Month: October 2022

“Sobek” in Hieroglyphs

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 16, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

I like Sobek’s 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 name 𓂋𓈖 a lot because its phonetic and easy to spell/remember if you know the phonogram symbols! This is because Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 has kept his “Egyptian Name” and it wasn’t changed by the Greeks like some if the other deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 such as Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭, etc.

The “Folded Cloth 𓋴” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram that has the sound of “s.”

The “Foot 𓃀” symbol is also a uniliteral phonogram that has the sound of “b.”

The “Basket with a Handle 𓎡” symbol is also a uniliteral phonogram that has the sound of “k.” A lot of people get this one confused with just the “basket 𓎟” symbol which is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound “nb.” So they are very different!!

The “Crocodile on a Shrine 𓆋” symbol is the determinative in Sobek, so in this case it is not pronounced! The symbol can also be used as an ideogram, where it would have the sound “sbk” or Sobek!

Sobek can be written as:

𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋

𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆍

𓆋𓏺

𓆍𓏺

Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 is usually depicted as a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 sitting on a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 – just like this hieroglyph “𓆋,” or as a human body with a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 head 𓁶𓏺.

Tags brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, sobek

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Stela of Hathsepsut and Thutmosis III

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 16, 2022

My Nonno took this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the Stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 for me! While we did see it at the Vatican Museum together, he always made sure to take a different picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 for me each time he saw it because he knew how much I love it!

This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 depicts Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 during their joint reign. Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is wearing the blue crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 and making an offering of nemset jars 𓏌𓏌𓏌 to Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺. The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 was meant to commemorate restoration works in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖!

The most interesting parts about this stela is that it is one of two pieces (that I know of) that contains Hatshepsut’s entire titulary in one place! The only other place I know that has all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 is the Obelisk at Karnak.

Let’s take a closer look at all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦! The names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 can be found on the top two rows of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the bottom of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸!

Horus Name: 𓄊𓋴𓏏𓂓𓂓𓂓 – “Wosretkau” translates to “The Mighty of the Kas” or “The Mighty of the Souls.”

Nebty Name: 𓅒𓇅𓏏𓆳𓆳𓆳 – “Wadjet renput” translates to “Flourishing of Years.”

Golden Horus Name: 𓅉𓊹𓏏𓈍𓏦 – “Netjeret khau” translates to “Divine of Appearances.”

Throne Name: 𓇳𓁦𓂓 – “Maatkare” translates to “Truth is the Soul of Re.”

Birth Name: 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓄂𓀼 – “Khnemet Amun Hatshepsut” translates to “United with Amun, Foremost of the Noble Women.” This version of the Birth Name that appears on this stela is a variant of 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪. A “variant” is just a different way to spell out a person’s name 𓂋𓈖!

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, thutmosis iii, vatican museum

Egyptian Artifacts

Egyptian Snake Jewelry

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 16, 2022

I absolutely love snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 jewelry! My Nonno even got me a replica of the snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 ring 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪 (from the MET) in the last picture for my sixteenth birthday, and while I may be 30 now, I haven’t taken the ring 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪 off because I love it so much!

While snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 (such as the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗) were popular symbols in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 based jewelry such as the bracelets 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛𓏪 and rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦 pictured did not appear in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 until the Hellenistic times, and then continued on into the Roman Period. Snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 were associated with the Greek and Roman figures Asklepios and Salus, but also the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. Snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 were also associated with the Wadjet 𓂀 and could be a symbol of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 as the living god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭.

Jewelry was very culturally important in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, and that continued in Roman Egypt. Traditional Egyptian jewelry usually took the form of necklaces and rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦. These pieces would usually also double as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, which would protect the wearer from evil.

Rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦 and necklaces were highly important to the Egyptians because they took the shape of a circle. A circle has no end, thus it represents eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹 and love. Rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦 that took the shape of the Eye of Horus 𓂀, signets, and scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 were extremely popular, and then snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 became popular much later.

The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and nobility wore more expensive jewelry that was made of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 and contained precious stones. In ancient Rome and Roman Egypt, gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 was highly treasured and only the richest were able to wear it.

The snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 bracelet 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛 in the first picture is meant to be for a child and is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (c. 332-30 B.C.E.). The snake bracelet 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛 and the snake rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦 in the second and third pictures are dated to the First Century A.D.

Tags artifact, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Ba Bird on a Sarcophagus

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 16, 2022

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at this vibrant/beautifully 𓄤 painted 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 from the MET!

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 depicts the deceased’s 𓅓𓏏𓏱 ba 𓅡𓏺 returning to its mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! The Ba 𓅡𓏺 was part of an individual’s soul that was depicted as a human headed bird. The Ba 𓅡𓏺 and the ka 𓂓𓏺 were both aspects of a person’s soul! I also love the detail of the four 𓏽 canopic jars underneath the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾!

The Ba 𓅡𓏤 is the impression that an individual makes on others – everything except the physical body 𓎛𓂝𓄼. The Ba 𓅡𓏤 can also be thought of as an individual’s personality. The Ba 𓅡𓏤 wasn’t necessarily associated with living, and seemed to manifest after the person died. Ba 𓅡𓏤 has no equivalent word 𓌃𓂧𓅱𓀁 in any current language 𓂋𓏺, as this was an ancient Egyptian funerary concept/belief.

When a person died, the Ba 𓅡𓏤 was the only part of the person that would be able to travel out of the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, but it did have to return eventually to be reunited with the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾.

There’s a spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 from the Book of the Dead that states “May it (Ba) see my corpse, may it rest on my mummy, Which will never be destroyed or perish.” This spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 illustrates why it was so important that the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 remain intact; the Ba 𓅡𓏤 needed to return to it! This is why funerary masks became so popular; if the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 was destroyed, the mask could take the place of the mummy’s head and allow the Ba 𓅡𓏤 to return.

Can you recognize any words in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭?! There’s a bunch we have learned:

𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖 – Words Spoken By

𓁹𓊨𓊹 – Osiris

𓎟 – Lord

𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌 – Hapi

𓇋𓌴𓏺 – Revered

Tags gods and goddesses, hieroglyphs, the met

Book Recommendations

Book Review: “Ancient Egypt” by Campbell Price

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 16, 2022

I haven’t done a book review in a long time and I really loved this book called “Ancient Egypt” by Campbell Price. This book is part of the Pocket Museum book series by Thames & Hudson!

When I was at the MET in September, I of course had to stop at the gift shop and look at the books! This was a new book, and I of course gravitated towards it because my absolute favorite statue (White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut) was on the cover!

Inside the book are short descriptions and pictures of over 200 of the most significant ancient Egyptian artifacts from museums across the world. This was so fun to go through because while I have been to the MET, British Museum, Louvre, Vatican, Petrie and Brooklyn Museums, it was truly wonderful to see objects from museums I have not been to!

I like how the book is set up with each page having a clear picture of the object and a short description of it. I feel like this setup makes the book accessible to people of most age groups (probably 10+ if your kid is a strong reader) and different reading levels.

I also like how the objects are divided up chronologically because it allows the reader to see the transformation of Egyptian art through time. Each time period is also given a brief yet informative introduction, and there is a handy glossary at the back for those who are just starting their journey into studying Egyptian art!

This is a book that I would 100% recommend! I really loved it, and it is one I will continue to look back to for reference and for fun!

This post contains an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Tags book recommendations

Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Boat of Ukhotep

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 16, 2022

This is probably my favorite wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 model that I have seen in any museum! This particular model is at the MET!

This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of a man named 𓂋𓈖 Ukhhotep 𓋂𓊵𓏏𓊪. Ukhotep 𓋂𓊵𓏏𓊪 was the chief treasurer 𓋨𓅱, which is why he probably received such gorgeous 𓄤 funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭.

This is one of two 𓏻 funerary boats that were found in his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 – most Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 that had wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models always contained two 𓏻 boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦. In the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, one boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 was oriented to the north 𓎔𓏏 and the other towards the south 𓇔𓅱𓏏.

During the actual funeral, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would take one last journey across the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. Models of boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 (usually funerary boats), were usually found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 as a way to symbolically bring the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 into the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

I really love this model because of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 that you can see underneath the canopy! As a kid I always loved that! The canopy also has a leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin on the top, and the details on the leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 are just gorgeous!

The mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is accompanied by two 𓏻 women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪 mourners – they are probably meant to represent Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇. There is also a priest 𓊹𓍛 (dressed in the leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin) who holds a scroll 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 with a funerary offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 on it. There is a second priest 𓊹𓍛, also dressed in leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin with his arm 𓂝𓏺 extended outward in a mourning gesture.

Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models were very popular amongst Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦. This particular boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is dated to the 12th Dynasty (c. 1981–1802 B.C.E.)

Tags artifact, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

“For the Soul of the Scribe of the Treasury”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 5, 2022
3 Comments on “For the Soul of the Scribe of the Treasury”

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Previously, we looked at the phrase “𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul of…” and today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the next part of the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖!

Some review from the other post: The “ka 𓂓” or the soul is the part of the person that interacted with others (family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦, friends 𓈘𓈇𓀀𓁐𓏦, even the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻) and also can be thought of as the offices you held in life. Usually the list of jobs/titles/offices would follow “𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul Of…” on the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖! This is what we will be examining today!

Let’s take a look at the roles this individual had! Make sure to look for the words 𓌃𓂧𓏏𓀁 “𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul of…” if you want to see someone’s jobs!

The inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 reads:

𓈖𓂓𓈖 – For the Soul of

𓏞 – Scribe

𓉒 – Treasury

So all put together, the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 reads: “For the Soul of the Scribe of the Treasury.”

So according to the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, this individual was a Scribe 𓏞 in the treasury 𓉒! This was definitely a prestigious job, which is why the person was able to afford such a nice statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 with hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃 inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on it!

Scribe 𓏞 can also be written as 𓏞𓀀, and the determinative symbol is missing on this inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖. Treasury is usually always written with the composite symbol/ideogram of 𓉒.

Tags brooklyn museum, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs

Reading Hieroglyphs

“For the Soul of…”

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a phrase that could be part of the standard Offering Formula (𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 “An Offering the King Gives”). While not as common as some other parts of the Offering Formula, the phrase “𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul Of…” does appear enough that you will be able to recognize it!

“𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul Of…” indicates that the offering is not only being made for the deceased person, but the soul 𓂓 of the deceased person, which demonstrates the ancient Egyptian cultural practice of the distinct parts of a person’s identity. In order to exist, a person needed to have five 𓏾 essential elements: the body 𓎛𓂝𓄼, the shadow 𓆄𓏏𓅱𓋼, the Ba 𓅡𓏤, the Ka (soul/life force) 𓂓𓏤, and the name 𓂋𓈖.

More specifically, the “ka 𓂓” or the soul is the part of the person that interacted with others (family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦, friends 𓈘𓈇𓀀𓁐𓏦, even the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻) and can be thought of as the offices you held in life. Usually the list of jobs/titles/offices would follow “𓈖𓂓𓈖 For the Soul Of…” on the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖! These memories of a person and their interactions were important to maintaining their offering cult when they died.

So let’s take a closer look at the hieroglyphic symbols 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is a phonogram sign, and it functions as a uniliteral sign. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” The 𓈖 has many grammatical functions on its own, and it can mean “to,” “of,” “for,” “we/us/our,” “in,” “because,” “through,” and some others! How do we know which word it is? Context clues!

The “two arms 𓂓” functions as a biliteral phonogram and an ideogram, both with the sound of “ka/k3.”

Click Here for the next post in this series!

Tags brooklyn museum, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs

Egyptian Artifacts

Ptolemaic Statue of Anubis

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 5, 2022
2 Comments on Ptolemaic Statue of Anubis

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (c. 332–30 B.C.E.) and is quite beautiful 𓄤 in person! I have never posted about this piece before because the lighting in the gallery is so bad that it makes it hard to get a good picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏!

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made of plaster and wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺, and has been painted 𓏞𓏜 in many beautiful 𓄤 colors! Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 arms are raised in a protective 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 stance, as if he is welcoming the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 held many important titles, all of which signify how important he was to not only embalming, but to all aspects of a person’s death 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The title “Upon His Hill/Mountain 𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑” references the cliff that usually surrounded necropolises, which Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 (and jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦) would guard. The title “He who is in the mummy wrappings 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖“ signifies Anubis’ role in the mummification process, which is what he is most known for.

The title “In front at the God’s booth 𓏅𓊹𓉱” references Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 place not only in the place of embalming, but in the burial chamber 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓉐 of a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 too! Before Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 became a much more major god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 had that role and was known by the title “Foremost of the Westerners 𓏅𓈖𓏏𓏭𓋀𓄿𓏦 ” Since the sun 𓆄𓅱𓇳 set in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊, the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 was known as the land of the dead to the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪.

Tags anubis, artifact, the met

Blog

Stargate Graphing Project

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 5, 2022

Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis are my most favorite tv shows of all time! I started watching them when I was a teenager and instantly loved them. As someone who loves both ancient Egypt and science, Stargate 𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀𓈖𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓇳𓏦 was the perfect combination of both! This picture is of a project that I did for my pre-calc class in high school! We had to make a picture on a graphing calculator using equations, and of course I chose to graph a Stargate 𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀𓈖𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓇳𓏦!

I idolized both Daniel Jackson (archaeologist) and Samantha Carter (astrophysicist) and wanted to be just like both of them! I guess my wish came true because over 15 years later, I am teaching hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 to all of you, and I teach astrophysics to high school students! Sam Carter is actually the reason I became a scientist – seeing her do science inspired me! I wanted (and still want) to be just like her! Its crazy how a tv show had such a tremendous and positive impact on my life – its honestly hard to put it into words how much Stargate 𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀𓈖𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓇳𓏦 means to me.

So how do you write “Stargate” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪? Let’s take a look at the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 from the movie: 𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀𓈖𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓇳𓏦 – “Gate to the Stars” (Stargate)

𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀 – Gate/Doorway

𓈖 – To

𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓇳𓏦 – Stars

I love how the root word of both gate/doorway and star are the same word: 𓋴𓃀𓄿. They would both be pronounced like “sba” – its just the determinative symbols that are different! In the movie, 𓋴𓇼𓃀𓊀 is a little messed up and should be spelled like this: 𓋴𓃀𓇼𓊀, but I’ll forgive it because the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are actually quite good!

Tags pop culture, stargate

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