Month: June 2022

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Reading Hieroglyphs

“Lord of Appearances”

I have been highlighting various titles seen commonly because they are a great way to practice reading hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ, and I realized that I didn’t talk about one of the titles that appeared in yesterday’s post, so I’m going to talk about it today! Oops!

π“ŽŸπ“ˆπ“₯ – Lord of Appearances another popular title that is seen across many different types of monuments across Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– and museums around the world. To review: a title is a phrase that appears before a cartouche, which is the oval that encloses the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

The meaning of π“ŽŸπ“ˆπ“₯ – Lord of Appearances seems to be the one that can confuse people the most and the meaning can kind of be a little subtle/abstract. I always took it to mean that when the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 arrived or appeared somewhere it was a BIG DEAL; basically a god π“ŠΉ showed up! Since the pharaoh was a god π“ŠΉ on Earth𓇾𓇾, his/her arrival needed a whole title to mention it!

Let’s break down the title:

π“ŽŸ – Lord
π“ˆπ“₯ – Appearances

The hieroglyph π“ŠΉπ“Œƒ for appear π“ˆ is the sun 𓇳𓏀 rising over the horizon, which is to signify Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 daily journey across the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯. The addition of the three strokes π“₯ makes the word plural, hence why it is translated as β€œappearances” instead of just β€œappear.”

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

“Lord of the Two Lands”

π“ŽŸπ“‡Ώπ“‡Ώ β€œLord of the Two Lands,” is an extremely common title that is seen across many different types of monuments across Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– and museums around the world. A title is a phrase that appears before a cartouche, which is the oval that encloses the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. I have been highlighting various titles seen commonly because they are a great way to practice reading hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ.

π“ŽŸπ“‡Ώπ“‡Ώ β€œLord of the Two Lands” is in reference to Upper 𓇓 and Lower 𓆀 Egypt and the unification of both by Narmer 𓆒𓍋 who is regarded as the first pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of a fully united Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–. The current pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 always wanted to be associated with the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 of the past (most of the time not so much Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ–) because that association would legitimize their own rule π“‹Ύ.

Let’s break down the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ:
π“ŽŸ – Lord
𓇿𓇿 – Two Lands

The title can also be written as π“ŽŸπ“π“‡Ώπ“‡Ώ or β€œLady of the Two Lands” if the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was female! This was the case for Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ!

β€œπ“ŽŸ Lord” becomes β€œπ“ŽŸπ“ Lady” with the addition of the 𓏏!

Soon you will be able to read a full inscription π“Ÿπ“›π“₯! This is very exciting!!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

“He of the Sedge and the Bee”

π“†₯ is an extremely common title that is seen across many different types of monuments across Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– and museums around the world. A title is a phrase that appears before a cartouche, which is the oval that encloses the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

This gorgeous π“„€ and colorful sunken relief of the phrase π“†₯ comes from the King List that is currently located in the British Museum. I love it when ancient works of art retain their color, because it allows us to see the art as the ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ themselves saw it. The blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸π“₯ and yellow paint is so bright and beautiful π“„€!

π“†₯ can either be translated as β€œHe of the Sedge and the Bee” or more simply β€œKing of Upper and Lower Egypt.”

𓇓 (a sedge) is the symbol that is used to represent Upper Egypt, while the 𓆀 (bee) is the symbol that is used to represent Lower Egypt.

π“†₯ is such a common phrase and you can find it everywhere – if you know how to recognize it, you can really impress people (and most importantly, yourself) in museums! Since the titles appear so often in sculpture, they are a great way to practice reading hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ because you see them over and over again! I didn’t learn over night – it took years of practice for me to be able to read hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ with the ease I do now!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

“Son of Ra”

“Son of Ra”

𓅭𓇳 – Let’s learn some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!

𓅭𓇳 simply means β€œSon of Ra.” Let’s break down the phrase:
π“…­ – Son
𓇳 – Ra

𓅭𓇳 is a very common title and you will see it in any museum you go to! A title is a phrase that is seen before 𓐍𓂋 the cartouche 𓍢 of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 and can be viewed as an β€œintroduction” so that way the reader knows that the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 is about to show up!

Now, the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 is no mystery because it always appears in a cartouche 𓍢 but the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 wanted to make sure their names π“‚‹π“ˆ–π“¦ were known/preserved for all eternity π“Ž›π“‡³π“Ž›!

The phrase β€œSon of Ra π“…­π“‡³β€œ also implies that the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 is the child of a god π“ŠΉ, which would give them the divine right to rule. A pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was considered to be a god π“ŠΉ on Earth 𓇾𓇾!

This beautiful π“„€ inscription π“Ÿπ“›π“₯ is from the King’s List Relief that is located in the British Museum!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphs Lesson: β€œGiven Life, Stability and Strength for (all) Eternity”

How exciting! This is the first hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ lesson on the new website!

β€œGiven Life, Stability and Strength for (all) Eternity” is one of the most common phrases you will see in hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! Variations of this phrase can be found on so many different types of artifacts – from stelae π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έπ“¦, to statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“¦, to false doors, amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†, sarcophagi π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­π“¦ and more!

Let’s breakdown the phrase symbol by symbol!
𓏙 – Given
π“‹Ή – Life
π“Š½ – Stability
π“Œ€ – Strength
𓆖 – Eternity

π“™π“‹Ήπ“Š½π“Œ€π“†– is very much like a blessing, ensuring that the person being spoken about in the inscription is all of these qualities! This phrase can be used with both the living and the dead! A shortened version, 𓏙𓋹, or β€œGiven Life” also appears frequently!

Something that’s really great is that once you can recognize some of these common symbols and their meanings, you can go to museums and start to recognize the phrases on the monuments! One of the best ways to learn hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ is to just start reading and keep practicing!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

“The Two Lands are in a Festival of Light”

“The Two Lands are in a Festival of Light” at the MET

I absolutely love this piece and I have been very excited to write about it! The relief that I am highlighting is part of a larger display at the MET called β€œThe Two Lands are in a Festival of Light,” and they were originally from the palace π“‡“π“π“ˆ–π“‰π“Ί walls at Amarna π“ˆŒπ“π“‰π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“Š–. 

Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– is my second favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 (HatshepsutΒ π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is obviously my first favorite) and I love to see statues, reliefs, or anything from the Amarna π“ˆŒπ“π“‰π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“Š– Period! I find everything to do with Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– so interesting because he was the β€œtroublemaker” pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 who completely changed everything about the Egyptian religion (polytheistic to monotheistic), moved the capital to Amarna π“ˆŒπ“π“‰π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“Š–, and generally was very much disliked by the Egyptian people π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ.Β 

On this relief, we can see a large boat 𓂧π“Šͺπ“π“Šž on the Nile π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί. At the front of the boat is a central structure that houses Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ–, Nefertiti π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“‡π“π“­ and one of the princesses (who is very small and difficult to see). Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– can be seen striking down an enemy. The Aten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³ is shining above Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– and sending light rays down to him.Β 

“The Two Lands are in a Festival of Light” at the MET – closeup of Akhenaten (right) and Nefertiti (left)

Since these were on the palace π“‡“π“π“ˆ–π“‰π“Ί walls, it makes sense that Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– would want himself portrayed as very strong and striking down enemies. Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– is usually always depicted with his family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦, so enemy smiting was clearly a royal family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 affair! The depiction of the royal family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 from this time period is fascinating because usually pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 were depicted alone, however in reliefs, Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ–, Nefertiti π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“‡π“π“­, and the princesses are always shown together π“ˆ–π“Š—.Β