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Reading Hieroglyphs Video

Doorjamb of Rameses II – Video

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

This large piece is referred to as a “Doorjamb from a Temple of Rameses II.” Basically, that means these blocks came from a gateway at a temple that was built in honor of one of Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 royal jubilees. 

𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt

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

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 – Amun-Ra

𓎟𓎼𓎼𓎼𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Thrones

𓌺 – Beloved

𓏙𓋹- Given Life

So all together the inscription reads “King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Usermaatre, Beloved of Amun-Ra, Lord of the Thrones, Given Life.” 

Also Rameses III’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓈘𓇋𓏠𓈖 cartouches appear on this too on the bottom of the doorjamb – he clearly usurped this piece for his own use and didn’t change all of the cartouches!

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

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Video

The Mastaba of Perneb – Video

Perneb 𓉐𓂋𓈖𓎟𓃀 was a palace administrator during the 5th Dynasty, and he had his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 built at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 (modern day Saqqara). This type of tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 is commonly referred to today as a mastaba, but in ancient Egyptian times they were referred to as a “House of Eternity 𓉐𓆖.” The word “mastaba” is Arabic for the word “bench,” and these tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 got their modern name 𓂋𓈖 due to their rectangular structure and flat roofs! 

I am standing inside the mastaba 𓉐𓆖 of Perneb 𓉐𓂋𓈖𓎟𓃀 at the MET in front of his False Door! I will never forget seeing it for the first time with my Nonno – the first time I saw it, there was no glass on the reliefs! Seeing this for the first time will always be one of my greatest memories! I love being inside the mastaba 𓉐𓆖 because I feel like I am in Egypt – 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 I love being in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪!

False Doors served as ways for the living relatives to make offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and there is a spot at the base of the False Door where offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 are meant to be left. 

The False Door acted as a link between the land of the living 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and the land of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the soul 𓂓 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 could travel between the two lands 𓇿𓇿 through the False Door. They are also known as “ka 𓂓 doors” or “soul 𓂓 doors.” 

If you’re interested in the beautiful reliefs that are on the walls of this mastaba 𓉐𓆖, you can read my previous post about them here!

The Mastaba of Perneb
Me in front of Perneb’s False Door inside his mastaba
The Mastaba of Perneb
One of the reliefs that is on the wall of Perneb’s mastaba

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

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Video

Wax Ushabtis – Video

Before ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 evolved in the 12th Dynasty, wax 𓏠𓈖𓎛𓏸𓏦 figurines that looked like humans (and had their own mini coffins 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱𓏦) were placed in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 with the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱! 

These precursor-ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 were made of beeswax and beeswax was said to have magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 powers of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜, resurrection, and regeneration. The figures are somewhat detailed and were wrapped in a linen cloth 𓍱 and placed in the mini-coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱. The coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 did not identify any role or jobs that the figure had (like the text on a ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 could identify what it’s job was), but it did identify the name 𓂋𓈖 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. Sometimes even the standard Offering Formula (𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 an offering the king gives) appeared on the mini-coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 as if it were a real one! 

If these figures weren’t workers, then what was their purpose? It is thought that this figure would take the place of the body should the body of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 be destroyed. 

These particular wax 𓏠𓈖𓎛𓏸𓏦 figures belonged to Queen Neferu, who lived during the 11th Dynasty (c. 2051–2030B.C.E) during the reign of Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪. Her tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 had many of these wax 𓏠𓈖𓎛𓏸𓏦 figures, however in general, not many similar ones have been found (in comparison to the amount of ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 that have been found). 

Ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 evolved into the little worker figures we know today during the 12th Dynasty, but became very popular during the New Kingdom. 

Wax Ushabtis
Wax Ushabtis on display at the MET

This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Egyptian Artifacts Video

Statue of Senemut – Video

This is a statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 holding a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣. A sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 was a musical instrument (like a rattle/tambourine) that was associated with the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡. Sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 usually had Hathor’s 𓉡 head 𓁶𓏤 (complete with her cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 ears) on top of a long handle. 

It’s interesting to see a statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 holding something other than Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 daughter Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤, because he is usually depicted with her. 

Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼, although not of noble birth, became an extremely important figure during the reign of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪  Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 closest advisor, the tutor for her daughter Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤, and the architect responsible for building her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐. 

Putting a commoner in such a powerful position might have been a strategic move by Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 – it would pretty much guarantee that he remained loyal to her. 

Statue of Senemut
Statue of Senemut holding a sistrum at the MET

This is my personal photo, video and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Reading Hieroglyphs Video

Happiness and Joy in Hieroglyphs – Video

𓄫𓏏𓄣 – “Be Happy, “Happiness,” “Joy,” – or in Middle Egyptian, “Wide Heart.” 

I LOVE how the actual Middle Egyptian version of the word is “Wide Heart 𓄫𓏏𓄣” – I think it carries so much meaning in such a little phrase. “Ancient Egypt makes my heart wide” sounds cooler than “Ancient Egypt brings me joy/happiness” – in my opinion at least!

I always love seeing Happiness/Joy 𓄫𓏏𓄣 written on objects because that is exactly how I felt when I was in a museum and looking at Egyptian artifacts with my Nonno. The only emotion I could feel at the time was joy 𓄫𓏏𓄣 and I was so lucky. I would do anything to go to a museum with my Nonno and experience those emotions again. While I do feel immense joy 𓄫𓏏𓄣 in museums now, there’s always a sadness to it as well because I truly miss my Nonno more than anything.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here are some common variants for “Happiness,” and “Joy”:

𓄫𓄣

𓄫𓄣𓏏

𓄫𓏏𓄣𓏺

𓄫𓄣𓏺

Happiness and Joy in Hieroglyphs
Here is a closeup of the word for Happiness and Joy in Hieroglyphs that I highlight in the video!

This is my video and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Reading Hieroglyphs Video

Cartouches of Montuhotep II – Video

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today we are going to learn about the Cartouches of Montuhotep II!

In the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, you can see Montuhotep II’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 birth name and throne name (both with titles). 

𓆥(𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪) – King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Montuhotep II (Birth Name)

𓅭𓇳(𓇳𓊤𓎟) – Son of Ra, Nebhapetra (Throne Name)

Let’s look even closer at the individual glyphs!

Cartouches of Montuhotep II
The Throne Name cartouche of the pharaoh Montuhotep II

𓇳 – Ra

𓎟 – “Neb” (nb)

𓊤 – “Hapet” (ḫrw or ḥjpt)

Cartouches of Montuhotep II
The Birth Name cartouche of the pharaoh Montuhotep II

Montuhotep 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 is his birth name/given name 𓂋𓈖! 

Let’s look even closer at the individual glyphs!

𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 – Montu (𓏠 – mn) (𓈖 – n) (𓍿- t) (𓅱 – u/w)

𓊵𓏏𓊪 – Hotep (𓊵 – htp) (𓏏 – t) (𓊪 – p) 

This raised relief is originally from Montuhotep II’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri. This relief was part of one of the main areas of the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 that was added at the end of Montuhotep’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 reign 𓋾. This dates the relief to c. 2010–2000 B.C.E. (Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 11).

Cartouches of Montuhotep II
Relief of Montuhotep II at the MET. Can you see the Cartouches of Montuhotep II on the full relief?

This is my personal video, photographs, and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Blog Video

Birthday Haul – Video

Here’s a birthday haul video!

A big Thank You 𓋴𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢 to my family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 for getting me such nice and thoughtful gifts for my birthday 𓄟𓋴𓅱𓏏𓈖𓇋𓎡𓍯𓃭𓁐𓎱!!! Don’t you all love how everything was ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 themed??!! 

This is not an ad – just me sharing some stuff that I got for my birthday!! 

Birthday Haul
A closeup of the Anubis statue that my sister got me for my birthday!

This is my personal video, photograph, and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Video

White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut – Video

Can you tell how excited/happy 𓄫𓄣𓏏 I am in this video? 

It’s no secret 𓃀𓋴𓆟𓏛 that the White Limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is my absolute favorite artifact that has ever been found in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! This is the piece that captured my imagination and I’ll never forget the first 𓏃 time I saw this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 with my Nonno! 

Nonno was always so excited to tell me about Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, because she was the most successful female pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Her twenty 𓎆𓎆 year rule 𓋾𓈎𓏏 was marked by big building projects (her mortuary temple 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐), economic prosperity (the expedition to Punt 𓊪𓃺𓈖𓏏𓈉) and peace! 

Not only is this White Limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 just absolutely stunning 𓄤, I love the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on it because Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 refers to herself using the female form of words in the inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥! These were also some of the first inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 I learned how to read, so they are very special to me! 

White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut
White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut at the MET

Check out this post for a more in-depth look at this beautiful 𓄤 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! No matter how many times I see it, I am still in awe of its beauty 𓄤!

Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube page for more videos like this!

This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Video

Cartouche of Amenhotep III – Video

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today we are going to be looking at the cartouche of the throne name of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆! Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 ruled during the 18th Dynasty and his rule 𓋾 was a time of prosperity for Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, especially in regards to the arts and international influence! 

This piece in the video is a reconstruction of the original by the MET – the blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 pieces are original, but the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 and plaster are not. This beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 decoration is a reconstruction using the tiles that were found during the excavation of Amenhotep III’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 palace at Malqata.

Here is his cartouche: 𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Nebmaatra 

Cartouche of Amenhotep III
Cartouche of Amenhotep III at the MET. This is the artifact featured in my video!

Let’s take a closer look at the symbols in the cartouche: 

𓇳 – Ra

𓁧 – Maat (Truth)

𓎠 – Neb (Possessor)

The name 𓂋𓈖 translates to Possessor is/of the Truth of Ra or Possessor is/of the Maat of Ra

This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Video

Soul of Pe Statue – Video

This bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 kneeling statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of a falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 deity 𓊹 is referred to as the “Soul of Pe” and it is actually another way to depict the god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭. Also known as “Horus of Pe,” these bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 became popular during the Late Period, after 600 B.C.E. 

The Souls 𓂓𓂓𓂓 of Pe 𓊪𓊖 and Nekhen 𓊔𓈖𓊖 were first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts and are referred to as the ancestors of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥. The Souls 𓂓𓂓𓂓 of Pe 𓊪𓊖 and Nekhen 𓊔𓈖𓊖 were thought of as very powerful deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 that not only aided the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥, but also the current living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

In this particular statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾, Horus 𓅃𓀭/Soul of Pe 𓊪𓊖 is shown in a characteristic kneeling position with one arm raised, with the other resting on his chest. This is known as a “jubilation position,” which is meant to show the Soul of Pe 𓊪𓊖 celebrating the rising of the sun 𓆄𓅱𓇶. The Soul of Pe 𓊪𓊖 is usually represented as Horus 𓅃𓀭 the Falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄, while the Soul of Nekhen 𓊔𓈖𓊖 is usually represented as a jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥. 

This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.