While this may look like a statue ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ of Bastet ๐ฏ๐๐๐, itโs actually a cat ๐ ๐๐ ฑ๐ mummy!
There are many different ways that animal mummies have been found. Some are wrapped in linen ๐ฑ while others are found in these elaborate statue-like coffins ๐ด๐ ฑ๐๐๐ฑ. These types of mummy-wrappings were popular during the Late and Ptolemaic Periods.
Cats ๐ ๐๐ ฑ๐ ๐ช were sacred animals in Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐ because they were thought to represent the soul ๐ of Bastet ๐ฏ๐๐๐ or Sekhmet ๐๐๐ ๐๐. Much like today, cats ๐ ๐๐ ฑ๐ ๐ช were also pets in Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐ and cat ๐ ๐๐ ฑ๐ mummies have been found in human tombs ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ as well. The thought is that the cat ๐ ๐๐ ฑ๐ and the owner would be able to stay together ๐๐ in the afterlife ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ if they were buried together ๐๐.
The ancient Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช loved jewelry! In Egyptian art, the wealthy and upper class people were always depicted wearing elaborate jewelry as a way to show their status. The gods ๐น๐น๐น and goddesses ๐น๐น๐น๐ are also often depicted wearing a lot of beautiful ๐ค jewelry.
One of the most popular types of jewelry amongst the elite – including the pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ and royal family is known as the broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐. In Middle Egyptian, the word for broad collar was ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐ (pronounced โwesekh) or simply just the determinative hieroglyph ๐ could be used for the whole word.
Broad Collars at the MET
The broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐ was the necklace of choice by both the gods ๐น๐น๐น and the pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ and it reached peak popularity during the 18th Dynasty. The broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐ was also given to people of high rank or officials ๐ด๐๐๐ช as a mark of honor. Broad collars ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐๐ฆ could be made of many different types of materials, including gold ๐๐๐๐, but the ones shown in this picture are made of faience beads.
Many mummies ๐๐น๐ ฑ๐พ๐ช have also been found buried wearing the broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐! You gotta look good in the afterlife too ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐!!
These are Funerary Figures of the Four Sons of Horus and are dated to the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (c. 400-30 B.C.E.). The Sons of Horus were deities ๐น๐น๐น who were charged with protecting ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the internal organs ๐๐ง๐๐น๐ฆ of the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ, and were usually represented as the lids of canopic jars.
Funerary Figures of the Four Sons of Horus at the MET
Whatโs really cool about these statues ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ๐ช is that they are decorated so beautifully ๐ค! I love how they look like mummies ๐๐น๐ ฑ๐พ๐ช (the proper term is โmummiformโ), and how a large broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐ is painted ๐๐ on their chests. Also, each statue ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ has a heart ๐๐๐ฃ amulet ๐๐ช๐ in the middle of the broad collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐! The details are exquisite!
While each Son of Horus was associated with an organ ๐๐ง๐๐น, they were also each associated with a cardinal direction and were protected ๐ ๐๐ก๐ by a funerary goddess๐น๐. Letโs take a look at each deity (starting from the left):
Duamutef ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ had the head of a jackal ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฅ, protected ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the stomach ๐๐ฃ๐ป, was associated with the East ๐๐๐๐ญ, and was protected by Neith ๐๐๐๐ญ.
Qebehsenuef ๐๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ had the head of a falcon ๐๐๐ก๐ , protected ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the intestines ๐๐ช๐ ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ผ, was associated with the West ๐๐๐๐, and was protected by Selket ๐๐๐๐๐.
Hapy ๐๐๐ช๐ had the head of a baboon, protected ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the lungs ๐๐ด๐ฅ๐ ฑ๐บ, was associated with the North ๐๐, and was protected by Nephthys ๐ ๐๐.
Imsety ๐๐๐ด๐๐ had the head of a human, protected ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the liver ๐ ๐๐๐น๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ, was associated with the South ๐๐ ฑ๐ and was protected by Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ.
ย The Book of the Dead of Hunefer is one of my absolute favorite artifacts, and seeing it in the British Museum was a dream come true for me!
On the top panel, Hunefer (the deceased) stands before the 42 divine judges and pleads their lifetime of truth and moral doings. The Book of the Dead provided the deceased with the words to say so they would pass this trial!
On the bottom panel: This is the Weighing of the Heart ceremony! Letโs start from the left! Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ is leading Hunefer (the deceased) to the scales (not gonna lie, Iโm a little jealous they are holding hands ๐). Here, Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ข weighs the heart ๐๐๐ฃ of the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ against Maatโs ๐ด๐๐ฃ๐๐ฆ feather (Maat is sitting on top of the scales). If Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ determines thereโs balance between the two ๐ป, that means that the deceased lived a truthful ๐๐ด๐ฃ๐๐ and just ๐๐ด๐ฃ๐๐๐ life ๐น.
Ammit ๐๐ ๐ ๐ (the Devourer of the Dead/Eater of Hearts) is there waiting to see if the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ didnโt live a truthful ๐๐ด๐ฃ๐๐ life! If the deceasedโs ๐ ๐๐ฑ heart ๐๐๐ฃ weighs more than the feather, Ammit ๐๐ ๐ ๐ would eat the heart ๐๐๐ฃ and the deceased would โdie a second timeโ and not live in eternal paradise. Thoth ๐ ค๐ญ records the findings of the ceremony.
If the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ passed the Weigning of the Heart, they would be presented to Osiris ๐น๐จ ๐ญ by Horus ๐ ๐ญ and would then enter the Field of Reeds ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ ฑ๐ฐ๐ and live in eternal paradise!
The MET was an integral part of the excavations of Hatshepsutโs ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช temple ๐๐๐ at Deir el-Bahri. During the 1926-1927 dig season, 299 scarab ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฃ amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช and stamp seals were discovered near the eastern wall of the temple ๐๐๐. Scarab ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฃ amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช were symbols of regeneration and rebirth.
On the scarabs ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฃ๐ช in the picture ๐๐ ฑ๐, are various inscriptions ๐๐๐ฅ with every title/name ๐๐ Hatshepsut has ever held. These three ๐ผ scarabs ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฃ๐ช have her birth name ๐๐ inscribed ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช. Her birth name ๐๐ cartouche translates to โUnited with Amun, Foremost of the Noble Women.โ
If we were to only write the part that translates only to โHatshepsut,โ her cartouche would look like this: (๐๐๐ผ๐ช). Why is Amun ๐๐ ๐๐ญ mentioned in her name ๐๐? By adding Amun ๐๐ ๐ to her name, she directly linked herself to the god ๐น Amun ๐๐ ๐. She claimed that Amun ๐๐ ๐๐ญ was her father ๐๐๐, thus justifying her right to rule.
Much like the ancient Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช, I too love jewelry! I mostly wear bracelets ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ช and two ๐ป snake ๐๐๐๐๐ rings ๐๐๐๐ช๐ฆ from my Nonno and Nonna. I also wear a necklace with an ankh ๐น that my Nonno and Nonna got for me!
Ancient Egyptian Jewelry at the Brooklyn Museum
This blue ๐๐น๐๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฅ faience ๐ฃ๐๐๐ธ๐ผ necklace is different from the wesekh collar ๐ ฑ๐ด๐๐บ๐ that I posted yesterday! For one, necklaces if this style were much easier to make (and cheaper to acquire) and while they did not appear as often in Egyptian art, they were definitely more popular amongst the masses. The gold ๐๐๐๐ bracelet ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ is also fashioned in a similar style!
These simpler necklaces or bracelets ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ช could be have beads or amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช that were made of materials such as lapis lazuli ๐๐ด๐๐ง๐ง, malachite, gold ๐๐๐๐, amethyst, and faience ๐ฃ๐๐๐ธ๐ผ. Rarely, silver was used.
For the blue ๐๐น๐๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฅ faience ๐ฃ๐๐๐ธ๐ผ necklace, the heart ๐๐๐ฃ amulet ๐๐ช๐ can be seen amongst other less specific beads. For the gold bracelet, the fly of valor ๐๐๐๐ฆ is the amulet ๐๐ช๐ that is used. The fly of valor ๐๐๐๐ฆ was given to military leaders who showed courage in battle.
This is a really interesting statue ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ!
Statue for a Man Named Kaiemwaset at the Brooklyn Museum
It was made for a man named Kaiemwaset. Although the part that shows Kaiemwasetโs head ๐ถ๐บ is now missing, it used to be part of the statue. This statue was placed in a temple ๐๐๐, and it would have allowed Kaiemwaset to participate in temple rituals when deceased since the Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช believed that the souls ๐๐๐ of the dead could inhabit statues. Kaiemwaset was connected to the temple ๐๐๐ of Amun-Ra ๐๐ ๐๐บ๐ณ at Thebes ๐๐๐, and this statue ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ is dated to the reign of Thutmosis IV ๐ณ๐ ๐ฃ๐ผ(18th Dynasty, New Kingdom).
The best preserved part of this statue ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ is what Kaiemwaset is holding. It is a sistrum ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ, which is a rattle-like musical instrument that usually portrays the head ๐ถ๐บ of the goddess ๐น๐ Hathor ๐ก. Hathor ๐ก was the goddess ๐น๐ of music ๐๐๐ธ and all of the fun things in life, and sound of the sistrum ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ was thought to be beloved by Hathor ๐ก. Hathorโs ๐ก head ๐ถ๐บ is resting on top of the Isis-knot ๐ฌ (aka tyet knot). On top of Hathorโs ๐ก head ๐ถ๐บ is a temple entrance/gateway with a cobra ๐๐๐๐๐ in between. The cobra ๐๐๐๐๐ could invoke the protective aspects of the goddess ๐น๐!
While my favorite non-royal has always been Senemut ๐ข๐๐ ๐ผ due to his prominence and importance during Hatshepsut’s ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช reign, my Nonnoโs favorite has always been Paser ๐ ฎ๐๐ฝ. These are some of Paserโs ๐ ฎ๐๐ฝ ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ. The ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ served as substitutes for the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ and would perform labor or jobs for them in the afterlife ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐. They are usually inscribed with spells which are specific to a certain task!
Paser ๐ ฎ๐๐ฝ was one of the most prominent men of his time and he served under two ๐ป pharaohs ๐๐ป – Seti I ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ and then Rameses II ๐ณ๐๐ง๐ณ๐๐.
Paser ๐ ฎ๐๐ฝ served many different roles over twenty-five ๐๐๐พ years! He was vizier ๐ ท๐๐บ๐ and one of his most famous works is the tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐ of Seti I ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ in the Valley of the Kings! A vizier ๐ ท๐๐บ๐ was the highest ranking official ๐ด๐๐ and was the most powerful position in the government, besides the pharaoh ๐๐ป. Not only was the vizier ๐ ท๐๐บ๐ the most trusted advisor to the pharaoh ๐๐ป, but he also saw to the day-to-day operations of the government. The vizier ๐ ท๐๐บ๐ was in charge of architecture, taxation, agriculture, military, judicial, financial, and many other things. Honestly that sounds exhausting ๐!
Paser ๐ ฎ๐๐ฝ had many different titles, including โHigh Preist of Amun,โ โsuperintendent of every work of the king,โ and โchief of secrets of the hieroglyphs.โ
Iโm going to post another British Museum picture ๐๐ ฑ๐ because Iโm nostalgic and I like remembering how amazing that day ๐๐๐บ๐ณ was!
This red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ statue ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ of Thutmosis III ๐ ๐ ๐ด is definitely an interesting one because it actually has the cartouches of Rameses II ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ด๐ carved into the chest! This is what Egyptologists call usurping – meaning that Rameses II ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ด๐ took statues ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ๐ช and monuments from his predecessors, erased their name ๐๐, and put his own!
Egyptologists donโt think this was done out of disrespect for the previous pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ, instead it was just Rameses II ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ด๐ promoting his own rule.
Fun fact! Much like modern geologists, the ancient Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช differentiated between granite and red granite rocks ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ! How do we know?! The hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช are different:
Granite – ๐๐๐๐๐ณ๐ฟ Red Granite – ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ
I love rocks ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ and geology so much! I actually got interested in geology as a kid because I wanted to know what all of the statues were made out of!
This is known as a Magical Stela, or a cippus. It depicts Horus ๐ ๐ญ(or Harpokrates, the Greek version of Horus ๐ ๐ญ) standing on two ๐ป crocodiles ๐ ๐ด๐๐๐ฅ and holding other dangerous animals such as snakes ๐๐๐๐๐๐ช and scorpions ๐ด๐๐๐๐ซ๐ช in each hand. The god Bes ๐๐ด๐ also appears above Horusโ ๐ ๐ญ head ๐ถ๐บ. Bes ๐๐ด๐ was known to ward off evil and bad luck.
Magical Stela (Cippus) at the MET
Normally, stela ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ธ were used to commemorate the dead so this is almost like a protective amulet ๐๐ช๐ in the form of a stela ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ธ. This cippus was used by the living for protection ๐ ๐๐ก๐. Since the Old Kingdom, Horus ๐ ๐ญ was called upon as a defender against snake or scorpion bites. Placing the cippus on a wound would evoke its magical and healing powers. Cippus stela ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ธ like this were usually kept in homes ๐๐บ.
However, cippus pieces have also been found in tombs ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ช, so we can assume that the Egyptians thought it not only would help protect ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the living, but the dead too.
Fun fact! The Middle Egyptian word for scorpion is ๐ด๐๐๐๐ซ which can be pronounced like โSerket.โ Serket ๐ด๐๐๐๐ซ was a goddess ๐น๐ who was represented by a scorpion and she was associated with healing, protection, and magic. Serket ๐ด๐๐๐๐ซ could also be written like this: ๐๐๐๐๐.
