Priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 and the Priesthood 𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏏𓏭𓇼𓀀 were important roles in Egyptian society because religion was so central to life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. However, priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 did not preach to the public – their main role was to care for the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the temples. The priesthood 𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏏𓏭𓇼𓀀 was established during the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150-2613 B.C.E.) and became more developed during the Old Kingdom (c. 2613-2181 B.C.E.). The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 ceased to exist in the New Kingdom forward.
Throughout inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥, we are used to seeing the word for priest/high priest as “𓊹𓍛” which literally translates to “God’s Servant.” However, in the Old and Middle Kingdoms, there were special priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 who were referred to as “Sem” 𓋴𓅓 priests.
The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 were the priests who were responsible for the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony 𓄋𓏏𓂋𓏺. The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 performed this while dressed in leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin robes, and this ceremony is what allowed the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to be able to speak, see, hear, eat and drink in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 were also responsible for mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎; so they embalmed the corpse and recited all of the spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 while wrapping the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾.
The word we see here in the inscription, 𓋴𓅓𓎡, is a title that the Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 had, and can even be a variant way to write just Sem Priest 𓋴𓅓.
Sem Priest 𓋴𓅓 can also be written with a determinative, and can be spelled as: 𓋴𓅓𓀀, 𓋴𓅓𓀙, 𓋴𓅓𓀼.
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a word that sometimes pops up in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥! These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are from a Middle Kingdom relief which is dated to the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 (c. 2010-2000 B.C.E.).
This simple word (or phrase in English) “𓈖𓈖𓎡” could mean either “belongs to me,” “mine,” or “on my part.”
The “ripple of water 𓈖” is a uniliteral phonogram sign, which means it has the sound of a single consonant. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” The 𓈖 has many grammatical functions on its own, and it can mean “to,” “of,” “for,” “we/us/our,” “in,” “because,” “through,” and some others! How do we know which word it is? Context clues!
The “Basket with a Handle 𓎡” symbol is also a uniliteral phonogram that has the sound of “k.” A lot of people get this one confused with just the “basket 𓎟” symbol which is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound “nb.” These are very different symbols with different meanings so try not to confuse the two!
Another way to write “𓈖𓈖𓎡” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is “𓈖𓈖𓎡𓇋𓀀,” which is a more uncommon variant.
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol! This symbol can act as both a determinative and an ideogram! It can be used as a determinative in the word for “King 𓇓𓀴” and also as a determinative for “Osiris 𓁹𓇓𓀴.”
The “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol is also one the many symbols that can be used as an ideogram to solely represent the word for “King 𓀴” in both titles and phrases.
The “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol is a variant of the symbol “King With a White Crown 𓀲” and the two symbols can usually be used interchangeably with each other in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!
Here are some ways we can use “𓀴” in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!
𓇓𓏏𓀴 – King of Upper Egypt/King
𓆤𓏏𓀴/𓆤𓏏𓀴𓏥 – King of Lower Egypt/King
𓀴 – King
𓁹𓇓𓀴 – Osiris/The Osiris King
𓁹𓊨𓂋𓀴 – Osiris
So if you see the “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol in an inscription, you are probably looking at a word that has to do with either a King or Osiris!
These pieces are known as Magical Stelae, or a Cippus.
The Cippus depicts Horus 𓅃𓀭 (or technically Harpokrates 𓅃𓀭𓅮𓄿𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭, the Greek version of Horus 𓅃𓀭) standing on two 𓏻 crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏥 and holding other dangerous animals such as snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 and scorpions 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫𓏪 in each hand. The god 𓊹 Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 also appears above Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 head 𓁶𓏺. Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 was known to ward off evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 and bad luck.
Normally, stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 were used to commemorate the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 so a Cippus is almost like a protective amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 in the form of a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸. This Cippus was used by the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. Since the Old Kingdom, Horus 𓅃𓀭 was called upon as a defender against snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 or scorpion 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫 bites. Placing the Cippus on a wound would evoke its magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 and healing powers. Cippus stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 like this were usually kept in homes 𓉐𓏦 due to their protective nature.
Cippus pieces have also been found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪, so we can assume that the Egyptians thought it not only would help protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 , but the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 too.
One thing I love about this display at the Louvre is now all of the Cippus pieces are together 𓈖𓊗 in one single case! I also think the one in the middle, the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 holding a Cippus is very unique; this was the first time I saw a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 like that!
This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is dedicated to Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 who was a minor wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 of Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼 and mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠.
This statue was originally meant to show Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 on a sacred boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞(her body has been broken off). The boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 has the goddess Hathor 𓉡 on the front. The sides of the boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 are inscribed with the name and titles of Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 along with a carving of the Wedjat 𓂀. Cartouches showing the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 and Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 are also inscribed on the boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞.
Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 held many titles such as the “Great King’s Wife His Beloved 𓇓𓏏𓏏𓈞𓅩𓂋𓏏𓈘𓆑,” “Lady of the Two Lands 𓎛𓏌𓏏𓇿𓇿,” “God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐,” and “King’s Mother 𓇓𓅐.” The latter two titles mean the same thing – since the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 (Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠) was a god 𓊹 on Earth 𓇾𓇾.
Something interesting though that these titles listed above were only used after the death of Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼. It seems that Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 elevated his mother’s 𓅐𓏏𓁐 status when he became the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. In the Luxor Temple, Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 is depicted in the reliefs of the divine birth of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 – and these reliefs are almost an exact copy of the ones from the divine birth of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐.
The boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is made of the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 granodiorite, which is an igneous (volcanic) rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 that is kind of the mix of both granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 and diorite. Granodiorite is an intrusive rock, meaning it formed underground, which also makes it a very strong and durable piece of material!
This is definitely the largest scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 that I have ever seen! I was shocked when I saw just how big it was in the British Museum! I have honestly never seen anything like it in any of the other museums I have visited!
This scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 represented Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭 the god 𓊹 that was associated with the “rising of the sun 𓅃𓈌𓏏𓏭𓀭” (these hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 translate to “sun at dawn”) and thus he is associated with life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and rebirth. Scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 were extremely popular as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, and were considered to have the strongest 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 powers.
The “scarab beetle 𓆣” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 symbol is a determinative, ideogram and phonogram symbol! It is associated with the sound ḫpr (like “Kheper”) is also used to write the words “evolve,” “manifestation,” and “become.”
From a geologic perspective, this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is made of the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 diorite. Diorite is an intrusive igneous rock (meaning it forms underground from the solidification of magma). Diorite is an extremely durable rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 (one of the strongest found on Earth 𓇾𓇾), and is comparable to granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 in terms of strength and method of formation.
However, diorite usually doesn’t contain a lot quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙, a very strong 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 mineral which is abundant in granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿, hence the difference between the two 𓏻 rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦. One of the reasons why this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is so well preserved, is probably due to the strength of the diorite! Diorite, like granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿, was usually mined by the Egyptians in Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓌕𓊖
As you all know, ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 is one of my biggest passions, however I actually have degrees in Earth and Environmental science! I love combining my passions for Egyptian history and geology together 𓈖𓊗!
This very simple limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 from the reign of Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 (Dynasty 11, c. 2051–2030 B.C.E.) and belonged to a priestess 𓊹𓍛 of Hathor 𓉡 named Henhenet 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏. This is one of my favorite pieces to see at the MET specifically because of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that the sarcophagus has inscribed on it!
This sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 shows the standard offering formula, the name 𓂋𓈖of the deity 𓊹, and the titles associated with that deity 𓊹. This standard way of writing the offering formula is extremely common, and if you know it, you will be able to recognize it anywhere!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:
𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓎟𓇾𓂦
𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 An Offering the King Gives
𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 – Anubis
𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑 – Upon his Hill/Mountain
𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎- He Who is in the Mummy Wrappings (can also be written as 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖)
𓎟𓇾𓂦 – Lord of the Sacred Land
Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 held many important titles, all of which signify how important he was to not only embalming, but to all aspects of a person’s death 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The title “Upon His Hill/Mountain 𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑” references the cliff that usually surrounded necropolises, which Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 would preside over. The title “He who is in the mummy wrappings 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖“ signifies Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 role in the mummification process, which is what he is most known for. “Lord of the Sacred Land 𓎟𓇾𓂦” refers to the necropolis or cemeteries that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 would guard.
While this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 contains a lot of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 titles, one that does not appear on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is “Lord of the Necropolis 𓎟𓇾𓂦𓈊.”
Also, Anubis’ name 𓂋𓈖 is shortened here and is missing a symbol: it is written as 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 instead of 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! I see this a lot with Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖, and it is done to save space!
Here is the second 𓏌𓏻 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥!
𓈎𓂋𓌠𓋴𓁀𓉬𓄤𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓅓𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓋴𓈖𓊼𓉓𓐍𓂋𓃣𓏅𓊹𓉱
𓈎𓂋𓌠𓋴𓁀𓉬 – Burial (I don’t have the composite hieroglyph on the sarcophagus so I used the two symbols here)
𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏- Good
𓅓 – In Her
𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 – Tomb
𓋴𓈖𓊼 – Necropolis
𓉓 – A Voice Offering
𓐍𓂋 – Before
𓃣 – Anubis
𓏅 – In Front At
𓊹𓉱 – God’s Booth (Shrine for Anubis)
So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, the second 𓏌𓏻 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 reads: “A good burial in her tomb of the necropolis with a voice offering before Anubis, in front at the god’s booth…”
The first 𓏅 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 (from yesterday’s post) contains a lot about Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, and this second part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 continues with that theme! Here we can see Anubis’ 𓃣 title “In Front at the God’s Booth 𓏅𓊹𓉱” in which “God’s Booth 𓊹𓉱” refers to a shrine specifically dedicated to Anubis 𓃣 himself! This second 𓏌𓏻 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 also only uses the determinative symbol of “𓃣” to spell out Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖!
Here is the third part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥:
𓊹𓉱𓈖𓇋𓌳𓄪𓐍𓇌𓏏𓇓𓏏𓆭𓌡𓏏𓏏𓉡𓊹𓍛𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏𓐙𓅱𓏏𓊤
𓊹𓉱 – God’s Booth (Shrine for Anubis)
𓈖𓇋- For The/By The
𓌳𓄪𓐍𓇌𓏏 – Venerated/Revered
𓇓 – King
𓏏𓆭𓌡𓏏𓏏 – Sole Ornament
𓉡 – Hathor
𓊹𓍛 – High Priestess
𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏 – Henhenet
𓐙𓅱𓏏𓊤 – True of Voice
The title “Sole Ornament of the King 𓇓𓏏𓆭𓌡𓏏𓏏” carried a lot of prestige, but no real responsibility or authority! The word “sole” in this case does not mean “unique” as we would define it in English, but rather signified a high social rank. Henhenet’s 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏 true role was as a High Priestess 𓊹𓍛 of Hathor 𓉡, which is why she was able to be buried in a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭!
I also love how Henhenet’s 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏 name 𓂋𓈖 is spelled because it is very phonetic – 𓉔 = h, 𓈖 = n, and 𓏏 = t so when we add in the “soft e” to make it pronounceable to us modern people, we get Henhenet 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏! There’s also no determinative here, and her name could have also possibly been written as 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏𓁐!
This piece is a large offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 that was dedicated to the god 𓊹 Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 by the 19th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠.
There is a lot going on with this piece! On the reliefs, Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 can be seen worshipping thegod Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, whose likeness has been erased. During the Ramesside time period, many pharaohs had “Seth” as part of their name 𓂋𓈖 because Seth’s 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 status was elevated at the time due to him being both a powerful aggressor and being associated with foreign lands. Once Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 fell out of favor, his name 𓂋𓈖/images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 were no longer used. Seth’s image is even removed, except for when he is mentioned in Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 name 𓂋𓈖! The image of the goddess 𓊹𓏏Nephthys 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓉐𓁐 has not been erased, because even though she is the consort of Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, she was considered a favorable figure in Egyptian mythology.
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, we see Seti I’s Horus Name: 𓅃𓃒𓂡𓅓𓈍𓋆𓋴𓋹𓈖𓐍𓈙𓈙 “The Strong bull who appeared in Thebes and sustains the Two Lands.”
In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, we see Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the goddess 𓊹𓏏Nephthys 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓉐𓁐 (her name 𓂋𓈖 is written above her), who is the consort of Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣. We can also see Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 titles and cartouches:
𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt
𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands
(𓇳𓁦𓏠) – Menmaatra (throne name)
(𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖) – Seti, Beloved of Ptah (birth name)
𓏙 – Given
𓆖 – Eternity
In the next picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 (above) we see the cartouches again, and Seti worshipping Seth. The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 translate to:
𓏙 – Given
𓋹 – Life
𓆑 – His
𓊽 – Stability
𓌀 – Strength
So all together, the inscription reads: “𓏙𓋹𓆑𓊽𓌀 Given Life, His Stability and Strength.”
The last picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 (above) is another variant of the Horus name!
I always find pieces such as these so fascinating, because upon first look, it looks like just a large slab of rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙. But in reality, there is so much to analyze and unpack when it comes to the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 and the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, and how they relate to the time period, and even the time periods that came long after this piece was made. While it was made during the 19th Dynasty (reign of Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖), it was definitely altered afterwards.
This is such a beautiful 𓄤 relief and it is actually from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠! The tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 is the largest in the Valley of the Kings and it is also my Nonno’s favorite of all the tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪! This relief is now located at the Louvre in France.
The relief shows Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡. Hathor 𓉡 was known as the Lady of the West 𓎟𓏏𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 (the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐). The West 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 and the Underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 were equated by the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 because the sun 𓇳𓏺 set in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊! This is why all of the Egyptian tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 are located on the western 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 side of the Nile!
Here, Hathor 𓉡 is seen welcoming Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 into her domain, while offering him a menat necklace 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧, which was a symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. They are even holding hands 𓂧𓏏𓏺!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓉡 – Hathor 𓁶𓁷𓏏𓏏𓊖𓋆 – Chief one of Thebes 𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands (𓇳𓁦𓏠) – Menmaatra (throne name – “Eternal is the Truth of Ra”) 𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances (𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁵𓇌𓈘𓈖) – Seti, Beloved of Ptah (birth name – this is an uncommon variant that uses the Osiris 𓁵 symbol instead of the Seth 𓁣 symbol) 𓏙𓋹𓇳𓏇𓏺𓆖 – Given Eternal Life, Like Ra
This is the lid of an ointment 𓌸𓎛𓏏𓎯𓃋 jar that has some beautiful 𓄤 hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 inscribed on it! One thing that is so interesting about Old and Middle Kingdom cartouches is that sometimes the titles and epithets associated with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 are also enclosed in the cartouche, not just the name 𓂋𓈖 itself!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to start reading from the right, because the directional symbols are pointing to the right!
Here is the full inscription: 𓋹𓊹𓄤𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱𓇔 𓊅𓆑𓌸𓇌
Now let’s break it down!
𓋹 – May He Live/Life
𓊹𓄤 – The Perfect God
𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖 – Senwosret
𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 – Ptah
𓇔 – South
𓊅 – Wall
𓆑 – His
𓌸𓇌 – Beloved
So the full inscription reads: “May He Live, the Perfect God, Senwosret, Beloved of Ptah, South of His Wall.” The last part, “South of His Wall,” refers to Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖, which was the main cult center where Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢.
It is actually quite hard to have an exact date for this piece because Senwosret 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖, the birth name of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, was used a bunch of times! There’s Senwosret I, II, and III who all use this birth name on their monuments! Unless the throne name is also present, we don’t know which Senwosret 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖 this is! Since the piece just has the name 𓂋𓈖 Senwosret 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖 on it, we know the jar lid is from the 12th Dynasty, but it could have been made between the dates of 1961–1840 B.C.E.
The symbol underneath the cartouche is the Hieratic symbol for the number 20!
