Month: August 2022

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Imhotep Statue at the MET

I can’t go too long without posting about ImhotepΒ π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ! 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 π“Šƒπ“€€π“€ who became deified (reached godly status).  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 π“‡Ύπ“‡Ύ.  Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ was not deified in his lifetime – it was about 2,000 𓆼𓆼 years after his death π“…“𓏏𓏱 that he began to be worshipped π“‡Όπ“„Ώπ“€’ 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 π“…“𓏏𓏱. 

Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ is famous for being an incredible architect and is credited with designing Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid (aka the first ever pyramid π“‹π“…“𓂋𓉴) at Memphis π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“†‘π“‚‹π“‰΄π“Š– (modern day Saqqara). He was also a physician! 

Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ is always depicted as a man π“Šƒπ“€€π“€ seated in a chair, usually with a piece of papyrus π“…“𓍑𓏏𓏛 in his lap. Much like the god π“ŠΉ Ptah π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“±(who he is said to be the son π“…­ of), he wears a cap on his head. Once you are able to remember what Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ look like, you will be able to recognize them in any museum that you go to! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statues of Hathor, Amun and Osiris

My Nonno always loved theΒ bronzeΒ π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦Β statuesΒ π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ of the gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ and goddesses π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“! 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.

In this display at the Louvre, Hathor 𓉑, AmunΒ π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­, and OsirisΒ π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­Β are shown!Β 

Hathor 𓉑 is one of the most prominent goddesses π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ of the Egyptian pantheon. Along with Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯, she is regarded as the β€œdivine mother” of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but is also the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of love, joy, music, and dance – basically the fun things in life! Hathor is also the wife of Horus π“…ƒπ“€­, and the daughter of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛. Hathor 𓉑 is usually associated with cows 𓄀𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 and can take the form of a cow 𓄀𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 in many forms of Egyptian art.

Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ is also considered to be one of the most important gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ in the Egyptian pantheon and was first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts. Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ had many different roles and was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀒 as a creator god, solar god, fertility god, warrior god, and king of the gods. Amun’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ is also considered the β€œuniversal god” meaning that his power permeated the cosmos and all that the cosmos contained! 

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 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and the ruler of the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, and Egyptians spent their entire time living preparing for their death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 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. 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Royal Inscription of Amenemhat I

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! This inscriptionΒ π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž–Β has all words on it that I have taught already!! See if you can read it before looking at the translation!!Β Since the directional hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are pointing to the right, we are going to start reading from the right! Also, hieroglyphsΒ π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺΒ are always read starting at the top line of symbols!Β 

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“…“π“„‚π“ – Amenemhat I (Birth Name)

𓏙𓋹 – Given Life

𓇳𓏇- Like Ra 

𓆖 – (For) Eternity

Now, this relief is only partial because some of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are cut off, but based on the symbols that remain, and the formulaic way that royal titulary was always written, I have a pretty good idea what the line above the cartouche says! Let’s take a look: 

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

π“ŠΉπ“„€ – The Great God 

π“ŽŸπ“‡Ώπ“‡Ώ – Lord of the Two Lands

Now, before people come at me (it happens every time) for the translation of β€œ π“ŠΉπ“„€ – The Great God,” yes, β€œπ“„€β€ can be translated to β€œgreat,” β€œbeautiful” and β€œperfect.” Much like in English (and I’m sure all other languages) in Middle Egyptian, words can have multiple meanings/translations!!! Also, there can be two different words that mean the same thing – β€œπ“‰» / 𓉼” can also be translated to β€œgreat” – just like in the word for β€œpharaoh π“‰π“‰»,” which literally translates to β€œGreat House.”

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Relief of Sobek

I enjoyed talking about my friend SobekΒ π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘π“†‹ so here’s another piece that depicts SobekΒ π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘π“†‹! This is a raised limestoneΒ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰Β relief of SobekΒ π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘π“†‹Β from the Ptolemaic Period and is at the MET.

Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘𓆋 is usually depicted as a crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ sitting on a shrine π“π“Šƒπ“…“π“‚œπ“‰ – just like this hieroglyph β€œπ“†‹,” or as a human body with a crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ head 𓁢𓏺. 

Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘𓆋 was worshipped π“‡Όπ“„Ώπ“€’ from the Old Kingdom through the Roman Periods, but his popularity seemed to have peaked during the Second Intermediate Period as many pharaohs π“‰π“‰»π“¦ of the 13th Dynasty had names π“‚‹π“ˆ–𓏦 that were associated with him. For example, the names π“‚‹π“ˆ–π“¦ of the pharaohs π“‰π“‰»π“¦ called β€œSobekhotep π“†‹π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ” translates to β€œSobek is satisfied.” There were also many commoners whose name π“‚‹π“ˆ– was also Sobekhotep π“†‹π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ.

Fun fact! While β€œSobekhotep π“†‹π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ” can literally be written as β€œSobek π“†‹β€ and β€œHotep π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ” with the ideogram for β€œSobek π“†‹β€ taking on the full meaning of the word, the name can also be written as β€œπ“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ,” which also spells out Sobekhotep, but this time, only phonograms are used! I love seeing different variations of the same words in hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Ostracon of the Crocodile God Sobek

This is an ostracon, which is basically either a broken piece of limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ (in this case), pottery, a rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™, etc. that was used for drawing practice or even β€œTo Do” lists! A lot of the ostraca from ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– were often used as β€œpolitical cartoons” – where animals were depicted doing human things that were usually comments of society and the social hierarchy! Pieces of limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ were often used because papyrus π“…“𓍑𓏏𓏛 was too expensive to practice on! 

This nice little ostracon pictured however, is just a lovely drawing of the crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ god π“ŠΉ Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘𓆋! This piece is dated to the New Kingdom (Ramesside – c. 1295–1070 B.C.E.) and was most likely found at Deir el-Medina! 

Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘𓆋 was one of the gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ that was named in the Pyramid Texts, which makes him one of the oldest deities π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ in the Egyptian pantheon. He is often depicted as a human body with a crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ head 𓁢𓏺. 

Some of the Egyptian legends state that Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘𓆋 rose out of the primordial waters and created the Nile River π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί. Since Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘𓆋 is associated with the Nile River π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί, this makes him also associated with fertility (much like Taweret, the crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of fertility) since the ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ associated the Nile π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί with fertility and rebirth. 

Sobek π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“Ž‘𓆋 was both feared and revered due to him being a crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ! He was worshipped π“‡Όπ“„Ώπ“€’ in order to ensure the fertility of both people and crops, but also to protect against crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ attacks. 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Amenemhat I at the MET

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!

Today we are going to look at an inscriptionΒ π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž–Β that is on a relief at the MET! I chose this one because this relief shows the cartouches of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 I haven’t spoken about much – Amenemhat IΒ π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“…“π“„‚π“!Β 

Amenemhat IΒ π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“…“π“„‚π“ was the first pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 12th Dynasty (c. 1939-1910 B.C.E.). He was of non-royal birth, and it is unknown how he acquired the throne. It is possible that he was the sameΒ AmenemhatΒ π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“…“π“„‚π“ that was the vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Mentuhotep IVΒ π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±π“Š΅π“π“ŠͺΒ and then took the throne after Mentuhotep IV’sΒ π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±π“Š΅π“π“ŠͺΒ death 𓅓𓏏𓏱.Β 

Since the directional hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are pointing to the right, we are going to start reading from the right! Once again, some of these words (especially the titles) I have taught before and you may recognize! 

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“…“π“„‚π“ – Amenemhat (Birth Name)

𓏙𓋹 – Given Life

π“†₯ – King of Upper and Lower Egypt or He of the Sedge and the Bee

π“‡³π“‹΄π“Š΅π“π“Šͺπ“„£ – Sehotepibra (Throne Name)

𓏙𓋹 – Given Life

The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– Amenemhat π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–𓅓𓄂𓏏 translates to β€œAmun is in the Front” -let’s break this down too:

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– – Amun

π“…“ – in 

𓄂𓏏 – Front/Foremost

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Blue Faience Sphinx of Amenhotep III

ThisΒ blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 faienceΒ π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“ΌΒ sphinxΒ π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€Β of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep IIIΒ π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹†Β is in exquisite condition.

Blue Faience Sphinx of Amenhotep III at the MET

This piece is possibly from the model of a templeΒ π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰, but its function isn’t actually known. Despite its small size, the sphinxΒ π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€Β is definitely a standout in Gallery 119 at the MET!

A sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ is the combination of a lion π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„› (the body) and a human (the head 𓁢𓏺).  Sphinxes π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“¦ are incredibly powerful creatures because not only do they represent the physical strength 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 of a lion π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„›, but also the power of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

Amenhotep III π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹† is wearing the nemes head cloth π“ˆ–π“…“π“‹΄ with the Uraeus π“‡‹π“‚π“‚‹π“π“†— on the forehead. He also has a false beard in his chin. This is a very typical way for a pharaoh π“‰π“‰» to be depicted in statuary because this style represented the power and royalty of the pharaoh π“‰π“‰». 

The hands of the sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ are holding a nemset jar π“Œπ“Ί in each hand. This is a worshipping 𓇼𓄿𓀒/offering π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ𓏏𓏔𓏦 position, but there is no inscription π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž– to say which god π“ŠΉ/goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Amenhotep III π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹† is making an offering π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ𓏏𓏔𓏦 to.  

This piece is dated to the 18th Dynasty – New Kingdom (c. 1390–1352 B.C.E.). 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

A Column that Looks like a Sistrum

This may look like a sistrumΒ π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£, but it’s actually a column from a templeΒ π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰!Β 

A column that looks like a sistrum (with Hathor) at the MET

A sistrum π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£ was a musical instrument (like a rattle/tambourine) that was associated with the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Hathor 𓉑. Sistrums π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£π“ͺ usually had Hathor’s 𓉑 head 𓁢𓏀 (complete with her cow 𓄀𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 ears) on top of a long handle – just like this column!

While it is difficult to tell in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, some paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 is still left on the column! Based on scientific testing of the trace pigments left behind, Hathor’s 𓉑 hair would have been blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸π“₯!Β Fun fact: β€œEgyptian Blue” is the oldest synthetic color pigment in the whole world!

There are images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Hathor π“‰‘ and inscriptions π“Ÿπ“›π“₯ on all four 𓏽 sides as well!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! This inscription π“Ÿπ“›π“₯ is exciting because these are all phrases I have taught through my previous posts! See if you can read along before reading the translation!!!

π“ŠΉπ“„€ – The Great God 

π“ŽŸπ“‡Ώπ“‡Ώ – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓆣𓂓 – Kheperkare (Nectanbo’s throne name)

How well did you do? We’re you able to read the inscription π“Ÿπ“›π“₯? Let me know!!

This piece is dated to the Late Period, Dynasty 30, reign of Nectanebo I (c. 380–362 B.C.E.).