Category: Egyptian Artifacts

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Egyptian Artifacts

Osiride Statue of Hatshepsut

It’s been a little bit since I’ve spoke about Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ!! As many of you know, Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is my favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 and she has been an inspiration to me ever since I was a little kid! The β€œHatshepsut Room” at the MET is my most favorite gallery in any museum that I’ve been to – I feel so lucky that it’s so close to me here in NY! I still get so excited every time I get to step into the gallery! It is breathtaking every single time! Even with the mask, I think it’s very easy to see just how happy I am in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏.

This is a bust of Pharaoh Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ, in the form of Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ (Osiride). The statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ originally stood over 4.6 m (15 ft) high and is originally from Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐. This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ was not a free-standing statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ- it was actually carved from the blocks that were once part of the temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰.

Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ holds the traditional crook π“‹Ύ and flail π“Œ… across her chest, along with an ankh π“‹Ή and scepter π“Œ€. In antiquity, Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ was wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt π“„€π“‹‘ on her head. About twenty π“Ž†π“Ž† years after Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ died, these statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ were cut off of the temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ and thrown into a pit near the entrance. The statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ remained buried until they were discovered by excavators from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the 1930s.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Corn Mummies

Corn Mummies are an interesting part of Egyptian religious practices. While millions of animal mummies have been found at sites all over Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, mummies made of grains like wheat and barley have also been found. Corn mummies are found in cemeteries and are usually dated from the Third Intermediate Period through Roman times though they first appeared during the Middle Kingdom. This particular corn mummy is from the Ptolemaic Period (332–30 B.C.E.).

Corn Mummies are meant to be a representation of the god π“ŠΉ Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ and Egyptologists came to this conclusion because the β€œcoffins” that contain the corn mummies almost always contain Osiris’ π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ name and his titles/epithets. Another reason Egyptologists made the connection to Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ was the cyclic nature of growing grains – in Egyptian religion, anything that was cyclical was related to the birth-life-death cycle humans experience.

Even though the corn mummies are dedicated to Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­, they are almost always found in cases with a falcon head. The falcon head is representative of the god Sokar π“Šƒπ“Ž‘π“‚‹π“…‹, who is often connected to Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­. Their connection goes all the way back to the Old Kingdom, and The Pyramid Texts are the one of the first instances in which they are shown to have a connection.

Sokar π“Šƒπ“Ž‘π“‚‹π“…‹ was originally thought to be the god π“ŠΉ of craftsmanship, but due to his association and worship at Memphis, he became a prominent god π“ŠΉ of the afterlife. The combination forms of the gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ, Sokar-Osiris (Middle Kingdom), Osiris-Sokar (New Kingdom) and the most popular Ptah-Sokar-Osiris also emphasizes this connection between the two 𓏻.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Realistic Lion Statue of Amenhotep III or IV

This lion π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„› statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ was originally meant to represent the 18th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž . The Egyptians believed that lions π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„›π“¦ represented strength and might, which is why pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 wanted to be represented as lions π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„›π“¦ (and why the Sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ was so popular). While being represented as a sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ was considered the β€œnormal” in Egyptian art, being represented as a full lion π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„› was very rare. Also, sphinxes π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“¦ are usually represented in a β€œhead-on” type style, while this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ represents the lion π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„›π“¦ in a more realistic fashion.

To me, this piece showcases the incredible skills that Egyptian artists possessed – not only could they make idealized/traditional statues like sphinxes π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“¦, but they were also masters at making realistic statues too.

This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ has gone through many changes and was recycled by many pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦! It was originally made for Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž , however, an inscription was added to the chest by Amenhotep IV π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“ŠΉπ“‹Ύπ“Œ€ (better known as Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– after his name π“‚‹π“ˆ– change).

The inscription reads β€œLion of rulers, wild when he sees his enemies tread his path.” The picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 below shows a close up of this inscription, however it is hard to read – I got some help from the British Museum website for the translation because when hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are faded, especially when looking at them from my photographs, they can be extremely difficult for me to read!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Dog, Horse, and Gazelle at the MET

Here are some of the more striking pieces from the Egyptian Galleries at the MET!

The dog 𓃛𓅱𓃛𓅱π“ƒ₯ is referred to as a β€œMechanical Dog” because it’s mouth 𓂋𓏺 can open and close by using the lever that is located on the chest! When the mouth 𓂋𓏺 is open, tongue and teeth are visible! Much like our society today, the Egyptians had dogs 𓃛𓅱𓃛𓅱π“ƒ₯𓏦 as pets and mummified dogs 𓃛𓅱𓃛𓅱π“ƒ₯𓏦 have been found in tombs with their owners! This piece is from the rule of Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž  (18th Dynasty) and actually used to be part of Howard Carter’s personal collection!

The gazelle 𓂾𓋴𓃲 is made of ivory π“‹π“ƒ€π“…±π“ŒŸ and has a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 base. The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 are made of inlaid stone, the ears are missing along with the horns. This piece is from the rule of Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž  (18th Dynasty) and was a part of Lord Carnarvon’s personal collection.

The horse 𓋴𓋴𓅓𓏏𓃗 used to be part of a whip handle and is made of ivory π“‹π“ƒ€π“…±π“ŒŸ. Interestingly, horses 𓋴𓋴𓅓𓏏𓃗𓏦 didn’t come to Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– until the Second Intermediate Period during the time of Hyksos rule (c. 1667–1570 B.C.E.). During the New Kingdom however, horses 𓋴𓋴𓅓𓏏𓃗𓏦 (and chariots) were a common sight! This piece is from the rule of Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž  (18th Dynasty) and was a part of Lord Carnarvon’s personal collection.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Assortment of Glass Inlays

These are an assortment of glass π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό inlays that are dated to the Ptolemaic Period (305-30 B.C.E.). Glass π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό inlays were used to decorate shrines or other objects that were made out of cartonnage (cartonnage is like ancient paper mache). The glass π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό inlays were pressed directly into the cartonnage when it was still wet in order to make the inlays stock, and this complete the object!

There are many glass π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό inlays in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, and the one in the center is representative of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. The pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 is wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“π“‹” (which happens to be blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸π“₯ – probably to make it stand out). There are also to inlays of Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­(bottom left and top right), Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 (above the pharaoh), a winged scarab 𓐍π“Šͺ𓂋𓂋𓆣, a falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„, and a pillar with a falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„ on it.

While these are very tiny π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…© objects, and are probably glanced over quickly by many, I’m the type of person that loves tiny π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…© things!

Fun fact: the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ for the words β€œglass” and β€œfaience” are the same: π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Unconventional Limestone Stela

This is a very unconventional limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ, and it is from the Ptolemaic Period (2nd-1st century B.C.E.).

From the top, the piece starts of pretty normally – with the sun disk 𓇳𓏺 and curved wings representing heaven π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯, the two 𓏻 cobras representing Nekhbet π“‡‘π“ƒ€π“π“…π“ŽŸ and Wadjet π“‡…π“‡Œπ“π“†˜, and the two 𓏻 jackals π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯𓏦 facing each other. The two 𓏻 jackals π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯𓏦 are sitting on a horizontal line, which is another artistic representation of heaven π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯.

Traditionally, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 is usually shown making offerings to the god Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­, while Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ accompanied him. However, that is not happening here! The deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, a man named Pakhaas is shown sitting and receiving offerings from his son π“…­ Pakhy while the deceased’s 𓅓𓏏𓏱 wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 Nesihor, is shown standing behind him holding a sistrum π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£. Pakhaas and his son π“…­ are separated by an offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅑𓄿𓋃, and Pakhaas has a tiny Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ sitting in his lap – this could mean that Pakhaas has effectively become Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­. This means that Pakhy is Horus π“…ƒπ“€­ making offerings to his dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 father 𓇋𓏏𓀀, while Nesihor is Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯. So this family has effectively become the very popular Egyptian triad.

The red π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“…Ÿ and green 𓇅𓄿𓆓𓏛 paint can still be seen on the stela, whole the blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸π“₯ paint is no longer visible. Red π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“…Ÿ and green tend to last longer than blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸π“₯!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Abydos Kings List and the Missing Pharaohs

Something I was so excited to see in the British Museum was the Abydos King List. There are two surviving King Lists from temples π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰π“ͺ at Abydos, the cult center of Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­. One temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ is from Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠, and the other from his son Rameses II π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“, who were both pharaohs 𓉐𓉻π“₯ during the 19th Dynasty. Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 list is still in the temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ at Abydos, while Rameses II’s π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“ was excavated and brought to the British Museum.

While neither list is a 100% complete list, there are some glaring holes in the list – Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ, Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ–, Smenkhare π“‡³π“Šƒπ“‰»π“‚“π“‚¦π“†£, Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“, and Ay’s 𓇳𓆣𓆣π“ͺ𓁹𓐙𓏏 cartouches are missing. Obviously, these names were left off because these pharaohs 𓉐𓉻π“₯ are considered non-legitimate. Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ was the female pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and Akhenaten-Ay is considered the Amarna Period, which was not well liked due to the drama of Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– changing the religion and moving the capital of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–. In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, I’m pointing to where Hatshepsut’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ name π“‚‹π“ˆ– should be!

The point of the King Lists was not to preserve history for future generations, rather the main objective was to glorify the gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ, and as we know, pharaohs 𓉐𓉻π“₯ were considered gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ on Earth. These lists allowed Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and Rameses II π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“ to assert their legitimacy amongst the old pharaohs 𓉐𓉻π“₯ of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Book of the Dead of Sobekmose

One of the greatest aspects of the Brooklyn Museum’s Egyptian collection is The Book of the Dead for a man named Sobekmose, who had the title β€œGoldworker of Amun.” Sobekmose was buried in Memphis π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“†‘π“‚‹π“‰΄π“Š– and that is where this papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 was found. This Book of the Dead dates to the 18th Dynasty (early New Kingdom 1500-1480 B.C.E.). It is displayed as one complete papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛!

The Book of the Dead is interesting because it doesn’t follow a particular story. The spells π“Ž›π“‚“π“›π“¦ do seem to be grouped by theme, and sometimes pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 can be representative of the spells π“Ž›π“‚“π“›π“¦ as well.

In this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏, you can see some of the Hieratic script that the Book of the Dead is written in – don’t ask me to translate, because I can’t read Hieratic! I can only read hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! I would love to learn Hieratic though! The text is read from top to bottom, right to left.

Some of the Hieratic is in black π“†Žπ“…“ ink while some of it is in red π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“…Ÿ. The red π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“…Ÿ ink seems to symbolize either the beginning or the end π“ŽΌπ“‚‹π“Ž›π“‚π“› of a spell π“Ž›π“‚“π“›, or it could highlight a word for a noun that was considered “bad” in Egyptian culture. However, sometimes even “offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅑𓄿𓋃” could have been written/drawn in red π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“…Ÿ and offering tables 𓂝𓃀𓅑𓄿𓋃 were not bad at all! So, some of the red π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“…Ÿ ink seems kinda random.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Gold Wreath from the Ptolemaic Period

Much like today, gold π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ was very valued in the ancient world. This piece is from the Ptolemaic Period (3rd century-2nd century B.C.E.), and it has a very obvious Greek influence. Many different types of wreaths π“Œ΄π“„Ώπ“Ž›π“†°π“¦ were made in ancient Greece using different plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰. The β€œplant 𓇐𓅓𓆰” used in this wreath π“Œ΄π“„Ώπ“Ž›π“†° may be the laurel, which was associated with the Greek god Apollo. While gold π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ wreaths π“Œ΄π“„Ώπ“Ž›π“†°π“¦ like this one could be used to crown athletic victors, it could have also been used in a funerary context. The wreath π“Œ΄π“„Ώπ“Ž›π“†° pictured is most likely one that had a funerary purpose. The wreaths π“Œ΄π“„Ώπ“Ž›π“†°π“¦ worn by the living were most likely made of real flowers 𓆼𓅱𓆰𓏦.

Gold π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ is a very malleable material, meaning that it can be easily shaped and bent into various shapes. While a great property to have when considering art, this also means that anything made of gold π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ is extremely delicate. Most gold π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ jewelry made today is actually an alloy – meaning gold π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ is mixed with another metal to make it more durable.

Due to the delicate nature of these wreaths π“Œ΄π“„Ώπ“Ž›π“†°π“¦, there are only four 𓏽 surviving today!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Burial Chamber of Sobekmose

This is the burial chamber π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“‰ of Sobekmose, who was a treasury official π“‹΄π“‚‹π“€€ under the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž (18th Dynasty, c. 1417–1379 B.C.E.). The south 𓇔𓅱𓏏 wall, part of the east 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭 wall, and the ceiling 𓉔𓄿𓏏𓇯 blocks are all preserved here. The blocks are made of sandstone π“‚‹π“…±π“‚§π“π“Œ—π“ˆ™.

Decorated burial chambers π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“‰ were not super common in the 18th Dynasty. Instead, the scenes depicted here were usually distributed amongst many chambers. They are all condensed into one room here.

The ceiling’s 𓉔𓄿𓏏𓇯 inscriptions include a prayer to Nut π“Œπ“π“‡―π“€­ (goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯), β€œwords spoken by π“†“π“Œƒπ“‡‹π“ˆ–β€ Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ and Nut π“Œπ“π“‡―π“€­, and inscriptions saying that “the Osiris Sobekmose” is “honored by” the Four Sons of Horus and various other gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ. The east 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭 entrance wall is decorated with protective texts and images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣. The south 𓇔𓅱𓏏 wall is covered in prayers to many different Egyptian gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ and goddesses π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“.

This was purchased from the Egyptian government in 1908, and the north π“Ž”π“ and west π“‹€π“π“π“ˆŠ walls of the burial chamber π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“‰ are actually in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston!