Author: ancientegyptblog7

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Coffin of Nephtys

This rectangular outer coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 and mummiform inner coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Nephtys who was a mayor’s daughter (the canopic jars from yesterday’s post belonged to her too). These are dated to the Middle Kingdom (Dynasty 12 – c. 1981–1802 B.C.E.).

The rectangular outer coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 is very standard for this time period. The two 𓏻 eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 that are seen would serve as a way for the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to be able to see into the land of the living. The head 𓁶𓏺 of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 would have been placed directly behind these two 𓏻 eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦. Below the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦, is the Middle Kingdom version of the false door (particularly popular in Old Kingdom tombs). The false door would allow the spirit of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to be able to travel between the land of the living and the land of the dead. The design is sometimes referred to as the “palace facade.”

The mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 of Nephtys is still preserved in in the mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾. The mask she is wearing has a gilded 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 face and is wearing a faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The standard offering formula is seen in the long line of text at the top of the coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱!

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – “An offering the king gives..”

𓊨𓁹𓏺 – “…Osiris…”

𓎟 – “…Lord…”

𓊽𓊽𓅱 – “…of Djedu…”

𓊹𓉻 – “…the Great God…”

𓎟 – “…Lord…”

𓍌𓈋𓃀𓅱𓊖 – “…of Abydos.”

𓂞𓆑𓉓 – “Given a voice offering of…”

So put together, the inscription says:

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓊨𓁹𓏺𓎟𓊽𓊽𓅱𓊹𓉻𓎟𓍌𓈋𓃀𓅱𓊖𓂞𓆑𓉓

“An offering the king gives Osiris, Lord of Djedu, the Great God, Lord of Abydos, Given a voice offering of…”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Canopic Jar from the Amarna Period

This beautifully 𓄤 made canopic jar was made during the reign of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 (Dynasty 18, c. 1349–1336 B.C.E.).

Since it’s discovery in the Valley of the Kings (Tomb KV55) in 1907, Egyptologists have been trying to figure out who the canopic jars (there are four 𓏽 of them) originally belonged to. The jar has been identified as: Queen Tiye, Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐; Queen Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭, his principal wife 𓇓𓏏𓏏𓈞; Queen Kiya, his secondary wife; and Princess Merytaten, Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 eldest daughter whom he married later in his reign (🤢).

There were hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the jar to help identify the original owner, however they have been completely faded or erased. Very faint traces of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 could identify the owned as Queen Kiya. Some argue that the face looks like Queen Tiye, and that the lid was just placed on Queen Kiya’s jar. I guess we will never know for sure who the canopic jars belonged to!

The face on the lid is wearing what is called the Nubian Wig, which was very popular during the Amarna Period. There is also a hole on the forehead, where a Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 would be. These features indicate that the owner of the jar was in fact part of the royal family.

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Mummiform Coffin of Harmose

This (left) mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a singer named 𓂋𓈖 Harmose who lived during the joint rule of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣(New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, c. 1479–1458 B.C.E.). While Harmose was not royal, this coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is still quite striking. The face is overlaid with gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 foil while the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 are made out of inlaid alabaster (white 𓌉𓆓𓇳) and obsidian (black 𓆎𓅓). The coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 was found in the vicinity of Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 during excavations funded by the Metropolitan Museum of Art during the 1935-1936 dig season.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! By now, I’m sure those of you who have been following me for a bit can now recognize parts of the standard offering formula!

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – “An offering the king gives…”

𓊩𓁹 – “…Osiris…” (this is a not as common variation of his name)

𓋾𓈎𓏛 – “…Ruler of…”

𓆖 – “…Eternity…”

𓉼𓊹 – “…The Great God”

𓎟 – “…Lord…”

𓍌𓃀𓈋𓊖 – “…of Abydos…” (this is another variation – Abydos is more commonly written as 𓍌𓈋𓃀𓅱𓊖)

𓉓 – “…A Voice Offering of…”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Amulets of the Four Sons of Horus

These are four 𓏽 faience amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 that represent the four Sons of Horus.

Here, they are depicted as mummiform figures and while amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 could be worn by both the living and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, these specific amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were most likely used by the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. While the Sons of Horus were first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts, these amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are dated between The Late Period and the Roman Period (664 B.C.E.-after 30 B.C.E.).

After the 18th Dynasty, the Four Sons of Horus were associated with being the heads on canopic jars which would guard the organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. While each were associated with an organ 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹, they were also each associated with a cardinal direction and were protected by a funerary goddess𓊹𓏏.

(From Left) Imsety 𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋 had the head of a human, protected the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸, was associated with the South 𓇔𓅱𓏏 and was protected by Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥.

Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑 had the head of a jackal, protected the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻, was associated with the East 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭, and was protected by Neith 𓈖𓏏𓋌𓀭.

Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑 had the head of a falcon, protected the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼, was associated with the West 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊, and was protected by Selket 𓊃𓂋𓈎𓏏𓁐.

Hapy 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌 had the head of a baboon, protected the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺, was associated with the North 𓎔𓏏, and was protected by Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Relief of the God Horus

Here is a sunken relief of the god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭 in white 𓌉𓆓𓇳 limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 at the Louvre! This is a simple but beautiful 𓄤 piece!

Geology Lesson!!! Limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 was incredibly abundant in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 because about 500 million years ago (for perspective, the dinosaurs first started evolving around 250 million years ago), Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 was completely underwater! Limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 (and other sedimentary rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦) mostly form under large bodies of water like oceans and seas! If Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 didn’t have the abundance of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 that it does, the Egyptian civilization would have been very different! The geology gave the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 the natural resources they needed to build the world’s most successful ancient civilization!

Egupt’s geologic history is also cool because the Egyptian creation myth says that everything started off as water 𓈗 and the primordial mound rose out of the primordial sea! The creation myth corresponds with Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 geologic past!

Horus 𓅃𓀭 was one of the most important gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. Horus 𓅃𓀭 was the mythological representation of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻/heir to the throne of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. He is usually represented as a human body with a falcon head. On his head, Horus is always seen wearing the double crown 𓋖, which is the combination of the white crown 𓋑 (𓄤𓋑) of Upper Egypt 𓇓 and the red crown 𓋔 (𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔) of Lower Egypt 𓆤. The double crown 𓋖 was representative of a unified Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 under the pharaoh’s 𓉐𓉻 rule 𓋾.

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Scarab of Hatshepsut

Here is a scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 from the MET! The MET has so many of these beautiful 𓄤 scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 and I honestly love looking at them! I really like tiny things, so scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 and other amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are some of my favorite pieces to see in museums!

This scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 has a very simple message:

𓊹𓄤 – “Perfect God”

𓇳𓁧𓂓 – “Maatkare”

Interestingly, Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 throne name Maatkare (which translates to “Truth is the Soul of Re”) is usually written as 𓇳𓁦𓂓, however on the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣, the symbol for Maat is slightly different! On this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣, the symbol shows Maat holding an ankh 𓁧! It’s a very subtle but cool variation. It doesn’t change the meaning or the pronunciation of her name 𓂋𓈖, but I love seeing little changes like this! Clearly, this was an artistic choice!

When learning hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, throne names are a great place to start learning because the names aren’t too complex! Let’s use Maatkare 𓇳𓁧𓂓 as an example!

𓇳 – Re

𓁧 – Truth (Maat)

𓂓 – Soul (Ka)

With the three 𓏼 symbol cartouche, especially when Re 𓇳𓏺 is involved, it’s read middle-right-left. So why is Re 𓇳𓏺 written first but said last!? Honorific transposition! As a sign of respect, Re (or another god 𓊹) is always written first!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Roman Period Mummy Mask

This is a mummy mask of a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 from the Roman Period of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.

The Roman Period of Egypt is characterized as being after the death of Cleopatra VII 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇, the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, in 31 B.C.E. Even though Cleopatra VII 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 was Greek, she is considered to be the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.

My Nonno loved the Roman Period of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 because he loved Roman history too, and it was always so interesting to see the merging of the two civilizations. The merging of the civilizations also meant the merging of both Egyptian and Roman art styles, as is demonstrated by this mask. The mask is made of cartonnage and mostly overlaid with gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf. The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 are inlaid with glass 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, while the garland 𓌴𓄿𓎛𓆰 of flowers 𓆼𓅱𓆰𓏦 is painted.

My favorite detail on this mummy mask are the snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 bracelets 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛𓏦 that are carved in raised relief on the arms 𓂝𓏦. I love snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 themed jewelry and wear snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏥 and bracelets 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛𓏦 myself! I think it is such a beautiful 𓄤 detail on the mask! The woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 who owned this mask was most likely extremely wealthy because most mummy masks were not completely overlaid with gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf such as this one.

The eyebrows on the mask are blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 because it is supposed to be the same color as lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧! Many of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 were thought to have blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧 hair! The blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 eyebrows could represent this woman joining the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the afterlife.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Model Boats

I absolutely love the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 models. I could literally spend hours just looking at them!

Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models were very popular in the Middle Kingdom and were usually put in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐. The boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 were symbolic, and were meant to help the deceased on their journey in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. When a person died, their body was carried in a boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 across the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 in a symbolic representation of the journey of the soul 𓂓- from the land of the living to the land of the dead 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This directly mirrors Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 daily journey across the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯.

Tombs usually contained two 𓏻 boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦: one sailing in a northward direction, and one sailing in a southward direction.

So many wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 have been found because boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 were essential to daily Egyptian life along the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. Boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 were not only essential for transporting people, goods and construction materials, but also for the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and their journeys as well.

This particular boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is so beautiful 𓄤 because so many of the oarsmen are there!

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Statue of a Pharaoh and Ancient Plagiarism

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is very interesting because it was originally made for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenemhat II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏 during the 12th 𓎆𓏻 Dynasty. However if you look at the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, the cartouches of Rameses II can be read! The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 used to recycle statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 all the time – this is a process known as usurping (taking one pharaoh’s monuments, erasing their name𓂋𓈖, and putting yours!). It’s kind of like ancient plagiarism!

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made of granodiorite, a type of volcanic (igneous) rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙. It was quarried at Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 and then transported up the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 to Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖, where it was sculpted.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

(𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖) – Rameses II (throne name Usermaatre)

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

𓈘𓆑 – His Beloved

(𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓) – Rameses II

𓇳𓏇𓏺 – Like Ra

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 below shows some of the ancient erasing that took place!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statues of Osiris, Isis and Horus

The Bronze Age started due to the rise in the Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia. Due to war and trade, bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 was able to come to Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 around 700 B.C.E. and replace the traditional stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 and clay statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾. The bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 pieces are great antiquities because they can preserve small details over long periods of time. Bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statuary 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 became very popular starting around the Third Intermediate Period (26th Dynasty), and became very abundant in the Ptolemaic Period, which resulted in mass production and a loss of craftsmanship and quality.

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby is one of the most popular images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the Late Period through the Ptolemaic Period. Symbolically, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was thought to be the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and was often associated with motherhood, the protection of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐, and a user of magic. As Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 became a more popular religious figure, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans. This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 holding a child 𓐍𓇌𓀕 is thought to have inspired the well known Catholic images of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus as a baby.

Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was one of the main figures of Egyptian religion. This is because Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was the god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and the ruler of the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, and Egyptians spent their entire time living preparing for their death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and meeting with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. When the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was alive, he was thought to be the living image 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹 of the God 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭, but more importantly when the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 died, he was thought to then become an Osiris-like figure.