Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to travel all the way back to predynastic Egypt (c. 3500-3300 B.C.E.)!
This type of vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋, known by scholars as “pottery vessels” are very characteristic of early Egyptian art. There are many different examples of these, and many have been found in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. There is a very similar one to this in the British Museum, and many other examples at the MET! The significance of these vases 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏪 is still debated because Egyptologists don’t exactly know why they were made or what they were used for! These predynastic vases 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏪 are so adored that many fakes have even popped up!
In the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, there seem to be animals such as antelopes 𓃲𓃲𓃲 and flamingoes 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟𓏪 standing amongst groups of triangles. These triangles most likely represent landscape features such as hills 𓈎𓄿𓄿𓊎𓏪 or mountains 𓈋𓅳.
In the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 (left) and a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤(right) are standing on a boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞. Above the boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞, the hills 𓈎𓄿𓄿𓊎𓏪/mountains 𓈋𓅳 are once again depicted. Below the boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞, it looks like plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰 are being shown! To me, the plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰 look like ferns (that is my interpretation).
As a kid 𓐍𓇌𓀕, I really liked this vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 because the groups of animals reminded me of the “Circle of Life” from The Lion King! To me (both as a kid 𓐍𓇌𓀕 and even now as an adult), the scenes on this pottery vessel 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 look just like the movie!
This is a very unique piece (not the cute little hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯)!
This artifact is referred to as an “Apotropaic Rod” or “Magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 Rod” which means that it is an object that has the power to ward off evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 or bad luck. This piece is dated to the Middle Kingdom (c. 1678-1640 B.C.E.) which was during the reign 𓋾 of Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 (Dynasty 12).
This piece is composed of multiple (four 𓏽) segments that are all joined together. This is the only Magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 Rod that has been found of this type, and luckily it is completely preserved! In ancient Egyptian magic, animals that were considered to be dangerous, such as lions 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛𓏦, hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦, and crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏦 could be used in amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 or wand to induce protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 on the person. There are also some cute frogs 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏𓏦!! These animals can be seen as figures on the top of the wand!
There is also a turtle 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉 amongst the other predatory animals on the top-center of the rod, so were turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 considered predatory? In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 were seen as an ambiguous force because they were creatures of both land 𓇾 and water 𓈗. Turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 were also seen as the enemy of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛, and in chapter 162 of the Book of the Dead, it is stated that “May Ra live, and may the turtle die.” The turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 that lived in the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 were mostly nocturnal, which is probably why they were considered to be Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 enemy.
Carved into the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 underneath the figures are other protective 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 symbols such as the Wedjat 𓂀 or “Eye of Horus,” and baboons. There is also an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 and what looks like a lioness 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓏏𓄛!
Here’s another example of an Egyptian “Magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 Wand,” which is more commonly referred to as an “Apotropaic Wand.”
This piece is dated to the Middle Kingdom (c. 1981-1640 B.C.E. Dynasty 12-13) and wands such as these were common to find amongst burial equipment in Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦. These type of “Magic Wands” are a lot more common than the one I posted about previously!
This “Magic Wand” is made out of hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯 ivory. Since the tusks is the most dangerous and powerful part of the hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯, this object symbolically has the power to ward off evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 or bad luck. Not only is the ivory powerful, but the deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 depicted are also carry knives in order to ward off evil forces 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨! Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗, Nekhbet 𓇑𓃀𓏏𓅐𓎟, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, and Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 are all shown!
There are also some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the Magic Wand! Some Magic Wands contain longer inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the back (not this one though)! Many of these inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 indicate that these wands were used as a protective amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 during childbirth, but they were placed in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 to help the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 at his/her rebirth.
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓍲𓉔𓂋𓅱𓏺𓇳 – Protection of Day
𓍲𓎼𓂋𓎛𓇱 – Protection of Night
Night can also be written as: 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛 or 𓄛.
Day can also be written as: 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳
Ancient Egyptian magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 is so incredibly fascinating!
While the four 𓏽 figures of the Four Sons of Horus at the front of this display look like ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures, they are not!! There are some blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures behind the Four Sons of Horus though!
So what are these Four Sons of Horus figures? These are actually called “viscera figures” and they were meant to protect the internal organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! Usually, the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺, liver 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜, stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻, and intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼 were removed, dried with natron, and placed in Canopic Jars for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜.
In some cases, the organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 were mummified and put back in the body. This is where the viscera figures come into play – the viscera figures were then placed inside the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the mummified organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦!
From the left: Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑 had the head of a jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻. Imsety 𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋 had the head of a human and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸. Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑 had the head of a falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼. Hapy 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌 had the head of a baboon and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺.
These pieces are dated to the Third Intermediate Period/21st Dynasty (c. 1000–945 B.C.E.). The viscera figures and the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures pictured were found in the burial chamber 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓉐 of Djedmutesankh in a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri.
In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, you are looking at amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 and the molds that were used to make them! These molds are typically made of terracotta and allowed artists to not only mass produce amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, but also make the amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 small and detailed! The amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 that you see in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 are the Eye of Horus 𓅃𓀭 and the Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛!
How do you tell them apart? The left eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤 is the Eye of Horus 𓅃𓀭, and the right eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤 is the Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛! The right/left sides is based on a human eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤, so it would be opposite to the observer. In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, most of these amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are actually Eyes of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛! The one amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 at the top right is the eye of Horus 𓅃𓀭! If you get them mixed up don’t worry – I sometimes do too!
The wedjat 𓂀 or the “Eye of Horus” is representative of the eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤 that Horus 𓅃𓀭 lost when battling Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣. Thoth 𓅤𓀭 restored Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 eye, however, the single Eye of Horus became a symbol of rebirth or healing 𓋴𓈖𓃀𓏜 due to the nature of the myth. The wedjat 𓂀 was also common symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 and regeneration. The Eye of Horus 𓅃𓀭 was an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 used by both the living and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱! The Eye of Horus was also associated with the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹!
While most people associate the eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤 with Horus 𓅃𓀭, there is an Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 too! While the Eye of Ra was also an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜, it was also associated with power. The Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 can be thought of as an extension of Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 power and thus an extension of the sun 𓇳𓏺 itself. The Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 can see everything, and even transformed into Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 in one of the myths!
As you can see, it’s interesting how the two eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 both represent the sun 𓇳𓏺 and the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹- the two 𓏻 largest objects in the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯! One is associated with day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳, and the other night 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛! The sun 𓇳𓏺 and the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹 are almost like the two 𓏻 eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 watching the Earth 𓇾𓇾!
I am standing with the Horus cartouche of the Second Dynasty Pharaoh Nebra 𓎟𓇳 (or Raneb).
Not much is known about Nebra 𓎟𓇳 besides his name, which mostly appears on alabaster bowls and cups. The length of his rule is also not known, since that section of the Turin Canon/Papyrus is destroyed but Egyptologists estimate it to be about 10 𓎆 -14 𓎆𓏽 years.
The name Nebra 𓎟𓇳 (or Raneb) has puzzled Egyptologists because Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 was not a big religious figure during the Second Dynasty. At that time, Horus 𓅃𓀭 was the main deity and Egyptian religion very much centered on the story of Horus 𓅃𓀭 and Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 and the importance of keeping divine balance. The name Nebra 𓎟𓇳 can also be translated as either “Lord of the sun (Ra)” or “Ra is my lord,” which would show that the sun was already being worshipped separately as its own deity at this time instead of just being part of Horus 𓅃𓀭. The Third Dynasty (around the rule of Djoser 𓂦) is really when evidence of the sun being an independent deity begins to show up in Egyptian society.
I am the type of person that loves jewelry, and a lot of the jewelry that I wear is inspired by ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! Rings are my absolute favorite type of jewelry to wear, and I love looking at the jewelry of the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 in museums! I may be biased, but I think that Egyptian jewelry is the most beautiful type of jewelry! The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 sure knew how to accessorize!
These scarab 𓆣 rings bear the cartouche of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣. Scarab 𓆣 rings like these were extremely popular during the New Kingdom. I love how the different colors of the scarab 𓆣 pair so beautifully with the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉. Also these are swivel rings, meaning they spin! How cool is that??!!
Here are some of the scarabs that have both the names of Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣.
The three 𓏼 scarabs at the top are inscribed with the cartouche of Thutmosis III, 𓇳𓏠𓆣 while the scarab at the bottom has both of their cartouches. It’s very interesting to see objects with both of their cartouches on it, and these would most likely date from their joint rule before Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓 declared herself as the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.
Something that has always been crazy to me is how detailed and beautiful 𓄤 the inscriptions on such small objects can be! I know that the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 used molds to make small objects a lot of the time, but the craftsmanship is incredibly impressive! I’m such a bad artist and have zero artistic talent, so I have so much respect 𓈙𓆑𓄅 for the people who created all of these beautiful works of art that I get to study and admire.
I am with a statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of a cow’s 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 head, which of course is representative of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡.
Hathor 𓉡 is one of the most prominent goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 of the Egyptian pantheon. Along with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, she is regarded as the “divine mother” of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but is also the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of love, joy, music, and dance – basically the fun things in life! Hathor is also the wife of Horus 𓅃𓀭, and the daughter of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛. Hathor 𓉡 is usually associated with cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 and can take the form of a cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 in many forms of Egyptian art.
Fun fact: the words “beautiful woman” and “cow” are super similar in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪- only the determinative at the end is different! They are even pronounced the same (nfrt) Why? Probably because of Hathor 𓉡! I find this hysterical – you probably don’t want to mess these two words up (in English at least 😂). Even my family knows this fact about hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, because I bring it up all the time!!
Hathor 𓉡 was the goddess of music, and music has been something that I have loved throughout my entire life. From listening to classic Italian music with my Nonno, to discovering artists myself, music has always been healing to me. I cannot go a day without listening to my favorite artists. Music has not only been essential to my life, but it was also culturally essential in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!
The piece in the picture is a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 with Hathor’s 𓉡 head depicted. A sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 was almost like an ancient tambourine or rattle – while the part that makes the music is often not found intact, the handle with Hathor’s 𓉡 face usually is. Sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 can be found dating back to the Old Kingdom, but most that are found are usually from the Late – Graeco/Roman periods. We don’t know much about the songs that were sung in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 because the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 did not have any form of musical notation, however, archaeologists have been able to replicate various types of instruments based on archaeological findings and try to figure out how they would sound! Musicians were often associated with a temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 or a particular god 𓊹/goddess 𓊹𓏏, and they usually held a decently high place in the social hierarchy.
My absolute favorite artists are No Doubt, Il Volo, BTS, and One Direction! I also listen to a lot of other Italian artists, Broadway cast recordings, and classic rock music! Do you guys have some favorite musicians that you listen to?
Before Horemheb 𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖 became the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 18th Dynasty, he was a general under the pharaohs Tutankamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 and Ay 𓇳𓆣𓆣𓏪𓁹𓐙𓏏.
This large statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 (and a second similar one) at the MET would have been placed in a temple – either the temple of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 at Memphis or the temple of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 at Karnak.
It was standard for high officials to show themselves in a seated position with a papyrus scroll 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 on their lap. In the Old Kingdom, the statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 usually showed the official reading, but in the New Kingdom, the statues always showed the official writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥. Horemheb 𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖 is writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥 a hymn to the god Thoth 𓅤𓀭(who is the god of writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥).
The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 around the base of the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 mention Horemheb’s 𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖 many titles. The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the “papyrus” 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 that is on Horemheb’s 𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖 lap can actually be read, but it was so difficult to get a picture𓏏𓅱𓏏/actually read them because I could not get close enough to the statue!
