Author: ancientegyptblog7

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Egyptian Artifacts

British Museum Funerary Display

There’s a lot going on in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, but I really like this display at the British Museum! This display contains statuesΒ π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺΒ that all have to do with funerary practices.Β 

On the bottom left, there are multiple figures of Ptah-Sokar-Osiris. Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures connect three gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ that are connected to rebirth/resurrection into a single statue π“„šπ“ˆ–𓏏𓏭𓀾. These statues π“„šπ“ˆ–𓏏𓏭𓀾π“ͺ became popular during the Late Period and they seemed to have evolved from the figures of Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ that became popular in tombs π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰π“¦ during the 19th Dynasty (New Kingdom). These figures are always a mummiform figure on a wooden π“†±π“π“Ί base. 

On the bottom right is a corn mummy in a falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„ sarcophagus π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­. While millions of animal mummies have been found at sites all over Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, mummies made of grains like wheat and barley have also been found. Corn Mummies are meant to be a representation of the god π“ŠΉ Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ and Egyptologists came to this conclusion because the β€œcoffins” that contain the corn mummies almost always contain Osiris’ π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ name π“‚‹π“ˆ– and his titles/epithets.

The middle-right shows wooden π“†±π“π“Ί funerary figures of Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ and Nephthys π“‰ π“π“†‡ which were also popular figures to find in tombs π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰π“¦ from the Late Period and onward. Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ and Nephthys π“‰ π“π“†‡ were sisters π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“π“π“ͺ and both funerary goddesses π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“. Similar statues π“„šπ“ˆ–𓏏𓏭𓀾π“ͺ can be seen in museums around the world!

The top left shows various figures and representations of the god π“ŠΉ Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­, who was the main funerary god π“ŠΉ in the Egyptian pantheon. 

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Pair Statue

This type of statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is referred to as a Pair Statue.

The front of a Pair Statue at the Brooklyn Museum

Pair Statues first appeared in the Third Dynasty during the reign of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Djoser 𓂦, however, this example is from the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom – either the reign of Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼 or Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž ).

The purpose of the Pair Statue was to show closeness between two 𓏻 individuals. This pair statue represents a husband and wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐! The man π“Šƒπ“€€π“€ is named Nebsen and he was a scribe π“Ÿπ“€€ in the treasury, while the woman 𓂑𓏏𓁐 is named Nebet-ta, and she was a singer in the temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ of Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯. Both scribes π“Ÿπ“€€π“ͺ and singers were held in high regard and were of high status, which is probably how they had the means to procure such a beautiful π“„€ pair statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ!

What I love about this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is how beautiful π“„€ the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are!

The word β€œwoman” can be written multiple ways, either π“Šƒπ“π“‚‘π“π“ or 𓂑𓏏𓁐. The latter can also mean β€œwife.”

There is also a dedication to the god π“ŠΉ Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘π“†‹ (right column on the back):

π“‡“π“π“Š΅π“™π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘π“†‹

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Temple of Dendur and the Crocodile!

Being at the Temple of Dendur is just so relaxing to me. I just love being in this room – I have so many amazing memories here with my Nonno and my sister π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“ who is in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 with me! I could literally just sit in here for hours and just exist.

One of my favorite things as a kid was the little crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ statue that’s in the β€œriver” that goes around the temple! I always thought it was so cool! The ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ both feared and worshipped crocodiles π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œπ“¦. Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘π“†‹, the god π“ŠΉ with the head of a crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ was worshipped from the time of Narmer all the way through the Roman period. He was a fertility god π“ŠΉ, associated with the annual flooding of the Nile π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί.

Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘π“†‹ also represented the power and might of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 because crocodiles π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œπ“¦ are incredibly strong – and were a constant threat to those living along the Nile π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί. Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘π“†‹ is the son π“…­ of the war goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Neith π“ˆ–π“π“‹Œπ“€­ and is sometimes referenced as being the son π“…­ of Seth π“Šƒπ“π“„‘π“£. Hundreds of crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ mummies have been found in Faiyum and other places in Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, most likely as way to appease Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘π“†‹.

Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗, another crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ goddess π“ŠΉπ“ is associated with female fertility and childbirth.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Solar Barge – The Book of the Dead

One of the greatest aspects of the Brooklyn Museum’s Egyptian collection is The Book of the Dead for a man named Sobekmose, who had the title β€œGoldworker of Amun.” Sobekmose was buried in Memphis and that is where this papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 was found. This Book of the Dead dates to the 18th Dynasty (early New Kingdom 1500-1480 B.C.E.). It is displayed as one complete papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛!

The Book of the Dead contained instructions/spells for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 as they made their way through the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The red text that you see is used to indicate the start of a new spell, the end of a spell, or the names of certain mythological figures.

I love this particular image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 – it shows the sun 𓇳𓏺 god Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 in his solar barge that he used to bring the sun 𓇳𓏺 across the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯 during the day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳, and then through the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 at night π“ŽΌπ“‚‹π“Ž›π“„›. Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 journey across the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯 is supposed to be representative of his birth/resurrection (sunrise), growth (day) and then death (sunset). Then, Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 journey would repeat for another day.

I love how the solar barge is sitting on top of the determinative hieroglyph for β€œsky 𓇯” and that the Egyptian stars 𓇼𓇼𓇼 are also there!

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Rameses II

There are two 𓏻 different types of reliefs; raised and sunken reliefs. In a raised relief, the images project upward from the rock, while in a sunken relief, the images are carved within the rock.

Most of the time, especially for temple and royal inscriptions, the Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ chose to to raised reliefs because it was less likely to be completely washed out by the sun 𓇳𓏺! Sunken reliefs were mainly used when time was of the essence, because sunken reliefs took less time to carve or when the rock was too hard/dense. Sunken reliefs actually became more popular starting with the 18th Dynasty.

Full Relief of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum.

This relief shows Rameses II π“‡³π“„Šπ“§π“‡³π“‰π“ˆ–. What is interesting is the hieroglyphs are sunken reliefs, while the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 are raised reliefs.

Usually reliefs were either one or the other, however, this relief has both sunken and raised aspects to it! Many of his titles/cartouches are used in this relief.

Close-Up of the Hieroglyphs.

π“ŽŸπ“‡Ώπ“‡Ώ β€œlord of the two lands”
π“‡³π“„Šπ“§π“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– Rameses II (Usermaatre – throne name)

π“ŽŸπ“ˆπ“₯ β€œlord of appearances”
π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“ Rameses II (Ramessu mery-Amun – birth name)

π“ŒΊπ“©π“›π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“ – Rameses II (Ramessu mery-Amun – birth name variant)

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Egyptian Artifacts

Colorful Hieroglyphs

A lot of the time, the pieces that catch my eye in the museums are the limestone fragments that contain colorful hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ.

Colorful Hieroglyphs at the Brooklyn Museum

I don’t know why I like these seemingly unassuming pieces so much, but I do. It’s probably because they’re so colorful! Once upon a time, most Egyptian reliefs were as colorful as this piece, however with the passage of time, most of the colors faded. It’s so cool to almost catch a glimpse of what the colors were like thousands of years ago!

This limestone raised relief came from the wall of a tomb π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰. It is dated to the 18th-19th Dynasties of the New Kingdom. I love how detailed the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Boat Models

I absolutely love the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 tomb π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰ models. I could literally spend hours just looking at them!

Wooden Boat Models at the Louvre (featuring Nonno’s reflection)

Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models were very popular in the Middle Kingdom and were usually put in tombs π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰. The boats 𓂧π“Šͺπ“π“Šžπ“¦ 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 𓂧π“Šͺπ“π“Šž across the Nile π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί in a symbolic representation of the journey of the soul π“‚“- from the land of the living to the land of the dead 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This directly mirrors Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 daily journey across the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯.

Tombs usually contained two 𓏻 boats 𓂧π“Šͺπ“π“Šžπ“¦: one sailing in a northward direction, and one sailing in a southward direction.

So many wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model boats 𓂧π“Šͺπ“π“Šžπ“¦ have been found because boats 𓂧π“Šͺπ“π“Šžπ“¦ were essential to daily Egyptian life along the Nile River π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί. Boats 𓂧π“Šͺπ“π“Šžπ“¦ were not only essential for transporting people, goods and construction materials, but also for the gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ and their journeys as well.

This particular boat 𓂧π“Šͺπ“π“Šž is so beautiful π“„€ because so many of the oarsmen are there! I also love this picture because my Nonno took it – you can even see his reflection in the glass πŸ’™.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Reliefs from Amarna – featuring Nefertiti!

This is a painted limestone sunken relief of Nefertiti π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“‡π“π“­.

Relief of Nefertiti at the Brooklyn Museum

Even though her name does not appear on the relief, thanks to the uniqueness of the Amarna art style, it can be easy to tell who is who in the art. The headdress that Nefertiti π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“‡π“π“­ is wearing in this relief is the same headdress that the famous Nefertiti π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“‡π“π“­ bust in Berlin wears! You can also see the phrase β€œ 𓏙𓋹” which means β€œgiven life” above her head. The rest of the inscription cannot be read.

The second relief is a raised relief and it was once part of a larger image. It shows feet in sandals! The description from the museum says it’s from an unidentified woman π“Šƒπ“π“‚‘π“π“ or queen π“‡“π“π“π“ˆž. This could be Nefertiti π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“‡π“π“­, or one of her and Akhenaten’s π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– daughters.

Feet In Sandals relief at the Brooklyn Museum

The third piece is a bust. According to the museum, scholars used to think this was a bust of Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ–, Smenkhare π“‡³π“Šƒπ“‰»π“‚“π“‚¦π“†£, or Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“. However, more recently, it is thought to show Ankhesenpaaten, the second daughter of Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…žπ“π“ˆ– and Nefertiti π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“‡π“π“­. Ankhesenpaaten was the wife/queen π“‡“π“π“π“ˆž of Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ and during his rule changed her name to Ankhesenamun to reflect the switch back to the old religion. The name Ankhesenamun means β€œshe who lives through Amun.”

Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ also went through a name change when he switched Egypt’s π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– religion back – his original name was Tutankhaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“‡³!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Raised Relief of Akhethotep

This is a raised relief in limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ of an Old Kingdom official π“‹΄π“‚‹π“€€ named Akhethotep π“π“…žπ“Š΅π“π“Šͺπ“€€.

Raised Relief of Akhethotep at the Brooklyn Museum

This piece is from Saqqara and is dated to the Fourth Dynasty. This relief is a beautiful example of Old Kingdom relief style (eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 are carved facing the front but the nose π“†‘π“ˆ–π“‚§π“‚‰ and mouth 𓂋𓏺 are in profile) and it shows how a lot of the Egyptian art style persisted throughout the entire length of the civilization. These same features can be seen throughout Egyptian art for thousands of years.

Akhethotep’s π“π“…žπ“Š΅π“π“Šͺπ“€€ name π“‚‹π“ˆ– is located in front of his head 𓁢𓏺. If you notice, the determinative symbol (π“€€) is β€œmissing” from his name in the relief, and is instead written like this: π“π“…žπ“Š΅π“π“Šͺ. The symbol isn’t actually missing – since the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ in this particular relief are read from right to left, the larger image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of him is used to represent the determinative symbol! The ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ loved to maximize the aesthetics and would often do things like this in order to maximize space on the reliefs! A partial version of Akhethotep’s π“π“…žπ“Š΅π“π“Šͺπ“€€ name π“‚‹π“ˆ– can also be seen above his head 𓁢𓏺.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of an Official Named Nesthoth

This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is of an official π“‹΄π“‚‹π“€€ named Nesthoth. Wealthy Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ would often have a statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ made of themselves because the Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ believed that the soul π“‚“ of a person could inhabit the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ after death 𓅓𓏏𓏱. Having such a statue in a temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ meant that the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person would always be present during temple processions.

Statue of an Official Named Nesthoth at the Brooklyn Museum

This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is made of a rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™ called diorite. Diorite is classified as a coarse grained intrusive igneous rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™, meaning it was formed from the solidification of magma deep underground. Though it can’t be seen in this statue, the β€œcoarse” classification means that the rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™ has crystals between the sizes of 1mm-10mm in diameter. While Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– has an igneous rock base (as all continents do), diorite was a rare rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™ to find in Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– because Egypt’s bedrock is mostly granitic. Since diorite was rare and difficult to work with, this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ was most likely incredibly expensive to commission!

The base of the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ contains the standard offering formula β€œan offering the king gives Osiris” (π“‡“π“π“Š΅π“™π“‹”π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­). The rest of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are too difficult for me to read!

The god π“ŠΉ Thoth π“…€π“€­(in his baboon form) is seen with Nesthoth. Thoth π“…€π“€­ was the god π“ŠΉ of writing π“Ÿπ“›π“₯!