This is a chair that belonged to Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 parents! Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 most trusted advisor, architect, and the tutor for her daughter Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤. Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 parents were buried in a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 that was very close to his, and they were given burials that were fit for people of high status, due to Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 position.
The chair is adorned with the Djed 𓊽 and Tyet 𓎬 symbols, and the god Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 is located in the center. I love how the legs of the chair look like lion 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛 paws too!
In ancient times, a beaded shroud like the one in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, would have been placed over the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 after it had been placed in its coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱. In modern times, the small faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 beads that make up these shrouds have been nicknamed “mummy beads” simply because they are beads found with mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪!
The pattern of the beaded shroud was supposed to be representative of the cloak that Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, god 𓊹 of the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, wears. What’s so incredible about this beaded shroud is that it is mostly intact!
These types of shrouds were mostly made with blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 beads because in ancient Egyptian culture, the color blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 was symbolic of rebirth and regeneration. Faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 was an extremely popular material to work with because it was both cheap and easy to use! Faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 is a quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙 based material that can be molded and then heated to a very high temperature to keep its shape. Objects made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 were thought to hold magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 powers!
Sewn into the beaded shroud is a winged scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆, and amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 of the four Sons of Horus. The wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 allowed the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 to join the rising and setting of the sun 𓇳𓏺 each day – which to the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 represented the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The cycle was central to the ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 religion! While the four Sons of Horus were typically seen as the heads of the canopic jars, which held the organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 after they were mummified, they were also used as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪!
This beautiful 𓄤 blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 belongs to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓇌𓁣𓈖! I have seen ones like this in other museums too! I love seeing the “same” pieces in museums around the world!
Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 had many faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures. His faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures are such a beautiful 𓄤 blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 color and are inscribed with hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead.
Chapter 6 is also known as the “Shabti Text,” and it is a spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 that allows for the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 to take the place of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 if the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 is asked to do any type of work in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This is why the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is holding a pick (𓌸) in each hand – he needs to be ready to work when called upon!
Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓇌𓁣𓈖 had over 700 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures! The typical number was around four hundred – 365 worker ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪, and the rest were overseer ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪. Most of Seti I’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓇌𓁣𓈖 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 – when Giovanni Belzoni discovered Seti I’s tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 in the Valley of the Kings in 1917, he used a lot of the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 as torches, so many of them were destroyed.
Not going to lie; fact still haunts me!! This was also one of my Nonno’s favorite stories to tell. I can still hear him in my head saying “Can you believe that idiot used ushabtis as firewood?!?!”
I can’t go too long without posting about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪! My Nonno always made a point to make sure we saw Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 in every museum that we went to. It was part of the fun of going to the museum!! After seeing “The Mummy” for the first time when I was about ten 𓎆 years old, I had already known about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 for years from a historical perspective!!
Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, meaning “He who comes in peace,” was a non-royal man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 who became deified (reached godly status). This is a very rare occurrence, as it was thought by the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 that the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was the only god 𓊹 on the Earth 𓇾𓇾. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was not deified in his lifetime – it was about 2,000 𓆼𓆼 years after his death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 that he began to be worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a god 𓊹.
Not much is known about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 from his lifetime – much information about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is from Demotic texts or stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪 that were written thousands of years after his death 𓅓𓏏𓏱.
Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is famous for being an incredible architect and is credited with designing Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid (aka the first ever pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴) at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 (modern day Saqqara). He was also a physician!
Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is always depicted as a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 seated in a chair, usually with a piece of papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 in his lap. Much like the god 𓊹 Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱(who he is said to be the son 𓅭 of), he wears a cap on his head. Once you are able to remember what Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 look like, you will be able to recognize them in any museum that you go to!
My Nonno always loved the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏! Bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statuary 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 became very popular starting around the Third Intermediate Period (26th Dynasty), and became very abundant in the Ptolemaic Period.
In this display at the Louvre, Hathor 𓉡, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭, and Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 are shown!
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.
Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is also considered to be one of the most important gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon and was first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts. Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 had many different roles and was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a creator god, solar god, fertility god, warrior god, and king of the gods. Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is also considered the “universal god” meaning that his power permeated the cosmos and all that the cosmos contained!
Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was one of the main figures of Egyptian religion. This is because Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was the god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and the ruler of the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, and Egyptians spent their entire time living preparing for their death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and meeting with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. When the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was alive, he was thought to be the living image 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹 of the God 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭, but more importantly when the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 died, he was thought to then become an Osiris-like figure.
I enjoyed talking about my friend Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 so here’s another piece that depicts Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋! This is a raised limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief of Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 from the Ptolemaic Period and is at the MET.
Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 is usually depicted as a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 sitting on a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 – just like this hieroglyph “𓆋,” or as a human body with a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 head 𓁶𓏺.
Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 from the Old Kingdom through the Roman Periods, but his popularity seemed to have peaked during the Second Intermediate Period as many pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 of the 13th Dynasty had names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 that were associated with him. For example, the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 called “Sobekhotep 𓆋𓊵𓏏𓊪” translates to “Sobek is satisfied.” There were also many commoners whose name 𓂋𓈖 was also Sobekhotep 𓆋𓊵𓏏𓊪.
Fun fact! While “Sobekhotep 𓆋𓊵𓏏𓊪” can literally be written as “Sobek 𓆋” and “Hotep 𓊵𓏏𓊪” with the ideogram for “Sobek 𓆋” taking on the full meaning of the word, the name can also be written as “𓋴𓃀𓎡𓊵𓏏𓊪,” which also spells out Sobekhotep, but this time, only phonograms are used! I love seeing different variations of the same words in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
This is an ostracon, which is basically either a broken piece of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 (in this case), pottery, a rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙, etc. that was used for drawing practice or even “To Do” lists! A lot of the ostraca from ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 were often used as “political cartoons” – where animals were depicted doing human things that were usually comments of society and the social hierarchy! Pieces of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 were often used because papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 was too expensive to practice on!
This nice little ostracon pictured however, is just a lovely drawing of the crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 god 𓊹 Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋! This piece is dated to the New Kingdom (Ramesside – c. 1295–1070 B.C.E.) and was most likely found at Deir el-Medina!
Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 was one of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 that was named in the Pyramid Texts, which makes him one of the oldest deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. He is often depicted as a human body with a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 head 𓁶𓏺.
Some of the Egyptian legends state that Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 rose out of the primordial waters and created the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. Since Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 is associated with the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺, this makes him also associated with fertility (much like Taweret, the crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 goddess 𓊹𓏏 of fertility) since the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 associated the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 with fertility and rebirth.
Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 was both feared and revered due to him being a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌! He was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in order to ensure the fertility of both people and crops, but also to protect against crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 attacks.
This blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 is in exquisite condition.
Blue Faience Sphinx of Amenhotep III at the MET
This piece is possibly from the model of a temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐, but its function isn’t actually known. Despite its small size, the sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 is definitely a standout in Gallery 119 at the MET!
A sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 is the combination of a lion 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛 (the body) and a human (the head 𓁶𓏺). Sphinxes 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏦 are incredibly powerful creatures because not only do they represent the physical strength 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 of a lion 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛, but also the power of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.
Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 is wearing the nemes head cloth 𓈖𓅓𓋴 with the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 on the forehead. He also has a false beard in his chin. This is a very typical way for a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 to be depicted in statuary because this style represented the power and royalty of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.
The hands of the sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 are holding a nemset jar 𓏌𓏺 in each hand. This is a worshipping 𓇼𓄿𓀢/offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 position, but there is no inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 to say which god 𓊹/goddess 𓊹𓏏 Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 is making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to.
This piece is dated to the 18th Dynasty – New Kingdom (c. 1390–1352 B.C.E.).
This may look like a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣, but it’s actually a column from a temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐!
A column that looks like a sistrum (with Hathor) at the MET
A sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 was a musical instrument (like a rattle/tambourine) that was associated with the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡. Sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 usually had Hathor’s 𓉡 head 𓁶𓏤 (complete with her cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 ears) on top of a long handle – just like this column!
While it is difficult to tell in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, some paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 is still left on the column! Based on scientific testing of the trace pigments left behind, Hathor’s 𓉡 hair would have been blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥! Fun fact: “Egyptian Blue” is the oldest synthetic color pigment in the whole world!
There are images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Hathor 𓉡 and inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on all four 𓏽 sides as well!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! This inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 is exciting because these are all phrases I have taught through my previous posts! See if you can read along before reading the translation!!!
𓊹𓄤 – The Great God
𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands
𓇳𓆣𓂓 – Kheperkare (Nectanbo’s throne name)
How well did you do? We’re you able to read the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥? Let me know!!
This piece is dated to the Late Period, Dynasty 30, reign of Nectanebo I (c. 380–362 B.C.E.).
Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 is an Egyptian snake god 𓊹 whose name 𓂋𓈖 means “he who harnesses the spirits” and was he considered to be a helpful deity! Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 is usually depicted as a snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 with human legs, and as a kid I always got a kick out of this!!
Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 was a very popular god 𓊹 to see represented on amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 worn by the living (especially New Kingdom and later) because amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 of Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 were thought to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the wearer from snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 bites!
Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 was thought to be the god 𓊹 that announced the new pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 to the other gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 at the beginning of his/her rule 𓋾. When the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 died, it was Nehebukau’s 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 job to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 and feed the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 or other deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person. The drink that the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would be fed was called “The Milk of Light,” and it would protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 against bites from poisonous animals. Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 was one of the forty-two gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 who helped judge the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Hall of Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦.
Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 had no cult or priesthood associated with him because most would use magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 to invoke his protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜.
This is another closeup image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 from Imhotep’s 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Book of the Dead (Early Ptolemaic Period) at the MET.
