Month: June 2022

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Egyptian Artifacts

More Scarabs of Hatshepsut

The MET was an integral part of the excavations of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri. During the 1926-1927 dig season, 299 scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 and stamp seals were discovered near the eastern wall of the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐. Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were symbols of regeneration and rebirth.

On the scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, are various inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 with every title/name 𓂋𓈖 Hatshepsut has ever held. These three 𓏼 scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 have her birth name 𓂋𓈖 inscribed 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪. Her birth name 𓂋𓈖 cartouche translates to “United with Amun, Foremost of the Noble Women.”

If we were to only write the part that translates only to “Hatshepsut,” her cartouche would look like this: (𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪). Why is Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 mentioned in her name 𓂋𓈖? By adding Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 to her name, she directly linked herself to the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖. She claimed that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 was her father 𓇋𓏏𓀀, thus justifying her right to rule.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Ancient Egyptian Jewelry

Much like the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪, I too love jewelry! I mostly wear bracelets 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛𓏪 and two 𓏻 snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦 from my Nonno and Nonna. I also wear a necklace with an ankh 𓋹 that my Nonno and Nonna got for me!

Ancient Egyptian Jewelry at the Brooklyn Museum

This blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 necklace is different from the wesekh collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 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 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 bracelet 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛 is also fashioned in a similar style!

These simpler necklaces or bracelets 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛𓏪 could be have beads or amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 that were made of materials such as lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧, malachite, gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉, amethyst, and faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼. Rarely, silver was used.

For the blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 necklace, the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 can be seen amongst other less specific beads. For the gold bracelet, the fly of valor 𓂝𓆑𓆑𓆦 is the amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 that is used. The fly of valor 𓂝𓆑𓆑𓆦 was given to military leaders who showed courage in battle.

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Statue for a Man Named Kaiemwaset

This is a really interesting statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾!

Statue for a Man Named Kaiemwaset at the Brooklyn Museum

It was made for a man named Kaiemwaset. Although the part that shows Kaiemwaset’s head 𓁶𓏺 is now missing, it used to be part of the statue. This statue was placed in a temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐, and it would have allowed Kaiemwaset to participate in temple rituals when deceased since the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the souls 𓂓𓂓𓂓 of the dead could inhabit statues. Kaiemwaset was connected to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 at Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖, and this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is dated to the reign of Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼(18th Dynasty, New Kingdom).

The best preserved part of this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is what Kaiemwaset is holding. It is a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣, which is a rattle-like musical instrument that usually portrays the head 𓁶𓏺 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡. Hathor 𓉡 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of music 𓉔𓇌𓆸 and all of the fun things in life, and sound of the sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 was thought to be beloved by Hathor 𓉡. Hathor’s 𓉡 head 𓁶𓏺 is resting on top of the Isis-knot 𓎬 (aka tyet knot). On top of Hathor’s 𓉡 head 𓁶𓏺 is a temple entrance/gateway with a cobra 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 in between. The cobra 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 could invoke the protective aspects of the goddess 𓊹𓏏!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabtis of Paser

While my favorite non-royal has always been Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 due to his prominence and importance during Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 reign, my Nonno’s favorite has always been Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽. These are some of Paser’s 𓅮𓀙𓀽 ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾. The ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 served as substitutes for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and would perform labor or jobs for them in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. They are usually inscribed with spells which are specific to a certain task!

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 was one of the most prominent men of his time and he served under two 𓏻 pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 – Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and then Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖.

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 served many different roles over twenty-five 𓎆𓎆𓏾 years! He was vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 and one of his most famous works is the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 in the Valley of the Kings! A vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was the highest ranking official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 and was the most powerful position in the government, besides the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Not only was the vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 the most trusted advisor to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but he also saw to the day-to-day operations of the government. The vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was in charge of architecture, taxation, agriculture, military, judicial, financial, and many other things. Honestly that sounds exhausting 😂!

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 had many different titles, including “High Preist of Amun,” “superintendent of every work of the king,” and “chief of secrets of the hieroglyphs.”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Red Granite Statue of Thutmosis III

I’m going to post another British Museum picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 because I’m nostalgic and I like remembering how amazing that day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 was!

This red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴 is definitely an interesting one because it actually has the cartouches of Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 carved into the chest! This is what Egyptologists call usurping – meaning that Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 took statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 and monuments from his predecessors, erased their name 𓂋𓈖, and put his own!

Egyptologists don’t think this was done out of disrespect for the previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦, instead it was just Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 promoting his own rule.

Fun fact! Much like modern geologists, the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 differentiated between granite and red granite rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦! How do we know?! The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are different:

Granite – 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿
Red Granite – 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶

I love rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦 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!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Magical Stela (Cippus)

This is known as a Magical Stela, or a cippus. It depicts Horus 𓅃𓀭(or Harpokrates, the Greek version of Horus 𓅃𓀭) standing on two 𓏻 crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏥 and holding other dangerous animals such as snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 and scorpions 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫𓏪 in each hand. The god Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 also appears above Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 head 𓁶𓏺. Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 was known to ward off evil and bad luck.

Magical Stela (Cippus) at the MET

Normally, stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 were used to commemorate the dead so this is almost like a protective amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 in the form of a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸. This cippus was used by the living for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. Since the Old Kingdom, Horus 𓅃𓀭 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 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 like this were usually kept in homes 𓉐𓏺.

However, cippus pieces have also been found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪, so we can assume that the Egyptians thought it not only would help protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the living, but the dead too.

Fun fact! The Middle Egyptian word for scorpion is 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫 which can be pronounced like “Serket.” Serket 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫 was a goddess 𓊹𓏏 who was represented by a scorpion and she was associated with healing, protection, and magic. Serket 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫 could also be written like this: 𓊃𓂋𓈎𓏏𓁐.

Categories
Blog Egyptian Artifacts

Look at all the Hippos!

Look at all the hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦!!! So I have a story: The first time I ever went to Disney World, I went with my Nonno and Nonna and I think I was four years old at the time! When we went on “It’s a Small World,” I fell in love with the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 that winks at you! The hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 became my favorite part of the ride, and even to this day, I look forward to seeing the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯! And yes I’m sure this is an unpopular opinion but I LOVE going on “It’s a Small World!” It’s one of my favorites!!!

The winking hippo in “It’s a Small World”

So when I started studying ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 with my Nonno, I always loved the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 statues because they reminded me of the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 on “It’s a Small World!” I have included a picture of the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 in Disney World so you guys can also see the similarities!

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, hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 were also thought to be powerful protectors 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 against evil!

Hippo artifacts at the MET

A lot of the hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 have lotus flowers 𓆸𓏪 painted all over them to associate them with rejuvenation! The hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 are most likely painted blue/green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 to represent the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 and rebirth. What’s really cool is that the “It’s a Small World” hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 also has flowers painted on it!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Scarab Amulets of Hatshepsut

Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are some of the most abundant items excavated in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and I love them! I think they’re cute, but they also hold a lot of meaning for the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪. Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were symbols of regeneration and rebirth, which was one of the main aspects of the religion.

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on these two 𓏻 scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪, while at first glance may look very similar but actually mean different things!

Scarab Amulets of Hatshepsut at the MET

The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 on the left says “𓎟𓇿𓇿 𓇳𓁦𓂓” which translates to “Lord of the two lands, Maatkare.” The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 on the right says “𓎟𓏏𓇿𓇿 𓇳𓁦𓂓” which translates to “Lady of the two lands, Maatkare.” When a “𓏏” glyph is added to words, it makes the word feminine.

While a very tiny difference, it is interesting because one of the misconceptions about Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 I see a lot was that she was “trying to be a man” – she wasn’t trying to be a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤, she was just traditionally representing herself as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, as all other pharaohs did. The pharaonic representations just tended to have male characteristics because most pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 were men. Most of her art contains the feminine form of titles in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, which is why I find these two 𓏻 scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 interesting. It’s not common to see her use the male form of words/titles.

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Wooden Plaque with Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!!

This little wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 plaque was once part of a brick that was part of the foundation at the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Mentuhotep II 𓇳𓎟𓊤 at Deir el-Bahri. Mentuhotep II 𓇳𓎟𓊤 was pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 during the 11th Dynasty (Middle Kingdom).

Wooden Plaque with Hieroglyphs at the MET

The inscription reads: 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓅆𓇳𓅆𓎟𓈹 𓌻𓇌𓆥(𓇳𓎟𓊤) 𓋹𓆖

Let’s break it down:
𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓅆𓇳𓅆: Montu-Re
𓎟: Lord
𓈹: Thebes (This symbol is a combination of 𓌀𓊾𓈈. 𓌀= Thebes, 𓊾= a divine status and 𓈈 = the determinative of districts)
𓌻𓇌: Beloved (can also be written like 𓌻𓂋𓇌 sometimes)
𓆥: King of Upper and Lower Egypt
(𓇳𓎟𓊤) Nebhapetra (Throne Name of Mentuhotep II)
𓋹𓆖: Eternal Life

So all together this inscription reads: “Beloved of Montu-Re, Lord of Thebes, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Nebhapetra, Eternal Life.”

Due to what’s called “honorific transposition,” Montu-Re 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓅆𓇳𓅆 appears first in the inscription since it’s the name of a god 𓊹 even though beloved 𓌻𓇌 is read first.

We actually do use honorific transposition in English too! We read $20 as “twenty dollars” and not “dollars twenty.”

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Sketch of Osiris

While this may seem like a simple sketch of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 on limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉, I actually find it very interesting! This is easily recognizable as the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 because the lord 𓎟 of the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 is always depicted in the same way – as a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾, holding the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅 , and wearing the Atef crown 𓋚. The Atef crown is the White Crown of Upper Egypt 𓌉𓏏𓋑 with two 𓏻 feathers 𓆄𓏏𓏭𓋛 of Ma’at 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 adorning the sides.

Sketch of Osiris at the Brooklyn Museum

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are as follows:
𓊨𓁹𓉼𓉼𓊹

It simply says “Osiris, the great god.” In this caption, Osiris is written “backwards” and without the determinative 𓀭 hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃. This was probably due to the fact that the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 would appear neater when written like this “𓊨𓁹” instead of like this “𓁹𓊨.”

Also, “great god” is written like this “𓉼𓉼𓊹” instead of this “𓉼𓊹.” It was either done to take up the appropriate amount of space (aesthetics were everything, and was much more important than proper spelling/grammar 😂) or to emphasize Osiris’ greatness. It could’ve even been for both reasons!