Category: Egyptian Artifacts

Thoth Amulets

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 28, 2022

The god 𓊹 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭(or Djehuty to the ancient Egyptians) was originally god 𓊹 of the moon, but then became associated with writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥 and knowledge. He was also the god 𓊹 of scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪. The moon could be thought of as a “night sun,” which kind of places him as an opposite of the sun 𓇳𓏺 god 𓊹 Re 𓇳𓏺𓁛. Thoth 𓅤𓀭 is also credited with inventing the 365-day calendar!

Thoth Amulets at the MET

Thoth 𓅤𓀭 was thought to have invented writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥, and was thus the god 𓊹 of all record keeping. Due to his vast knowledge, Thoth 𓁟 was thought to know magic and secrets that were unknown to the rest of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. In the Book of the Dead, Thoth 𓅤𓀭 is at the extremely important Weighing of the Heart – which is the judgement of the deceased’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 against Ma’at’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather. His job was to record the results of the ceremony.

Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 was usually represented as a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 with an ibis head (𓁟), an ibis 𓉔𓃀𓅤 or a baboon. In this photograph, there are many faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 statues of Thoth 𓅤𓀭 as a baboon. These were very popular amongst scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪, and amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 of Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 were worn by the living to invoke wisdom!

Thoth can be written as: 𓅤𓀭, 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭, 𓁟. He also had various titles such as “Lord of the Divine Words,” “Three Times Great,” and “Lord of Ma’at” amongst many others!

Tags amulet, gods and goddesses, the met, thoth

Egyptian Artifacts

Stela with the God Sobek

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 28, 2022

This is a black granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 shows the god 𓊹 Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 in sunken relief. This stela is dated to the reign of Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴 (18th Dynasty). The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 originally belonged to a soldier named Amunemhat and he dedicated it to one of Sobek’s 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 temples. Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴 saw a lot of military victories, and that is probably how Anunemhat was able to pay for this small stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸.

On the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸, Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 is seen in crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 form standing on an altar 𓊵𓏏𓊪 with an elaborate headdress on his head. There is an offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 in front of him that contains bread 𓏏𓏔𓏐 and meat 𓇋𓅱𓆑𓄹, which were very common things to be left as offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏 𓏔𓏦 to either a god 𓊹 or the dead. Amunemhat is seen kneeling in the lower right corner of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸. Due to the faded hieroglyphs it’s very hard for me to translate them though next to Amunemhat’s head 𓁶𓏺 you can see “ 𓇋𓏠𓈖” which is “Amun” and this the start of Amunemhat’s name 𓂋𓈖.

Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 had been worshipped since the Old Kingdom and is mentioned in the Pyramid Texts as being the son 𓅭 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Neith 𓈖𓏏𓋌𓀭. He was a water god 𓊹 , and also of areas such as marshes and rivers/riverbanks. Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 usually appears in art as a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 or as a man with a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 head. The elaborate headdress on his head is representative of the sun disk 𓇳𓏺 with tall plumes on either side.

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, sobek

Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Sculpture of the Goddess Hathor

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 28, 2022

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 sculpture of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡 is one of my favorite pieces that I saw in the Louvre. This piece is dated to the Ptolemaic Period, and used to be part of a column.

Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is quite unique compared to some of the other gods/goddesses. Her name 𓂋𓈖 is composed of a composite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 which literally translates to “House of Horus.” Hathor 𓉡 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪, motherhood, joy, music 𓉔𓇌𓆸, happiness 𓄫𓅱𓏛, and a goddess 𓊹𓏏 of the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

One detail that I love about this piece is that Hathor 𓉡 is shown with her cow ears! Hathor 𓉡 was usually depicted in Egyptian art as either a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 or a cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒, so this little detail is just so cool! Another detail that I love is how her wig is decorated with rosettes! The details are in raised relief, which only make them stand out more.

In Middle Egyptian, the words “beautiful woman” and “cow” were the same – the only thing that was different was the determinative symbol! This was most likely due to an association with Hathor 𓉡, and to this day remains one of my favorite “fun facts” about hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐 (beautiful woman)
𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 (cow)

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, hathor, louvre

Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Stela Dedicated to Hathor

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 28, 2022

I’m making another post with Hathor 𓉡 in it because why not?! Hathor 𓉡 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪, motherhood, joy, music 𓉔𓇌𓆸, happiness 𓄫𓅱𓏛, and a goddess 𓊹𓏏 of the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is dated to the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom). The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 was dedicated to Hathor 𓉡 and the 11th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 by a priest 𓊹𓍛 named An. On this stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸, Hathor 𓉡 appears in her cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 form, while the human figure (probably Montuhotep II) on the left is cut off. An is not pictured on the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸, which means it was probably already made and An just had his name 𓂋𓈖 added to it. It was most likely placed in a shrine at Deir el-Bahri, because both Hathor 𓉡 and Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 were both worshipped there. It was not uncommon for pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 to be worshipped long after they died.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓊹𓄤𓎟𓇿𓇿(𓇳𓊤𓎟) – “The Great God, Lord of the Two Lands, Nebhapetra” (Nebhapetra is Montuhotep II’s throne name)

𓉡𓏏𓊓𓁷𓏏𓊖𓋆 – “Hathor, Chief one of Thebes” (Thebes can also be written as “𓌀𓏏𓊖” – I’m just copying the symbol directly from the stela, even though it may look “backwards”).

Tags brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, hathor

Egyptian Artifacts

Partial Granite Sphinx of Hatshepsut

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 28, 2022

This is another amazing piece from Gallery 115 at the MET – aka The Hatshepsut Room (as I call it). This granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is from the joint reign of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 It is titled “Head and Shoulders of a Sphinx of Hatshepsut” because it used to be part of a large Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤.

Six 𓏿 large sphinxes 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏦 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 were found at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐 during the excavations done by the MET. Though it is hard to see in the picture𓏏𓅱𓏏, the sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 does actually have some remainders of the original paint on it! I can’t even imagine how beautiful 𓄤 it must have looked after it was just carved and painted!

Much like your typical Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤, Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is seen wearing the false beard and the nemes headcloth 𓈖𓅓𓋴, which was the normal style for how pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 were depicted.

A lot of Hatshepsut’s statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 that are from her temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐 are made of either granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 or red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶, which is a very hard rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 (aka very resistant to weathering/breakdown). Granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 was mined is Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 and then shipped up the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺- definitely an incredible journey!

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

“Royal and Divine Triad”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 26, 2022

Triads (groups of three 𓏼) were popular among ancient Egyptian statuary and mythology. This piece from the Louvre is called the “Royal and Divine Triad” (Dynasty 19, New Kingdom c. 1279-1203 B.C.E.) because it represents three 𓏼 of the most powerful figures in the Egyptian pantheon. Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 or his son 𓅭 Merenptah 𓇳𓃒𓈖𓈘𓊹𓊹𓊹 is on the left, Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 is in the middle, while Horus 𓅃𓀭 is on the right. The pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was viewed as a god 𓊹 on Earth, Horus 𓅃𓀭 was the king of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, and Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was lord 𓎟 of the afterlife.

I find this piece super interesting because the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 kind of inserted himself amongst the most famous of the Egyptian triads – Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Horus 𓅃𓀭 – who were supposed to represent the divine family (mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐, father 𓇋𓏏𓀀, and child 𓐍𓇌𓀕). In some instances (like with this statue), the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 would function as the child in the statue.

Not all triads represented families, though that was the most common. Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱, Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐, and Nefertem 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓍃𓀯 was a family triad that was extremely popular in Memphis. During the New Kingdom (around the time of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓), the triad of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖, Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛, and Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 became very popular due to the powerful nature of these three 𓏼 deities

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, horus, louvre, osiris

Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Sati

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 26, 2022

This is the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 of Sati, and the Brooklyn Museum has two 𓏻 of them! The ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 dates to either the reign of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 or Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 (New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, c. 1390-1352 B.C.E.).

This piece is unique because of the color (I love the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 accents) and extreme attention to detail – the process to make it was so labor intensive that only a few like these were made!! While Sati was not royal (the only title associated with her was “mistress of the house”), these ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 were clearly a royal gift just due to the craftsmanship that went into making it.

This ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is made out of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 and is mummiform in appearance, with the arms 𓂝𓏦 crossed along the chest. In each hand 𓂝𓏺, the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is holding a hoe and a basket. This indicates that the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 was meant to do some type of agricultural labor for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! The ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is also wearing a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝.

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of an “Amarna King”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 26, 2022

The Amarna Period and Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 reign as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 has always fascinated me. All of the radical changes that were made – such as changing the religion from polytheistic to the monotheistic worship of Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳, to moving the capital, to the changes in the art – it must have been quite crazy during those years!

This is actually one of my favorite pieces in the Brooklyn Museum – the Museum has the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 labeled as “Amarna King” but to me it’s clear that this piece represents Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖. He is represented in typical Amarna art style here: distended belly/large hips, very long arms, narrow neck and angular face. It is not known whether these are exaggerated features, or if the art was meant to be a more realistic representation of what the royal family looked like. Usually Egyptian art depicted people at their finest, with idealized features rather than realistic ones.

In this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾, Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is wearing the khepresh 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 crown with the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 preserved at the front, a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 necklace and a skirt. While this limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue’s 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 paint is preserved beautifully the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 that is seen is actually gold leaf and not paint!

Tags akhenaten, amarna, artifact, brooklyn museum

Egyptian Artifacts

Sunken Relief of Ptolemy II

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 26, 2022

This sunken relief in granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 depicts Ptolemy II Philadelphos 𓇳𓄊𓂓𓏺𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘. Although the Ptolemaic Period of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 had Greek/Macedonian rulers, they were still depicted in the ways of classical Egyptian art. This relief shows Ptolemy II 𓇳𓄊𓂓𓏺𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘 in full Egyptian fashion – he is wearing the nemes headdress 𓈖𓅓𓋴 with a Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 on the forehead.

Above Ptolemy II’s 𓇳𓄊𓂓𓏺𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘 head 𓁶𓏺, you can see the hieroglyphs “𓎟𓊪𓏏𓇯” which translates to “lord of the sky” or “lord of the heavens.” This title is usually associated with the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖.

Above his raised arms, you can see the bottom of a cartouche, which most likely held Ptolemy II’s name 𓂋𓈖. Userkara 𓇳𓄊𓂓𓏺𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘 “The strong one of the soul of Ra, beloved of Amun” was Ptolemy II’s throne name, while his birth name in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 was simply 𓊪𓏏𓍯𓃭𓐝𓇌𓋴 Ptolemaios. It was not uncommon for the Greek rulers to phonetically spell their names with the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! It can honestly make them very easy to read for people who are just beginning to learn!

This piece is from the Ptolemaic Period (c. 282-246 B.C.E.).

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, ptolemy ii

Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Model Boat from the Tomb of Ukhhotep

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 26, 2022

This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is from the tomb of a man named Ukhhotep. This is one of two 𓏻 funerary boats that were found in his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 – most Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 that had wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models always contained two 𓏻 boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 – In the tomb one was oriented to the north and the other towards the south. During the actual funeral, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would take one last journey across the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. Models of boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 (usually funerary boats), were usually found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 as a way to symbolically bring the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 into the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

I really love this model because of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 that you can see underneath the canopy! The canopy also has a leopard skin at the top. The mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is accompanied by two 𓏻 women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪 mourners – they are probably meant to represent Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇. There is also a priest 𓊹𓍛 (dressed in the leopard skin) who holds a scroll with a funerary offering on it. There is a second priest 𓊹𓍛, also dressed in leopard skin with his arm 𓂝𓏺 extended outward in a mourning gesture.

Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models were very popular amongst Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦. This particular boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is dated to the 12th Dynasty (c. 1981–1802 B.C.E.)

Tags artifact, the met

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