Author: ancientegyptblog7

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Ushabti Friends!

Just hanging out with my ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 friends!

Me and the Ushabti display at the Brooklyn Museum!

I love ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 so much, and it’s probably because my Nonno loved them. If you can’t tell, I’m really happy in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 – even with the mask on you can tell I’m smiling big!

Nonno always pointed them out in museums and he would tell me stories about how the ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 were buried with the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 so they could do chores in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and I thought that was so cool! I also liked them because they reminded me of little dolls!

As the display shows, ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 come in all different sizes and colors. Depending on the time period they were also made of varying materials such as faience, clay, limestone or sometimes even bronze (which is much rarer).

The ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾(most of the time people were buried with 365 worker ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 -one for each day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 of the year and then also a bunch of overseer ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾) often had spells inscribed on them which showed the task they were responsible for!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Two Sides of the Same Coffin!

Dedication to Osiris on a coffin at the Brooklyn Museum

In the picture above, you can see a dedication to Osiris – 𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 𓁹𓊨𓀭 𓎟𓊽𓂧𓅱𓊖 – “An offering the king gives Osiris, Lord of Djedu”

Djedu 𓊽𓂧𓅱𓊖 refers to the birthplace of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 on this side of the sarcophagus would allow the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to see outside of it!

Dedication to Anubis on a coffin at the Brooklyn Museum

In the picture above, you can see a dedication to Anubis – 𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 𓁶𓏺𓈋 𓆑 – “An offering the king gives Anubis, upon his hill…”

“Upon his hill” is in reference to Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 being the god 𓊹 of cemeteries, and looking over cemeteries from the cliff or hill above it!

Why dedications to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣?! They are the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 most commonly associated with death!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Sandstone Stela of Rameses II

This is a large sandstone stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 of Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓.

Sandstone Stela of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 talk about how Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 founded the town of Meriamun, and how he established the cult of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 there. The stela was a way to commemorate Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 presenting statues to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳.

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows (from left to right) Mut 𓏏𓄿𓀭, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖, and Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓. Rameses II can be seen wearing the blue crown, also known as the khepresh 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 crown which was very popular among New Kingdom pharaohs 𓉐𓉻! Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 is receiving symbols of kingship (the crook 𓋾) from the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖. This is meant to represent that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 saw Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 as a legitimate ruler! The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 believed that they were direct descendants of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖(in the 18th – 19th Dynasties Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 kind of replaces Horus 𓅃𓀭 in popularity as king of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹) and that they were gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on Earth.

This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is quite large (I’m 5’5”)! It was also really cool that five 𓏾 of Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 names appear on this stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! This was probably meant to show that while he was a divine figure, he also had very human qualities!

Sandstone Stela of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum (and me)!
Categories
Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Statue of Senwosret III

This is a black granite statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of the 12th 𓎆𓏻 Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓. Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 is thought to be the most powerful pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 12th 𓎆𓏻 Dynasty because his successful military campaigns gave rise to an era of peace 𓊵𓏏𓊪. Peace 𓊵𓏏𓊪 led to economic prosperity, and this led to a newfound revival in artistry and craft works.

Statue of Senwosret III at the Brooklyn Museum

This newfound artistry during this time period then led to some new styles in how the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was portrayed in statuary. The statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 are so distinctive that they can be immediately recognized as his, even without reading the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. Some parts of the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 are realistic, like the protruding eye sockets and the lines on his face, while some features, like the young and strong torso, are most likely idealized. Egyptologists can only speculate on why he was portrayed this way – some argue that it’s because Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 wanted to be seen as human before divine.

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 in particular shows Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 wearing the royal nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 headcloth. Beneath his feet are nine bows – each meant to represent one of Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 enemies. Since the enemies are beneath his feet, it shows successful defeat by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻!

In the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, you can see his Horus name𓅃𓊁[𓊹 𓆣𓅱] which I think means “Horus in divine form.” Also, you can see his prenomen or “throne name” which is marked by the 𓆥 (he of the sedge and the bee aka King of Upper and Lower Egypt) hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 before the cartouche. 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 means “the Souls of Ra have returned.”

Statue of Senwosret III at the Brooklyn Museum
Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Ancient Egyptian “Tom and Jerry”

I refer to this piece as the “Ancient Egyptian version of Tom and Jerry”!”

“Cat and Mouse” Ostraca at the Brooklyn Museum.

This is an ostracon (or ostraca), which is pretty much a sketch on a limestone fragment. Instead of using papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛(which was expensive) to practice drawing, the ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 artists or scribes 𓏟𓀀 would use pieces of limestone. It is dated to the 19th-20th Dynasties, aka the Ramesside Period.

What’s funny about this is it shows the mouse being served or attended to by the cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠. The cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 is presenting the mouse with a goose as an offering 𓏏𓊵 while also fanning him. It’s almost like an opposite because the cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 is usually the predator while the mouse is the prey. This could have been some type of satire on the elite during the Ramesside period, or a visual representation of a fable that is now lost. Many ostraca from this time period show animals doing human activities!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Painting of Tjepu

This well preserved painting of a beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐 named Tjepu is from the 18th Dynasty (rule of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠) and was originally found in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of her son 𓅭. Tjepu is seen in lavish 18th Dynasty style clothing – including a wig, lots of jewelry and a linen 𓍱 dress.

Painting of Tjepu at the Brooklyn Museum

When creating tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 art, Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 artists did not “realistically” depict how people actually looked. Instead, they showed people as being eternally youthful. Basically, the artists made people look their best so they could be at their best in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! While Tjepu would have been around 40 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆 years old at the time that this painting was completed, she was definitely not shown as being 40 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Relief for Montuhotep II

This is a raised relief carved in limestone for the 11th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Mentuhotep III 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓊵𓏏𓊪. His father 𓇋𓏏𓀀 reunited Upper and Lower Egypt, so Mentuhotep III 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓊵𓏏𓊪 inherited a mostly united Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. He had a relatively short reign of 12 𓎆𓏻 years.

Limestone Relief for Montuhotep II at the Brooklyn Museum

What was most interesting when I was reading about Mentuhotep III 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓊵𓏏𓊪 was some of the superficial similarities to Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪!! During the 12 𓎆𓏻 years of his reign, he actually sent an expedition to Punt! He also started building a mortuary temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri, but it was never completed.

This raised relief is beautifully carved, and Mentuhotep III 𓇳𓋴𓋹𓂓 appears twice. On the left he is seen wearing the Red Crown of Lower Egypt 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔, and on the right he is wearing the nemes headdress 𓈖𓅓𓋴. In the middle is the goddess Iunyt, who was a consort of Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱, a war goddess𓊹𓏏. Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 was worshipped widely during the 11th Dynasty.

Many think that this depicts Mentuhotep III’s 𓇳𓋴𓋹𓂓 desire for a sed festival in the 30th 𓎆𓎆𓎆 year of his reign, however he only ruled for 12 𓎆𓏻 years.

In the image below, I have highlighted one of my favorite ancient Egyptian phrases, 𓏙𓋹𓊽𓌀𓆖 “Given eternal life, stability and strength.”

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Mummiform Coffin Lid

This limestone mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 lid is from the Ptolemaic Period! The New Kingdom is when stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 mummiform coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 first appeared, however the mummiform coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 from that period were usually made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺!

This sarcophagus 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a scribe 𓏟𓀀 named Pa-Di-Inpu. He is named after Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 (Anubis is the Greek name while Inpu is the Egyptian name) and served as a scribe 𓏟𓀀 in the cult of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣. Pa-Di-Inpu also served as a scribe 𓏟𓀀 and priest 𓊹𓍛 in the cult of Hathor 𓉡!

Limestone Mummiform Coffin Lid at the Brooklyn Museum (and me)!
Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Head of a Princess or Queen

This head of a princess or queen 𓇓𓏏𓏏𓈞 is one of the finer statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 to survive from the Middle Kingdom (12th Dynasty 1876-1842 BCE). The remnants of a Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 on her forehead is an indication that this woman 𓀻𓋴𓏏𓁐 was royal. Also it is believed that this head was once part of a sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 because of the way the woman’s 𓀻𓋴𓏏𓁐 wig breaks off in the back!

Head of a Princess or Queen at the Brooklyn Museum

The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 of this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 once contained colored stones, however they were taken out of the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 in antiquity. I can’t even imagine how beautiful 𓄤 it would look with the inlaid eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦!

This piece has made quite an interesting journey. It was not actually found in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! Instead, this piece was found in Hadrian’s villa in Rome! Hadrian was a Roman Emperor, who built a villa near Tivoli as a way to escape everyday life! Hadrian was emperor from 117 to 138 AD, so this statue was almost as “ancient” to him as it is to us! Hadrian had a lot of Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 antiquities in his villa – I guess Hadrian loved Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 just like we do!

Fun fact: the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 had no word for “Queen.” Instead, 𓇓𓏏𓏏𓈞 was used which means “King’s wife.”

There was also a way to distinguish a regular woman from a royal or noble woman:
𓀻𓋴𓏏𓁐 – Noble woman
𓂑𓏏𓁐 – woman/wife

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Block Statue of Ay

The block statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 (made of limestone) was first fashioned by artists during the 12th Dynasty, and the style was very popular at the time! This block statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is from the 18th Dynasty though. Both Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 and Ay, Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 successors sought to restore not only the Egyptian pantheon, but also traditional art styles that had either been completely forgotten or had lost popularity.

Block Statue of Ay at the Brooklyn Museum

This particular block statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is of a man named Ay, who served as a high priest 𓊹𓍛 of Mut 𓏏𓄿𓀭 during the rule of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓. There is some blend of traditional Egyptian art styles and Amarna art styles in this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾, and it almost serves as a transition piece between the two parts of the 18th Dynasty. The cartouches of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Ay 𓇳𓆣𓆣𓏪𓁹𓐙𓏏 appear in the hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 text 𓏟𓏛𓏥. The cartouches were added later, after the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was completed as a way to “update” the statue’s 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 text 𓏟𓏛𓏥.

Block Statue of Ay at the Brooklyn Museum (and me)!