Author: ancientegyptblog7

Video

Wooden Ushabti of Rameses II – Video

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 24, 2023

Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 Ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 (New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, c. 1292-1190 B.C.E.).

The text 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is a version of the “Shabti Spell” from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead. This spell gives the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 the power to complete tasks (farming, manual labor, etc) for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖.

Me with the Wooden Ushabti of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum

This ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is mummiform meaning that it looks like a mummy/the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭! The ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is holding a holding the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅 and is wearing the nemes head cloth 𓈖𓅓𓋴.

Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 was plundered in the 20th Dynasty, and only three 𓏼 of his wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures remain!

In 1049 B.C.E., the High Priest of Amun ordered Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 be moved from his original tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 and to the Royal Cache, a place where many royal 𓋾 mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 were re-buried in order to protect the mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 from tomb robbers.

While the provenance of this ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is unknown, it is assumed that it was originally from Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 original tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 (KV 7).

Wooden Ushabti of Rameses II on display at the Brooklyn Museum

This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, rameses ii, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Lintel of Amenhotep II

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 23, 2023

My sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏𓁐, my brother 𓌢𓈖𓀀 and I are with a red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 relief, titled “Lintel of Amenhotep II!” This is a really interesting piece that contains so much history!

My sister (left), brother (middle) and me (right) with the Lintel of Amenhotep II at the British Museum

This piece was originally carved for the 18th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪. Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪 was the son 𓅭 of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 and he even co-ruled with his father! It was during the co-reign of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 and Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪 that the destruction of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 monuments 𓏠𓏍 began.

This relief shows mirrored scenes of Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪 wearing the khepresh crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 (also known as the blue crown) presenting nemset jars 𓏌𓏌𓏌 (containing either wine or water ) to the god 𓊹 Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺.

Over fifty 𓎊 years after this relief was carved, many of the figures (see the left side) and the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 were destroyed by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 in an attempt to erase images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the old religion.

Then, many years after Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 during the 19th Dynasty, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖 had some of the damage repaired – most of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪 and Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 were actually recarved! How can Egyptologists tell it was recarved? The sunken relief is deeper in the rock!

In order to show that it was he, pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖 who restored this piece, he had his cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 and a record of the restoration carved in between the two 𓏻 images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺! Can you spot Seti I’s throne name (𓇳𓁦𓏠) and birth name (𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖) cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏?

The description of this piece from the British Museum gave a short timeline of the history of this fascinating piece! I remember being confused by seeing the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of both Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪 and Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖 on the same relief because they are pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 from different dynasties! What’s even more interesting is that this is not a case of the more common “usurping of monuments 𓏠𓏍” from previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog

Tags amenhotep ii, artifact, british museum, seti i

Egyptian Artifacts

Hieroglyphs, Cursive Hieroglyphs and Hieratic

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 23, 2023

Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, Cursive Hieroglyphs and Hieratic?! There are so many ways to write the Egyptian Language!

Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, the script everyone is most familiar with, was the first 𓏃 script used by the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 to write their language! There are well over 700 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 unique hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and over 800 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 symbols if you count the variants! Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 were mainly used on temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏥, stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪, tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏥, obelisks 𓉶𓉶𓉶, other funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 such as sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪 and other objects of all kinds!

Then there are Cursive Hieroglyphs which is also known as Hieroglyphic Book Hand! This was usually used on handwritten papyri 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛𓏦 and was a less detailed version of the traditional hieroglyphic symbols. Cursive Hieroglyphs are easy to read because these symbols match their traditional hieroglyphic counterparts!

Hieratic is a script that was used on papyri 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛𓏦 and the symbols do not match their hieroglyphic counterparts! I cannot read Hieratic and I have found it quite difficult to learn! Plus the Hieratic symbols have evolved over time so they have changed a lot which only makes it more difficult!

This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is from the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 of Imhotep at the MET and it shows Cursive Hieroglyphs (left) and Hieratic (right). I love how both scripts are used because you can really see the difference between the two!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog

Tags artifact, book of the dead, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

The Cartouches of Augustus

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 23, 2023

This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is a look at one of the sunken reliefs on the Temple of Dendur at the MET! This relief shows Emperor Augustus wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt 𓌉𓏏𓋑 standing before Horus 𓅃𓀭.

The Cartouches of Augustus – can you spot all three?

To me, what is most interesting though are the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of Augustus! Unlike the Greek rulers of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 that spelled out their names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 using phonogram symbols, Augustus went a different route when having his name 𓂋𓈖 represented in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. In this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 you can see all three 𓏼 of his cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦:

𓈎𓇌𓊃𓂋𓊃𓋹𓆖 – (Kaisaros)

𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋 – (Autokrator)

𓉐𓉻𓀀 – (Pharaoh (pr-ˁ3))

“Autokrator” is the Greek word for “Emperor,” “Kaisaros” is the Greek word for “Caesar,” and “pr-ˁ3” is the Middle Egyptian word for “pharaoh.”

In Middle Egyptian the word for pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 literally translates to “Great House.“ This is a direct reference to the palace 𓂝𓎛𓏏𓉥𓉐 where the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 resided during his/her rule.

𓉐 – House (pr)

𓉻 – Great (ˁ3)

The third cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 is the one I have always found so fascinating because it is literally the word for pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 in Middle Egyptian plus the male determinative sign 𓀀. Most names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 (even when spelled out with phonograms) are followed by a determinative for a male 𓀀 person or female 𓁐 person. By choosing to have his name 𓂋𓈖 depicted in this way, Augustus was literally calling himself the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

Augustus chose to have various words for “ruler” as his name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. Again, this was probably a way to assert his power as the first Emperor of the Roman Empire. He didn’t want anyone to question his right to rule!

Can you spot three of Augustus’ cartouches in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏?

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog

Tags augustus, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, roman, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Rameses II and Horus

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 20, 2023

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at this fragmented relief from the Louvre which depicts the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 and the god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭! Horus is holding Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 hand and leading him. How do we know that this is a depiction of Horus 𓅃𓀭 since there are many falcon gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹? The word “Edfu 𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖” in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is a major clue – Horus 𓅃𓀭 of the Winged Disc or “Behdetite” was the chief god 𓊹 of the city 𓊖!

Look at who is leading Horus 𓅃𓀭- it’s the god 𓊹 Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 who is the “Opener of the Ways!” Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 appears on a standard and is associated leading ritual processions.

Relief showing Rameses II and Horus

Above the depiction is actually part of Rameses II’s royal titularly! Each pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 had five names, and the first one that appears is known as the “Horus Name.” Rameses II had many variants of his Horus Name, but we will look at the one that appears here: “𓂡𓃒𓁧𓌺 Strong Bull, Beloved of Maat”

𓂡 – Strong

𓃒 – Bull

𓁧 – Maat

𓌺 – Beloved

After that, the Nebty Name 𓅒 is listed! The Nebty Name is distinguished by the Nebty or Two Ladies symbol “𓅒.” Only the partial name appears on the relief: “𓅖𓎡𓆎𓏏𓊖 Protector of Egypt.”

𓅖 – Protector

𓎡𓆎𓏏𓊖 – Egypt (Kemet) (most commonly, Kemet is written as “𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖,” however this is another variant).

The full name is as follows: 𓅖𓎡𓆎𓏏𓊖𓅱𓂝𓆑𓏲𓂡𓈊𓏏𓏦 “Protector of Egypt Who Curbs Foreign Lands.”

Relief showing Rameses II and Horus

Above Horus 𓅃𓀭 appears:

𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖 – Edfu

𓎟- Lord

𓇯 – Sky

𓄤 – Perfect

𓊹 – God

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre setep en Ra (Throne Name of Rameses II which translates to “The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra.”)

𓏙 – Given

𓋹 – Life

𓌀 – Strength

All together the inscription says: “Edfu, Lord of the Sky, the Perfect God Usermaatre setep en Ra Give Life and Strength.”

To the left of Rameses II:

𓃹𓈖𓈖 – It Is

𓄤 – Perfect

𓊹 – God

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre setep en Ra

All together the inscription says: “It Is the Pefect God Usermaatre setep en Ra.”

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, horus, louvre, rameses ii

Egyptian Artifacts

Hippos and Hedgehogs!

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 19, 2023

There are a couple of things I always look for when I go to a museum and the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 are one of them! The little hedgehogs 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛𓏪 in this display are a nice plus too because they are so cute!

Me with the Hippos and Hedgehogs at the Brooklyn Museum!

The the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 was made between the 12th and 17th Dynasties. In Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 were both feared and respected 𓈙𓆑𓄅. They were feared because they were one of the most dangerous animals in the Nile Valley 𓇗. However, hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 were also thought to be powerful protectors 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 against evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨! William has lotus flowers 𓆸𓏪 painted all over him to associate it with rejuvenation! William is most likely painted blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 to represent the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 and rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱.

Hippos and Hedgehogs!

In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, the hedgehog 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛 was associated with rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱, which is a concept central to the ancient Egyptian religion. This association occurred because when food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 is scarce, hedgehogs 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛𓏪 will retreat into their underground burrows for long periods of time. Hedgehogs 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛𓏪 only re-emerge from their burrows during times of food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 abundance. This disappearing/appearing pattern strongly correlated with the concept of rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 to the ancient Egyptians.

The hedgehogs 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛𓏪 in this display are made out of blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 just like the hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum

Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Amenhotep III

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 17, 2023

Yesterday 𓋴𓆑𓇳 we looked at a ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that belonged to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖, and today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to examine a ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that belonged to his 𓆑 father 𓇋𓏏𓀀, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠!

An ebony wood Ushabti of Amenhotep III on display at the MET

This ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made of ebony wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 and has glass 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 inlaid eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦. The inlaid eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 are a striking blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 and white which make this piece really stand out not only amongst other artifacts, but amongst other ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures too!

This ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is a typical mummiform piece – the ushabti has its arms crossed over its chest, and at some point was probably holding a holding the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅 which have been lost in antiquity. The crown on its head has also been lost, which is a shame. I wonder what the crown would have been made of?

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are wonderfully preserved. The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are carved into the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺, and then we’re filled with paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦! I love how much the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 stand out against the ebony wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 – I think it’s beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋!

Can you spot Amenhotep III’s birth name (𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆) and throne name (𓇳𓁧𓎠) on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾? Let me know!!!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog

Tags amenhotep iii, artifact, the met, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti Figure of Akhenaten

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 16, 2023

There are over 200 𓏲𓏲 ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures that belonged to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 and some of them are on display at the MET! This particular Ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 Figure of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 though broken in half, has a wonderfully preserved face and partial inscription!

Ushabti Figure of Akhenaten on display at the MET

It seems strange that Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 would be buried with ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 because he completely changed the Egyptian religion from the traditional polytheistic worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 to the monotheistic worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 of the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳. This shows that while he did completely change Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 religion, some aspects of the old religion, such as belief in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, did remain and persist throughout his rule 𓋾.

Most of Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 are in various states of disarray. While most ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 contain standard inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 known as the “shabti spell” or “shabti text,” Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 only contain inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 of his name 𓂋𓈖 and titles. Let’s take a look at the partial inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥!

You can see the inscription of “𓆥,” which as we have learned previously can translate to “He of the Sedge and the Bee” or “King of Upper and Lower Egypt.” As we know, this is a very popular title to be seen before a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷!

The “𓇳” in the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 is part of one of Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 throne names, which would most likely be “𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖,” since that is the only one of Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 throne name 𓂋𓈖 variants that begins with a “𓇳.”

Even though “𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖” translates to “The Beautiful One of the Manifestations of Ra, the Unique one of Ra,” this variant was only seen after the name 𓂋𓈖 change from Amenhotep IV 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓊹𓋾𓌀 to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog

Tags akhenaten, artifact, the met, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

King Sahure Accompanied by a Divine Figure

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 15, 2023

This beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 gneiss statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is called “King Sahure Accompanied by a Divine Figure” and is on display at the MET!

King Sahure Accompanied by a Divine Figure

This is the only statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the 5th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Sahure 𓇳𓃃𓅱 that exists – all other representations are on reliefs. We know that this is 𓇳𓃃𓅱 because his cartouches appear on the right side of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! Sahure 𓇳𓃃𓅱 is wearing the nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 headcloth and the false beard 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸 which is the usual fashion worn by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻!

The “divine figure” that is standing next to Sahure 𓇳𓃃𓅱 on the left is a personification of the 5th Nome of Upper Egypt 𓇓 (later called the Coptite Nome). During the Old Kingdom, the nomes (or provinces) of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 were usually drawn as people! The “divine figure” is offering the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Sahure 𓇳𓃃𓅱 an Ankh 𓋹. The “divine figure” also has the “double falcon emblem 𓈺” carved on his head, which was the nome standard!

Something I love about this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is that it is made out of gneiss, which is one of my favorite rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦! Here’s a little geology lesson: Gneiss is a foliated metamorphic rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 which means that it was subjected to such extreme heat and pressure during its formation (probably due to mountain 𓈋𓅳 building or plate tectonics), that the minerals 𓇋𓌻𓂋𓅱𓈙𓏦 have separated into bands of light (felsic) and dark (mafic) colored minerals 𓇋𓌻𓂋𓅱𓈙𓏦! This gives gneiss a natural zebra-like appearance – can you spot the banding on the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾?

Gebel el-Asr is the only quarry 𓎛𓏏𓏏𓉐 in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 where gneiss can be found, and gneiss was prized from the Predynastic to Middle Kingdoms for statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 making!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog

Tags artifact, sahure, the met

Video

Wooden Models of Meketre – Video

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 13, 2023

This video shows the Wooden Models of Meketre!

These wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models were found in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of the Royal Chief Steward Meketre who lived during the reign 𓋾 of Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 and possibly Amenemhat I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏 which was during the Middle Kingdom. Meketre’s high status as an official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 is why he was able to afford so many wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models and such an elaborate burial.

The first wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model is of a “Porch and Garden 𓎛𓊃𓊪𓈈” that has a pool 𓈙𓈇 in the center that could have been potentially filled with water 𓈗!

Porch and Garden Model from the tomb of Meketre

The second wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model is of a bakery 𓂝𓅓𓂋𓉐 and brewery 𓂝𓏏𓉐𓎛𓈎𓏏𓏊𓏪.

Model of a bakery and brewery from the tomb of Meketre

The third wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model is of a granary 𓊚𓏏𓉐.

Model of a granary from the tomb of Meketre

The fourth wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model is of a slaughterhouse. Cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 and geese 𓊃𓂋𓅬𓏦 are being slaughtered by butchers, and dried out meat 𓇋𓅱𓆑𓄹 can be seen hanging above them.

Model of a slaughterhouse from the tomb of Meketre

The fifth wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model is of a “Model Cattle Stable” in which workers are feeding cattle 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 in order to fatten them for slaughter.

Model of a cattle stable from the tomb of Meketre

There were 24 𓎆𓎆𓏽 almost perfectly preserved models found in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Meketre. Half of the models are at the MET, while the other half are at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo!

This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog

Tags artifact, the met

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