Category: Video

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Video

Ushabti of Paser – Video

Here is a video of me at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with the Ushabti of Paser! This beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is on display in Gallery 122!

The blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼  ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 belongs to Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽! Objects made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 were thought to hold magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 powers!  The ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 served as substitutes for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and would perform labor or jobs for them in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. They are usually inscribed with specific spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 which assigned each ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 to a certain task! 

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 was one of the most prominent men of his time and he served under two 𓏻 pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 – Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and then Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖.  Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 served many different roles over twenty-five 𓎆𓎆𓏾 years! He was vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 and one of his most famous works is the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 in the Valley of the Kings! A vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was the highest ranking official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 and was the most powerful position in the government, besides the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

Not only was the vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 the most trusted advisor to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but he also saw to the day-to-day operations of the government. The vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was in charge of architecture, taxation, agriculture, military, judicial, financial, and many other things.

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 had many different titles, including “High Preist of Amun,” “superintendent of every work of the king,” and “chief of secrets of the hieroglyphs.” 

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 was my Nonno’s absolute favorite non-royal, so it’s always so special to see objects that belonged to Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 in museums. 

Ushabti of Paser

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

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Reading Hieroglyphs Video

Video – Hieroglyphs on Sarcophagus

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

This very simple limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 from the Middle Kingdom (Dynasty 11, c. 2051–2030 B.C.E.) is one of my absolute favorite pieces! This sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 belonged to a priestess 𓊹𓍛 of Hathor 𓉡 named Henhenet 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏. The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 are incredibly well preserved!

Here is the full inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖: 

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓎟𓇾𓂦𓈎𓂋𓌠𓋴𓁀𓉬𓄤𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓅓𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓋴𓈖𓊼𓉓𓐍𓂋𓃣𓏅𓊹𓉱𓈖𓇋𓌳𓄪𓐍𓇌𓏏𓇓𓏏𓆭𓌡𓏏𓏏𓉡𓊹𓍛𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏𓐙𓅱𓏏𓊤

Here is the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 broken down by word/phrase:

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 An Offering the King Gives 

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 – Anubis

𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑 – Upon his Hill/Mountain

𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎- He Who is in the Mummy Wrappings

𓎟𓇾𓂦 – Lord of the Sacred Land

𓈎𓂋𓌠𓋴𓁀𓉬 – Burial

𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏- Good 

𓅓 – In Her

𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 – Tomb 

𓋴𓈖𓊼 – Necropolis

𓉓 – A Voice Offering 

𓐍𓂋 – Before

𓃣 – Anubis 

𓏅 – In Front At 

𓊹𓉱 – God’s Booth (Shrine for Anubis)

𓈖𓇋- For The/By The

𓌳𓄪𓐍𓇌𓏏 – Venerated/Revered

𓇓 – King 

𓏏𓆭𓌡𓏏𓏏 – Sole Ornament 

𓉡 – Hathor

𓊹𓍛 – High Priestess

𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏 – Henhenet

𓐙𓅱𓏏𓊤 – True of Voice

“An Offering the King Gives Anubis, Upon his Hill, He Who is in the Mummy Wrappings, Lord of the Sacred Land, A Good Burial In Her Tomb of the Necropolis, A Voice Offering Before Anubis In Front At the God’s Booth, For the Venerated Sole Ornament of the King, High Priestess of Hathor, Henhenet, True of Voice.”

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Reading Hieroglyphs Video

Video – Kohl Tube

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 Tube! Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 was a type of eye paint (makeup) that was very popular amongst the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪! This tube would have contained the kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀, and then a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 or faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 stick would have been used to apply it! The kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 tube itself is also made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, hence the gorgeous blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 color! This piece is dated to the 18th Dynasty (c. 1390-1353 B.C.E.).

For me, the most interesting part of an artifact is always going to be the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 on the object! 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓊹𓄤 – Perfect God 

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Nebmaatra (Amenhotep III’s Throne Name)

𓇓𓈞𓏏 – King’s Great Wife

𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 – Tiye

𓋹𓍘 – May She Live!

Some of you may notice when looking at this inscription that Queen Tiye’s 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 name 𓂋𓈖 is in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 too! Sometimes, the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the queens who held the title of the “King’s Great Wife 𓇓𓈞𓏏” also appeared in cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 to demonstrate their importance to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Fun Fact: Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 was actually the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 grandmother!

Kohl Tube
A closeup image of the Kohl Tube of Amenhotep III, which is featured in the above video!
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Video

Video – Let’s Play #IFoundImhotep

My Nonno always made going to museums so much fun and I’m sure this is why I have always loved going to museums! 

One of our favorite things to see in a museum were the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪! My Nonno would always point out Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 and tell me about all of the incredible things he did (like being the architect behind Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴)! I have always been fascinated by Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪! 

My Nonno turned finding the Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 into a game, and I want to play the game with everyone!! Tag me in your photos or use the hashtag #IFoundImhotep on Instagram to show me your pictures of the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 that are in your local museums! 

Let’s keep my Nonno’s game alive!

Imhotep Statue
The bronze statue of Imhotep at the Brooklyn Museum

𓏙𓋹𓆖𓎛𓇳𓎛

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Book Recommendations Video

Video – “Hatshepsut” Book Review

It’s time for another book 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 review!

This book 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 on Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is one of my absolute favorites that I have in my collection! My Nonno brought it for me in 2006 when we went to the “Hatshepsut From Queen to Pharaoh” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art! The book not only details the exhibition, but gives a lot of information about Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪! 

The MET has a beautiful 𓄤 collection of artifacts from Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 reign, and this book does an incredible job of highlighting these important objects. 

While the book is out of print, you can get it used online or you can get it as a PDF from the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Publications website! The MET has a great program that provides free PDFs for their out of print books! I have gotten amazing books through their program – you should check it out!

I hope you enjoy and love this book as much as I do!

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Video

Video – Egyptian Amulets and Molds

This video reveals the “secret” to how the ancient Egyptians were able to make so many amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 that were so small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 and detailed – they used molds! These molds are typically made of terracotta and allowed artists to not only mass produce amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, but also make the amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 small and detailed! 

The amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 that you see in the video  are grapes, daisy/rosette, Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗, Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜, the Eye of Horus 𓅃𓀭, the Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛, various types of plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰, scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪, and then some rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦! I didn’t point them out in the video, but see if you can spot the frogs 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏𓏦!!

Lets’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! See if you can spot these in the video!!

𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Nebmaatra (throne name for Amenhotep III)

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 – Amenhotep III (birth name)

𓇓𓈞𓏏 – King’s Great Wife

𓍘𓇌𓏭- Tiye 

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Video

Video – Statues of Isis and Horus

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby is one of the most popular images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the Third Intermediate Period, Late Period and even through the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods.  This video examines the significance of the statues of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭!

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 appeared in bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦, stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪, and even as small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪! My Nonno would always point out these pieces of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby because he felt they were so significant to the evolution of religious art through time. 

While my Nonno loved Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 and Roman art, he also loved Christian/Biblical art, so these Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 were kind of a natural connection between his area of interests! I always make sure to look for statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 like this in museums whenever I visit! 

Symbolically, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was thought to be the mother 𓄿𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and was often associated with motherhood, the protection of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐, and a user of magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜.  As Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 became a more popular religious figure, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans.  Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was widely worshipped during the Roman times, and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby has even appeared on the back of Roman coins.

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a mother 𓄿𓏏𓁐 holding a child 𓐍𓇌𓀕 is thought to have inspired the well known Catholic images of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus as a baby. 

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Reading Hieroglyphs Video

Video – Maned Sphinx of Hatshepsut

Here’s a video on the Maned Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 of Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

(𓇳𓁦𓂓) – Maatkare

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

𓌺𓏏𓇌 – Beloved

𓋹𓏏𓏙- Life Given

𓆖 – Eternity (Forever)

“Maatkare, Beloved of Amun, Given Life for Eternity.”

I know this is strange, but “Given Life” is written backwards! It should be “𓏙𓋹” not “𓋹𓏙” as it’s written (this inscription is read from right to left). 

There’s also an added 𓏏, which makes it the feminine form! There’s a second sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 just like this one in the Cairo Museum, and on that sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤, there is no added 𓏏! Why would one sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 use the feminine form and one use the masculine?! We will probably never know! 

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Video

Video – Anubis Statue

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was found near the Sacred Animal Necropolis at Saqqara (Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖). The Sacred Animal Necropolis housed thousands 𓏲𓏲𓏲 of mummified animals such as falcons 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄𓏦, baboons, ibises 𓉔𓃀𓅤𓏦 and bulls/cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦. This piece is dated to the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (664–30 B.C.E.). 

Although mummified jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦 were not found in the area, statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 have been found most likely because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and embalming 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, so it would make sense that there would be statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of him in the vicinity of this large necropolis. It is thought that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 such as this were used to guard embalming tents. 

Interestingly, this piece was originally painted 𓏞𓏜 black 𓆎𓅓, but through time it has lost its coloring! It’s hard to see in my pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 (the MET really needs better lighting – the galleries are so dark) but you can still see remnants of some of the black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 on the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾! 

I was very excited to see this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾, because there is a similar one in the Petrie Museum in London! I love seeing similar pieces in different museums around the world! It is really cool to see pieces that are similar across museum collections – I can’t explain why, but I just find it incredible! Also (no surprise), I love anything Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, so of course I absolutely love this statue and I need to visit it every time I go to the MET!

Fun fact! There are no temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦 dedicated to Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 because all tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and large burial areas were considered “temples” to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in! It makes so much sense because he is the god 𓊹 of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎! 

Anubis Statue
A picture of me with the Anubis statue!
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Video

Video – Funerary Cones

While not as artistically decorated as most of the artifacts in the Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 collections of museums, these “funerary cones” were always something my Nonno pointed out to me! He thought they were so interesting and now every time I go to museums, I actively seek these out as a way to remember my Nonno! He loved this little gallery (Gallery 117) at the MET solely because of the funerary cones! 

Funerary cones (a modern name given to these objects) are made of clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 and usually found at the openings of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 at Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 (almost exclusively). They were used primarily during the 18th Dynasty (though there are examples that date to the 11th Dynasty or as late as the 19th-20th Dynasties).

While the exact usage of the funerary cones is not known, but they are inferred to be architectural decorations, tomb labels, symbolic offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦, or even as passports to the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! Thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of these cones have been excavated to date! Every museum I have been to has a collection of these funerary cones!

The end of the funerary cone is usually circular in shape and usually contains an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 with the name of the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 occupant as well as a god 𓊹. These objects can also be referred to as “funerary stamps.”

An example inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that is common on a funerary cone would be something like: 

“Venerated before Osiris, Son of ____, Name of Deceased.” 

𓄪𓐍𓇌 – Venerated 

𓐍𓂋 – Before

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris

𓅭 – Son