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BTS and Ancient Egypt!

μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš” – Hello!!

So this is going to be a different type of post but that’s okay! Namjoon 남쀀 from BTS λ°©νƒ„μ†Œλ…„λ‹¨ posted a picture at the Temple of Dendur at the MET! As many of you know, this is one of my absolute favorite places and I was very excited to see that I actually have a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 in the same exact spot as him! Namjoon 남쀀 loves museums and is a big supporter of the arts – just like me!

I discovered BTS λ°©νƒ„μ†Œλ…„λ‹¨ during quarantine in 2020 after my Nonno passed away and their music (plus their TV shows etc.) have been a huge comfort for me. I love their music and I love their message – so much so that I am trying my hardest to learn some Korean ν•œκ΅­μ–΄ so I can listen to their music without needing as many translations. Writing about ancient Egypt and BTS λ°©νƒ„μ†Œλ…„λ‹¨ have been my ways to try to healthily cope with my Nonno’s death, which is still something I am having difficulty processing.

Some history on the Temple of Dendur: The temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ was actually commissioned by Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 and building was completed by 10 B.C. Dendur is located in Nubia, and is just south 𓇔𓅱𓏏 of Aswan π“‹΄π“ƒΉπ“ˆ–π“Œπ“²π“Š–. Even though the temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ was built by Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀, it definitely follows Egyptian style and not Roman style. The temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ was primarily used to worship the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯.

κ°μ‚¬ν•©λ‹ˆλ‹€ – Thank You!

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Why I Love “The Mummy” (1999) So Much!

Another bit of a different post for today!! I want to talk about The Mummy because it is my absolute favorite movie of all time (and I know many of you love it as much as me)!!

I must have been around nine years old (I started studying ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– around six years old) and my mom told me that I β€œhad to watch this movie with her” and that the main girl in the movie was just like me! Now I’m a scaredy cat and I do not like horror movies (and never will) so I remember being very hesitant to watch it.

Once the movie started I couldn’t believe it! Evie was literally just like me! Nerdy, brown hair, clumsy, glasses and could read hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ too!! I related to her so much and I really felt that she was just like me (she is definitely much braver and more adventurous than I am πŸ˜‚). The movie instantly became my favorite movie of all time (and at nine years old I realized Rick O’Connell was the perfect man πŸ˜‚). I honestly cannot put into words just how much this movie has meant to me throughout my whole life. I really can’t think of a way to express it in any of the languages I know!

I have probably seen the movie over 100 times and every time I watch it, the movie brings me incredible joy. Not only did I relate to Evie, but she also inspired me to keep studying Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– and hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ because I really did want to be as amazing as her (and of course make Nonno proud). My Nonno also loved the movie, and not only is it my favorite, but it is also the entire family’s favorite! We also LOVE the ride at Universal Studios (which is where I am in the picture). The movie has had an incredible influence on my life and I am forever grateful that it was made (I also love The Mummy Returns)!!

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Keeping a Person’s Name Alive

π“ˆ–π“―π“ˆ–π“ˆ–π“― – Nonno ❀️

This was my Christmas gift to myself this year – it is a bracelet 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛 that says Nonno π“ˆ–π“―π“ˆ–π“ˆ–π“― in hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ. I can now carry his name π“‚‹π“ˆ– with me every day. I love this bracelet 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛 and I’m so happy I was able to have it made for myself and for my sister π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“ too.

Talking about my Nonno π“ˆ–π“―π“ˆ–π“ˆ–π“― and saying his name π“‚‹π“ˆ– is so important to me. Wearing his name π“‚‹π“ˆ– has been so important to me – Nonno would not have been happy with me getting a tattoo (πŸ˜‚) so this bracelet 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛 is perfect. My students know all about Nonno π“ˆ–π“―π“ˆ–π“ˆ–π“― too and I will talk about him any chance I get to anyone who will listen! I want everyone to know who he was and what an absolutely incredible person he was.

I have likened this account to a Stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ in the past, but I also truly believe in the Egyptian cultural aspect of the importance of a person’s name π“‚‹π“ˆ–, and it being essential to them living on. Me wearing his name π“‚‹π“ˆ–, speaking his name π“‚‹π“ˆ–, and writing about him is how I help my Nonno to live on even if he isn’t here with me presently (which really really hurts – the grief has been unimaginable).

In ancient Egyptian culture, a name π“‚‹π“ˆ– was considered the most essential part of the person because the other four 𓏽 elements could not exist without the name π“‚‹π“ˆ–. If a person wanted to survive after death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, not only was mummification essential, but even more so was preserving the name π“‚‹π“ˆ–. If a name π“‚‹π“ˆ– was removed from a monument or forgotten, it meant that the person was deprived of their entire existence.

I don’t want my Nonno’s name to ever be forgotten. Thank you all for listening to me and helping me to have Nonno’s name live on!

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Blog Reading Hieroglyphs

Tutankhamun’s Cartouche Box Replica

Here’s a bit of a different post for today! One of my absolute favorite pieces besides the Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ and the Anubis shrine 𓃣 is the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 cartouche box from Tutankhamun’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ tomb π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰. I have always loved this piece because Tutankhatmun’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ cartouche was one of the first hieroglyphic phrases that I learned how to read. I remember being so proud for being able to decipher its meaning when I first started learning! I remember showing my Nonno how I could read it! This box was just the beginning of my journey into the Egyptian language!

So let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– – Amun
𓏏𓅱𓏏 – Tut (image)
π“‹Ή – Ankh (life/living)
π“‹Ύ – Ruler
𓉺 – of/on
𓇓 – Upper Egypt

So all put together, the cartouche says β€œTutankhamun, Ruler of Upper Egypt.” The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– Tutankamun means β€œLiving Image of Amun.” Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– is placed first in the cartouche because of honorific transposition – the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of the god π“ŠΉ is always placed (out of respect) first even though it is said last.

The wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 cartouche box was one of the pieces featured at the King Tut exhibit in the USA back in 2007, and I spent so much time just looking at this piece while I was there! I was struck by the beauty π“„€ of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ made of ebony and ivory. Seeing the box in person cemented it as one of my most favorite artifacts of all time! I have always wanted a replica (usually they are so expensive), and now I have one! This replica is very detailed and I got it on Amazon!

Fun Fact: The ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ referred to the cartouche as shen 𓍢 (cartouche is actually a French word). The word shen 𓍢 is derived from the verb meaning “to encircle.” The purpose of the cartouche was to represent the pharaoh as ruler of all that the sun 𓇳𓏀 encircled! Shen 𓍢 was also representative of infinity, completeness, and protection.

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The Mummy

This post is a little bit different for today but that’s okay! I have had this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 in my drafts for a while!

I don’t think that anyone is surprised to hear that my absolute favorite movie of all time is The Mummy (and I also love the Mummy Returns too)! I’ll never forget watching the movie for the first time when I was eleven years old with my mom. I related so much to Evie because she could read hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ and loved ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– just like me!! Evie instantly became my favorite movie character, and she still is to this day!

At Universal Studios in Hollywood, I ran into the Golden π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ Book 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 of Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί from the movie and felt like I met a celebrity (you can definitely see how happy I am in this picture)!! Even though the Golden Book of Amun-Ra and the Book of the Dead (as it is in the movie at least) does not exist historically, they are still such fun and iconic movie props – I always wanted one of my own!

Let’s learn some actual vocabulary associated with the movies!
π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ – Gold
𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 – Papyrus Roll (Book)
π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί – Amun-Ra
𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 – Mummy

While the movies are obviously not historically accurate, The Mummy and the Mummy Returns are my absolute favorite movies so I wanted to make this post about how much I love them! My Nonno really enjoyed them too and we would watch them together! He was always so disappointed that he couldn’t ride Revenge of the Mummy because we all loved it so much (it’s a rollercoaster and he was too old to ride it safely).

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Birthday at the Museum

I am so lucky because I was able to celebrate my 30th birthday at The MET! My mom 𓅐𓏏𓁐, dad 𓇋𓏏𓀀, brother π“Œ’π“ˆ–, and sister π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“ all came with me and I had the best day! For many birthdays, my Nonno came with us to the MET too, so it was definitely sad without him but I know he was watching down on all of us!

My brother, me and my sister at the Temple of Dendur at The Met!

We are at the Temple of Dendur! The temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ was actually commissioned by Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 and building was completed by 10 B.C.E. Dendur is located in Nubia, and is just south 𓇔𓅱𓏏 of Aswan π“‹΄π“ƒΉπ“ˆ–π“Œπ“²π“Š–. Even though the temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ was built by Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀, it definitely follows Egyptian π“†Žπ“π“€€π“ style and not Roman style. The temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ was primarily used to worship the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯. Since Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ is considered the divine mother 𓄿𓏏𓁐 of Egyptian π“†Žπ“π“€€π“ mythology, I figured this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 was appropriate for both my birthday and Mother’s Day!

πŸ“Έ (𓏏𓅱𓏏) by my Mom!!!

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Welcome to Ancient Egypt Blog!

Nonno and Nicole at the Vatican Museum

My name is Nicole and I have a passion for history, most notably ancient Egypt. My Nonno has the same love for history, and he taught me basically everything I know. Together, we read books all about Egypt, ever since I was a little girl. He brought me my first book on hieroglyphs when I was six years old, and from there I taught myself how to read them. By the time I was twelve years old, I was able to go to museums and read the hieroglyphs off of the artifacts. Nonno was so proud of me and as my sister said β€œhe had been waiting his whole life for someone to care about this stuff like he did.” We loved going to museums and studying history together.

Unfortunately, my Nonno passed away in February 2020. He was my person and I am completely devastated. I started my Instagram account @ancientegyptblog and this website so I could share our love of history, share all of the amazing things he taught me, all the books he gave me, and all places he took me to.