Category: Egyptian Artifacts

Corn Mummies in Ancient Egypt

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 12, 2023

Corn Mummies are an interesting part of Egyptian religious practices. While millions of animal mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 have been found at sites all over Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 made of grains 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦 like wheat and barley have also been found – these have been nicknamed “corn mummies” by Egyptologists.

A corn mummy with an outer “sarcophagus” made of wood with the head of a falcon. This is dated to the Late Period-Ptolemaic Period.

Corn mummies are found in cemeteries that are usually dated from the Third Intermediate Period through Roman times though they first 𓏃 appeared during the Middle Kingdom. This particular corn mummy is (in the first picture) from the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (400 – 200 B.C.E.).

Corn Mummies are meant to be a representation of the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Egyptologists came to this conclusion because the “coffins” that contain the corn mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 almost always contain Osiris’ 𓁹𓊨𓀭 name and his titles/epithets in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, but also a “mummy” stuffed with grain that has a head of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭.

Another reason Egyptologists made the connection to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was the cyclic nature of growing grains 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦- in Egyptian religion, anything that was cyclical was related to the birth 𓄟, death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and then rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 cycle of the human experience/Egyptian religion.

Three corn mummies on display at the MET. This picture shows the variation in the designs of the “sarcophagus,” however, they all have the head of a falcon.

Even though the corn mummies are dedicated to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, they are almost always found in cases with a falcon head. The falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 head is representative of the god 𓊹 Sokar 𓊃𓎡𓂋𓅋, who is often connected to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. 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. This particular corn mummy contains hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that mention the combination god 𓊹 Ptah-Sokar-Osiris, who was popularly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a funerary god 𓊹 during this time period.

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Fragment of a Statue of Pharaoh Khafre

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 10, 2023

This is a fragment of a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 that once depicted the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑. Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 ruled during the 4th Dynasty and was the son 𓅭 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Khufu 𓐍𓅱𓆑𓅱. Most people think that Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 directly succeeded Khufu 𓐍𓅱𓆑𓅱, but actually Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 brother, Rajedef 𓇳𓊽𓆑 ruled 𓋾𓈎𓏏 for about eight years in between the two.

Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 is most famous for building one of the pyramids 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴𓏦 at Giza, and he built it just south 𓇔𓅱𓏏 of his father’s 𓇋𓏏𓀀 Great Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴. Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 also commissioned the construction of the Great Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 and a large temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 complex. Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 is the second largest, his father 𓇋𓏏𓀀 Khufu’s 𓐍𓅱𓆑𓅱 being the larger pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴.

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 fragment was found at Giza near Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 complex. Egyptologists have identified this fragment as belonging to Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 not just due to the location in which it was found, but also it’s similarities to other statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Other statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 contain his name 𓂋𓈖 in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷, so it is pretty easy to know that those statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 depict him!

Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 name 𓂋𓈖 translates to “He appears as Re.” However, sometimes in the Old Kingdom, “Re 𓇳” was both pronounced and written first 𓏃, so his name 𓂋𓈖 might have been “Rakhaf” which translates to “Ra is his Appearance,” which also makes sense! I guess we will never know which way was correct!

Let’s break down the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓇳 – Re

𓈍 – Appears

𓆑 – He/His

Tags artifact, khafre, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Base of a Hatshepsut Statue

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 9, 2023

If an object has Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 name 𓂋𓈖 or face on it, I am going to get excited about it – no matter what the artifact is! I was so excited to see this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 base on my most recent trip to the MET because it has not been on display for a while!

Me with the base of a Hatshepsut statue at the MET

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 base shows Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 throne name cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the left, and an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of her as a sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 on the right. It may be difficult to see in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, but some of the paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 has been retained on the limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉.

A closeup of the base of the Hatshepsut statue.

The statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 that stood on top of this base is most likely long gone. Most of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 from her temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐 were found in pieces, as they were intentionally destroyed after her death 𓅓𓏏𓏱.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Hatshepsut’s throne name cartouche, Maatkare on the statue base

This piece contains Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 throne name or prenomen, which is the name 𓂋𓈖 she took when she became the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! Let’s take a closer look at this beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 name 𓂋𓈖!

𓇳𓁦𓂓 – Maatkare

Let’s break down each of the symbols!

𓇳 – Re

𓁦 – Truth (Maat)

𓂓 – Soul (Ka)

So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, her name 𓂋𓈖 translates to “Truth is the Soul of Re.”

Hatshepsut represented as a sphinx on the statue base

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

The Goddess Seshat

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 7, 2023

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 I am going to speak about a goddess 𓊹𓏏 I have never written about before and her name 𓂋𓈖 is Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐! The reason I never wrote about Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is because I never had a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of her! I was so excited to finally “meet” Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 at the Brooklyn Museum!

Me at the Brooklyn Museum with a limestone relief of the goddess Seshat! You can always tell that it’s Seshat pictured due to the “𓋇” crown on her head which is associated with her!

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of writing, wisdom and knowledge. Her name 𓂋𓈖 literally translates to “female scribe,” and she is also the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪! In this relief, she is depicted as a scribe 𓏟𓀀 because she is holding writing with a stylus on a board. You can easily pick Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 out in Egyptian art because of the seven pointed emblem 𓋇 that she wears on her head (I call it a star). This symbol is also part of her name, which makes it easy!

Limestone relief of Seshat at the Brooklyn Museum.

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is also the goddess of architecture, accounting, mathematics, and surveying. This is what made her an essential part of a building ceremony called the “Stretching of the Cord.” The “Stretching of the Cord” was part of the foundation ritual that occurred when a building was constructed in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. It involved nailing four 𓏽 stakes into the ground at the four 𓏼 corners of the building and then linking them with a cord.

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is definitely related to and shares some of the same functions as the god 𓊹 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 (or Djehuty to the ancient Egyptians), who was also considered to be the god 𓊹 of writing, knowledge and wisdom. Usually Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 is credited with inventing writing/hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (hence his title “Lord of the Divine Words/Writing 𓎟𓊹𓌃𓂂𓂂𓂂𓏟”), however, some mythology credits Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 with inventing writing/hieroglyphs, while Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 was the one who taught writing to man!

Here are some ways to write Seshat’s name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:

Seshat 𓋇

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐

Seshat 𓋴𓈙𓄿𓏏𓅆

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, seshat

Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Sati

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 5, 2023

This is the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Sati, and the Brooklyn Museum has two 𓏻 of them! The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 dates to the New Kingdom Dynasty 18 (c. 1390-1352 B.C.E.).

The Ushabti of Sati at the Brooklyn Museum. The hieroglyphs on this Ushabti are the “Shabti Spell”

Sati was not royal nor a high-ranking official so these ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were clearly a royal gift just due to the craftsmanship that went into making it. Sati’s only title that appears on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is “mistress of the house 𓎟𓏏𓉐𓏺.”

This piece is unique because of the six different colors on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 – most were not this colorful. I really love the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 accents and extreme attention to detail on this piece. If you look closely, the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are painted so beautifully on to the body of the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾. These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are the standard “Shabti Spell,” from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. This spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 gives the ushabti 𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 the power to complete tasks (farming, manual labor, etc) for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖.

The “Shabti Spell” usually starts off with the following phrase:

𓋴𓌉𓆓𓇶 – The Illuminated One

𓁹𓊩𓀭 – The Osiris

Then the “Shabti Spell” will usually list the deceased’s 𓅓𓏏𓏱 job/titles:

𓎟𓏏𓉐𓏺 – Mistress of the House

This ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 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 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is holding a hoe and a basket. This indicates that the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 was meant to do some type of agricultural labor for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (as per the Shabti Spell)! The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is also wearing a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝.

Me with the Ushabti of Sati at the Brooklyn Museum!

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, shabti, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Vase of Woman Holding Anubis

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 4, 2023

On my most recent trip to the Brooklyn Museum, I saw this piece for the first 𓏃 time and it caught my eye immediately! I don’t remember ever really seeing a piece like this in a museum before and I think it’s stunning!

This is a clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 which depicts a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 holding a jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 or dog 𓃀𓎛𓈖𓃡! Some Egyptologists think that this vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 depicts a servant woman holding the pet dog 𓃀𓎛𓈖𓃡 of her master or mistress.

During the 18th Dynasty, when this piece was made, a certain group of potters 𓇋𓐪𓂧𓏏𓏭𓀨𓇋𓏲𓏭𓏜𓀜𓈖𓆓𓊃𓏏𓏰𓅩𓏦 (possibly all people from the same workshop) made vases 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏪 in the form of humans 𓇬𓈋𓏏𓅱𓀀𓁐𓏦 and animals! This would have been a complex process, and the potters 𓇋𓐪𓂧𓏏𓏭𓀨𓇋𓏲𓏭𓏜𓀜𓈖𓆓𓊃𓏏𓏰𓅩𓏦 would have had to make both halves of the piece separately using a mold for each and then join them together!

I really like it because I just see a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 holding what looks to be a recumbent jackal – aka Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is my absolute favorite Egyptian deity 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and my first thought when I saw this piece was that I could see Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in the woman’s 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 arms! I think this piece is so beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 and I think the little Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the cutest thing! This piece was made between the reigns of Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 (c. 1479-1352 B.C.E.) and was found at Saqqara (Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖).

Tags anubis, artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses

Egyptian Artifacts

Broad Collar and Pomegranate Spoon

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 3, 2023

Here I am at the Brooklyn Museum with a beautiful 𓄤 Broad Collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 and Pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭 Spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔! Let’s learn some more about these beautiful 𓄤 pieces!

Me with the Broad Collar and Pomegranate Spoon at the Brooklyn Museum!

One of the most popular types of jewelry 𓂝𓏏𓍢 amongst the elite – including the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and royal family is known as the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝. In Middle Egyptian, the word for broad collar was “𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 wesekh.” The last symbol of the word (the determinative hieroglyph) could also act as an ideogram be be used to represent the whole word “𓋝 wesekh.”

This particular broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 was made during the late 18th Dynasty, which is when this style reached peak popularity. Broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝𓏦 could be made of many different types of materials, including gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉, but the one shown in this picture are made of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦. This broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is in almost perfect condition!

A closer view of the Broad Collar and Pomegranate Spoon at the Brooklyn Museum!

Underneath the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is actually a spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔! It is not a spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 that was used for eating, but instead used to hold ointment 𓋴𓎼𓈖𓈖. The top part of the spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 swivels open! It is fashioned after a pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭, and the spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 part itself is supposed to be a pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭 fruit.

The Middle Egyptian word for “spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔,” is actually translated as “incense spoon” or “cosmetic spoon,” which is what the function of this object seems to be!

Fun fact: pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭 flowers and fruit never appear on the plant 𓇐𓅓𓆰 at the same time, so maybe the spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 is representative of the growth from flowers 𓆼𓅱𓆰𓏦 to fruit or the life cycle of the plant 𓇐𓅓𓆰? We will never know!

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, jewelry

Egyptian Artifacts

Sarcophagus of Harkhebit

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date March 30, 2023

This is the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 of a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named 𓂋𓈖 Harkhebit who lived during Dynasty 26 (c. 595-526 B.C.E.).

The Sarcophagus of Harkhebit

Harkhebit was the “Royal Seal Bearer, Sole Companion, Chief Priest of the Shrines of Upper and Lower Egypt, and Overseer of the Cabinet.” The sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 was found in his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, which was a shaft tomb near Djoser’s 𓂦 pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 complex at Saqqara (ancient Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖).

This sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is striking not just from an artistic point of view, but its massive size is also breathtaking! Other large and plump sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏦 have been found in the Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 area that are similar in style to this one!

Sarcophagus of Harkhebit — Me taking a selfie with Anubis and other deities!

Let’s take a closer look! The sunken relief hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 are inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 from The Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. Many different deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 such as Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇, and the Four Sons of Horus (Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑, Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿, Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌 and Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑) all appear.

Here is a picture of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖 as it appears on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭! This is one of the variants of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖, as it is missing the “𓅱” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃!

Anubis’ name in hieroglyphs

This sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is considered to be mummiform, meaning it looks like a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! The “mummy” is wearing a wig 𓄿𓂋𓏏𓁸 and a false beard 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸. I also love the large broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 that is on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭! If you look closely, you can see two 𓏻 falcons 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄𓏪 on either end of it! Between the wig 𓄿𓂋𓏏𓁸, false beard 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸, and broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝, Harkhebit is dressed for the best in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐!

A closeup image of the face of the sarcophagus showing details such as the broad collar, wig, and false beard.

The Sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 of Harkhebit is definitely one of the better examples of Late Period ancient Egyptian stonework!

Tags artifact, mummy, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Drawers Full of Ushabtis!

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date March 29, 2023

My Nonno always spoke very highly of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology at UCL in London. As a kid 𓐍𓇌𓀕, he would always tell me that they had “drawers and drawers full of ushabtis” and it just sounded so cool to me! I wanted to visit so badly!

A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains a collection of faience ushabtis

When we got to visit the museum together 𓈖𓊗, it was like a dream come true! It was VERY COOL to be able to open the drawers in the cabinets and be greeted by ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪!

A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains terracotta ushabtis

We spent hours at the museum going through everything and I spent the most time with the ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 (no surprise there)!!

A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains wood, limestone, faience, and terracotta ushabtis

The Petrie Museum has quite the collection of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 and they are representative of a lot of the differing styles of ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 through different time periods in Egyptian history. Most of the photos are representative of more “classical” ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 from the 20th Dynasty forward (made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 or terracotta 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇), while the picture below shows the “stick ushabtis.”

A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains stick ushabtis

Stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 (17th to the beginning of the 18th Dynasty) are made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺, have a roughly mummiform shape, no artistic details, and have an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the front. The function of these stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 also seems to be different than that of the regular ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 that are found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 whose function was to perform tasks for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 have only been found in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖, in the above ground chapels that were found near tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦, not inside the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐!

The stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 most likely represented the family members of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and were placed in the above ground chapel as a way to symbolize family members being close to their dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 loved one.

A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains faience ushabtis, and a stone ushabti in the back.

Tags artifact, petrie museum, shabti, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Cartouches of Akhenaten

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date March 28, 2023

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a fragment of a relief that has some gorgeous 𓄤 hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on it – the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖!! This fragment is from present day Amarna, which during Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 rule was known as Akhetaten 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖. Akhetaten 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖 translates to “Horizon of the Aten,” and Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 named it the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 during year five 𓏾 of his reign.

The Cartouches of Akhenaten on a fragment of a relief from the city of Akhetaten (The MET)

This relief is probably from after year five 𓏾 of his reign, just based off of the throne name variant that is used in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Let’s start from the top row of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We will start reading from the right since that is where the snake points to! This is a very popular phrase that you may recognize: 𓆖𓏙𓋹. This translates to “Given 𓏙 Eternal 𓆖 Life 𓋹.”

Under that, we are also going to start reading from the right since that is where the directional symbols point to!

𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt

𓋹 – Life

𓐝 – On

𓁧 – Maat (Truth)

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖- Neferkheperura-waenre which means “Beautiful are the Forms/Manifestations of Re, the Unique one of Re” (Akhenaten’s throne name)

On to the next set of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

𓋹 – Life

𓐝 – On

𓁧 – Maat (Truth)

𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 – Akhenaten (the “birth name” variant, since Akhenaten’s actual birth name was Amenhotep (IV))

𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances

What always gets me is Akhenaten’s throne name of 𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖- Neferkheperura-waenre. This particular spelling of the throne name is only seen after he changed his given name from Amenhotep IV 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓊹𓋾𓌀 to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖. The original spelling, before the name 𓂋𓈖 change was “𓁜𓄤𓆣𓏦𓇳𓌡𓈖.” The name 𓂋𓈖 is still pronounced the same and has the same meaning, but the falcon glyph 𓁜 was changed to just the sun disc 𓇳 (both pronounced Re/Ra). Also, all of Akhenaten’s other names (Horus name, etc) underwent a change, to remove the other deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, but this one didn’t.

I wonder why Akhenaten didn’t change the throne name (𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖) to represent the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳, just like how all of his other names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 were changed. He also kept the title “Son of Ra 𓅭𓇳,” instead of changing it to an Aten-based title. There are probably some mysteries that we will never fully comprehend about this time period!

Tags akhenaten, artifact, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

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