Author: ancientegyptblog7

The Cartouche of Seti II

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 4, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the cartouche of Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰! Seti I 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 and Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 have the same birth name so we know that these cartouches belong to Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 based on the throne name/where the object was found.

This piece is an inlay, which means that it was once part of a larger object. Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 (son 𓅭 of Merenptah 𓌺𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁧𓈖𓊵𓁷𓏺) ruled Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 for a couple of years towards the end of the 19th Dynasty (New Kingdom).

Here’s the birth name: 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰

𓁣𓇌 – Belongs to Seth

𓈘𓈖 – Beloved

𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 – Ptah

So all together, the name 𓂋𓈖 reads “The one who belongs to Seth, Beloved of Ptah.” This is only one of the variants of the birth name, as there are many different ways to write the cartouches of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦!

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, seti ii, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

“Lung and Windpipe” Hieroglyphic Symbol

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 4, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look more closely at the hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃 symbol of “𓄥.” Many will confuse this symbol with the ever popular “𓄤 nfr” as they look very similar to each other!

The “lung and windpipe 𓄥” is a triliteral phonogram which would represent the sound zm3/sm3. This symbol only functions as a phonogram!

The 3 is part of the phonetic alphabet and sounds like “ah” – it is a good idea to learn the phonetic alphabet of you want to learn the hieroglyphic “sounds”.

Here are some words that have the symbol 𓄥 in them:

𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺 – Lungs

𓄥𓏏𓂝𓏺𓃉 – Offering (variant of 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦)

𓄥𓄿𓏜 / 𓊃𓌴𓄥 – Unite

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Two Alabaster Monkey Vases

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 4, 2022

These are two 𓏻 alabaster vases at the MET which show a mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 monkey holding a baby monkey!

These are dated to Dynasty Six of the Old Kingdom (c. 2289–2246 B.C.E.). Archaeologists think that these vases allude to fertility because they were probably given to some of the pharaoh’s 𓉐𓉻 favorite couriers during the jubilee. In the second picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, the vase on the left is inscribed with the name 𓂋𓈖 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Merenre 𓇳𓌻𓂋𓈖 and the vase on the right is inscribed with the name 𓂋𓈖 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Pepi I 𓊪𓇋𓊪𓇋 (you can’t see it in my picture – sorry!).

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt (He of the Sedge and the Bee)

(𓇳𓌻𓂋𓈖) – Merenre

𓆖 – Eternal

𓋹 – Life

I’ve said this before (it’s still true), that the names of the earlier pharaohs are a great way to practice reading phonogram hieroglyphs! Let’s take a closer look at Merenre 𓇳𓌻𓂋𓈖!

The symbol “𓇳 – sun” is usually seen as an ideogram for “Ra/Re.” The symbol “𓇳 – sun” can also be a determinative for sun, day, and time. “Ra 𓇳” is written in the cartouche first and said last due to honorific transposition.

The “hoe 𓌻” (and it’s variants 𓌸, 𓌺, and 𓌸) are biliteral phonograms that represent the sound “mr” (might have been pronounced like “mer”).

The “ mouth – 𓂋” is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “r” and can be an ideogram for the word “mouth 𓂋𓏺.”

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!”

All together, the name 𓂋𓈖 Merenre 𓇳𓌻𓂋𓈖 means “The Beloved of Re” or “The One Re Loves.”

Tags artifact, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

“Joy” and “Happiness”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 4, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! This inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 is a new word for all of you! While I haven’t seen it often, it’s probably a good one to know!

“𓄫𓏏𓄣” is the Middle Egyptian word for “joy” or “happiness!” What I love about this word is that if we were going to literally translate it into English, instead of joy or happiness, it would translate directly to “wide heart.” How cute is that?!?!

Let’s break down each of the symbols!

The “spine and spinal cord 𓄫” symbol is a biliteral phonogram that is used to represent the sound “3w.”

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.” It also functions as the ideogram for the word “bread 𓏏𓏺” and can be used to make words feminine!

The “heart 𓄣” symbol is an ideogram for heart and mind that can also be used to represent the sound “ı͗b”. The heart 𓄣 can also be used as a determinative in the word for heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣.

So all together, the transliteration of 𓄫𓏏𓄣 would be 3wt-ı͗b. Other variations of the word are “ 𓄫𓏏𓄣𓏺,” or “ 𓄫𓄣𓏺.”

What makes my heart wide 𓄫𓏏𓄣? Going to museums, writing out my Instagram post each day, Marvel comic books, Harry Potter, and of course listening to BTS 방탄소년단!!!!!

Let’s all share something that makes us happy/our hearts wide 𓄫𓏏𓄣!

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Bust of Akhenaten at the Louvre

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 4, 2022

Let’s take another look at an Amarna Period piece! This is a limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 bust of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 that is currently in the Louvre! While you all know Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is my favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is my second favorite! I always refer to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 as “my favorite disaster” because I think that is quite the succinct way to describe his 17 𓎆𓐀 year rule 𓋾 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

While it can’t be seen in my pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦, some of the paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 is still preserved on the bust! One of the places that still has traces of paint is the Blue Crown (Khepresh) 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 that Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is wearing. Also, the ears and back of the neck still have traces of paint.

The Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 is missing from the front of the Blue Crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙, and it was probably lost in antiquity. The Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 symbolizes divine authority, royalty, supremacy, and also acted as protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Fun Fact: no example of the Blue Crown (Khepresh) 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 has been found by archaeologists!

The artistic style during Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 rule 𓋾 was very different than the traditional Egyptian art styles, which makes pieces like this bust so weird and wonderful in their own way! I will never get tired of studying Amarna art!

Tags akhenaten, artifact, louvre

Egyptian Artifacts

Small Ivory Chair of Akhenaten

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 4, 2022

This tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 ivory chair 𓎛𓊨𓏏𓆱 probably held a tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 at one point! This chair 𓎛𓊨𓏏𓆱 is only about 5cm in height so it is very tiny! The amount of detail that the artist was able to carve into such a small piece is incredible!

On the back of the chair 𓎛𓊨𓏏𓆱, Akhenaten’s nomen (birth name) and prenomen (throne name) are carved underneath the rays of the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳. Let’s break down the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦!

𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 – Akhenaten “Living Spirit of the Aten” – this is his “birth name” – though not really because Akhenaten changed his name to Akhenaten from Amenhotep IV 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓊹𓋾𓌀!

𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖 – Neferkheperrua “The Beautiful One of the Manifestations of Ra” is the throne name, which was probably taken when he was still calling himself Amenhotep IV 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓊹𓋾, since the name 𓂋𓈖 contains “Ra 𓇳” and not “Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳.”

𓋍 – this symbol on the back of the chair 𓎛𓊨𓏏𓆱 is a combination of many different things! 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. Just like how the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺 and the windpipe 𓄥 need to work together in order for a person to survive, Upper 𓇓 and Lower 𓆤 Egypt needed to be unified in order for Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 to be a strong country!

The lung 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺 and windpipe 𓄥 design 𓋍 was usually found on objects that belonged to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

The three 𓏼 men 𓊃𓀀𓏦 on the side of the chair 𓎛𓊨𓏏𓆱 represent foreigners – a Libyan, an Asiatic, and a Nubian all of which are kneeling and raising their arms in a worshipping 𓇼𓄿𓀢 stance.

Tags akhenaten, artifact, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Doorjamb from a Temple of Rameses II

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 4, 2022

This large piece at the MET is referred to as a “Doorjamb from a Temple of Rameses II.” Basically, that means these blocks came from a gateway at a temple that was built in honor of one of Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 royal jubilees.

The offering scene that is on the doorjamb is Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 making an offering to the god 𓊹 Ptah-Tatanen 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁯, who was the patron god 𓊹 of the jubilee. Ptah-Tatanen 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁯 is a combination of the deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 (the creator god 𓊹) and Tatanen 𓁯, a lesser known deity who was the personification of the primordial mound that rose during the Egyptian creation myth. Tatanen 𓁯 is often compared to Geb 𓅭𓃀𓀭 (the god 𓊹 of the Earth 𓇾𓇾), however Tatanen 𓁯 is often associated with things that come from the interior of the Earth 𓇾𓇾 such as minerals, rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦, and plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰!

So Geb 𓅭𓃀𓀭 is the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface (The Upper Earth), while Tatanen 𓁯 is the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 interior (The Lower Earth)! As a geologist, I love how the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 were able to make this distinction between the spheres of the Earth 𓇾𓇾 in their mythology! They also recognized the atmosphere (another sphere of the Earth 𓇾𓇾) as the god 𓊹 Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭! It’s all so impressive to me!

Ptah-Tatanen 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁯 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is broken down like this:

𓊪𓏏𓎛 – Ptah (spelled out with phonogram symbols)

𓁯 – Tatanen (the determinative/ideogram)

Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 determinative was basically replaced with the determinative for Tatanen 𓁯 to make the god’s 𓊹 name 𓂋𓈖!

Can you spot Ptah-Tatanen 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁯 in the inscription on the doorjamb???

(Also Rameses III’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓈘𓇋𓏠𓈖 cartouches appear on this too on the bottom of the doorjamb – he clearly usurped this piece for his own use and didn’t change all of the cartouches!)

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, rameses ii, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Mislabeled Canopic Jars

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 4, 2022

These canopic jars are very famous pieces from the British Museum! Any time you read a book on mummification or Egyptian funerary practices, these canopic jars will make an appearance! The first book on Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 my Nonno ever gave me was Carol Andrews’ book on the mummies at the British Museum, and of course these canopic jars were in the book! It was so exciting to see them in person! However, these are “dummy” canopic jars; they aren’t even totally hollow inside so they definitely weren’t used during the mummification process.

But that’s not what is the most interesting here; what’s most interesting is in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Each canopic jar has a lid that represents one of the Four Sons of Horus. Each one has the task of protecting a specific organ 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹 of the deceased!

From the left:

-Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭 (falcon head) held the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼

-Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿𓀭 (human head) held the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸

-Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌𓀭 (baboon head) held the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺

-Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑𓀭 (jackal head) held the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻

Now, if you take a closer look at the inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the jars – Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭 is labeled with Duamutef’s 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑𓀭 name 𓂋𓈖 and vice versa!

I’m not sure if it is an ancient mistake or a mistake by the museum! I’m always so amused when I come across stuff like this!

The inscription above the names is a common one that we have gone over before:

𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖 – Words Spoken By

𓁹𓊨𓊹 – Osiris (the symbol for “god 𓊹” is used as the determinative here instead of the usual “𓀭” – I love seeing variation)!!

Tags artifact, british museum, Duamutef, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, mummy, sons of horus

Blog

Hieroglyphs and Korean!

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date August 11, 2022

So something you might have guessed about me is that I love to learn!! Something else about me is that when I like something – I really REALLY like it and need to learn everything about it. I’m very passionate and enthusiastic about my hobbies and interests. My normally stoic/cold exterior completely changes when I’m talking about stuff I love! My Nonno always got similarly excited when speaking about topics he loved.

One of the things I’m learning right now is Korean! I already speak English, Italian, and can read/write hieroglyphs (I would’ve failed as a scribe because I am awful at drawing the symbols – I’m kinda embarrassed to post my “handwriting” 😂) – so why do I want to learn Korean? It’s because of BTS!! I love their music and want to be able to understand it instead of reading translations!

One thing I noticed when I was learning the Korean alphabet (called Hangeul 한글) was that my name (Nicole) is written “similarly” in both hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and 한글!!!

𓈖𓇋𓎡𓍯𓃭
니콜

Now, obviously they don’t look similar at all but both are written as “Nikol” in romanized letters! When I was a kid I was insistent that my name in hieroglyphs be written as 𓈖𓇋𓎡𓍯𓃭𓇌 so it would match the English as much as possible – I was stubborn and didn’t care about phonetics.

Learning Korean has been so fun and so interesting (and very difficult) because it is so different from the other languages I know, however, I did like this similarity between hieroglyphs and Korean! It seems like I relate everything back to ancient Egypt in one way or another!

If you read this, 감사합니다!!!! (gam-sa-hab-ni-da AKA Thank You)!

Tags blog, pop culture

Egyptian Artifacts

Large Seated Statue of Hatshepsut

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date August 11, 2022

This is the large granite statue of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 in comparison to me! This statue is tremendous in size and it so gorgeous to look at! Hateshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 really does look regal in it!

Here’s some family history about Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, because I don’t think I have ever discussed it much on this page: Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 was the only child of her father, Thutmosis I 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓 and his principal wife 𓇓𓏏𓏏𓈞 Ahmose.

After the death of Thutmosis I 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓, Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 married her half brother, Thutmosis II 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖 who had become the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. While Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 was unable to produce a male heir, Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 was born to one of Thutmosis II’s 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖 lesser wives.

Thutmosis II died while Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 was still a child, so Hatsheput 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 became his co-regent until she declared herself the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. After Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 death, Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 assumed the role of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

One of the many reasons I look up to Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 so much was because she was so intelligent and ambitious. Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 had an extremely prosperous reign because she was more concerned about expanding Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 economy and taking up new building projects as opposed to conquering new lands with her military.

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, the met

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