This year for Christmas/Advent, my sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏𓁐 made our Mom 𓅐𓏏𓁐 an advent calendar of beautiful 𓄤 homemade ornaments for the Christmas tree 𓆭𓅓𓆭 using pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 from past Christmases! One of the pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 she chose was a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of us at the MET with Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪! This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 definitely qualifies as “Christmas Themed” because my sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏𓁐 is wearing a Santa hat, plus this was actually taken during Christmas 2015!
My Nonno loved Christmas and he loved spending Christmas together 𓈖𓊗 as a family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦. Christmas 2019 was my Nonno’s last Christmas, and I’m so glad we got to spend it with him. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (we celebrate both days) are very hard now that he isn’t here with us. I miss him so, so much.
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 – this time it will be Christmas 🎄 themed vocabulary!
𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼 – Star
𓆭𓅓𓆭 – Tree
𓄫𓂝𓏺 – Gift, Present
𓅐𓏏𓁐 – Mother
𓈖𓐍𓈖𓀕 – Baby/Infant
𓌙𓏲𓏏𓅂𓏛𓋾 – Shepherd
𓄫𓄣𓏏/𓄫𓏏𓄣𓏺/𓄫𓄣𓏺/𓄫𓄣 – Joy, Happiness (Wide Heart)
𓉔𓂋𓏏𓏛 – Peace
𓉔𓈖𓇋𓄿𓏸𓏦 – Sweet Food
𓊃𓂋𓈎𓏲𓈗𓈘𓈇 – Snow
𓈖𓊗 – Together
𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 – Family
From me 𓁐 and my family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 to yours, I hope you all have a joyful 𓄫𓄣𓏏, happy 𓄫𓄣𓏺, and Merry Christmas 🎄!
The star 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼 design is one of my absolute favorites to see. As someone who has always been fascinated by space and astronomy, I love how the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 incorporated astronomical concepts not just into their language and religion, but into their art as well. I even have this star 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼 design as my phone case!
This design appears on the ceilings of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 (Seti I’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 comes to mind), temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪 (Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐) and even on funerary objects 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 like canopic jar cases! The star hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃 symbol 𓇼 was used very frequently in words as well and there are different variations of star symbols (𓇻, 𓇽).
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 I chose to highlight the star 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼 design because a five 𓏾 pointed star 𓇼, just like the hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃 symbol, appeared over the manger in Bethlehem when Jesus was born and guided the Wise Men to his birthplace. Known as the “Christmas Star” or the “Star of Bethlehem,” this star 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼 was seen as a sign that the Messiah had been born. I have always loved Nativity scenes, and the symbolism behind the star 𓇼 shining above the Nativity. The star is even mentioned in The Bible:
Matthew 2:9-10 : …and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
I love this verse because I too feel overjoyed when I see stars 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓏪 – whether it’s the stars in the sky 𓆼𓅡𓋴𓇼𓇼𓇼, stars 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓏪 on top of Christmas Trees, stars 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓏪 on Egyptian art or in hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃 inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥. Stars 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓏪 are the light in the darkness – and I hope your holidays are filled with light and love.
Today’s 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 are from Nonno’s point of view! While I have never been to the Museo Egizio in Torino, my Nonno had been there many times and always spoke so highly of it. He took these photos 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 on one of his trips there. He spoke about this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 a lot because he thought it was just stunning 𓄤. It is one of my dreams to go to the Museo Egizio one day – I just wish Nonno and I could have gone there together 𓈖𓊗.
Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓
This granodiorite 𓏠𓈖𓏏𓏏𓊌 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 is one of the most majestic pieces in the museum’s collection and one of the most lifelike statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 there is of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖. This may just be mine (and Nonno’s) opinion, but I think it is one of the most majestic of all of the pharaonic statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 (Besides Hatshepsut’s of course)!!!
Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 is depicted here wearing the khepresh crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 (also known as the blue crown) and he is holding a scepter 𓋾 in his hand. On his feet he is wearing sandals 𓍿𓃀𓏏𓋸𓏪, but under those sandals 𓍿𓃀𓏏𓋸𓏪 are nine bows 𓉺𓏏𓌔𓏦 which represent the enemies 𓐍𓆑𓏏𓀏𓏪 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!
On either side of Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 legs, there are two 𓏻 smaller figures. On the right side is Queen Nefertari 𓏏𓅑𓄤𓏏𓇋𓏮𓈖𓈘𓏏 and on the left is Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 and Nefertari’s 𓏏𓅑𓄤𓏏𓇋𓏮𓈖𓈘𓏏 first 𓏃 born son 𓅭 Amunherkhepeshef 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓁷𓏺𓄘𓀼.
Amunherkhepeshef 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓁷𓏺𓄘𓀼Queen Nefertari 𓏏𓅑𓄤𓏏𓇋𓏮𓈖𓈘𓏏
While it may be difficult to see in the photographs, a special symbol appears on both sides of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾. This symbol, called the sema-tawy 𓋍, is a combination of many different symbols all combined into one! Most prominently, it is thought to be representative of the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺 and the windpipe 𓄥. The lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺 are a symbol of Upper Egypt 𓇓 and the windpipe 𓄥 was a symbol of Lower Egypt 𓆤. Due to this, the sema-tawy 𓋍 is thought to be the symbol of a unified Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.
The pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was always referred to as the “Lord of the Two Lands 𓎟𓇿𓇿” or “King of Upper and Lower Egypt 𓆥” because Upper 𓇓 and Lower 𓆤 Egypt, although united, were in fact very different from each other. They each had their own natural resources, cultures and local gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹. The lung 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺 and windpipe 𓄥 design 𓋍 was usually found on objects that belonged to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. In this case, it is on the side of one of Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 most beautiful 𓄤 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪!
Some Egyptologists think that this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 looks like Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖, and that Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 usurped it from his own father 𓇋𓏏𓀀. However, there are no signs of reworking on the cartouche or on the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 as a whole, so the two 𓏻 pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 probably just resembled each other!
This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is dated to the first 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆 years of the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓, because Nefertari 𓏏𓅑𓄤𓏏𓇋𓏮𓈖𓈘𓏏 died during Year 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆 of Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏.
While this may just seem like the broken fragment of a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 (and I guess it is), I love this piece at the MET because it contains the cartouches of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Nefertiti 𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓇍𓍘𓏻𓁗!
The Amarna Period, and the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Nefertiti 𓄤𓏏𓇍𓍘𓁗 has always fascinated me, ever since I was a child 𓐍𓇌𓀔. Professional Egyptologists have tried to piece together the series of events that shaped this tumultuous time period of Egyptian history, mostly by looking at the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 themselves.
Fragmented statue containing the cartouches of Akhenaten and Nefertiti
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Let’s start at the right column, since the directional symbols point that way!
𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt
𓋹 – Life
𓐝 – On
𓁧 – Maat
𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands
𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖- Neferkheperura-waenre which means “Beautiful are the Forms/Manifestations of Re, the Unique one of Re” (Akhenaten’s throne name)
𓏙𓋹 – Given Life
Now on to the left column! This first part is cut off, but it’s probably a variant Nefertiti’s title of “King’s Great Wife, as you can see the ending of the word “ great 𓅩𓂋𓏏”
What always gets me is Akhenaten’s throne name of 𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖- Neferkheperura-waenre. This particular spelling of the throne name is only seen after he changed his given name from Amenhotep IV 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓊹𓋾𓌀 to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖. The original spelling, before the name 𓂋𓈖 change was “𓁜𓄤𓆣𓏦𓇳𓌡𓈖.” The name 𓂋𓈖 is still pronounced the same and has the same meaning, but the falcon glyph 𓁜 was changed to just the sun disc 𓇳 (both pronounced Re/Ra). Also, all of Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 other names (Horus name, etc) underwent a change, to remove the other deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, but this one didn’t.
I wonder why Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 didn’t change the throne name (𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖) to represent the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳, just like how all of his other names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 were changed. Nefertiti’s name also underwent a change; her name 𓂋𓈖 went from just Nefertiti 𓄤𓏏𓇍𓍘𓁗 to Neferneferuaten Nefertiti 𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓇍𓍘𓏻𓁗 around year 5 of Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 reign. Year 5 in the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 is significant, because that is when we see most of the changes to Atenism begin to take place. Year 5 is when Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 became the supreme and only god 𓊹, and the other deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 could not be worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢.
Since this piece contains the “updated” version of Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 throne name and the longer version of Nefertiti’s 𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓇍𓍘𓏻𓁗 name 𓂋𓈖, we can assume that this piece was made during or after year 5 of Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏.
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a word that appears a lot in funerary inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥! This word is simple, so it is easy to remember and to recognize! So let’s get started – the word for today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 is “Overseer 𓅓𓂋.”
People with the title of “Overseer 𓅓𓂋” worked for the nomarchs (kind of like governors and were appointed by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻). The overseers 𓅓𓂋𓏦 helped the nomarchs run the local government, and the overseers 𓅓𓂋𓏦 had lots of people who worked for them, many of which were scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪.
We start reading from the right, because the directional hieroglyphs (like the owl) are pointing to the right! 𓅓𓂋𓇓𓏞 is “Overseer of the King’s Scribe”
The word/title of “Overseer 𓅓𓂋” was always followed by what specifically the person was an overseer 𓅓𓂋 of. This brings me to the full inscription: 𓅓𓂋𓇓𓏞.
𓅓𓂋 – Overseer
𓇓 – King/Royal
𓏞 – Scribe
So the person who this inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 is for is the “Overseer of the King’s Scribe 𓅓𓂋𓇓𓏞” or “Overseer of the Royal Scribe 𓅓𓂋𓇓𓏞.” The word 𓇓𓏞 by itself can also mean “King’s Secretary!”
The word Overseer 𓅓𓂋 can also be translated as “Commander.” Let’s take a look at some other Overseer 𓅓𓂋 titles you might see:
While this piece doesn’t look like a regular stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 (stone, rounded top), it is still considered to be one! This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 has taken the shape of a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 or pylon 𓃀𓐍𓈖𓏏𓉐 and that’s what makes this wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 piece very unique! I also love this stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 because it shows the two 𓏻 sisters 𓌢𓈖𓏏𓁐𓏪 Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥!
On the left, we see an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇, and on the right we see an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇. Part of a spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 recited by the two 𓏻 sisters 𓌢𓈖𓏏𓁐𓏪 are located in the middle of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸. I love how symmetrical ancient Egyptian art is!
The crowns on their heads is one of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that is used in their names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 (𓉠and 𓊨), which makes both Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 very easy to identify in Egyptian art.
You can also identity Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 by reading the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
Starting on the left:
𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖 – Words Spoken By
𓉠𓏏𓆇 – Nephthys
Now on the right:
𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖 – Words Spoken By
𓊨𓏏𓆇 – Isis
𓅨𓂋𓏏 – Great One
The Middle:
𓆓𓌃𓏏𓏥𓈖 – Words Spoken By
𓅒 – The Two Ladies (Nekhbet and Wadjet)
𓇅𓏏𓏭𓇅𓁐𓁐 – The Two Crowns (𓇅𓇅𓏏𓏭𓁐𓁐 and 𓇅𓇅𓏏𓏭𓆘𓆘 is another way to write this)
𓎟𓏲𓏦 – Lords/Master
𓉐𓏺 – House
𓆖 – Eternity
This piece is dated to the Ramesside Period (19th-20th Dynasties, c. 1295–1070 B.C.E.).
𓄫𓄣 – “Be Happy, “Happiness,” “Be Cheerful,” “Joy,” – or in Middle Egyptian, “Wide Heart.”
𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓇑𓇑 – How beautiful is this piece!? While this piece of jewelry may be unassuming to most who walk past it in the galleries as it is very small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩, it carries such a universal message that has permeated for thousands of years – Happiness 𓄫𓄣! I LOVE how the actual Middle Egyptian version of the word is “Wide Heart” – I think it carries so much meaning in such a little phrase. “Ancient Egypt makes my heart wide” sounds cooler than “Ancient Egypt brings me joy/happiness”
I always love seeing Happiness/Joy 𓄫𓄣 written on objects because that is exactly how I felt when I was in a museum and looking at Egyptian artifacts with my Nonno. The only emotion I could feel at the time was joy 𓄫𓄣 and I was so lucky. I would do anything to go to a museum with my Nonno and experience those emotions again. While I do feel immense joy 𓄫𓄣 in museums now, there’s always a sadness to it as well because I truly miss my Nonno more than anything. I would love a piece like this as a necklace – sometimes we all need a reminder to find joy 𓄫𓄣!
𓄫𓄣𓏏, 𓄫𓏏𓄣𓏺, and 𓄫𓄣𓏺 are all common variants of the word, that I have seen many times in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 too!
This beautiful 𓄤 clasp belonged to the princess Sithathoryunet, who is thought to be the daughter 𓅭𓏏 of the 12th Dynasty (c. 1887–1813 B.C.E) Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Senwosret II 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖. She is thought to be his daughter 𓅭𓏏 because her tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 is linked to his. Flinders Petrie was actually the one to discover her tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐. Despite being robbed in antiquity, the tomb robbers left a chest full of beautiful 𓄤 jewelry behind! The clasp is made out of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 and carnelian, which is a stone with a red color. I will speak more about the jewelry in future posts, it is is so beautiful 𓄤 and I love jewelry!
Since I shared what makes me happy 𓄫𓄣, I’d love to hear from all 𓎟 of you! Share something that makes you happy/your heart wide 𓄫𓄣!
This book was essential to me learning hieroglyphics 𓊹𓌃𓏪 as a child. My Nonno gave me this book – it was his long before it was mine. I loved the cover because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 was on it (and he’s my favorite), but what I didn’t know was how much this book was going to teach me.
I will be very honest – I never sat down and intensely studied Egyptian grammar. I never really learned too much Coptic either. I used this book to learn the relationships between symbols and Egyptian words/phrases and it kind of just “clicked” for me. The Book of the Dead is very repetitive, which is very helpful when learning. I also have many other books on reading hieroglyphics 𓊹𓌃𓏪 which were extremely helpful, but this book was probably the best one.
In my opinion, you can sit down and study vocabulary all you want, but unless you are actively engaging in the material and reading real Egyptian texts, you aren’t going to learn. I still use this book as a reference very often!
I also have a book 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 that is the complete Papyrus of Ani 𓄿𓈖𓏼𓇌𓀀 in pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏, and I would use both books side by side so I could actually see the real papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 as I was reading and learning the symbols.
If you want to learn hieroglyphics 𓊹𓌃𓏪, diving right into Egyptian religious text is the best way to do it (in my opinion – remember, I am completely self taught)!
This video shows my honest opinions! However, I am an Amazon Associate and if you use my links to purchase the books I recommended, I will earn a small commission. This helps me keep my website and educational materials free for everyone!
Hi 𓉔𓇌𓀁 everyone! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 I am here with two 𓏻 book recommendations if you want to learn to read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 too! The first book is “Hieroglyphs for Complete Beginners” by Bill Manley and the second book is “How to Read Egyptian” by Mark Collier and Bill Manley!
This video shows my honest opinions! However, I am an Amazon Associate and if you use my links to purchase the books I recommended, I will earn a small commission. This helps me keep my website and educational materials free for everyone!
