Category: Reading Hieroglyphs

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Limestone Parapet from Amarna

Here is a limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 fragment of a parapet (c. 1352-1336 B.C.E., New Kingdom Amarna Period) that depicts the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭. A parapet is a low wall, and it may have been part of a temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at one point.

In the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏, Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭 is offering cartouches to the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳. These cartouches do not belong to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖, but to the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 itself which is different because cartouches were usually for pharaohs. Also strange is that other gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are mentioned in the Aten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 cartouches, even while the Egyptian religion was banned. These might be early cartouches, before a complete ban took effect. There is also a lot of debate because does this mean that Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 was the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 on Earth 𓇾𓇾, or were they two 𓏻 separate beings?

Front side of the limestone parapet from Amarna

Here is a closer look at the cartouches:

(𓈌𓈌𓅊𓋹𓎛𓂝𓏮𓏛𓐝𓈌) – “ “The living Re-Horakhty, Rejoicing in the horizon”

(𓐝𓂋𓈖𓆑𓐝𓆄𓅱𓇳𓈖𓏏𓏮𓐝𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳) – “In his name as Shu, who is in the Aten”

Also in the image𓏏𓅱𓏏, Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 is extending light rays to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭. The light rays are represented by lines, with hands 𓂧𓏏𓏦 on the end that are holding Ankhs 𓋹𓋹𓋹.

Obverse side of the limestone parapet from Amarna

This is the obverse side of the limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 fragment of a parapet (c. 1352-1336 B.C.E., New Kingdom Amarna Period) that depicts the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 (left) and Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭 (right).

The piece is in such poor condition because after the death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖, his city was abandoned and fell to disarray. This makes the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 difficult to translate but I will try! Also, many of the buildings were destroyed by Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 and the materials were then used to build 𓐍𓂤𓅱𓋴𓀧 one of his temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! This is the third column from the left:

(𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖) – cartouche of Akhenaten
𓐙𓉻 – “True of Voice” or “Justified”
𓊢𓂝𓇳𓏤 – Lifetime
𓆑 – “he” or “his”

“Akhenaten, true of voice, in his lifetime…”

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Hatshepsut – Dispelling Misconceptions

There are many misconceptions about Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, and I want to show why they are misconceptions.

It was always said by historians that Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 was “showing herself as a male” or “trying/wanting to be a man.” These statements are just not true. Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 never portrayed herself as a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤. She portrayed herself as a Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, which she was! In fact, she very much referred to herself as a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐. How do we know? It’s all in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Let’s take a look at the titles she gives herself.

The inscription reads: 𓄤𓊹𓏏𓎟𓏏𓇿𓇿𓇳𓁦𓂓𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎟𓎼𓎼𓎼𓇿𓇿𓌸𓇌𓋹𓍘𓆖

𓄤𓊹𓏏 – “Perfect goddess”
𓎟𓏏𓇿𓇿 – “Lady of the Two Lands”
𓇳𓁦𓂓 – “Maatkare” (Hatshepsut’s throne name)
𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun
𓎟𓎼𓎼𓎼𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Thrones
𓌸𓇌 – Beloved
𓋹𓍘 – May She Live!
𓆖 – Eternity

So the inscription reads “Perfect goddess, lady of the two lands Maatkare, Beloved of Amun, Lord of the Thrones, May She Live, For Eternity.”

If Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 was referring to herself as a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 or trying to be a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤, the inscription would read like this:

𓄤𓊹 𓎟𓇿𓇿 𓇳𓁦𓂓 – “Perfect god, lord of the two lands Maatkare.”

The addition of the “𓏏” makes the words the feminine version! “𓎟 – Lord” becomes “𓎟𓏏 – Lady” and “𓊹 -God” becomes “ 𓊹𓏏 – Goddess.” So as you can see, Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is very much referring to herself as a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 – it’s in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Here is the other inscription that is on the statue:

The inscription reads:𓅭𓏏𓇳𓈖𓏏𓄡𓏏𓆑(𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪)𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓇓𓏏𓊹𓏥𓌻𓇌𓋹𓏏𓆓𓆑

𓅭𓏏𓇳 – Daughter of Ra
𓈖𓏏𓄡𓏏𓆑 – Bodily/Of Her Body
(𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪) – Hatshepsut’s cartouche (birth name)
𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳 – Amun-Ra
𓇓𓏏 – King of (feminine form of King)
𓊹𓏥 – Gods
𓌻𓇌 – Beloved
𓋹𓏏𓆓𓆑 – She Live Forever (forever is usually written as “𓆖”)

Put together, the inscription reads: “Bodily daughter of Ra, Hatshepsut, beloved of Amun-Ra, King of the Gods, May She Live Forever.”

Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is very much referring to herself as a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 – it’s in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! If she called herself the “Son of Ra” the inscription would look like “𓅭𓇳” instead of “𓅭𓏏𓇳. ” The word for “bodily 𓈖𓏏𓄡𓏏𓆑” is also feminized, and would be written as “𓈖𓏏𓄡𓆑” if it was referencing a male. The word for “king 𓇓” is also written in the feminine form and has the “𓏏” at the end (𓇓𓏏).

There was no word for “queen” in Middle Egyptian, the closest word that exists is “𓇓𓏏𓏏𓈞,” which translates to “The King’s Wife.” Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 was certainly not the King’s Wife: she was the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻/king 𓇓𓏏.

This misconception needs to be squashed, because it very much erases Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 identity 𓂋𓈖 and as we know, the name/identity 𓂋𓈖 of a person was essential to Egyptian cultural beliefs. Referring to Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 as anything but how she referred to herself is an insult to her.

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Inscription – “Before Anubis”

Here is a piece of an inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 from a Middle Kingdom sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 at the MET.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!

𓐍𓂋 – Before
𓃣 – “Anubis”

A very simple inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖, but something that was important for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 since Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 was tasked with the protection of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! In order for ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 to journey through the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and eventually reach the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖, the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾/body of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 needed to remain intact! So a person definitely wanted to be near Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢!

Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖 Can be written many different ways! Here are some common variations:
𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣
𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣
𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱
𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢
𓃣
𓃤
𓁢

Much like in English and other languages, the same words could have different spellings! In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, most of the time the different spellings had to do with the space that was available on the piece that was being inscribed!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Limestone Relief of Thutmosis III

This is a limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief with the cartouches of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 on it. Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Here’s the top line of text: 𓆥(𓇳𓏠𓆣)𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓎟 𓌀𓏏𓊖𓁷𓄣𓉺𓈖𓊖𓌺𓇌

𓆥- King of Upper and Lower Egypt,
(𓇳𓏠𓆣) – Menkhepera
𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 – Montu
𓎟 – Lord of
𓌀𓏏𓊖 – Thebes
𓁷𓄣 – middle/middle of
𓉺𓈖𓊖 – Dendera
𓌺𓇌 – Beloved
The full translation is: “King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Menkhepera, Beloved of Montu, Lord of Thebes, middle of Dendera.”

Here’s the second line of text: 𓅭𓇳(𓅝𓄠𓋴𓇋𓊃) 𓏙𓋹𓊽𓌀𓋴𓃀𓈖𓄫𓄣𓇳𓏇𓏺𓆖
𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra
(𓅝𓄠𓋴𓇋𓊃) – Thutmosis III
𓏙𓋹𓊽𓌀 – Given Life, Stability, Strength
𓋴𓃀𓈖- Health
𓄫𓄣 – Happiness
𓇳𓏇𓏺 – Like Ra
𓆖 – Eternity
The full translation is: “Son of Ra, Thutmosis III, Given Life, Stability, Strength, Health, and Happiness, like Ra, for eternity.”

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Granite Statue of Hatshepsut and its Hieroglyphs

Since I can’t go too long without talking about Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, let’s talk about this granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of her!

She is depicted in female attire, but is also wearing the nemes head cloth 𓈖𓅓𓋴, which is usually reserved only for the reigning pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 to wear! Once again, this imagery 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows that Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 wanted to be seen as a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, not be seen as a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤.

Her hands 𓂝𓏦 are flat on her lap, which means that this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was probably put inside the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 and meant to receive offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦. This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was found in multiple pieces during excavations at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐, and then pieced back together.

Let’s look at the hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 inscription (only the top part of it can be seen – the other half is too destroyed for me to finish translating):

𓄤𓊹𓏏 – “Perfect goddess”
𓇳𓁦𓂓 – “Maatkare” (Hatshepsut’s throne name)

So the inscription reads “Perfect goddess, Maatkare.”

If Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 was referring to herself as a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 or trying to be a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤, the inscription would read like this:

𓄤𓊹(𓇳𓁦𓂓) – “Perfect god, Maatkare.”

The addition of the “𓏏” makes the word the feminine version – “𓊹 -God” becomes “ 𓊹𓏏 – Goddess.” So as you can see, Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is very much referring to herself as a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 – it’s in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! There are too many examples of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 being referred to as a female in writing to make the rash conclusion that she was “trying to be a man.”

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

False Door of Neferiu

This is another beautiful 𓄤 example of a False Door from the Old Kingdom or First Intermediate Period (8th-11th Dynasty). This False Door belonged to the Royal Sealer 𓅓𓂋𓋩𓏏 Neferiu 𓄤𓂻𓅱. A Royal Sealer 𓅓𓂋𓋩𓏏 had a job similar to that of a treasurer 𓋨𓅱!

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

This is the top line of text:
𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓁹𓊨𓀭𓎟𓊽𓂧𓅱𓊖𓉓𓂋𓈖𓐍𓄪𓅱𓄤𓂻𓅱

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – an offering the king gives
𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris
𓎟𓊽𓂧𓅱𓊖 – Lord of Djedu
𓉓 – a voice offering
𓂋 – before
𓈖 – to/for
𓐍𓄪𓅱 – the revered
𓄤𓂻𓅱- Neferiu

All together the inscription reads: “An offering the King gives Osiris, Lord of Djedu, a voice offering before and to the revered Neferiu.”

This is the second line of text:
𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓃣𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐏 𓉓𓂋𓈖𓄤𓂻𓅱

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – an offering the king gives
𓃣 – Anubis
𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑 – upon his mountain
𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐏 – in the mummy wrappings
𓉓 – a voice offering
𓂋 – before
𓈖 – to/for
𓄤𓂻𓅱 – Neferiu

All together the inscription reads: “An offering the king gives Anubis, Upon His Mountain, in the mummy wrappings, a voice offering before and to Neferiu.”

These two 𓏻 inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 are very common and are the standard “offering formula” (with some minor variations) that are used in many False Doors and Stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸. In the second picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, I zoomed in on the part with Anubis 𓃣 because he is my favorite and I always get excited when I see his name 𓂋𓈖! Just the determinative symbol for Anubis 𓃣 instead of his full name (𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣) was used in this inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 probably due to a lack of space!

Now let’s read the text that is in the middle panel of the false door! These two 𓏻 pieces of text basically say what a great person Neferiu 𓄤𓂻𓅱 was and it also lists all of the wonderful things he did in his life! I did not write out all of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 this time because it was too long! Please enjoy the translation though!

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! This is the translation of the inscription on the left side: “I gave bread 𓏏𓏐 to the hungry 𓎛𓈎𓂋𓅩𓀁 and clothes 𓎛𓃀𓋴𓅱𓋳𓏦 to the 𓈖 naked 𓄿𓎛𓇌𓋳𓀁. I drove the boatless in my boat. I gave property to someone I knew as well as to the one I did not. The seal-bearer 𓋨𓅱 of the King of Lower Egypt 𓆤, the sole companion, the revered 𓄪𓐍 Neferiu 𓄤𓂻𓅱.”

This is the text on the right side: “O the living 𓇋𓀞𓋹, those who are upon the Earth 𓇾, who love life 𓋹𓈖𓐍, I gave assistance to those in the year 𓂋𓈖𓆳𓏏𓏤 of hardship. I acted mightily with my strong arm in order to endure among my children. It is Iqer* who did it that I might become greater than the great 𓅩𓂋 ones and the noblemen…of my entire town, who bore witness to me.”
*Iqer is a local deity or the name of a place near Dendera

On the bottom, next to Neferiu 𓄤𓂻𓅱 and his wife 𓈟𓏏 on both sides the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 say:
𓈟𓏏𓌸𓂋𓏏𓆑𓌉𓃀𓆓𓏏 or “His 𓆑 beloved 𓌸𓂋 wife 𓈟𓏏 Wedjbet 𓈟𓏏.”

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Sandstone Relief of the God’s Wife of Amun Making an Offering to Amun-Ra

This sandstone 𓂋𓅱𓂧𓏏𓌗𓈙 relief is dated to the Third Intermediate Period (Dynasty 25, c. 710-670 B.C.E.) and is most likely from Karnak. It depicts the God’s Wife of Amun, named Amunirdis I, making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 of Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 to Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺. Standing behind Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 is the god 𓊹 Khonsu 𓐍𓈖𓇓𓅱𓀯 (god of the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹) who is the son 𓅭 of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 and the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Mut 𓏏𓄿𓀭.

In the Third Intermediate Period, the “God’s Wife of Amun” was a very powerful position to be in – at some points, they even had as much power as the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! The women who had this title were either the wife 𓇓𓏏𓏏𓈞, mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐, or daughter 𓅭𓏏 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 and would be in charge of performing necessary rituals at festivals and religious ceremonies.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 – Amun-Ra
𓇓𓏏𓈖 – King of the
𓊹𓊹𓊹 – Gods

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺𓇓𓏏𓈖𓊹𓊹𓊹 – “Amun-Ra, King of the Gods.”

Here’s the inscription directly next to Amun-Ra:

𓉼𓊹 – Great God
𓎟 – Lord
𓊪𓏏𓇯 – Sky

𓉼𓊹𓎟𓊪𓏏𓇯 – “Great God, Lord of the Sky.”

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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 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 and the Anubis shrine 𓃣 is the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 cartouche box from Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐. I have always loved this piece because Tutankhatmun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 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 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun
𓏏𓅱𓏏 – Tut (image)
𓋹 – Ankh (life/living)
𓋾 – Ruler
𓉺 – of/on
𓇓 – Upper Egypt

So all put together, the cartouche says “Tutankhamun, Ruler of Upper Egypt.” The name 𓂋𓈖 Tutankamun means “Living Image of Amun.” Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 is placed first in the cartouche because of honorific transposition – the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 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 𓄤 of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 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 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 referred to the cartouche as shen 𓍶 (cartouche is actually a French word). The word shen 𓍶 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 𓇳𓏤 encircled! Shen 𓍶 was also representative of infinity, completeness, and protection.

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Bronze Blade with Hatshepsut’s Cartouche

Believe it or not, this seemingly plain piece was probably one of my favorite objects that I saw in the Petrie Museum. I was so excited when I saw it, because Hatshepsut’s 𓇳𓁦𓂓 throne name appears on it! Since I absolutely love anything to do with Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓, I was incredibly excited to see something with her name 𓂋𓈖 on it. I also think this piece is unpublished, so it was a total surprise for me to see that it even existed! Since her name 𓂋𓈖appears on the blade, it means that it was most certainly made during her time as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

While it doesn’t look like much, this piece is actually a bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 blade that was once attached to a handle.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓄤𓊹 – Great God

(𓇳𓁦𓂓) – Maatkare (Hatshepsut’s Throne Name – translates to “Truth 𓁦 is the Soul 𓂓 of Re 𓇳.”)

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

𓏃𓂦𓂦- Holiest of Holies (the name given to Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahri. It can also be written as 𓏃𓂦𓂦𓉐 or most commonly as 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐).

𓌺𓇌 – Beloved

Put together, the inscription reads: 𓄤𓊹(𓇳𓁦𓂓)𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏃𓂦𓂦𓌺𓇌 “The Great God Maatkare, Beloved of Amun, Holiest of Holies.”

Interestingly, Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is referred to as “The Great God 𓄤𓊹” instead of the “Great Goddess 𓄤𓊹𓏏” as she usually is in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥. I honestly think this is a spacing issue because the blade is so small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩. A lot of the words on this blade are the shortened version. For example, Amun is written as 𓇋𓏠𓈖 instead of 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭, and Holiest of Holies is very shortened to the point of almost being unrecognizable (𓏃𓂦𓂦 instead of 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐). There are also many variations of Beloved 𓌺𓇌, but this shortened version of the word is very commonly seen in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥.

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Reading the Cartouche of the Pharaoh Unas

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!

One of the best ways to practice reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (especially phonogram symbols) is to read the cartouches of some of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 from the Old Kingdom! The reason why they are great to practice phonogram symbols is because the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 are very phonetic!

Let’s take a look at the cartouche of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Unas:

(𓃹𓈖𓇋𓋴) – Unas

Here is a breakdown of the symbols:

The “hare 𓃹” is normally used as a phonogram, which means that it is a symbol that represents sounds, and is usually part of a larger word! The hare 𓃹 is a biliteral sign which means it represents two consonants. The 𓃹 represents the sounds “wn.”

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is also a phonogram sign, except it is uniliteral sign, which means that it just represents one consonant. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!”

The “reed 𓇋” is a uniliteral phonogram for “ı͗,” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.”

The “folded cloth 𓋴” is a uniliteral phonogram for “s.”

So the transliteration of the cartouche would be: “wnnı͗s.” This would be pronounced/written as “Unas.”