This is a zoomed in view of some hand-written hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช from a copy of The Book of the Dead! These hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช were written on papyrus ๐ ๐๐๐ and are so beautiful ๐ค! I always love seeing hand-written hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช because usually papyri ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ were usually written in Hieratic!
Letโs read some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช!
You might recognize this word as one that I use a lot: ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ! The word โtwt ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆโ (probably pronounced like โtutโ) is the word for โimageโ in Middle Egyptian! Adding the ๐ฆ to the end makes it plural, so โimage ๐๐ ฑ๐โ becomes โimages ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ.โ
So why did I choose to highlight this particular word?! Itโs because ๐๐ ฑ๐ was one of the first Middle Egyptian words that I learned when I was first starting to read hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช! The reason being is that it is part of Tutankhamunโs ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐ cartouche! Here is a breakdown of Tutankhamunโs ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐น๐พ๐บ๐ name ๐๐:
I remember being so proud as a little girl when I mastered reading the cartouche, and started recognizing the words in other inscriptions ๐๐๐ฅ! I think cartouches are a great place to start your hieroglyphic journey, because you begin to recognize the vocabulary elsewhere!
This is the name ๐๐ of the goddess ๐น๐ Hathor ๐ก in hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช! Iโm sure you can see this, but Hathorโs name is unique compared to that of the other deities! This is because her name is written with a composite hieroglyph ๐น๐! A composite hieroglyph ๐น๐ is the combination of many symbols into one symbol! Hathorโs ๐ก name ๐๐ is the combination of an enclosure ๐ and the falcon ๐ .
๐ +๐ = ๐ก
If the two ๐ป symbols were written separately, we would actually read Hathorโs ๐ก name ๐๐ as โHouse of Horusโ or โEstate of Horusโ (depending on how you translated the ๐ hieroglyph) – so that is the literal translation of her name ๐๐!
Just like other deities, there are many ways to write Hathorโs ๐ก name ๐๐ in hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช! Here are some of ways: ๐ฅ ๐ก๐ฅ ๐๐ท๐๐ ๐ก
Also, just look at how beautifully ๐ค carved this hieroglyph ๐น๐ is! I will never not be amazed at the incredible craftsmanship of the ancient Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช!
The inscription ๐๐๐ฅ that you see in the picture ๐๐ ฑ๐ spells out the name ๐๐ of the god ๐น Amun-Ra ๐๐ ๐๐ณ๐บ! While many gods ๐น๐น๐น had different variations on how to write their name ๐๐ in hieroglyphs, the spelling of Amun-Ra ๐๐ ๐๐ณ๐บ was pretty consistent, which makes it an easy name ๐๐ to recognize!
Letโs breakdown Amun-Raโs ๐๐ ๐๐ณ๐บ name ๐๐ into each individual symbol!
๐ – phonogram symbols for โjโ ๐ – phonogram for โmnโ ๐ – phonogram symbols for โnโ ๐ณ – ideogram for โRaโ (๐ณ can also be a determinative for sun, day, and time) ๐บ – not pronounced! The โ๐บโ is there for spacing/aesthetic purposes!
Amun-Ra ๐๐ ๐๐ณ๐บ is the combination of the gods ๐น๐น๐น Amun ๐๐ ๐๐ญ (originally god ๐น of the air, then evolved to become chief of the Egyptian gods ๐น๐น๐น) and Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐ (god ๐น of the sun ๐ณ๐บ). During the New Kingdom, Amun ๐๐ ๐๐ญ and Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐ were merged to create the single deity Amun-Ra ๐๐ ๐๐ณ๐บ. Amun-Ra ๐๐ ๐๐ณ๐บ was considered to be the father ๐๐๐ and protector ๐ ๐๐ก๐ of the pharaoh ๐๐ป. The worship ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ข of Amun-Ra ๐๐ ๐๐ณ๐บ was extremely popular and took on a cult-like following.
The inscription ๐๐๐ฅ that you see in the picture ๐๐ ฑ๐ spells out the name ๐๐ of the god ๐น Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ. โOsirisโ is actually the Greek version of the name ๐๐; the ancient Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช probably would have pronounced his name ๐๐ like โIsr.โ
There are a couple of different ways to write Osirisโ ๐น๐จ๐ญ name ๐๐, but โ๐น๐จ๐ญโ is the most common way! Other variations are: ๐ฌ๐๐๐ค๐ญ ๐ฉ๐น
Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ is considered one of the most important deities in ancient Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐. While he is mostly known as the god ๐น of the underworld/afterlife ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ (Duat), but that he also controlled all life ๐น๐๐ from the underworld ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐. This means that Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ was associated with the annual flooding of the Nile River ๐๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐บ but also the growing vegetation and annual harvest. This makes sense since Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ is strongly connected with regeneration and rebirth, and the ancient Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช also associated the Nile ๐๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐บ with these characteristics. Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ was even thrown into the Nile ๐๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐บ after he was cut up by his brother ๐ข๐ Seth ๐๐๐ก๐ฃ!
It was believed that every person, not just deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ pharaohs, became associated with Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ when they died! However people were not resurrected in this life ๐น๐๐ (even Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ himself wasnโt technically resurrected), instead, the person was reborn into the next life and lived in the Duat ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐!
I was SO EXCITED to see the white limestone ๐๐๐๐ Sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ค of Hatshepsut ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช again! It has been so long since Iโve seen this piece; it was honestly like greeting an old friend! This Sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ค used to be in the main Hatshepsut ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช gallery at the MET, but for some reason itโs no longer there! Now it is hidden in one of the smaller galleries which is a shame because it is such a beautiful piece!
Most of Hatshepsutโs ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช statuary ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ that was excavated from her temple ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ were carved from red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ, however this one is carved from limestone ๐๐๐๐ – the red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ sphinxes ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ and this Sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ค are very different too. The white limestone ๐๐๐๐ sphinxes ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ have much more feminine features as compared to the red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ ones most likely because they were used in different parts of the temple ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ for different purposes.
This Sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ค has been heavily reconstructed by using pieces that were modeled after the second Sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ค just like this one, which is in the Cairo Museum. These two ๐ป sphinxes ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ most likely guarded the upper terrace of Hatshepsutโs ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช temple at Deir el-Bahri ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ while the red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ sphinxes ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ would have guarded the lower terrace.
Thanks to Hatshepsutโs ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช drive/intelligence and her architect Senemut ๐ข๐๐ ๐ผ, Hatshepsut will be remembered as one of the most prolific builders in Egyptian history! Itโs such a shame that she doesnโt get the same recognition that Rameses II ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ด๐ gets!
Instead of wearing the typical nemes ๐๐ ๐ด head cloth that most pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ who were fashioned into sphinxes ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ wear, Hatshepsut ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช is actually wearing a lionโs ๐ณ๐น๐ฟ๐ mane! This is very typical of Middle Kingdom art! This piece is dated to 1479โ1458 B.C.E., and I love seeing New Kingdom art imitate styles from the past!
Letโs read some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช!
(๐ณ๐ฆ๐) – Maatkare ๐๐ ๐ – Amun ๐บ๐๐ – Beloved ๐น๐๐- Life Given ๐ – Eternity
โMaatkare, Beloved of Amun, Given Life for Eternity.โ
I know this is strange, but โGiven Lifeโ is written backwards! It should be โ๐๐นโ not โ๐น๐โ as itโs written (this inscription is read from right to left).
Thereโs also an added ๐, which makes it the feminine form! Thereโs a second sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ค just like this one in the Cairo Museum, and on that sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ค, there is no added ๐! Why would one sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ค use the feminine form and one use the masculine?! We will probably never know!
This piece, titled the โOsiris Figure of Hatneferโ is dated to the joint reign of Hatshepsut ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช and Thutmosis III ๐ณ๐ ๐ฃ (New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, c. 1479โ1458 B.C.E.).
This wooden ๐ฑ๐๐บ piece was found in Senemutโs ๐ข๐๐ฟ tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐, though it inscribed ๐๐ ฑ๐ with the name ๐๐ Hatnefer ๐๐ค๐. Hatnefer ๐๐ค๐ was Senemutโs ๐ข๐๐ ๐ผ mother ๐ ๐๐ and due to his status as Hatshepsutโs ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช most trusted advisor, he was able to give his mother ๐ ๐๐ a proper burial.
ThisโOsiris Figure,โ which represents resurrection, is almost a cross between a ushabti ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ(it contains the basic funerary text on it) and the popular Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures of the Late Period. The Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures always stood on a wooden base just like this. Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures represented birth, death, and resurrection. Itโs interesting to see how the art has evolved over the years!
Letโs read some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช! ๐ช๐๐ – Venerated (I believe this is a variant of ๐ช๐๐) ๐๐ – Before ๐ฉ๐น – Osiris ๐๐ค๐ – Hatnefer
I am always so amazed when wooden ๐ฑ๐๐บ pieces are still in such great condition – wood ๐ฑ๐๐บ is organic and it can break down very quickly as compared to a material like rock ๐๐๐๐.
This is an ointment jar that was found amongst many other artifacts in the foundation deposits of Hatshepsutโs ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช temple ๐๐๐ at Deir el-Bahri. While foundation deposits can be traced all the way back to the 3rd Dynasty, putting ointment jars in them date back to the 12th Dynasty. There are fourteen foundation deposits associated with Hatshepsutโs ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช temple ๐๐๐! In Hatshepsutโs ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช time, the temple was referred to as ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ or the โHoliest of Holiesโ (or djeser-djeseru). There are many different hieroglyphic ๐น๐๐ช variations of the word as well!
Letโs read some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช!
๐๐น๐ค – The Great Goddess ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฟ – Lady of the Two Lands ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ – Maatkare ๐น๐ – May She Live! ๐๐ ๐ – Amun ๐ – In ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ ฑ๐ – Holiest of Holies ๐บ๐๐ – Beloved
So all together, the inscription ๐๐๐ฅ reads: โThe Great Goddess, Lady of the Two Lands, Maatkare, May She Live! Beloved of Amun who is in the Holiest of Holies.โ
Fun fact about the word โ๐ !โ This one symbol, usually associated with the modern letter โm,โ can have many meanings such as: in, as, by, with, from, when, through, and what!
Montu ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ refers to one of the gods ๐น๐น๐น in the Egyptian pantheon. Montu ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ was a falcon ๐๐๐ก๐ headed god ๐น of war who was mainly worshipped ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ข in Thebes ๐๐๐. He is mentioned as early as the Pyramid texts, but he didnโt rise to importance until the 11th Dynasty. However, Montuโs ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ importance waned beginning in the 12th Dynasty as Amun ๐๐ ๐๐ญ rose to power in the Theban region. However, Montu ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ wasnโt forgotten because Thutmosis III ๐ ๐ ๐ด(who was quite the general/military leader) frequently compared himself to Montu ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ!
The word โhotep/htp ๐ต๐๐ชโ translates to the word โsatisfiedโ or โcontent.โ The word โhotep/htp ๐ต๐๐ชโ can also mean โofferingโ or โpeace!โ
So the name ๐๐ Montuhotep ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ๐ต๐๐ช means โMontu is satisfiedโ or โMontu is content.โ
This raised relief is originally from Montuhotep IIโs ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ๐ต๐๐ช mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri. This relief was part of one of the main areas of the temple ๐๐๐ that was added at the end of Montuhotepโs ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ๐ต๐๐ช reign ๐พ. This dates the relief to c. 2010โ2000 B.C.E. (Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 11).
Letโs read some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช!
While Montuhotep ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ๐ต๐๐ช is his birth name ๐๐, the cartouche we are looking at is his throne name ๐๐!
๐ณ๐๐ค – Nebhapetra
Letโs look even closer at the individual glyphs! ๐ณ – Ra ๐ – โNebโ (nb) ๐ค – โHapetโ (แธซrw or แธฅjpt)
Most of the time when you have a three ๐ผ symbol throne name, the glyphs are read middle, right/bottom, and then top/left. The symbol for Ra ๐ณ is written first but said last, due to honorific transposition! Basically, out of respect for the god ๐น, their name ๐๐ is written first!
In English (and other languages like Italian) we have something similar to this – we say โten dollarsโ but write it as โdollars tenโ – $10!
This is a piece of papyrus ๐ ๐๐๐ with the word โLife ๐น๐๐ written on it. While the Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช were a people who were focused on the idea of preparing for the afterlife ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐, they sure did write about living and preserving the image ๐๐ ฑ๐ of the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ quite a lot! Many Egyptian ๐๐๐๐ phrases mention life ๐น๐๐, such as the most popular ones like โGiven Life ๐๐นโ or โGiven Life for Eternity ๐๐น๐.โ
In Middle Egyptian, โLifeโ can be either written as: ๐น – just the single โankhโ symbol ๐น๐๐ – the full word written out (which is what is pictured)
Both ways to write โlifeโ are common, though the lone โ ๐นโ is what most people are familiar with. โ๐น๐๐โ is used more in full inscriptions ๐๐๐ฅ, while โ๐นโ is used in phrases like the ones mentioned above. However, they both have the same meaning of โlife.โ
My Nonno ๐๐ฏ๐๐๐ฏ๐ was a person who loved life ๐น๐๐ and wanted to live it to the fullest. He was like the Energizer Bunny and just never stopped! Since I have gained many new followers, please check my โAbout Meโ highlight that mentions the story of my Nonno ๐๐ฏ๐๐๐ฏ๐ and how this whole account is dedicated to preserving his name ๐๐ and memory. My Nonno ๐๐ฏ๐๐๐ฏ๐ loved ancient Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐ and shared his passion with me; he is the reason Iโm able to read hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช and have a lifelong passion for the history of Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐. My Nonno ๐๐ฏ๐๐๐ฏ๐ gave life ๐๐น to my passion!
