Category: Egyptian Artifacts

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Egyptian Artifacts

Stick Ushabtis

Whenever I am in a museum, I take so many pictures of the different ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 that are on display! There are so many different types, and each type is beautiful 𓄤 in its own way!

These particular ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 that are are called “stick ushabtis” by archaeologists. Stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 are made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺, have a roughly mummiform shape, no artistic details, and have an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the front. Most stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 are dated to the end of the 17th Dynasty to the beginning of the 18th Dynasty.

The function of these stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 also seem to be different than that of the regular ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 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.

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

The stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 were usually placed in their own model coffins 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱𓏦, just like in the first picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏! I always liked the model coffins 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱𓏦, because I love tiny things! As a kid, the ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 reminded me of dolls, and how cool is it to have a doll-sized ancient Egyptian coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱!!!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Miniature Broad Collar

“𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓇑𓇑 – How Beautiful This Is!” – I feel like this is the only appropriate phrase to describe this piece!

At the MET, this is named the “Miniature Broad Collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝.” It’s hard to tell from the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, but this piece is actually small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩! It was probably not meant to be worn by a person – instead, this broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 was most likely ceremonial and was probably placed on a statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾!

In Middle Egyptian, the word for broad collar was 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 (pronounced “wesekh) or simply just the determinative hieroglyph 𓋝 could be used for the whole word. This particular broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 was made during the early Ptolemaic Period (332–246 B.C.E.), though broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝𓏦 became very popular during the 18th Dynasty!

The broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 was the necklace of choice by both the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦. Broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝𓏦 could be made of many different types of materials, including gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 and inlaid stones 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦. In this broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝, lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧 and turquoise were the stones of choice! I love how the colors of the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 and the different blues 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 counteract each other – it truly makes this a stunning 𓄤 piece! Though small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩, this piece truly stands out!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Turtle Bowl

I don’t know why, but I think this piece is so cute! It’s a bowl 𓂧𓈖𓇋𓏏𓏸 in the shape of a turtle 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉 that was made during the Predynastic Period (c. 3900–3500 B.C.E). The turtle 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉 bowl 𓂧𓈖𓇋𓏏𓏸 is made of red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 clay!

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. Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 was the sun 𓇳 god 𓊹, and was responsible for the rising of the sun 𓇳, while the night represented Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 death 𓅓𓏏𓏱.

While not as popular as some iconography, throughout Egyptian history, turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 took the form of vessels, palettes 𓐝𓊃𓏏𓆱𓏦, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, and images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 on objects such as stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪.

Turtle 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉 can also be written in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 like this: 𓆉𓏺.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Djed Pillar Amulets

I absolutely love amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 because I love tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 things! The MET has an incredible collection of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, and I feel like most people just walk by them because they’re so small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩! But even small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 objects can tell incredible stories about history!

In ancient Egyptian religion and culture, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were thought to have magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 powers and bestow them upon its wearer. Worn by both the living and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, different amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 served various religious and protective functions. Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were usually made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, which is a cheap and easy material to work with. Most faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 pieces have a green/blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 color. This is because these colors were thought to represent life 𓋹 and regeneration.

The djed pillar 𓊽 was associated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and his regenerative powers and is thus considered an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 of power. The djed pillars 𓊽 are usually blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 or green 𓇅𓄿𓆓𓏛 in color to represent the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. These amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 date back to the Old Kingdom, and were used throughout Egyptian history. In the New Kingdom, they were strung around the neck of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. In hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, the djed 𓊽 symbol means “stability” or “enduring.”

The djed pillar 𓊽 has also been thought to represent the spine of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, as referenced in The Book of the Dead: “Raise yourself up Osiris. You have your backbone once more, weary-hearted One; you have bones.”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Sketch of a Hippo

This is a sketch of a hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 completed by an artist during the joint reign of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 (c. 1479–1425 B.C.E., 18th Dynasty). Ostraca were pieces of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 that artists would practice drawing and writing on, simply because papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 was very expensive!

In Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 were both feared and respected 𓈙𓆑𓄅. They were feared because they were one of the most dangerous animals in the Nile Valley 𓇗. However, in some cases, hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 were also thought to be powerful protectors 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 against evil!

For example, the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 was represented as a hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 standing on two 𓏻 feet. Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of childbirth and was the protector of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪 and children 𓐍𓇌𓀕𓏪. However, when the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 was in its animal form, the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 was a representation of Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, the god 𓊹 of chaos!

In this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏however, I don’t believe there’s any hidden meaning or good 𓄤𓆑𓂋 vs. evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 debate going on! I think the artist was just simply practicing! Usually ostraca contain guidelines or a grid, but this one does not! I’m assuming this means that this was the work of an experienced artist! Also, the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 is beautiful 𓄤, and it’s also colored in, so it looks like a completed work and not necessarily a sketch!

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Red Crown of Lower Egypt (Amulet)

The Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 of Lower Egypt 𓆤 (left) was the headdress that was associated with the area of Lower Egypt 𓆤 (North) while the White Crown 𓄤𓋑 (middle) was associated with the area of Upper Egypt 𓇓 (South). Combined, the two 𓏻 crowns represented a United Egypt (right). The combined crown is on a falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 that most likely represents the god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭! Today I am going to focus on the Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 because it is a favorite of mine!

Known as the deshret to the ancient Egyptians, the Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 in amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 form was considered to be an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 of power. The word “deshret” in Middle Egyptian could both refer to the color red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟, or the desert 𓅟𓂋𓏏𓈊/𓈊𓏏𓏺. Sometimes, Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 was even referred to as the “Red Land” in ancient Egyptian texts.

While the Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 was first worn by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Narmer 𓆢𓍋, it was only first seen in amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 form during the First Intermediate Period. The Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 of Lower Egypt is a cylindrical headpiece with a tall spike in the back and a long spiral in the front. This crown has been named the “red crown” by Egyptologists because it is usually depicted in a red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 color in Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 art. While usually depicted in red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟, most amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are in the blue/green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 color that is typical of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼.

In ancient Egypt, red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 was considered a powerful color because it is associated with blood, in particular the blood of Isis. While the Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 (and all other crowns) would have only been worn by a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 in the shape of crowns would imbue the wearer (even if they were a commoner or non-royal) with the same power or authority as a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 or god 𓊹.

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Weighing of the Heart

The Weighing of the Heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 is my absolute favorite scene from the Book of the Dead, and just one of my favorite scenes from literature in general! I have been so fortunate to see many different version of the Book of the Dead in various museums! While this is a simplified version of the scene, I still love it! This papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 is kinda hidden amongst many other papyri 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛𓏦 at the MET, and I’ve definitely missed it during other visits!

Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the center of the scene so of course it is my favorite! Here, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 weighs the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 against Maat’s 𓌴𓐙𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather. If Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 determines there’s balance between the two 𓏻, then the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 by Horus 𓅃𓀭. The deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would then enter the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, or the afterlife.

Thoth 𓅤𓀭 records the findings. While Thoth 𓅤𓀭 is usually represented in his human body/ibis 𓉔𓃀𓅤 head form during this scene, that is not the case here! Thoth 𓅤𓀭 is in his baboon form and is sitting on top of the scale! Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏(the Devourer of the Dead/Eater of Hearts) is also absent from this version! It’s always so interesting to see different versions of the same scene!

In the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, it’s interesting to see Osiris spelled like “𓊩𓁹” instead of the common form “𓁹𓊨𓀭.” For some reason I’m always fascinated when I see alternate spellings; I don’t know why!

In the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, the phrase “𓊩𓁹𓎟𓎛𓇳𓎛” or “Osiris, Lord of Eternity” is written! We have learned all of those words through other posts!! Can you find it?!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Foundation Deposit Brick of Rameses II

Foundation Deposit Brick of Rameses II at The MET

This beautiful 𓄤 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 piece is a foundation deposit brick with the cartouche of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 written on it (19th Dynasty, c. 1279–1213 B.C.E.). I chose this piece for today, because Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 is thought to possibly be the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the Exodus – there are many theories as to who the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was that is mentioned in The Bible by Moses. The pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the Exodus is only referred to as “the pharaoh” in The Bible and not by name 𓂋𓈖, so historians and religious scholars can only make inferences based on The Bible and archaeological evidence.

It is all so fascinating and based on my research, I believe that the evidence lines up to Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 being the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the Exodus. Some of the specific references made in the text of Exodus seems to line up really well with the 19th Dynasty time period. Some scholars disagree and think the Exodus happened at a later time period, some believe it happened earlier.

Why would there be no historical record of the Exodus in writings 𓏟𓏛𓏥 from Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖? Egyptian writing was full of propaganda and only the good stuff was mentioned. Something like the Exodus would have been kept on the down-low.

Foundation deposit bricks were ceremonial offerings that were placed at the corners of buildings, courts, temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦 , tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦, and pretty much the foundation of any building. They can almost be thought of as the ancient version of a ground-breaking ceremony. The foundation deposit bricks usually contained the cartouche of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 that the building was constructed under on it! I’m the early dynastic times, foundation deposits took the form of pottery, but later evolved into different versions of what you see pictured 𓏏𓅱𓏏!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Was Anubis Mentioned in the Bible?

As we all know, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the Egyptian god 𓊹 of embalming and tombs/cemeteries. This means that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 was the main protector 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of the recently deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱! During the New Kingdom, more specifically the 18th Dynasty, it became common for statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 to be placed in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 as a sort of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the dead! The most famous example is the “Anubis Shrine 𓃣” that was found in Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐! The statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is from the Late Period.

Since I am in the process of reading the Bible, here’s something very interesting about Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 I just learned recently! Did you know that some Bible/religious scholars believe that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is actually mentioned in Exodus!? When I was reading Exodus, and I caught what I thought was a reference to Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, I was shocked and immediately had to start researching!

“But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.” (Exodus 11:7, English Standard Version) Another translation is “But against all the Israelites, whether man or beast, not even a dog will snarl.”

The plagues of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 can be interpreted as the Egyptian gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 being powerless against God himself – such as when God blocked the Sun 𓇳𓏺 for three 𓏼 days during the ninth plague, Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 was powerless to stop it. So, the mention of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 can be interpreted as Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 having no power over life and death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, or that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 will have no power over the death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 of the people of Israel (Canaan 𓍑𓄿𓉔𓈊𓏭 in The Bible). It can also be taken as God (not Anubis) would bring death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, but not Israel 𓍑𓄿𓉔𓈊𓏭.

Again, these are interpretations of the Bible (including some of my own), and I’m sure many scholars and other readers have their own interpretations that are different and just as valid!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Frogs and the Exodus

I’m going to talk about the Second Plague of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 today: Frogs 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏𓏦! Many Biblical/religious scholars believe that the 10 Plagues of Egypt were not only directed by God against the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻/people of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, but the Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 as well.

These frog 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏 figures are dated to the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3000-2675 B.C.E.) so these are quite old! Frogs 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏𓏦 were not really written about at all during these predynastic times, and these statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 predate a lot of religious writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥 and iconography , however, they are mentioned in Exodus (starting at 8:1).

The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed the frog 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏 to be a symbol of fertility because they would appear after the flooding of the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺, so they were associated with life 𓋹/the regenerative qualities of water 𓈗. The frog 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏 is also associated with the fertility goddess 𓊹𓏏 Heqet 𓎛𓈎𓏏𓆏 who is represented as a woman with a frog 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏 head.

Heqet 𓎛𓈎𓏏𓆏 also had the task of controlling the population of frogs 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏𓏦 in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 by protecting the frog-eating crocodiles. Without Heqet 𓎛𓈎𓏏𓆏, the frog 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏 population would grow out of control! During the Second Plague, God overwhelmed Heqet 𓎛𓈎𓏏𓆏 hence the large amount of frogs 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏𓏦 that appeared in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! It is God who controls fertility, not Heqet 𓎛𓈎𓏏𓆏 because The Lord is all powerful!