Month: July 2022

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Egyptian Artifacts

William the Hippo!

There are a couple of things I always look for when I go to a museum and the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 faienceΒ π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“ΌΒ Hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ are one of them! At the MET, the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 hippo π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ― is named π“‚‹π“ˆ– William 𓅱𓇋𓃭𓇋𓄿𓅓𓃯 and is kinda the unofficial mascot of the museum, so I just tend to call all of the hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ William 𓅱𓇋𓃭𓇋𓄿𓅓𓃯 no matter what museum I am at!Β 

William 𓅱𓇋𓃭𓇋𓄿𓅓𓃯 was made between the 12th and 17th Dynasties. In Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ were both feared and respected π“ˆ™π“†‘π“„…. They were feared because they were one of the most dangerous animals in the Nile Valley 𓇗. However, hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ were also thought to be powerful protectors π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ against evil! William 𓅱𓇋𓃭𓇋𓄿𓅓𓃯 has lotus flowers 𓆸π“ͺ painted all over him to associate it with rejuvenation! William 𓅱𓇋𓃭𓇋𓄿𓅓𓃯 is most likely painted blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 to represent the Nile π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί and rebirth.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Amulets and Amulet Molds

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, you are looking at amuletsΒ π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ and the molds that were used to make them!

Amulets and Amulet Molds at the MET

These molds are typically made of terracotta and allowed artists to not only mass produce amuletsΒ π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ, but also make the amuletsΒ π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺΒ small and detailed! The amuletsΒ π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ that you see in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 are grape and daisy/rosette amuletsΒ π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ! In the mold on the top left (and the two grape amulets next to it), you can even see the cartouche β€œπ“‡³π“§π“Ž  Nebmaatra,” which is the throne name for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep IIIΒ π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹†!

Flowers were really popular in ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–! If you look at lists of hieroglyphic symbols, there are tons of hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ that represent plants π“†Ύπ“†°π“†°π“†°! The phonogram/ideogram for the Nile Valley/Upper Egypt is 𓇗 – which represents a flowering plant π“†Ύπ“†°π“†°π“†°! 

Tutankhamun’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 was found with flowers π“†Όπ“…±π“†°π“¦, as were other royal mummies. Even commoners would adorn their dead with flower π“†Όπ“…±π“†° arrangements. This is why amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ with flower π“†Όπ“…±π“†° designs were so popular!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Anubis at the Brooklyn Museum

I had the most amazing day at the Brooklyn Museum with my sister and parents! This was the best birthday (May of 2021) I have had in a long time and I’m so lucky that my family not only supports me in my love of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, but that they went out of their way to make my day special! Thank you Amanda for following me around and taking pictures πŸ˜ƒ.

Here I am with a figure of Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 from the Ptolemaic Period! As you all know, Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is my favorite ancient Egyptian god π“ŠΉ so I was really excited to see this beautiful π“„€ piece! This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 statue shows Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 in his jackal form. The kneeling position is representative of him guarding the necropolis from high above on a hill/mountain- as was his role as the god of cemeteries (and mummification). It’s also similar to his determinative hieroglyph 𓃣.

One of Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 titles is β€œupon his hill π“Άπ“Ίπ“ˆ‹π“†‘β€ and this hieroglyphic π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ phrase usually follows his name in dedication texts! Another common title associated with Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is β€œhe who is in the mummy wrappings π“‡‹π“Άπ“…±π“π“Žπ“Š–.β€œ

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Memories at the MET

This picture is one of my absolute favorites. It kinda looks like we are in Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–! It was from one of my birthday trips to the MET – I believe this is my 16th birthday (I am 30 now).

I have such amazing memories here – there was a time when there was no glass covering the walls inside the mastaba (fun fact: mastaba means bench in Arabic)- I will never forget being inside this tomb seeing it without glass – as it was meant to be seen. Nonno was so happy 𓄫𓅱𓏛 that I would be able to experience that!! The inside of the tomb π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰ is beautifully decorated with hieroglyphics π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ and paintings!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Hippos at the Brooklyn Museum

There are a couple of things I always look for when I go to a museum and the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 faience Hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ are one of them! At the MET, the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 hippo π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ― is named William and is kinda the unofficial mascot of the museum, so I just tend to call all of the hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ William no matter what museum I am at!

William was made Between the 12th and 17th Dynasties. In Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ were both feared and respected π“ˆ™π“†‘π“„…. They were feared because they were one of the most dangerous animals in the Nile Valley 𓇗. However, hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ were also thought to be powerful protectors π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ against evil! William has lotus flowers 𓆸π“ͺ painted all over him to associate it with rejuvenation! William is most likely painted blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 to represent the Nile and rebirth.

I love the little hedgehog that’s on display too!!!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Fragment of a Statue of Akhenaten

My Nonno and Nonna took my sister and I to the Brooklyn Museum for the first time over 15 π“Ž†π“Ύ years ago – one of the things I loved most about it was the beautiful collection of artifacts from the Amarna Period – aka the rule of Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ–!

This piece is a fragment of a statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ of Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ–. Although the cartouches have been β€œerased,” stylistically, the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is obviously of him due to the way the chest is carved.

Petrie is credited with finding this – he found 17 π“Ž†π“€ partial statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ of Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– and Nefertiti π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“‡π“π“­ during his excavation of the city in the 1890s. He also found tons of statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ that seemed to be purposefully smashed. Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– and Nefertiti π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“„€π“‡π“π“­ were definitely unpopular due to not only moving Egypt’s π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– capital but also because they changed the religion from polytheistic to the monotheistic worship of the Aten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³. This mass destruction of the statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ showed that the Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ wanted to erase Akhenaten’s π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– rule.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statue of Neith at the Brooklyn Museum

The Bronze Age started due to the rise in the Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia. Due to war and trade, bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ was able to come to Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– around 700 B.C.E. and replace the traditional stone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“Šͺ and clay statues. The bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ pieces are great antiquities because they can preserve small details over long periods of time. The Brooklyn Museum had a lot of beautiful bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ pieces!

Bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ statuary π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ became very popular starting around the Third Intermediate Period (26th Dynasty), and became very abundant in the Ptolemaic Period, which resulted in mass production and a loss of craftsmanship and quality.

Neith π“ˆ–π“π“‹Œπ“€­ was one of the goddesses π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ of war and rose to popularity during the 16th Dynasty because her central city of worship, Sais, was the capital of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– at the time. She is also the protector of Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑, the son of Horus whose canopic jar contains the stomach. Due to this, she was seen as a protector π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 along with Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯, Nephytys 𓉠𓏏𓆇, and Selket π“Šƒπ“‚‹π“ˆŽπ“π“. She is usually seen wearing the red crown π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“π“‹” of Lower Egypt or with a shield and crossed arrows on her head.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Colorful Hieroglyphs

Just some beautifully π“„€ painted hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ from the Brooklyn Museum to brighten your day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳! On the right side, you can even make out the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ for Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­!

The rest of it is unreadable because it’s incomplete. I just love this relief because of the bright colors – it really stood out in the galleries because of the paint. It’s amazing how the paint still looks so beautiful π“„€ even after thousands of years!

My first thought when I saw this was β€œ 𓄀𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓇑𓇑” or β€œhow beautiful this is.”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statue of Imhotep at the Brooklyn Museum

My Nonno always made a point to make sure we saw Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ in every museum that we went to. It was part of the fun of going to the museum!! After seeing β€œThe Mummy” for the first time when I was about ten π“Ž† years old, I had already known about Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ for years from a historical perspective!!

Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ, meaning β€œHe who comes in peace,” was a non-royal man who became deified. This is a very rare occurrence, as it was thought by the Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ that the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was the only god π“ŠΉ on the Earth. Imhotep was not deified in his lifetime – it was 2,000 years after his death that he began to be worshipped as a god π“ŠΉ. Not much is known about Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ from his lifetime – much information about Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ is from Demotic texts or stelae π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έπ“ͺ that were written thousands of years after his death 𓅓𓏏𓏱.

Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ was regarded as the Son π“…­ of Ptah π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“±, who was the god π“ŠΉ of craftsmen and architects. He was also part of the Memphis Triad, which consisted of Ptah π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“€­, Sekhmet π“Œ‚π“π“…“π“π“ and Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statues of Isis, Horus and Osiris

Here’s a picture featuring bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ! of Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯, Horus π“…ƒπ“€­, and Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ at the Brooklyn Museum!

Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ was one of the main figures of Egyptian religion. This is because Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ was the god π“ŠΉ of the dead and the ruler of the afterlife, and Egyptians spent their entire time living preparing for their death and meeting with Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­. When the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was alive, he was thought to be the living image 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹 of the God π“ŠΉ Horus π“…ƒπ“€­, but more importantly when the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 died, he was thought to then become an Osiris-like figure.

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ feeding Horus π“…ƒπ“€­ as a baby is one of the most popular images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the Late Period through the Ptolemaic Period. Symbolically, Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ was thought to be the mother 𓄿𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and was often associated with motherhood 𓅐𓏏𓁐, the protection of women, and a user of magic. As Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ became a more popular religious figure, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans. This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 holding a child is thought to have inspired the well known Catholic images of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus as a baby.