of the West, the Osiris, the Great Tax Master, the Overseer Sethnakht.โ
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Letโs read some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช! Today ๐๐๐๐ณ we are going to be looking at a piece titled โModel of a Scribe’s Palette Inscribed for Amenhotep.โ
While this was not a scribal palette ๐ ๐๐๐๐ that was used during this personโs life, it is dated to the 18th Dynasty reign of the pharaoh ๐๐ป Amenhotep III ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐พ๐. Since Amenhotep was a popular name ๐๐ at the time, many people including pharaohs, shared this name ๐๐! This piece is made of the chemical sedimentary rock travertine, which is more commonly known as alabaster ๐ฑ!ย
We are going to be translating the right side of the scribal palette ๐ ๐๐๐๐ first! Also if you are new here, please know that I do all of the translations myself!ย
Here is the full inscription on the right side: ๐๐๐ต๐๐ช๐น๐จ๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐น๐ผ๐๐๐ค๐ฌ๐ฆ๐๐ช๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฏ ๐๐ด๐น๐น๐น๐ฉ๐น๐๐๐๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ด๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐๐ช๐ผ
๐๐๐ต๐๐ช – An Offering the King Gives
๐น๐จ๐ญ – Osiris
๐ ๐๐๐ญ – Foremost of
๐๐๐๐ – West
๐น๐ผ – The Great God
๐ – Lord of
๐๐ค๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ – Rosetau
๐ช๐๐ – Venerated
๐๐ – Before
๐๐๐ฏ – Nut
๐๐ด – Child of, Born of
๐น๐น๐น – Gods
๐ฉ๐น – The Osiris
๐๐ – Kingโs Scribe / Royal Scribe / Kingโs Secretary
๐๐๐ค๐ – Overseer
๐ – of
๐ ๐๐ค๐ด๐ – Memphis
๐๐ ๐๐ต๐๐ช๐ผ – Amenhotep
The full inscription reads: โAn 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.โ
It is very interesting to see both forms of the god Osirisโ name in the same inscription (๐น๐จ๐ญ and ๐น๐ฉ). This is done because the second variation of the name in the inscription indicates that the deceased person (Amenhotep ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐๐ช๐ผ) has become โThe Osiris ๐น๐ฉโ 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 โThe Osiris ๐น๐ฉ.โ
We are going to be translating the left side of the scribal palette ๐ ๐๐๐๐ now!
๐๐ – Kingโs Scribe / Royal Scribe / Kingโs Secretary
๐๐๐ค๐ – Overseer
๐ – of
๐ ๐๐ค๐ด๐ – Memphis
๐๐ ๐๐ต๐๐ช๐ผ – Amenhotep
The full inscription reads: โAn 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.โ
This side of the scribal palette ๐ ๐๐๐๐ gave me a tiny bit of trouble for three reasons:
The phrase โRuler ๐พ of Peace ๐ต๐โ is an iffy translation for me and I donโt know if itโs one word or two or something totally different!ย
This variant of โAbydos ๐๐๐๐โ is one I do not see a lot at all and I had to look it up! Usually Abydos is written as โ๐๐๐๐โ and while the one symbol difference may not seem like a big difference sometimes it can be! At quick glance it looked like โEast ๐๐๐๐โ
After โMistress ๐บ๐โ the hieroglyphs are very hard to read and I am totally guessing here! Upon first glance it looked like โDesert ๐ Road ๐๐โ which does not sound right to me?! I had to consult my trusty dictionary and the phrase โRoads of Horus ๐ ๐๐๐๐โ 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.ย
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 ๐น๐๐ช will always present fun and unique challenges! Iโm posting my thoughts and challenges with the text to show that everyone goes through this while translating and if youโre learning now and struggling itโs okay!ย
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This beautiful ๐ค๐๐ piece, called a โMiniature Mask for a Canopic Bundleโ has a lot of contradictory information about it – the MET website and books both have different information about it! The MET website dates this piece to the reign of Amenhotep II ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐๐ช (18th Dynasty) and this piece is in Gallery 119, which is not where it should be based on the books!ย
The “Miniature Mask for a Canopic Bundle” on display at the MET
The books I have talk about how this piece was found in the Embalming Cache of Tutankhamun ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐. An embalming cache is a collection of the supplies and materials that were used during the mummification ๐ด๐ง๐๐ ฑ๐ process. The embalming cache was usually kept separate from the actual tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐ itself, though sometimes these supplies were found in the tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐ of the person.
But what exactly is a โMiniature Mask for a Canopic Bundleโ and what is its purpose? Sometimes, small mummy masks were placed on mummified internal organs ๐๐ง๐๐น๐ฆ and then placed in larger jars. However, all of Tutankhamunโs ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐ organs ๐๐ง๐๐น๐ฆ were placed in mini canopic coffins in his tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐, so the purpose of this lone miniature mask is quite confusing – what was it doing in his Embalming Cache?
This mini mask (itโs just over 5 inches in height) is made of cartonnage (a material composed of linen and plaster – like an ancient Egyptian paper mache) and the paint ๐จ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ธ๐ฆ colors on it are still strikingly bright! I love the details of the red ๐ง๐๐๐ , blue ๐๐น๐๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฅ, and blue-green ๐ ๐๐ broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐ and the nemes ๐๐ ๐ด head cloth! The lotus flowers ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ and the vulture, who represents the goddess ๐น๐ Nekhbet ๐๐๐๐ ๐(protector of Upper Egypt and its rulers) are also beautiful ๐ค๐๐ touches!
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Today ๐๐๐๐ณ we are going to look at some Early Dynastic art which is dated to c. 3100 – 2650 B.C.E. Both of these pieces represent turtles ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ! I want to give a shoutout to my friend Matt (@archaeoresearch on Instagram) for inspiring me to look at these pieces more closely!ย
While not as popular as some iconography, throughout Egyptian history, in the early dynastic periods turtles ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ took the form of vessels, palettes ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐ฆ, and even game boards ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐๐ฆ! I love how the ancient Egyptians adopted the natural shape of the animal and incorporated it into their objects!ย
The “Turtle Figurine” (left) and the “Turtle as a Votive Mehen Game” (left)
The piece on the right is โTurtle as a Votive Mehen Game.โ Mehen ๐๐๐ was a popular game ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐๐ฆ during the Old Kingdom and persisted from c. 3,000 B.C.E. to about c. 2,300 B.C.E. The game board usually consists of a coiled snake ๐๐๐๐๐, however in this case, the turtleโs shell contains the concentric circles that is used as the game board!ย
The “Turtle as a Votive Mehen Game”
The piece on the left is referred to as a โTurtle Figurineโ and not much is written about this piece at all! Itโs smaller than the Mehen Turtle, and does not have the circles on it!ย ย
The “Turtle Figurine”
While we donโt have much information about the views on turtles ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ during the early dynastic period, in later religious views, turtles ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ were seen as an ambiguous force because they were creatures of both land ๐พ and water ๐.
Turtles ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ were also seen as the enemy of Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐, and in chapter 162 of the Book of the Dead, it is stated that โMay Ra live, and may the turtle die.โ
If you are interested about turtles ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ in ancient Egypt, there is a great publication from the MET that you can read here!
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Did you know that more statues ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ๐ช of Amenhotep III ๐ณ๐ง๐ have survived compared to any other 18th Dynasty pharaoh ๐๐ป? One of the more interesting ones is this statuette of Amenhotep III ๐ณ๐ง๐ !
Did you know that more statues ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ๐ช of Amenhotep III ๐ณ๐ง๐ have survived compared to any other 18th Dynasty pharaoh ๐๐ป? This is a very interesting statuette of Amenhotep III ๐ณ๐ง๐ ! Amenhotep the III ๐ณ๐ง๐ was the father ๐๐๐ of the infamous pharaoh ๐๐ป Akhenaten ๐๐๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐. Akhenaten ๐๐๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐ was originally named Amenhotep IV ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐น๐พ๐, until he changed his name ๐๐ to reflect the Aten ๐๐๐๐ณ and his change to the Egyptian religion. The first thing that struck me about this statuette was the artistic style. It seems to be very grounded in realism, which is odd because most pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ wanted to be depicted as being in peak physical condition. It also illustrates some aspects of Amarna-style art, such as the previously mentioned realism and the sagging/exaggerated belly. This piece almost seems to be a precursor to the Amarna-style. I find these transition-type pieces so interesting because it seems like the Amarna-style art came out of nowhere, however, pieces like this show us that was not the case. The statuette is made of ebony wood ๐ฑ๐๐บ and has glass inlaid eyes ๐น๐๐ฆ and eyebrows. It consists of the pharaoh standing on a base, and the base contains hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช. The hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช on the base are thought to refer to one of Amenhotep IIIโs ๐ณ๐ง๐ Heb Sed ๐๐๐ด๐ง๐๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช festivals (he ruled for 38 years). The Heb Sed Festival ๐๐๐ด๐ง๐๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช, also known as the โ30 Year Jubilee,โ was meant to celebrate the 30th year of a pharaohโs ๐๐ป reign ๐พ๐๐ and then subsequent years afterwards. The hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช on the base also contain errors, which means it is probably of non-royal production. The exact purpose of the statuette is unknown, but it is thought that it could have been used in a household shrine ๐๐บ to the pharaoh ๐๐ป. Household ๐๐บ statues/shrines actually became popular during the reign of Akhenaten ๐๐๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐. This would also support the idea that this was of non-royal production. Follow me to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, Egyptian mythology, art, culture and more! This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientEgypt#egyptology#egyptianhistory#egyptianmythology#anticoegitto#brooklynmuseum#amenhotepiii#akhenaten#ancientegyptblog
This is a very interesting statuette of Amenhotep III ๐ณ๐ง๐ ! Amenhotep the III ๐ณ๐ง๐ was the father ๐๐๐ of the infamous pharaoh ๐๐ป Akhenaten ๐๐๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐. Akhenaten ๐๐๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐ was originally named Amenhotep IV ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐น๐พ๐, until he changed his name ๐๐ to reflect the Aten ๐๐๐๐ณ and his change to the Egyptian religion.
The first thing that struck me about this statuette was the artistic style. It seems to be very grounded in realism, which is odd because most pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ wanted to be depicted as being in peak physical condition. It also illustrates some aspects of Amarna-style art, such as the previously mentioned realism and the sagging/exaggerated belly.
This piece almost seems to be a precursor to the Amarna-style. I find these transition-type pieces so interesting because it seems like the Amarna-style art came out of nowhere, however, pieces like this show us that was not the case.
The statuette of Amenhotep III ๐ณ๐ง๐ is made of ebony wood ๐ฑ๐๐บ and has glass inlaid eyes ๐น๐๐ฆ and eyebrows. It consists of the pharaoh standing on a base, and the base contains hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช.ย
The hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช on the base are thought to refer to one of Amenhotep IIIโs ๐ณ๐ง๐ Heb Sed ๐๐๐ด๐ง๐๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช festivals (he ruled for 38 years). The Heb Sed Festival ๐๐๐ด๐ง๐๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช, also known as the โ30 Year Jubilee,โ was meant to celebrate the 30th year of a pharaohโs ๐๐ป reign ๐พ๐๐ and then subsequent years afterwards. The hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช on the base also contain errors, which means it is probably of non-royal production.
The exact purpose of the statuette is unknown, but it is thought that it could have been used in a household shrine ๐๐บ to the pharaoh ๐๐ป. Household ๐๐บ statues/shrines actually became popular during the reign of Akhenaten ๐๐๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐. This would also support the idea that this was of non-royal production.ย
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Itโs time for a geology lesson! Today we are going to look at the significance of the red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ used by the ancient Egyptians!
After limestone ๐๐๐๐ and sandstone ๐๐ ฑ๐ง๐๐๐, โAswan Graniteโ was the third most used rock ๐๐๐๐ by the ancient Egyptians! โAswan Graniteโ is actually a collective term used to describe all of the intrusive igneous rocks in the Aswan ๐ด๐น๐๐๐ฒ๐ area, even though they arenโt all granitic!ย
Intrusive igneous rocks ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ are rocks that form when magma solidifies deep under ground over long periods of time. This long period of cooling allows for crystallization to occur, which is why red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ contains large (coarse), beautiful ๐ค๐๐ quartz ๐ ๐๐๐ crystals! Quartz ๐ ๐๐๐ is a very hard and durable mineral, which makes red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ a strong rock ๐๐๐๐.
This strength has caused controversy and skepticism because โhow could the ancient Egyptians have quarried and moved so much granite?โ Well the answer is in the science! Tectonic forces move the granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ towards the surface and the release of that overlying pressure (called unloading) causes the granite to weather into blocks through fracturing and the creation of natural joints. All the ancient Egyptians had to do was find the right sized block for their projects and then ship it up the Nike!
The most common of the โAswan Graniteโ rocks ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ is known as red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ. Red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ was used for many different types of things such as vases, statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช, sarcophagi ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ๐ช, stelae ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ธ๐ฆ, obelisks ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ, and for parts of buildings, temples ๐๐๐๐ช, and even the pyramids ๐๐ ๐๐ด!ย
One of the best examples of these red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช are the ones that used to line Hatshepsutโs ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช temple at Deir el-Bahri ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ (as seen in my picture)! You can see the beautiful colored coarse crystals in the granite!
This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.ย
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Yesterday ๐ด๐๐ณ was quite the interesting day in NY as we experienced an earthquake ๐๐ ฉ๐๐พ in the morning and an aftershock in the evening! We donโt have earthquakes ๐๐ ฉ๐๐พ๐ฆ in NY very often so it was quite the experience for many of us!
The ancient Egyptians believed that Gebโs ๐ ฌ๐๐ญ laughter is what caused earthquakes ๐๐ ฉ๐๐พ๐ฆ to happen! Geb ๐ ฌ๐๐ญ is the god ๐น of the Earthโs ๐พ๐พ surface, which the ancient Egyptians called the Upper Earth. Anything that occurred on the Earthโs ๐พ๐พ surface was considered to be Gebโs ๐ ฌ๐๐ญ domain!
The deity Tatanen ๐ฏ is often associated with things that come from the interior of the Earth ๐พ๐พ (Lower Earth) such as minerals, rocks ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ, and plants ๐พ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฐ! While today we know that earthquakes ๐๐ ฉ๐๐พ๐ฆ come from the interior of the Earth, the ancient Egyptians didnโt know that but itโs still so cool they made this distinction!
The god Geb ๐ ฌ๐๐ญ can be depicted in art in a couple of different ways!ย
Wereshnefer’s sarcophagus at the MET showing Geb and Nut
On Wereshnefer’s sarcophagus is one depiction: Nut ๐๐๐ฏ๐ญ, the goddess ๐น๐ of the sky/cosmos ๐ช๐๐ฏ, is seen as a woman arched over the rounded Earth ๐พ๐พ and is supported by Shu ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ, the god ๐น of the atmosphere.ย At Nut’s ๐๐๐ฏ๐ญ feet is Geb ๐ ฌ๐๐ญ who is represented by feet with two arms holding the rounded Earth ๐พ๐พ!ย
Wereshnefer’s sarcophagus at the MET showing Geb and Nut labeled with their names in heiroglyphs
On the painted depiction, Geb ๐ ฌ๐๐ญ is seen lying underneath the rest of the figures such as Nut ๐๐๐ฏ๐ญ and Shu ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ, the god ๐น of the atmosphere.ย
A painted sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum depicting Nut, Shu, Geb and KhnumA painted sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum depicting Nut, Shu, Geb and Khnum with their names labeled in hieroglyphs
This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.ย
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This limestone ๐๐๐๐ sculpture of the head of the goddess ๐น๐ Hathor ๐ก is one of my favorite pieces that I saw in the Louvre because the intricate details are just striking. This piece is dated to the Ptolemaic Period, and used to be part of a column.ย
Head of Hathor at the Louvre
Hathor ๐ก is one of the most prominent goddesses ๐น๐น๐น๐ of the Egyptian pantheon. Along with Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ, she is regarded as the โGodโs mother ๐ ๐๐นโ of the pharaoh ๐๐ป, but is also the goddess ๐น๐ of love ๐๐, joy ๐ซ๐ฃ๐, music ๐๐๐, and dance ๐๐ ฑ๐ป- basically the fun things in life!
Hathor ๐ก is usually associated with cows ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ช and can take the form of a cow ๐ค๐๐๐๐ in many forms of Egyptian art. One detail that I love about this piece is that Hathor ๐ก is shown with her cow ears! It is very common to see Hathor ๐ก with her cow ๐ค๐๐๐๐ ears in art!
Another detail that I love is how her wig ๐ฟ๐๐๐ธ is decorated with rosettes ๐ฌ๐๐! The carvings are in raised relief, which only makes them stand out more. The work of the ancient Egyptian artists is truly incredible and never fails to amaze me!
Me with the Head of Hathor at the Louvre
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