Montuhotep II’s Birth Name

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today we are going to be looking at the birth name cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 for the Middle Kingdom pharaoh Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪!

Montuhotep II’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 name is a combination of two different Middle Egyptian words! Let’s break down the two words:

𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 – Montu (𓏠 – mn) (𓈖 – n) (𓍿- t) (𓅱 – u/w)
𓊵𓏏𓊪 – Hotep (𓊵 – htp) (𓏏 – t) (𓊪 – p)

Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 refers to of the falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 headed god 𓊹 of war who was mainly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖. The word “hotep/htp 𓊵𓏏𓊪” translates to the word “satisfied” or “content.” The word “hotep/htp 𓊵𓏏𓊪” can also mean “offering” or “peace!” The name 𓂋𓈖 Montuhotep 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 means “Montu is satisfied” or “Montu is content.”

Let’s take a closer look at the symbols!

The “𓏠 game board and pieces” is a biliteral phonogram. The “ 𓏠” is associated with the sound “mn” which could be pronounced like “men,” “mun,” “mon,” etc.

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is a uniliteral phonogram associated with the sound of “n!” Here it is a phonetic complement!

The “𓍿 hobble/tie” is a uniliteral phonogram sign associated with the sounds of “ṯ” or “t.”

The “Quail Chick 𓅱” is uniliteral phonogram that is representative of the sound w/u.

The “bread loaf on 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.” Here it is a phonetic complement!

The “stool 𓊪” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “p.” Here it is a phonetic complement!

Read about Montuhotep II’s Throne Name in this post!

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