Author: ancientegyptblog7

Head of Akhenaten or Nefertiti?

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 16, 2024

The MET has this piece listed as “Head of Akhenaten or Nefertiti” but to me, the head looks more like Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭 than Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖! Let me know who you think this piece looks more like in the comments!

This piece is dated to c. 1353–1336 B.C.E., which unsurprisingly is during the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖. The piece was found during the 1891-1892 excavations of Akhetaten 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖 (present-day Amarna) by Flinders Petrie and Howard Carter.

The bust was found in one of the sculptor’s 𓋴𓋹𓈖𓐍𓀀 workshops. The sculptor’s 𓋴𓋹𓈖𓐍𓀀 workshops in Akhetaten 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖 have been the source of many beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 pieces from this time period. I love the artifacts that are found in an unfinished state because it gives such insight into how these incredible ancient Egyptian artists worked and it shows that even the most grand of pieces started off in humble states! If this piece had been finished, would it have looked like the famous Bust of Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭? Or was the piece just meant to be a trial piece and this was what it was supposed to look like?

One of my favorite things about this account is I get to learn as I am teaching! I did not know the word for “sculptor 𓋴𓋹𓈖𓐍𓀀” off the top of my head so I looked it up! One of the alternative translations for “sculptor 𓋴𓋹𓈖𓐍𓀀“ is “Life Giver” which I find so fascinating – it really gives insight into the Egyptian culture because the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 or statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of a person could give 𓏙 life 𓋹 to them after death!

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Tags akhenaten, amarna, artifact, nefertiti, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

The Apis Bull

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 16, 2024

These are bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒. The worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 of the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 can actually be traced back to as early as the First Dynasty!

The Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was associated with fertility and rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 and was mostly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 near the Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 Temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐. People would travel from various locations to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 just to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒, and the mother 𓅐𓏏 of the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒.

While Hathor 𓉡 is probably the most famous of the cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was also very widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 and represented eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛 and the harmonious balance of the whole universe. The Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was usually associated with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 which is probably why a lot of pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 were referred to with the title of the “strong bull 𓂡𓃒.” This was to represent the strength 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 and vitality of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

Usually a live bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 was used to be worshipped, and the bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 needed to have special markings on it such as a triangle shape on its forehead, or patches that represented wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 on its body. When the bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 that was being worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 died, it was embalmed 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and buried elaborately. A new bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 would then take its place.

One of the easiest ways to recognize the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 in statuary is by looking for the sun disc 𓇳 on its head, and the elaborate cloth that is decorating the back of its body. In this picture it’s hard to see the triangle on its forehead that usually represented the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒, but it is there!

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Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Great Sphinx of Tanis

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 16, 2024

Did you know that this sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 in the Louvre is one of the largest outside of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖?

The sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 is known as the “Great Sphinx of Tanis” because it was found in the ruins of the Temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 in Tanis 𓆓𓂝𓈖𓏏𓊖! Tanis 𓆓𓂝𓈖𓏏𓊖 was the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 from the 21st-23rd Dynasties.

The sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 is made of red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 which is an extremely strong 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 and durable rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙! Red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 was very valued not only for its pink color but its durability. As you can see, the sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 retained its beautiful 𓄤 features really well due to the characteristics of the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙

This sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 is so interesting because the cartouches of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 Merneptah 𓇳𓃒𓈖𓈘𓊹𓊹𓊹 (19th Dynasty) and Sheshonq I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓈖𓈎 (22nd Dynasty) are both seen on the sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤. Why are two 𓏻 pharaoh’s 𓉐𓉻 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 there? Well, the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 used to recycle monuments, a process called “usurping.” The practice of usurping was when the current pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 would take old pharaoh’s 𓉐𓉻 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 off of monuments 𓏠𓏍 and put their own there! It is basically ancient plagiarism and it occurred quite frequently.

Some Egyptologists say this sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 actually dates back to the Old Kingdom, as the face 𓁶𓏺 doesn’t represent any known pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! A book that I have says the sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 dates to the Middle Kingdom. We will probably never know when the sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 was carved which is both fascinating and frustrating at the same time!

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Tags artifact, louvre, sphinx

Egyptian Artifacts

Painted Wooden Stela

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 16, 2024

This painted wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is an absolutely beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 piece from the Third Intermediate Period (22nd Dynasty, c. 825–712 B.C.E.) and one of my favorites to see at the MET.

Painted Wooden Stela at the MET

This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 depicts the god 𓊹 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 leading the deceased woman, Tjanetiset, to the deity 𓊹 Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤. This imagery 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is very common on stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 from this time period. Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 is the combination of the deities Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 and Horus 𓅃𓀭 and he is the god 𓊹 of the morning sun 𓅃𓈌𓏏𓏭𓀭. Images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 and depictions of Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 in funerary art became more prominent during the Late Period.

I love this piece so much because it looks like Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 and the woman Tjanetiset are holding hands and he is leading her to Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤! What’s very interesting is what is in Tjanetiset’s other hand! If you look closely, she is holding a heart in her hand 𓇋𓃀𓄣 and it looks like she is holding it in an offering position to Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤.

In ancient Egyptian religion/culture, the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not only the center of a person’s life 𓋹, but also thinking, memory, and moral values. The heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not removed during the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process, because the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person would need it on their journey through the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

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Tags anubis, artifact, gods and goddesses, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Akhenaten and Nefertiti

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 16, 2024

When I went to the Louvre in 2015, this was one of my must-see pieces! The love story of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Nefertiti 𓄤𓏏𓇍𓍘𓁗 has always fascinated me . This painted limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 reminds me of the popular “couples statues,” which depict a husband and wife sitting together, that were prominent in burials during the Old Kingdom!

Nefertiti 𓄤𓏏𓇍𓍘𓁗 was the “Great Royal Wife 𓇓𓏏𓈞𓏏𓅨” of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖. This statue depicts Nefertiti 𓄤𓏏𓇍𓍘𓁗 (left) and Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 (right) holding hands and walking forward. We know they are walking forward because one foot is placed in front of the other.

Let’s talk about their clothing! They both have sandals 𓍿𓃀𓏏𓋸𓏪 on their feet and wearing broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝𓏦, the necklace 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 of choice for royals and the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹. Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is also wearing the blue Khepresh crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 on his head, while Nefertiti appears to be wearing what looks like the red crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔, but there is blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 on it! . The Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 is still present on the front of both crowns!

What was the purpose of this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾? This most likely came from a private home, where it was used in a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Nefertiti 𓄤𓏏𓇍𓍘𓁗. The common people would worship Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Nefertiti 𓄤𓏏𓇍𓍘𓁗 because they were thought to be manifestations 𓆣𓆣𓆣 of the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 here on Earth.

The typical Amarna-style (elongated faces and limbs, more body fat in the stomach and thighs) is present here, which makes it very easy to identify these figures as Nefertiti 𓄤𓏏𓇍𓍘𓁗 and Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖. The Amarna art revolution is so interesting because Egyptian art didn’t change much until Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 rule, then there was this drastic change, and then once Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 died, the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 reverted back to the traditional art style and it stated that way for the rest of the civilization.

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Tags akhenaten, amarna, artifact, louvre, nefertiti

Reading Hieroglyphs

Book of the Dead

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 16, 2024

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 from the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺!

Book of the Dead on display at the British Museum!

There is so much going on in this little image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 from the British Museum!

The hieroglyphs for “Hail Osiris 𓉔𓇋𓇋𓀁𓁹𓊨𓊹” are highlighted in this image

The first line has the inscription “𓉔𓇋𓇋𓀁𓁹𓊨𓊹,” which would be translated as “Hail 𓉔𓇋𓇋𓀁 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓊹.”

I love the word “𓉔𓇋𓇋𓀁,” because it has so many different meanings depending on the context! Phonetically, it would most likely be pronounced as “hey 𓉔𓇋𓇋𓀁” which is one of the ways it can be translated! “𓉔𓇋𓇋𓀁” can mean hey/hi/hello in some contexts, it can also mean “hail” like translated above, but it’s also sometimes translated as “cheer, rejoice, shout, or oh!.” If there is a different determinative after the first two symbols “𓉔𓇋𓇋,” it will also change the meaning!

I’ve mentioned this before but I love the “captions” that the ancient Egyptians would put next to gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 in the art so you know which deity you are looking at! In the bottom image you can see Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 who are three prominent funerary deities with the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 of the deceased.

The hieroglyphs for important deities are highlighted in this image.

Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 are also in the top image on the barge with the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 of the deceased. Much like how they would appear on coffins, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇 is always at the feet of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 while Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 is at the head of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾.

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Tags book of the dead, british museum, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs

Reading Hieroglyphs

Hatshepsut’s Ovoid Stone

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date August 28, 2024

This piece is known as an “Ovoid Stone” or a “Hammering Stone” and was probably used as a type of tool during building construction.

A closeup image of the Ovoid Stone and the hieroglyphs on it!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! I divided the inscription into two parts, and then translated each of the individual words so you can get a sense of the sentence structure used in the Middle/New Egyptian language!! Here’s the first row:

𓊹𓏏𓄤(𓇳𓁦𓂓)𓁹𓈖𓊃𓅓𓏠𓏍𓊃𓏛𓆑𓊃𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺

𓊹𓏏𓄤 – Great Goddess

𓇳𓁦𓂓 – Maatkare

𓁹𓈖 – to make/to do/born of

𓊃 – she

𓅓 – for

𓏠𓏍𓊃𓏛- monument

𓆑 – father

𓊃 – her

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 – Amun-Re

“The Great Goddess, Maatkare, she made the monument for her father, Amun-Re…”

And here’s the second row:

𓐍𓆑𓏸𓍱𓈙𓁷𓏸𓇋𓏠𓈖𓂦𓏛𓂦𓅱𓉐𓁹𓊃𓋹𓍘

𓐍𓆑 – in front of/at (a preposition)

𓏸𓍱𓈙 – Stretching of the Cord

𓁷𓏸 – over

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

𓂦𓏛𓂦𓅱𓉐 – Holiest of Holies

𓁹𓊃𓋹𓍘 – May She Live / That They Live

“…at the stretching of the cord over the Holiest of Holies Amun, May She Live!”

The “Stretching of the Cord” was part of the foundation ritual that occurred when a building was constructed in ancient Egypt. “Holiest of Holies” is the name for Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahri.

A larger view of the display that contains the Ovoid Stone

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Tags artifact, hatshepsut, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

The King’s List and Hatshepsut

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date August 28, 2024

Me with the King’s List at the British Museum.

Here I am with the King’s List in the British Museum! In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, I’m pointing to where Hatshepsut’s 𓇳𓁦𓂓 name 𓂋𓈖 should be because she was one of the pharaohs left off the list – she was left off because she was considered to be a non-legitimate pharaoh.

Me with the King’s List at the British Museum.

The point of the King Lists was not to preserve history for future generations, rather the main objective was to glorify the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, and as we know, pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 were considered gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on Earth. These lists allowed Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 to assert their legitimacy amongst the old pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.

A closeup of the cartouches on the King’s List

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to look at the Throne Name cartouches of the 18th Dynasty pharaohs to show where Hatshepsut’s 𓇳𓁦𓂓 name is missing! We will start reading from the right since the hieroglyphs point in that direction!

𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓 – Thutmosis I “Great is the manifestation of the soul of Ra”

𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖 – Thutmosis II “Great is the manifestation of Ra”

𓇳𓏠𓆣 – Tutmosis III “Lasting is the Manifestation of Ra”

𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖 – Amenhotep II “Great is the manifestation of Ra”

𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼 – Thutmosis IV “Lasting are the Manifestations of Ra”

𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Amenhotep III “Possessor of the Truth of Ra”

As you can see, the cartouches jump right from Thutmosis II 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖 to Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 and totally skip Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓!

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Tags artifact, british museum, hatshepsut, hieroglyphs, seti i

Reading Hieroglyphs Ushabti Friends

Ushabtis and Hieroglyphs

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date August 28, 2024

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to combine two of my favorite things: ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 and hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

This display combines two of my favorite things: Ushabtis and Hieroglyphs! This ushabti belonged to a woman named Isis and is on display at the MET.

This ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made out of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 and was made for a woman named Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓁐 who was ironically a singer for the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 !

This ushabti 𓐙𓏏𓂝𓊤 was made during the 18th Dynasty reign of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖. The 18th Dynasty is almost the “golden age” of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 because they undergo much development during this time period. It’s very easy to date this ushabti because the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 was only worshipped during his reign! Also, the ushabti’s 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 hands are crossed in a mummiform way and holding tools – another 18th Dynasty clue!

Here’s the full inscription on the ushabti: 𓇓𓂝𓏏𓈖𓅮𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓁐𓐙𓏏𓂝𓊤

Let’s break down the inscription by each individual word:

𓇓𓂝𓏏 – Singer

𓈖 – of

𓅮 – (indicates past tense)

𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 – Aten

𓊨𓏏𓆇𓁐 – Isis

𓐙𓏏𓂝𓊤 – True of Voice/justified

While limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 is not the most common material for ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 to be made out of, it’s not unheard of to have ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 like this during the 18th Dynasty period.

It always fascinates me that even though Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 completely changed the whole ancient Egyptian religion during his reign, certain aspects of the original religion, such as ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾, remained.

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

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Tags akhenaten, artifact, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, shabti, the met, ushabti, ushabti friends

Reading Hieroglyphs

The Tomb Chapel of Raemkai

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date August 28, 2024

The images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏥 in this post are from the West Wall of the Tomb Chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐 of Raemkai. The West 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 is significant in ancient Egypt because the West 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 is the realm of the dead. In a typical tomb chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐 built during the Old Kingdom, the West Wall would have a False Door and then scenes that would be typical of offering rituals.

In the ancient Egyptian religion/culture, it was thought that the carvings on the walls of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 could come to life. If people were depicted providing food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 to the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, then it was thought that the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would have enough sustenance for the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐!

Tomb Chapel of Raemkai -this first image shows a butchering scene

This first image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is a closeup of the wall to the right of the False Door, which shows a butchering 𓂋𓐍𓋴 scene. Meat 𓆑𓄹 was one of the most important offerings 𓂠𓏍 that could be given to the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 which is why this type of scene would be included in a tomb chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐.

While you can probably tell that the people in this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 are butchering 𓂋𓐍𓋴𓌪 cattle 𓃒𓏦, in case you did not know, the ancient Egyptians put it in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

In the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏, you can see the word “𓂋𓐍𓋴” which means “to slaughter” or “to butcher.” This word can also be written as “𓂋𓐍𓋴𓌪” which is the same word but with the determinative at the end! I prefer it when the words have determinatives because it makes everything easier to read!

If you look closely, the 𓋴 symbol is actually carved backwards which confused me at first because if you read the word the opposite way, it becomes “𓋴𓂋𓐍” which translates as “to know/to learn” which does not make sense in the context of the scene!

So here are some new vocabulary words for you:

𓂋𓐍𓋴 to slaughter/to butcher

𓋴𓂋𓐍 to know/to learn

Tomb Chapel of Raemkai -this image shows a butchering scene

This second image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is also a closeup of the wall to the right of the False Door, which also shows a butchering 𓂋𓐍𓋴 scene. Meat 𓆑𓄹 was one of the most important offerings 𓂠𓏍 that could be given to the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱!

While you can probably tell that the people in this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 are butchering 𓂋𓐍𓋴𓌪 cattle 𓃒𓏦, in case you did not know, the ancient Egyptians put it in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! I love these ancient Egyptian “captions” because there aren’t a lot of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 so it’s not too overwhelming to translate if you’re just starting out!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here is a breakdown of the inscription 𓊮𓇋𓆑𓏏𓆑𓄹:

𓊮 – to cook/to bake

𓇋𓆑𓏏 – bone marrow

𓆑𓄹 – meat

This tomb chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐 is on display at the MET and is absolutely beautiful to go in and explore! Here’s a tip for your next visit: it is kind of hidden and located directly across from the Blue Faience Tiles from Saqqara and it’s not very crowded so you can really enjoy it!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, old kingdom, the met

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