Priests ๐น๐๐ช and the Priesthood ๐น๐๐๐๐ญ๐ผ๐ were important roles in Egyptian society because religion was so central to life ๐น๐๐ and death ๐ ๐๐ฑ in ancient Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐. However, priests ๐น๐๐ช did not preach to the public – their main role was to care for the gods ๐น๐น๐น in the temples. The priesthood ๐น๐๐๐๐ญ๐ผ๐ was established during the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150-2613 B.C.E.) and became more developed during the Old Kingdom (c. 2613-2181 B.C.E.). The Sem Priests ๐ด๐ ceased to exist in the New Kingdom forward.
Throughout inscriptions ๐๐๐ฅ, we are used to seeing the word for priest/high priest as โ๐น๐โ which literally translates to โGodโs Servant.โ However, in the Old and Middle Kingdoms, there were special priests ๐น๐๐ช who were referred to as โSemโ ๐ด๐ priests.
The Sem Priests ๐ด๐ were the priests who were responsible for the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony ๐๐๐๐บ. The Sem Priests ๐ด๐ performed this while dressed in leopard ๐๐๐๐ฎ skin robes, and this ceremony is what allowed the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ to be able to speak, see, hear, eat and drink in the afterlife ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐. The Sem Priests ๐ด๐ were also responsible for mummification ๐ด๐ง๐๐ ฑ๐; so they embalmed the corpse and recited all of the spells ๐๐๐๐ฆ while wrapping the mummy ๐๐น๐ ฑ๐พ.
The word we see here in the inscription, ๐ด๐ ๐ก, is a title that the Sem Priests ๐ด๐ had, and can even be a variant way to write just Sem Priest ๐ด๐ .
Sem Priest ๐ด๐ can also be written with a determinative, and can be spelled as: ๐ด๐ ๐, ๐ด๐ ๐, ๐ด๐ ๐ผ.
Today ๐๐๐๐ณ we are going to look at a word that sometimes pops up in inscriptions ๐๐๐ฅ! These hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช are from a Middle Kingdom relief which is dated to the reign ๐พ๐๐ of the pharaoh ๐๐ป Montuhotep II ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ๐ต๐๐ช (c. 2010-2000 B.C.E.).ย
This simple word (or phrase in English) โ๐๐๐กโ could mean either โbelongs to me,โ โmine,โ or โon my part.โ
The โripple of water ๐โ is a uniliteral phonogram sign, which means it has the sound of a single consonant. The โ๐โ is associated with the sound of โn!โ The ๐ has many grammatical functions on its own, and it can mean โto,โ โof,โ โfor,โ โwe/us/our,โ โin,โ โbecause,โ โthrough,โ and some others! How do we know which word it is? Context clues!
The โBasket with a Handle ๐กโ symbol is also a uniliteral phonogram that has the sound of โk.โ A lot of people get this one confused with just the โbasket ๐โ symbol which is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound โnb.โ These are very different symbols with different meanings so try not to confuse the two!
Another way to write โ๐๐๐กโ in hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช is โ๐๐๐ก๐๐,โ which is a more uncommon variant.
Today ๐๐๐๐ณ we are going to look at the โKing with a White Crown and Flail ๐ดโ symbol! This symbol can act as both a determinative and an ideogram! It can be used as a determinative in the word for โKing ๐๐ดโ and also as a determinative for โOsiris ๐น๐๐ด.โ
The โKing with a White Crown and Flail ๐ดโ symbol is also one the many symbols that can be used as an ideogram to solely represent the word for โKing ๐ดโ in both titles and phrases.
The โKing with a White Crown and Flail ๐ดโ symbol is a variant of the symbol โKing With a White Crown ๐ฒโ and the two symbols can usually be used interchangeably with each other in inscriptions ๐๐๐ฅ!
Here are some ways we can use โ๐ดโ in inscriptions ๐๐๐ฅ!
๐๐๐ด – King of Upper Egypt/King
๐ค๐๐ด/๐ค๐๐ด๐ฅ – King of Lower Egypt/King
๐ด – King
๐น๐๐ด – Osiris/The Osiris King
๐น๐จ๐๐ด – Osiris
So if you see the โKing with a White Crown and Flail ๐ดโ symbol in an inscription, you are probably looking at a word that has to do with either a King or Osiris!
These pieces are known as Magical Stelae, or a Cippus.
The Cippus depicts Horus ๐ ๐ญ (or technically Harpokrates ๐ ๐ญ๐ ฎ๐ฟ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ญ, the Greek version of Horus ๐ ๐ญ) standing on two ๐ป crocodiles ๐ ๐ด๐๐๐ฅ and holding other dangerous animals such as snakes ๐๐๐๐๐๐ช and scorpions ๐ด๐๐๐๐ซ๐ช in each hand. The god ๐น Bes ๐๐ด๐ also appears above Horusโ ๐ ๐ญ head ๐ถ๐บ. Bes ๐๐ด๐ was known to ward off evil ๐๐๐๐๐ จ and bad luck.ย
Normally, stela ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ธ were used to commemorate the dead ๐ ๐๐ฑ so a Cippus is almost like a protective amulet ๐๐ช๐ in the form of a stela ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ธ. This Cippus was used by the living ๐ฃ๐๐๐ช for protection ๐ ๐๐ก๐. Since the Old Kingdom, Horus ๐ ๐ญ was called upon as a defender against snake ๐๐๐๐๐ or scorpion ๐ด๐๐๐๐ซ bites. Placing the Cippus on a wound would evoke its magical ๐๐๐ฟ๐ and healing powers. Cippus stela ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ธ like this were usually kept in homes ๐๐ฆ due to their protective nature.
Cippus pieces have also been found in tombs ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ช, so we can assume that the Egyptians thought it not only would help protect ๐ ๐๐ก๐ the living ๐ฃ๐๐๐ช , but the dead ๐ ๐๐ฑ too.
One thing I love about this display at the Louvre is now all of the Cippus pieces are together ๐๐ in one single case! I also think the one in the middle, the statue ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ of the man ๐๐๐ค holding a Cippus is very unique; this was the first time I saw a statue ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ like that!
This statue ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ is dedicated to Mutemwia ๐๐ ๐ ๐ who was a minor wife ๐๐๐ of Thutmosis IV ๐ณ๐ ๐ฃ๐ผ and mother ๐ ๐๐ of the pharaoh ๐๐ป Amenhotep III ๐ณ๐ง๐ .ย
This statue was originally meant to show Mutemwia ๐๐ ๐ ๐ on a sacred boat ๐ง๐ช๐๐(her body has been broken off). The boat ๐ง๐ช๐๐ has the goddess Hathor ๐ก on the front. The sides of the boat ๐ง๐ช๐๐ are inscribed with the name and titles of Mutemwia ๐๐ ๐ ๐ along with a carving of the Wedjat ๐. Cartouches showing the names ๐๐๐ฆ of Mutemwia ๐๐ ๐ ๐ and Amenhotep III ๐ณ๐ง๐ are also inscribed on the boat ๐ง๐ช๐๐.
Mutemwia ๐๐ ๐ ๐ held many titles such as the โGreat Kingโs Wife His Beloved ๐๐๐๐๐ ฉ๐๐๐๐,โ โLady of the Two Lands ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฟ,โ โGodโs Mother ๐น๐ ,โ and โKingโs Mother ๐๐ .โ The latter two titles mean the same thing – since the pharaoh ๐๐ป (Amenhotep III ๐ณ๐ง๐ ) was a god ๐น on Earth ๐พ๐พ.
Something interesting though that these titles listed above were only used after the death of Thutmosis IV ๐ณ๐ ๐ฃ๐ผ. It seems that Amenhotep III ๐ณ๐ง๐ elevated his motherโs ๐ ๐๐ status when he became the pharaoh ๐๐ป. In the Luxor Temple, Mutemwia ๐๐ ๐ ๐ is depicted in the reliefs of the divine birth of Amenhotep III ๐ณ๐ง๐ – and these reliefs are almost an exact copy of the ones from the divine birth of Hatshepsut ๐๐ ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ผ๐ช at Deir el-Bahri ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐.
The boat ๐ง๐ช๐๐ is made of the rock ๐๐๐๐ granodiorite, which is an igneous (volcanic) rock ๐๐๐๐ that is kind of the mix of both granite ๐๐๐๐๐ณ๐ฟ and diorite. Granodiorite is an intrusive rock, meaning it formed underground, which also makes it a very strong and durable piece of material!
This is definitely the largest scarab ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฃ that I have ever seen!ย I was shocked when I saw just how big it was in the British Museum! I have honestly never seen anything like it in any of the other museums I have visited!
This scarab ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฃ represented Khepri ๐ฃ๐๐ญ. Khepri ๐ฃ๐๐ญ the god ๐น that was associated with the โrising of the sun ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญโ (these hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช translate to โsun at dawnโ) and thus he is associated with life ๐น๐๐ and rebirth. Scarabs ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฃ๐ช were extremely popular as amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช, and were considered to have the strongest ๐๐๐๐ญ protection ๐ ๐๐ก๐ powers.
The โscarab beetle ๐ฃโ hieroglyph ๐น๐ symbol is a determinative, ideogram and phonogram symbol! It is associated with the sound แธซpr (like โKheperโ) is also used to write the words “evolve,โ โmanifestation,โ and “become.”
From a geologic perspective, this scarab ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฃ is made of the rock ๐๐๐๐ diorite. Diorite is an intrusive igneous rock (meaning it forms underground from the solidification of magma). Diorite is an extremely durable rock ๐๐๐๐ (one of the strongest found on Earth ๐พ๐พ), and is comparable to granite ๐๐๐๐๐ณ๐ฟ in terms of strength and method of formation.
However, diorite usually doesn’t contain a lot quartz ๐ ๐๐๐, a very strong ๐๐๐๐ญ mineral which is abundant in granite ๐๐๐๐๐ณ๐ฟ, hence the difference between the two ๐ป rocks ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ. One of the reasons why this scarab ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฃ is so well preserved, is probably due to the strength of the diorite! Diorite, like granite ๐๐๐๐๐ณ๐ฟ, was usually mined by the Egyptians in Aswan ๐ด๐น๐๐๐ฒ๐๐
As you all know, ancient Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐ is one of my biggest passions, however I actually have degrees in Earth and Environmental science! I love combining my passions for Egyptian history and geology together ๐๐!
This very simple limestone ๐๐๐๐ sarcophagus ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ from the reign of Montuhotep II ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ๐ต๐๐ช (Dynasty 11, c. 2051โ2030 B.C.E.) and belonged to a priestess ๐น๐ of Hathor ๐ก named Henhenet ๐๐๐๐๐. This is one of my favorite pieces to see at the MET specifically because of the hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช that the sarcophagus has inscribed on it!
This sarcophagus ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ shows the standard offering formula, the name ๐๐of the deity ๐น, and the titles associated with that deity ๐น. This standard way of writing the offering formula is extremely common, and if you know it, you will be able to recognize it anywhere!
๐๐ถ๐ ฑ๐๐- He Who is in the Mummy Wrappings (can also be written as ๐๐ถ๐ ฑ๐๐๐)
๐๐พ๐ฆ – Lord of the Sacred Land
Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ held many important titles, all of which signify how important he was to not only embalming, but to all aspects of a personโs death ๐ ๐๐ฑ. The title โUpon His Hill/Mountain ๐ถ๐บ๐๐โ references the cliff that usually surrounded necropolises, which Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ would preside over. The title โHe who is in the mummy wrappings ๐๐ถ๐ ฑ๐๐๐โ signifies Anubisโ ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ role in the mummification process, which is what he is most known for. โLord of the Sacred Land ๐๐พ๐ฆโ refers to the necropolis or cemeteries that Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ would guard.
While this sarcophagus ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ contains a lot of Anubisโ ๐๐๐ช๐ฃ titles, one that does not appear on this sarcophagus ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ is โLord of the Necropolis ๐๐พ๐ฆ๐.โ
Also, Anubisโ name ๐๐ is shortened here and is missing a symbol: it is written as ๐๐๐ช๐ฃ instead of ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ! I see this a lot with Anubisโ ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ name ๐๐, and it is done to save space!
Here is the second ๐๐ป part of the inscription ๐๐๐ฅ!
๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐ฌ – Burial (I donโt have the composite hieroglyph on the sarcophagus so I used the two symbols here)
๐ค๐๐๐- Good
๐ – In Her
๐๐ซ๐๐ – Tomb
๐ด๐๐ผ – Necropolis
๐ – A Voice Offering
๐๐ – Before
๐ฃ – Anubis
๐ – In Front At
๐น๐ฑ – Godโs Booth (Shrine for Anubis)
So all ๐ together ๐๐, the second ๐๐ป part of the inscription ๐๐๐ฅ reads: โA good burial in her tomb of the necropolis with a voice offering before Anubis, in front at the godโs boothโฆโ
The first ๐ part of the inscription ๐๐๐ฅ (from yesterdayโs post) contains a lot about Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ, and this second part of the inscription ๐๐๐ฅ continues with that theme! Here we can see Anubisโ ๐ฃ title โIn Front at the Godโs Booth ๐ ๐น๐ฑโ in which โGodโs Booth ๐น๐ฑโ refers to a shrine specifically dedicated to Anubis ๐ฃ himself! This second ๐๐ป part of the inscription ๐๐๐ฅ also only uses the determinative symbol of โ๐ฃโ to spell out Anubisโ ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ name ๐๐!
Here is the third part of the inscription ๐๐๐ฅ:
The title โSole Ornament of the King ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐โ carried a lot of prestige, but no real responsibility or authority! The word โsoleโ in this case does not mean โuniqueโ as we would define it in English, but rather signified a high social rank. Henhenetโs ๐๐๐๐๐ true role was as a High Priestess ๐น๐ of Hathor ๐ก, which is why she was able to be buried in a sarcophagus ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ!
I also love how Henhenetโs ๐๐๐๐๐ name ๐๐ is spelled because it is very phonetic –ย ๐ = h, ๐ = n, and ๐ = t so when we add in the โsoft eโ to make it pronounceable to us modern people, we get Henhenet ๐๐๐๐๐! Thereโs also no determinative here, and her name could have also possibly been written as ๐๐๐๐๐๐!ย
