One of the features of Egyptian funerary practices that persisted throughout time was the mummy masks. Mummy masks first appeared during the First Intermediate Period (~2181 BCE), and were last used during the Roman Period (~395 AD). While the styles certainly changed, their purpose of protecting the mummy ππΉπ ±πΎ remained the same. The function of protection is made explicit by Spell 151 from the Book of the Dead. Spell 151 also restores the ability of the dead to see through the mask. Spell 151 even appears on the back of the mask of Tutankhamun ππ πππ ±ππΉπΎπΊπ!
Mummy Mask (Roman Period) at the Brooklyn Museum
This mask is from the Roman Period, and itβs always so interesting to see the merging of the two π» different styles. The mask is made of cartonnage (kind of like paper mache) and is covered in gold ππππ leaf, which is typical of Ptolemaic/Roman masks. The mummy ππΉπ ±πΎ is wearing a nemes ππ π΄ style headdress, and Khepri π£πππ (the winged scarab ππͺπππ£) can be seen on the head πΆπΊ. Khepri π£ππ is a symbol of rebirth.
What makes this mask so beautiful π€ are all of the small details in the gold ππππ leaf. The most prominent is the deceased (as a mummy ππΉπ ±πΎ) standing before ππ Osiris πΉπ¨π. The protective cobras ππππππͺ also adorn the mask. Daisies/Rosettes are seen as decoration along with the Wedjat-eyes π on each side. Both of these are also symbols of rebirth!
During Roman times, masks were mass produced in workshops so it is unlikely that this mask represents a specific person.
When I saw this piece I really liked it because of how colorful it was! No matter how many times I see artifacts in museums, Iβm always shocked by how bright the colors still are on some objects!
Coffin Fragment with Isis at the Brooklyn Museum
This is a coffin π ±ππΎ fragment (Late Period, Dynasties 26-31 c. 664-332 B.C.E.) that shows the goddess πΉπ Isis π¨πππ in mourning. Since in Egyptian mythology Isis π¨ππ₯ assisted in the resurrection of Osiris πΉπ¨π, it was believed that she would be instrumental in the rebirth of the deceased π ππ±. This is why she was always seen on coffins π ±ππΎπͺ or sarcophagi ππΉππππ¦.
Letβs read some hieroglyphs πΉππͺ! The inscription I have translated is on the right column: βππππ¨ππππ ¨ππΉπ β
πππ – Words Spoken By π¨πππ Isis (Isis is more commonly written like this βπ¨ππ₯β or β π¨πππ₯β) π ¨π – the Great (greatness) πΉπ – Goddess (can also be written as πΉπ)
Put together, the inscription reads:
βWords spoken by Isis, the great goddess…β The rest of the inscription is cut off.
Here are some more scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ from the MET! The MET has so many of these beautiful π€ scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ and I honestly love looking at them! I really like tiny things, so scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ and other amulets ππͺπ πͺ are some of my favorite pieces to see in museums!
These two π» scarabs ππͺπππ£πͺ both show Hatshepsutβs throne name Maatkare π³π¦π in between the Red Crown of Lower Egypt π§ππππ. The name ππ Maatkare π³π¦π translates to βTruth is the Soul of Ra.β
The Red Crown π§ππππ is also known as the Deshret, which can also translate to βred land π πππ.β The word Deshret π πππ referred to both the crown (π§ππππ) and the desert (π πππ) on either side of the Nile ππππ ±ππππΊ. While the words are written differently in hieroglyphs πΉππͺ, they are pronounced the same.
The fertile soil along the Nile ππππ ±ππππΊ was referred to as Kemet ππ ππ, or βblack land.β
This wooden π±ππΊ chair ππ¨ππ± is from the tomb ππ«ππ of Hatnefer. Hatnefer was Senemutβs π’ππ πΌ mother π ππ and due to his status as Hatshepsutβs ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ most trusted advisor, he was able to give his motherπ ππ a proper burial. I am always so amazed when wooden π±ππΊ pieces are still in such great condition – wood π±ππΊ is organic and it can break down very quickly as compared to a material like rock ππππ.
Wooden Chair of Hatnefer at the MET
The linen π± that makes up the seat of the chair ππ¨ππ± is the original linen π± and has not been restored at all! The back of the chair ππ¨ππ± contains a design alternating between the tyet π¬ (Isis Knot) and the Djed pillar π½. The tyet π¬ symbol invokes the protection of Isis π¨ππ₯, while the Djed pillar π½ symbolizes stability. It is thought that the Djed pillar π½ is actually the spine of the god πΉ Osiris πΉπ¨π.
In the middle of the tyet π¬ and Djed pillars π½ is the god Bes ππ΄π. Bes ππ΄π had many functions as a god πΉ and one of them was the protector of the home ππΊ.
This is definitely a unique piece! I had never seen one like it in another museum which is why I was so interested in it!
The Brooklyn Museum has it listed as a βModel of a Temple Gateway.β The actual function of the model is unclear because it is not a model that was used by an architect! It is listed as being βceremonialβ – which is archaeology speak for βwe have no idea what this is for”!
The sunken reliefs around the base of the model show Pharaoh Seti I ππ ππ»ππ£π in a kneeling position making offerings to several forms of the sun-god. Khepri π£πππ (the rising sun), Ra-Horkathy π πππ€ (sun at the highest point in the sky – known as the zenith), and Atum ππππ (the setting sun and one of the creation gods πΉπΉπΉ) can all be seen.
The cartouche shown is one of the variations of Seti Iβs π³π¦π throne name. Usually itβs just written as π³π¦π (Eternal is the Truth of Ra) but here itβs shown as π³π π§ππ³ (Eternal is the Truth of Ra, the image of Ra).
One of the most popular types of jewelry amongst the elite – including the pharaohs ππ»π¦ and royal family is known as the broad collar π ±π΄ππΊπ. In Middle Egyptian, the word for broad collar was π ±π΄ππΊπ (pronounced βwesekh) or simply just the determinative hieroglyph π could be used for the whole word. This particular broad collar π ±π΄ππΊπ was made during the late 18th Dynasty.
The broad collar π ±π΄ππΊπ was the necklace of choice by both the gods πΉπΉπΉ and the pharaohs ππ»π¦ and it reached peak popularity during the 18th Dynasty. Broad collars π ±π΄ππΊππ¦ could be made of many different types of materials, including gold ππππ, but the one shown in this picture are made of blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ faience π£πππΈπΌ beads. This broad collar π ±π΄ππΊπ is in almost perfect condition!
Underneath the broad collar π ±π΄ππΊπ is actually a spoon! It is not a spoon that was used for eating, but instead used to hold ointment π΄πΌππ. The top part of the spoon swivels open! It is fashioned after a pomegranate ππππ π, and the spoon part itself is supposed to be a pomegranate ππππ π fruit. Fun fact: pomegranate ππππ π flowers and fruit never appear on the plant at the same time, so maybe the spoon is representative of the growth from flowers to fruit/the life cycle of the plant??!! We will never know!
This post will be about two statues from different museums that are very similar!
This is a wooden π±ππΊ statue πππππΎ of the goddess πΉπ Nephthys π ππ dated from the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period. I am always amazed when wooden π±ππΊ statues are in such great condition – even though the paint is chipping in some places, the statue πππππΎ still retained much of its original color!
Wooden Statue of Nephthys at the Brooklyn Museum
Along with her sister π’ππ Isis π¨ππ₯, Nephthys π ππ was a protector π ππ‘π of the dead and this statue πππππΎ was most likely used for funerary purposes. The crown on her head is one of the hieroglyphs πΉππͺ that is used in her name (π ), which makes Nephthys π ππ very easy to identify in tomb art/funerary art. Her hand/arm ππΊ is raised in what is thought to me a mourning position, and this statue πππππΎ was most likely placed in a tomb ππ«ππ.
Nephthysβ π ππ title was βMistress of the House ππππΊ.β Her name ππ could also be written as ππππππ―π. The three πΌ symbols βπππβ can be combined to make the βπ β symbol, which is not only the crown, but a space saver when writing out hieroglyphs πΉππͺ!
Nephthysβ π ππ hair is blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ because it was supposed to be the same color as lapis lazuli ππ΄ππ§π§! Lapis lazuli ππ΄ππ§π§ is a stone (usually found in modern day Afghanistan) and was considered to be worth more than gold ππππ by the ancient Egyptians πππππͺ because it had to be traded for! Many of the gods πΉπΉπΉ and goddesses πΉπΉπΉπ were thought to have blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ lapis lazuli ππ΄ππ§π§ hair!
This is a wooden π±ππΊ statue πππππΎ of the goddess πΉπ Isis π¨ππ₯ is dated from the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period. Once again, this wooden π±ππΊ statue is in such great condition! When I saw the statue of Nephthys π ππ in the Brooklyn Museum, it immediately reminded me of this statue of Isis π¨ππ₯ at the Louvre!
Wooden Statue of Isis at the Louvre
Isis π¨ππ₯ was a protector π ππ‘π of the dead and the wife to Osiris πΉπ¨π. This statue πππππΎ was most likely used for funerary purposes. Her hands/arms ππ¦ are raised in what is thought to be a mourning position, and this statue πππππΎ was most likely placed in a tomb ππ«ππ.
The crown on her head is one of the hieroglyphs πΉππͺ that is used in her name (π¨), which makes Isis π¨ππ₯ very easy to identify in tomb art/funerary art. Isis can also be written as π¨ππ or πΏπ¨ππ₯, but no matter what, the βπ¨β always appears in her name ππ!
Much like the statue of Nephthysβ π ππ from the Brooklyn Museum, Isisβ π¨ππ₯ hair is blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ because it was supposed to be the same color as lapis lazuli ππ΄ππ§π§! Many of the gods πΉπΉπΉ and goddesses πΉπΉπΉπ were thought to have blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ lapis lazuli ππ΄ππ§π§ hair!
The god πΉ Thoth π πππ(or Djehuty to the ancient Egyptians) was originally god πΉ of the moon, but then became associated with writing πππ₯ and knowledge. He was also the god πΉ of scribes πππͺ. The moon could be thought of as a βnight sun,β which kind of places him as an opposite of the sun π³πΊ god πΉ Re π³πΊπ. Thoth π €π is also credited with inventing the 365-day calendar!
Thoth Amulets at the MET
Thoth π €π was thought to have invented writing πππ₯, and was thus the god πΉ of all record keeping. Due to his vast knowledge, Thoth π was thought to know magic and secrets that were unknown to the rest of the gods πΉπΉπΉ in the Egyptian pantheon. In the Book of the Dead, Thoth π €π is at the extremely important Weighing of the Heart – which is the judgement of the deceasedβs heart πππ£ against Maβatβs ππ΄π£ππ¦ feather. His job was to record the results of the ceremony.
Thoth π πππ was usually represented as a man πππ€ with an ibis head (π), an ibis πππ € or a baboon. In this photograph, there are many faience π£πππΈπΌ statues of Thoth π €π as a baboon. These were very popular amongst scribes πππͺ, and amulets ππͺπ πͺ of Thoth π πππ were worn by the living to invoke wisdom!
Thoth can be written as: π €π, π πππ, π. He also had various titles such as βLord of the Divine Words,β βThree Times Great,β and βLord of Maβatβ amongst many others!
This is a black granite πππππ³πΏ stela ππ ±ππΈ shows the god πΉ Sobek π΄ππ‘π in sunken relief. This stela is dated to the reign of Thutmosis III π π π΄ (18th Dynasty). The stela ππ ±ππΈ originally belonged to a soldier named Amunemhat and he dedicated it to one of Sobekβs π΄ππ‘π temples. Thutmosis III π π π΄ saw a lot of military victories, and that is probably how Anunemhat was able to pay for this small stela ππ ±ππΈ.
On the stela ππ ±ππΈ, Sobek π΄ππ‘π is seen in crocodile π π΄ππ form standing on an altar π΅ππͺ with an elaborate headdress on his head. There is an offering table πππ ‘πΏπ in front of him that contains bread πππ and meat ππ ±ππΉ, which were very common things to be left as offerings π΅ππͺπ ππ¦ to either a god πΉ or the dead. Amunemhat is seen kneeling in the lower right corner of the stela ππ ±ππΈ. Due to the faded hieroglyphs itβs very hard for me to translate them though next to Amunemhatβs head πΆπΊ you can see β ππ πβ which is βAmunβ and this the start of Amunemhatβs name ππ.
Sobek π΄ππ‘π had been worshipped since the Old Kingdom and is mentioned in the Pyramid Texts as being the son π of the goddess πΉπ Neith ππππ. He was a water god πΉ , and also of areas such as marshes and rivers/riverbanks. Sobek π΄ππ‘π usually appears in art as a crocodile π π΄ππ or as a man with a crocodile π π΄ππ head. The elaborate headdress on his head is representative of the sun disk π³πΊ with tall plumes on either side.
