Author: ancientegyptblog7

When we last went to the MET on my birthday, I was so excited because my sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 pointed to this relief and said that these symbols meant “eternity 𓆖” and I felt so proud! My sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 always reads my posts and has always been my biggest supporter (besides Nonno) in my study of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Eternity 𓆖 was a concept central to ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 religion and culture. Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that “death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 is only the beginning” and it was the start of their journey to eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹. The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that once they reached the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖, they were going to live the rest of eternity 𓆖 in paradise.

In the Old Kingdom, tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 (a pit, tomb shaft or structure made of mudbrick [mastaba]) were starting to be referred to as the “House of Eternity 𓉐𓆖.” Tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 made of rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 were considered the best due to the durability of stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪: so stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 was also a representation of eternity 𓆖!

The word “eternity 𓆖“ appears frequently in so many inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 – if you can recognize the word, you will be able to pick it out in any museum you visit!

Let’s learn some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!! Here we see an inscription with the symbols “𓃹𓈖𓆑.”

The “hare 𓃹” is normally used as a phonogram, which means that it is a symbol that represents sounds, and is usually part of a larger word! The hare 𓃹 is a biliteral sign which means it represents two consonants. The 𓃹 represents the sounds “wn.”

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is also a phonogram sign, except it is uniliteral sign, which means that it just represents one consonant. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!”

The “horned viper 𓆑” functions as both a phonogram and a determinative. 𓆑 is also a uniliteral symbol and represents the sound “f.” 𓆑 can function as a determinative in the word “father 𓇋𓏏𓆑.” “Father” can also be written as: 𓇋𓏏𓀀, 𓇋𓏏𓆑𓀀, 𓏏𓆑, or 𓏏𓆑𓀀 and in some cases, both “𓆑” and “𓀀“ function as determinatives because neither were pronounced!

When put together, 𓃹𓈖𓆑 reads like “wnf.” The word 𓃹𓈖𓆑, means “to be glad” or “to be happy.”

Let’s learn some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!! Here we see an inscription with the symbols “ 𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖.” This is a really popular introduction to an inscription and it translates to “Words spoken by… 𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖.” “𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖” is usually followed by the name 𓂋𓈖 of a god 𓊹 or goddess 𓊹𓏏.

The “cobra 𓆓” is a phonogram, which means that it is a symbol that represents sounds, and is usually part of a larger word! The cobra 𓆓 is a uniliteral sign, so it represents just one consonant. It represents the sound “ḏ” which would almost sound like a “j” when pronounced.

The “staff or walking stick 𓌃” functions as both a phonogram (in this phrase) and as an ideogram (for the word “ staff 𓌃𓏺”). 𓌃 is a triliteral phonogram symbol and represents the sound “mdw.”

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is also a phonogram sign, and it is also uniliteral sign. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!”

The “reed 𓇋” is a uniliteral phonogram for “ı͗,” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.”

When put together, 𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖 reads like “ḏd mdw ı͗n.” The word 𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖, means “words spoken by…” or “speech by…”

Somewhat off-topic, but you probably recognize “𓌃” from the word for hieroglyphs (𓊹𓌃𓏪)! “Hieroglyphs” can translate to “god’s speech” –
𓊹 – God
𓌃 – Speech/Speak
𓏪 – makes the word plural