Month: July 2022

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Egyptian Artifacts

Sarcophagus with Nephthys

This is the side of a beautifully 𓄤 painted sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum!

The goddess 𓊹𓏏 Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 is portrayed where the head of the deceased would be laid because she is regarded as a protector 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. This tradition began during the New Kingdom. Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 was Seth’s 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 wife, the sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, and during later parts of mythology the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 through a union with Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭.

Even though Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 is associated with Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, she is regarded as a positive figure in the later evolutions of Egyptian mythology, and she even helped Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 find Osiris’ 𓁹𓊨 scattered body pieces and put him back together after Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 cut him up!

One of her titles is “Mistress of the House.” She is often associated with vultures, hence why she is frequently depicted with wings. The headdress that she wears are the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 for her name! Something super interesting is that even though Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 are husband and wife they are rarely shown together. Instead, Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 is usually depicted with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Stela of Takhenemet

Painted wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪 first became appeared during the 18th Dynasty, but didn’t become popular until the 21st Dynasty. This particular stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is from the 25th Dynasty and was found at Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖. Usually these stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪 were put in the burial chamber with the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱.

Stela of Takhenemet at the Brooklyn Museum

This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 shows a woman named Takhenemet who is paying homage to the god 𓊹 Ra-Horakty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤. Ra-Horkaty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 is the merging of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 and Horus 𓅃𓀭. Here, Ra-Horkaty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 is actually dressed like Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 would be traditionally dressed. During this period, the merging of deities was very common.

What’s interesting about the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 from this period is usually the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 is paying homage to a god 𓊹 with help from another deity, however, here Takhenemet is not accompanied by another god 𓊹 ; she is alone. This is probably just a style change, but it is interesting to note!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Sati at the Brooklyn Museum

Look at how gorgeous this is 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓇑𓇑!!!

I have always been a huge fan of ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾, mostly because my Nonno loves them so much and he was so excited to talk about them when we went to museums! When I was a kid I loved how they would “come to life” in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and would do chores for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱! I mean, how cool is that??!! I used to think they were like dolls!

This is the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 of Sati, and the Brooklyn Museum has two 𓏻 of them! This piece is unique because of the color (I love the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 accents) and extreme attention to detail – the process to make it was so labor intensive that only a few like these were made!! While Sati was not royal (the only title associated with her was “mistress of the house”), these ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 were clearly a royal gift just due to the craftsmanship that went into making it.

The ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 dates to either the reign of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 or Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Coffin of Nespanetjerenpere

Look at how gorgeous this is 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓇑𓇑!!!

I spent so long just trying to take in all of the beautiful 𓄤 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 images of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 that are on this Mummy Cartonnage at the Brooklyn Museum! Cartonnage is a material that is linen or papyrus mixed with plaster! This is from the Third Intermediate Period, and dates from the 22nd through 25th Dynasties.

This mummy case 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a priest 𓊹𓍛 named Nespanetjerenpere. While to many the images 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 may seem like random pictures of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, it is actually a collection of carefully selected religious symbols meant to help guide Nespanetjerenpere on his journey to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and associate him with and ensure divine resurrection.

The ram headed pendant on his chest is meant to represent the sun god’s journey across the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯 during the day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 – and through the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 at night 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛. The images 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 can almost be thought of as the picture-book version of the Book of the Dead.

On the back, Horus 𓅃𓀭 and Thoth 𓅤𓀭 are seen with a Djed pillar 𓊽, which is the symbol of stability. The Djed pillar 𓊽 is thought to be the spine of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, so it’s very cool that this image 𓅱𓏏𓅱 appears on the back of the mummy 𓅱𓇋𓀾!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Amulets at the Brooklyn Museum

Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are some of my favorite objects because I love tiny things! My Nonno always pointed out the Djed Pillar 𓊽 amulets in museums!

The Djed Pillar 𓊽 is representative of stability and is one of the oldest types of amulets, dating back to the Old Kingdom! It is thought to represent the spine of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭! Since the Djed Pillars 𓊽 are associated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, they are usually used in funerary contexts. They were usually laid across the lower torso of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾. Most of the time, Djed Pillar 𓊽 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 appears in a green/blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 color, which is used to represent the regeneration. Blue and green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 are the colors of regeneration because they are associated with the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺.

The scarab is the personification is the god Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛, the creator. The scarab amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were said to be the most powerful of amulets because the the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the dung beetle (which the scarab was fashioned after) was capable of eternal regeneration. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 symbolizes a “life cycle” – birth, death, and rebirth in the afterlife. This cycle was essential to Egyptian religious beliefs, as Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 spent their lives preparing for death and entering the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Ancient Egypt and Flowers

While we envision Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, we usually think of an arid and desert 𓈊𓏏𓏺 environment. However, flowers were very popular in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! If you look at lists of hieroglyphic symbols, there are tons of hieroglyphs that represent plants! The phonogram/ideogram for the Nile Valley/Upper Egypt is 𓇗 – which represents a flowering plant!

Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 was found with flowers, as were other royal mummies. Even commoners would adorn their dead with flower arrangements.

Here are some beautifully 𓄤 colored plants! On the bottom left is a lotus flower 𓆸, the top right is a palm tree, and the bottom right is a small plaque or tile of some kind with daisies/rosettes! I love how bright the green is!

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Wilbour Plaque

This is one of my absolute favorite pieces and I was so excited to see it again in person at the Brooklyn Museum after so long!

After Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is my second favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 because of just how different/bizarre his rule was compared to everything/everyone else. The Brooklyn Museum has an amazing collection of artifacts from Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 rule!

The top piece in the display is known as the Wilbour Plaque, after Charles Wilbour who acquired it in 1881. The plaque is interesting because it is complete as is it was never part of a larger scene and was most like used as a model for sculptors. While there aren’t any inscriptions to confirm this, it is assumed that the people represented here are Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭. However, some argue that the person accompanying Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 in the image could either be Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 or Smenkare 𓇳𓊃𓉻𓂓𓂦𓆣.

To me this piece is interesting because the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 is no where in sight! Usually Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is always accompanied by an image of the sun 𓇳𓏺/Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 with sun rays shining on him. It’s almost kinda weird to see him like this!

The second piece in the display is another sculptor’s model!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Ancient Egyptian “Rainbow Fish”

My sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 said that this piece from the Brooklyn Museum reminds her of the children’s book “Rainbow Fish,” and now I can’t unsee it!!

This beautifully 𓄤 colored fish 𓂋𓅓𓆛 represents a tilapia! The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 viewed the tilapia as a symbol of regeneration and rebirth. Both of these things were super important in the Egyptian religion, so they held tilapia in very high regard!

What is so cool about this piece is that it is actually a rattle! There are little clay pellets inside of it, which represents the eggs. This was most likely a ritual object; either played during childbirth or placed in a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 to help the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 with their rebirth!

The blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 coloring on the fish 𓂋𓅓𓆛 is purely decorative as tilapia are not this color in real life! This piece is estimated to be from the Amarna period and the rule of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖.

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Reading Hieroglyphs

“Isis” in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are from the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 Coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 of Khnumnakht, an individual who lived during the 12th-13th Dynasties (c. 1850-1750 B.C.E.). 

This is a variant of the name 𓂋𓈖 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓏺 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! More commonly, her name 𓂋𓈖 is written as “ 𓊨𓏏𓁥,” and the difference between the two is the determinative at the end. Why was the determinative not used in this inscription? Most likely due to spacing issues! 

The “seat 𓊨” symbol has many different functions in Middle Egyptian! In the case of the name “Isis 𓊨𓏏𓏺,” the seat functions as a biliteral phonogram for the sound “js.” In other words, it can be a phonogram for the sounds “st,” and “hst.”  𓊨 is even an ideogram for the word “seat!” 

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.” It also functions as the ideogram for the word “bread 𓏏𓏺” and can be used to make words feminine! 

The “stroke 𓏺” hieroglyph is used at the end of words when there is a bit of space left over – it’s all for the aesthetic! This symbol is not pronounced, it is solely used for punctuation/aesthetic purposes! 

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Isis” is actually the Greek version of the name 𓂋𓈖 of this goddess 𓊹𓏏! If we were to pronounce her name 𓂋𓈖 the way the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 did (or inferred how they did), her name 𓂋𓈖 would be pronounced like “Ist 𓊨𓏏𓏺.” 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Sekhmet at the Brooklyn Museum

Every time I go to a museum, I need to get a picture with Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐!

Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was one of my Nonno’s absolute favorite Egyptian goddesses 𓊹𓏏𓏪. Whenever I see Sekhmet, 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 she makes me think of my Nonno. He probably really liked her due to her strength and power!

In Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, most of the feline 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 deities were female! This was most likely intentional – much like a lioness 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓏏𓄛 can be gentle and nurturing with her cubs, she can also be extremely fierce and aggressive when she needs to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 them. This duality is quintessential to not only Sekhmet’s 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 role in the Egyptian pantheon, but to the other feline 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 goddesses 𓊹𓏏𓏪 as well!

Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 is always seen with a sun-disk on her head, which shows that she is the daughter of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛. She was known as the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of destruction/war, and her name means “she who is powerful.” She could also represent the destructive aspects of the sun 𓇳𓏺. There were many religious rituals designed to appease her. Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was feared for being a very powerful and very destructive goddess 𓊹𓏏.

This particular statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was made during the rule of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 during the 18th Dynasty.