Month: December 2022

“Beloved of Maat”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 16, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

This inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 is very simple because it contains the shortened variant of both of the words!

𓌺 – Beloved (𓌻𓂋𓇌)

𓁧 – Ma’at (𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧)

I haven’t spoken about Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧 in a while, so let’s learn a bit more about her! So why would a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 want to be the “Beloved of Maat 𓌺𓁧?”

Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧, the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of truth 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄, justice 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄𓏜, harmony and was an extremely important goddess 𓊹𓏏 in the Egyptian pantheon.

Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧 was not only a goddess 𓊹𓏏 but also a concept in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 – to live 𓋹 by Ma’at 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧 was to always act truthfully and with good intentions, as opposed to chaotically – which is how the ancient Egyptians viewed other societies at the time. The goddess Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧 was the personification of these concepts and of cosmic order.

Being a “Beloved of Maat 𓌺𓁧” was the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 taking the place of Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧 in the creation myth. When Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 emerged from the primeval mound, he set his daughter 𓅭𓏏 Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧 in the place of chaos and to keep cosmic order. One of the roles of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was to do the same.

Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧 is always portrayed as having a feather 𓆄𓏺 on her head, whether in reliefs or even in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! You can always tell that an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is of Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧 by looking for the feather 𓆄𓏺!

Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧 most important role was in the judgement of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The god 𓊹 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 would weigh the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 of the deceased against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather 𓆄 to see if they lived a true 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄 and just life 𓋹. If the deceased’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was balanced with the feather 𓆄, they were declared “true of voice 𓐙𓊤,” and could meet Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭.

Also, notice the similarities between all of these words that have to do with Maat – the determinatives are different, which changed the meaning of the word, but they would have been pronounced the same!

𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄 – Truth

𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄𓏜 – Justice

𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁧 – Maat

Tags gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, maat

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Anubis

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 14, 2022

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 I am going to be re-sharing one of my absolute favorite reliefs of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! This relief of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is from a larger limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 piece that was made for Amenemhat I’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏 “Heb Sed” festival, better known as the 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆 Year Jubilee!

There are so many amazing facts about Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢; I could probably write a book about him! Aptly named, “Lord of the Necropolis 𓎟𓇾𓂦𓈊,” he was guardian of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and cemeteries. Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 was the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, and the title “He who is in the mummy wrappings 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖“ signifies Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 role in the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process, which is what he is most known for.

Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 also could act as a guide to souls 𓂓𓂓𓂓 in the Underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐(referenced in the Pyramid Texts of Unas 𓃹𓈖𓇋𓋴). One of his most famous roles is in the Weighing of the Heart, in which the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 would be weighed against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather 𓆄𓏺 by Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣. Basically, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 played a big role in all aspects of a person’s death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 was a huge part of the Egyptian religion.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (the ones above Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 head)! This is part of a much larger inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥!

𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎- He Who is in the Mummy Wrappings – (the first symbol is cut off in my picture, 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖, but it actually can be written both ways)

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands (we have seen this one many times before – part of the titles of the pharaoh)!

Tags anubis, artifact, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Video

The Sarcophagus of Senemut

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 13, 2022

This large quartzite oval (that has been reconstructed from over 1200 pieces) is the Sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼!

There are many interesting things about this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭! For one, it is actually painted 𓏞𓏜 red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 so it looks more like red quartzite, which is more valuable! Another, is that it is extremely similar to Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 second sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 in terms of composition/rock type, so they must have been quarried at the same time!

The inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the sarcophagus are from various chapters of the Book of the Dead, and many deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 such as Nut 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇, and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 all make appearances along with the usual dedications that the deceased would make to these deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹. Unfortunately due to the state the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 was found in, many of the inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 are now fragmented, but Egyptologists can put together the pieces!

Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼, although not of noble birth, became an extremely important figure during the reign of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 closest advisor, the tutor for her daughter Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤, and the architect responsible for building her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐. Some of Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 many titles appear on the sarcophagus as well, such as Steward of Amun, Chief Steward of the King, Overseer of the Treasury, Granary, Fields, Cattle of Amun, a Controller of Works, and so many more!

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, senemut, the met, video

Reading Hieroglyphs

“Given Life”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 12, 2022

“Given Life 𓏙𓋹”

Such a simple and easy phrase, however, this phrase was extremely powerful in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! If you look at inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥, it is literally everywhere! A lot of inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 either started or ended with “Given Life 𓏙𓋹.” Usually, inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 were meant to preserve the name 𓂋𓈖 of the deceased, so their soul 𓂓𓏺 could continue to live on.

My Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 loved ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and shared his passion with me; he is the reason I’m able to read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and is the reasons I have a lifelong passion for the history of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. My Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 gave life 𓏙𓋹 to my passion, and now I am giving life 𓏙𓋹 to his name 𓂋𓈖 and memory.

As Christmas approaches, dealing with the grief of not having Nonno here for a third Christmas has been extremely difficult. Grief can be an overpowering emotion. This morning I had no inspiration to write because while usually going through my pictures and writing helps me handle my grief on a daily basis, this morning that felt impossible until I came across this picture I took.

The simple phrase “Given Life 𓏙𓋹,” that I’ve read thousands of times over the years gave me comfort. It is wild how a phrase uttered and written by people thousands of years ago, can bring comfort to me today. The power of words, language, and ideas never cease to astound me.

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, nonno

Video

Canopic Jars (Video)

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 11, 2022

The Four Sons of Horus were an integral part of ancient Egyptian religion – usually in a funerary aspect.

During the process of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 (which took about 70 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆 days), the embalmers removed the internal organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 and placed them in Canopic Jars. Each of the four 𓏽 jars was for one of the major internal organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 and each jar had a different head which represented one of the four Sons of Horus.

Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭 (falcon head) held/protected the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼.

Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌𓀭 (baboon head) held/protected the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺

Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑𓀭 (jackal head) held/protected the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻

Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿𓀭 (human head) held/protected the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, sons of horus, the met, video

Video

Statue of Imhotep (Video)

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 11, 2022

My Nonno always made a point to make sure we saw Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 in every museum that we went to. It was part of the fun of going to the museum!! After seeing “The Mummy” for the first time when I was about ten 𓎆 years old, I had already known about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 for years from a historical perspective!!

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, meaning “He who comes in peace,” was a non-royal man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 who became deified (reached godly status). This is a very rare occurrence, as it was thought by the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 that the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was the only god 𓊹 on the Earth 𓇾𓇾. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was not deified in his lifetime – it was about 2,000 𓆼𓆼 years after his death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 that he began to be worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a god 𓊹.

Not much is known about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 from his lifetime – much information about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is from Demotic texts or stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪 that were written thousands of years after his death 𓅓𓏏𓏱.

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is famous for being an incredible architect and is credited with designing Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid (aka the first ever pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴) at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 (modern day Saqqara). He was also a physician!

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is always depicted as a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 seated in a chair, usually with a piece of papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 in his lap. Much like the god 𓊹 Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱(who he is said to be the son 𓅭 of), he wears a cap on his head. Once you are able to remember what Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 look like, you will be able to recognize them in any museum that you go to!

Tags artifact, imhotep, the met, video

Video

Blue Faience Tiles from Djoser’s Step Pyramid (Video)

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 11, 2022

These blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 tiles decorated the lower levels of Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 Complex. There were over 30,000 tiles used!!! The tiles were meant to represent various types of reeds that covered the walls of Djoser’s 𓂦 palace.

I have always been obsessed with anything having to do with the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 solely because of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪. My Nonno always spoke more about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 than Djoser 𓂦! My Nonno always pointed these tiles out to me in the museum. While to most people, the tiles look somewhat insignificant compared to beautifully 𓄤 carved reliefs and statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, my Nonno always said that these types of tiles were important because they were really only found in the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 and one of Djoser’s 𓂦 other buildings at Saqqara. The tiles were pretty much a “uniquely Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪” thing according to Nonno!

Tags artifact, djoser, imhotep, the met, video

Video

Head of Tutankhamun (Video)

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 11, 2022

To celebrate the 100 𓏲 year anniversary of the discovery of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 (11/4/1922), here is a closer look at the head of a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓!

While to most this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 head may seem anti-climatic after seeing the Temple of Dendur, I have always loved it because it is a portrait of Pharaoh Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓. As a kid, seeing King Tut in the MET was just SO COOL. I still think it’s cool – even though I’m an adult, I still can’t shake the child-like fascination I have with Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 was made during Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 reign (18th Dynasty), and it shows that Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 brought back the old religion and traditional styles of Egyptian art and sculpture.

The hand 𓂧𓏏𓏺 that can be seen on the back of Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 head is the hand 𓂧𓏏𓏺 of the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭. Since Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 (king of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹) is touching Tutankhamun’s crown, it can be interpreted that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 approved of Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 reign.

Tags artifact, the met, tutankhamun, video

Reading Hieroglyphs

Reading Hieroglyphs – Stela of Irethoreru

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 11, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 for a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named Irethoreru and it is dated to the 25th Dynasty (Third Intermediate Period, c. 775-663 B.C.E.). I have posted about the full stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 in the past, but today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to take a closer look at some of the inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on it! I like to highlight the titles/epithets associated with Gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and Goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏, because they are inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that you can easily recognize a lot!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are starting right underneath the solar disc!

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris

𓉼𓊹 – Great God (this is actually written backwards and should be “𓊹𓉼”)

𓎟 – Lord

𓇯 – Sky

𓋾 – Ruler

𓆖 – Eternity

All 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, this reads: “Osiris, the Great God, Lord of the Sky, Ruler of Eternity.” “Lord of the Sky 𓎟𓇯” is usually Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 title, so it’s interesting to see it associated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 here! Also, “𓇯” can mean the word “above,” as “sky” is more commonly written as “𓊪𓏏𓇯.”

Here’s the next inscription:

𓊨𓏏𓆇 – Isis

𓅨𓂋 – Great One

𓊹𓅐 – God’s Mother/Goddess

All 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, this reads: “Isis, the Great One, the God’s Mother.”

Next to each Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗, the name 𓂋𓈖 of the city “Behdet 𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖” (modern day Edfu) is written. Behdet 𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖 is an Egyptian city 𓊖𓏺 in Upper Egypt 𓇓. Horus of the Winged Disc or “Behdetite” was the chief god 𓊹 of the city 𓊖𓏺.

Tags brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, horus, isis, osiris

Egyptian Artifacts

Gold Statuette of Amun

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 10, 2022

This gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 statuette 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is so beautiful 𓄤 to see in person! In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 looks large but it is only about 7 inches (~18cm) tall! This statue is dated to the 22nd Dynasty (c. 945–712 B.C.E.). While the artistic features of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 definitely reflect this Third Intermediate Period, there are some callbacks to the 18th Dynasty artistic styles (the facial features in particular).

This solid gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is a very rare example of the statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 that filled the sanctuaries of the temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐. There is a trace of a loop on Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 crown, which means that this statuette 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 could have been worn by a priest 𓊹𓍛 or by another statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾. Or, the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 could have been mounted on top of a scepter or standard. The exact use is speculation right now! The color of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 was often associated with the sun 𓆄𓅱𓇶, and the skin of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 were thought to be made of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉.

Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is depicted with his flat topped crown, with the characteristic feathers 𓆄𓆄𓆄 having been lost in antiquity. He is wearing the false beard, and is carrying the Ankh 𓋹, a symbol of life 𓋹𓈖𓐍, in his hand. In the other hand he carries a scimitar 𓌛𓏺, which in temple reliefs, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is usually seen presenting to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. This gift of a scimitar 𓌛𓏺 is usually meant to ensure military victories!

The god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 gained popularity during the Middle Kingdom, however, it was during the New Kingdom (18th Dynasty in particular) that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 became the most important/most prominent god 𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 had many different roles and was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a creator god, solar god, fertility god, warrior god, and king of the gods. Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is also considered the “universal god” meaning that his power permeated the cosmos and all that the cosmos contained!

Tags amun, artifact, gods and goddesses, the met

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