Category: Egyptian Artifacts

“Wonderful Things”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 5, 2022

“Wonderful Things.”

That quote is from Howard Carter when he first peered into the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓. Honestly, every time I walk through a museum all I can think is “Wonderful Things” – I feel like that sums up my feelings pretty well!

While I have posted this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 before, it is one of my absolute favorites and one of the many wonderful things that I have seen! This is my Nonno and I with Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 at the British Museum! I am posting this again because today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 is the 100 𓏲 year anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐!

As a child (and even now) I love the story about how Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 was discovered! The funerary mask, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 shrine, cartouche box, and so many of the other artifacts in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 completely fascinated me and definitely played a part in me becoming so interested in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 as a child. I have my Nonno to thank for telling me about Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 and for encouraging my love and fascination with Egyptian history!

In this particular statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾, Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 is wearing the nemes head cloth 𓈖𓅓𓋴, false beard, and broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝. These are all very common things for pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 to wear to represent themselves as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, which Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 felt he needed to do in order to legitimize his rule 𓋾. The bottom part of the statue is 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 decorated with lotus flowers 𓆸𓏪 and papyrus reeds 𓏠𓈖𓎛𓆰.

Tags artifact, british museum, nonno, tutankhamun

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Gold Ring of Tutankhamun

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 5, 2022

In order to commeorate 100 𓏲 year anniversary of the discovery of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, let’s take a look at some artifacts related to Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓!

This gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 ring 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪 (the one in the back of the photo 𓏏𓅱𓏏), which was also used as a seal, has the throne name 𓂋𓈖 of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 on it!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

In the middle of the ring 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪, we see the throne name of Tutankhamun: 𓇳𓆣𓏦𓎟 (Nebkheperure). Broken down, the name means:

𓇳 – Ra

𓆣𓏦 – Forms/Manifestations

𓎟 – Lord
So “

Nebkheperure 𓇳𓆣𓏦𓎟” means “Lord of the Manifestations of Ra.”

On either side of Nebkheperure 𓇳𓆣𓏦𓎟, there are other hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 too!

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

𓎛𓇳𓎛 – Eternity

𓎟 Lord

𓌻 – Beloved

So the full inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 reads: “ 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎛𓇳𓎛𓎟𓌻 Beloved of Amun, Lord of Eternity.”

Something really interesting about the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 is that the sun disc 𓇳 symbol in the word “eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛” has the Ankh 𓋹 or symbol for “Life” with it, which was a common way to write “eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛” during the reign 𓋾 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖! It’s meant to represent the Ankhs 𓋹𓋹𓋹 that usually appeared in depictions of the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳.

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

Egyptian Artifacts

Predynastic Pottery Vessel

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 5, 2022

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!

Tags artifact, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Apotropaic Rod or Magic Wand

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 5, 2022

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!

Tags artifact, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Viscera Figures

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 24, 2022

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.

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, sons of horus, the met, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Eye of Horus vs. Eye of Ra

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 24, 2022

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!

Tags amulet, artifact, gods and goddesses, horus, ra, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

The Cartouche of Pharaoh Nebra

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 16, 2022
4 Comments on The Cartouche of Pharaoh Nebra

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.

Tags artifact, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Swivel Scarab Rings of Thutmosis III

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 16, 2022
17 Comments on Swivel Scarab Rings of Thutmosis III

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??!!

Tags artifact, the met, thutmosis iii

Egyptian Artifacts

Scarabs of Hathsepsut and Thutmosis III

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 16, 2022

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.

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, the met, thutmosis iii

Egyptian Artifacts

Cow Statue of the Goddess Hathor

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 16, 2022

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!!

𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐 (beautiful woman)
𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 (cow)

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, hathor, hieroglyphs, the met

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