Month: January 2023

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Imhotep Statues at the Louvre

I love 𓈘𓏏 seeing Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 in museums, and I am so lucky to have been able to see so many beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 in museums around the world with my Nonno! Due to my Nonno’s enthusiasm, it’s not just me that loves Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, but the whole family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 loves 𓈘𓏏 these statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 too and can point them out immediately! Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is always depicted as a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 seated in a chair, usually with a piece of papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 in his lap, so he is quite easy to spot once you know what to look for!

These Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are at the Louvre, and are dated to the Ptolemaic Period, which is when Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a god 𓊹, especially by the Greeks. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was one of the few non-royal Egyptians to be deified. During his lifetime (two thousand 𓆼𓆼 years before the Ptolemaic Period), Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is credited with designing the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid (the first ever pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴) at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖.

The larger of these statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 is interesting because it is made of graywacke 𓁷𓂋𓃀𓐍𓈖 stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 instead of bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦! Most Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are made out of bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦, so it was so cool to see Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 depicted in a different medium (plus I love rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦). There is also some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the papyrus scroll 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 on Imhotep’s 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 lap, and while I can’t read them all because it’s hard to see, one part says “For the Soul of Imhotep 𓈖𓂓𓈖𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪.” 

What I love 𓈘𓏏 about the smaller 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is that there is an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the base! It’s a little hard to see, but Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 – Imhotep (his name 𓂋𓈖translates to “He Who Comes in Peace.”)

𓏙 – Given

𓋹 – Life

𓅱𓍑 – Prosperity/Wellbeing

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Statue of Anubis

This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is one of my favorites! One of the reasons it is so special is because the piece is in such good condition. The black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 is still clearly visible and the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is so well preserved. Wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is an organic material, and even in the dry heat of the desert 𓅟𓂋𓏏𓈊 it can still break down over thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of years! My Nonno always pointed out every wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 piece in a museum and told us how significant it was that the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 was preserved. Now, it is something I always look for. 

This particular Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 piece is dated to the Ramesside Period, which was during the 19th-20th Dynasties of the New Kingdom. This style of statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 depicting Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 actually became very popular during the Ptolemaic Period, and there is a piece similar to this in the Brooklyn Museum too! 

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 shows Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in his jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 form. The kneeling position is representative of him guarding the necropolis 𓋴𓈖𓊼 from high above on a hill 𓈎𓄿𓄿𓊎 or mountain 𓈋𓅳- as was his role as the god 𓊹 of cemeteries and mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎. One of his titles which is “Lord of the Sacred Land 𓎟𓇾𓂦𓈊,” exemplifies and highlights this role. The “sacred land” mentioned in this title is another way to say “necropolis 𓋴𓈖𓊼!” 

Another one of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 titles is “upon his hill 𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑” and this hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 phrase usually follows his name 𓂋𓈖 in dedication texts! Again, this is representative of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 role as protector 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱; he was always standing watch from above! 

I also love this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 because it is very similar to Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 determinative hieroglyph 𓃣 (which is my favorite hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 symbol) and it’s almost identical to the ‘recumbent jackal 𓃢” sign! Basically, I love anything to do with Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! Seeing a well preserved statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of him, or hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 symbols of his name 𓂋𓈖 in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 makes me really happy 𓄫𓏏𓄣 and excited. It’s like seeing an old friend 𓈘𓈇𓀀𓁐! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Small Stela of the Vizier Paser

This tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 and unassuming stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 at the Louvre is really important to me and my Nonno because it depicts Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽, who was my Nonno’s favorite non-royal Egyptian! Nonno and I would always make it a point to try and find something related to Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 in every museum we went to! 

Though he wasn’t a royal, Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 was one of the most prominent men of his time and he was vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 under two 𓏻 pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 – Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and then Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖.  Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 served many different roles over twenty-five 𓎆𓎆𓏾 years! Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 was also an architect and one of his most famous works is the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 in the Valley of the Kings! 

A vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was the highest ranking official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 and was the most powerful position in the government, besides the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Not only was the vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 the most trusted advisor to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but he also saw to the day-to-day operations of the government. The vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was in charge of architecture, taxation, agriculture, military, the judiciary, finances, and many other things. Honestly that sounds exhausting, however, his hard work got Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 a nice tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 for himself, so that’s how we know so much about him! I guess wanting to preserve his name 𓂋𓈖 for eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛 was a success! 

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 had many different titles, including “High Preist of Amun 𓊹𓍛𓌐𓈖𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳 ,” “superintendent of every work of the king,” “prophet of Maat,” “mouth of Nekhen” and “chief of secrets of the hieroglyphs.” This last title is probably why he is depicted with the god Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 on this small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! 

I wish I could see the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 more clearly, but I can see Paser’s 𓅮𓀙𓀽 name 𓂋𓈖 on the bottom part of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! 

Sorry the first picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is a bit blurry – I wanted to get as close as I could! The second picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows how small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is in relation to other objects!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Early Dynastic Animal Statuettes

We are going back to the Early Dynastic Period today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳! I love anything to do with Egyptian hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦!!!

This calcite 𓍱 hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯 and faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 are dated c. 3100–2649 B.C.E and are from Abydos 𓍋𓃀𓈋𓊖. The hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯 figure was found near a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 and was most likely an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the deity 𓊹 Khentiamentiu 𓃢𓏃𓏠𓄿. 

Khentiamentiu 𓃢𓏃𓏠𓄿 is an early jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 headed deity 𓊹 whose name 𓂋𓈖 means “Foremost of the Westerners.” We know that phrase because later on it was commonly used as a title of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 before it then became Osiris’ 𓁹𓊨𓀭 title! Before the popularity of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 was the chief god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, which is why it was his title first! The temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Abydos 𓍋𓃀𓈋𓊖 which was originally dedicated to Khentiamentiu 𓃢𓏃𓏠𓄿 then solely became dedicated to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 during the First Intermediate Period. 

Hippopotamuses 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 and crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏦 were both feared and revered along the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 because while they were very dangerous animals, little figurines like these (and then later on, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪) could offer protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 to the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 or the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪. This is why hippopotamuses 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 and crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏦 are very common to see in early Egyptian art! The hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 is also seen as a symbol of fertility. 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Roman Sarcophagus

Even though Rome was the dominant power in the Mediterranean at the time, Cleopatra VII 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 was determined to keep Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 independent of Rome.  However, with the defeat of Mac Antony by Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 in battle, and the death of Cleopatra VII 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 (the last Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, died by suicide c. 31 B.C.E.), Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 was conquered by the Romans. This made Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 the first Roman Emperor. 

Traditionally, the Romans burned their dead and put their ashes in urns. However, in Roman Egypt, traditional Egyptian funerary practices persisted but adopted some Roman style! Nonno always pointed out the Roman influenced sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪 in museums because he thought it was so interesting that an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 was on the coffin, instead of the traditional Egyptian “mask.” The painting of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 still functioned like a traditional Egyptian mask, however it was just more “Roman” in style. 

The mask could either serve as protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, or take the place of the body if the head was destroyed or lost. In the Egyptian religion, the body of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 needed to stay intact in order for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to be transported to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐/Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖. This was the purpose of mummification – to preserve the body so both the Ka 𓂓 (soul) and the Ba 𓅡𓏺(life force) would be able to recognize the body!

I think this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 (from the second century AD) in particular is very interesting because it demonstrates a marriage of the two 𓏻 cultures.  The Roman influence is clearly seen, with the painted portrait of the deceased (and his name 𓂋𓈖, Artemidorus below the portrait). 

However, the Egyptian gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are present in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 on the body of the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭. Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦, Thoth 𓅤𓀭 , and Horus 𓅃𓀭 are depicted. Iconic Egyptian imagery 𓏏𓅱𓏏 such as the winged sun disk is located above the feet, while a traditional broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 around the neck of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾. 

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Reading Hieroglyphs Video

Video – The Goddess Hathor in Hieroglyphs!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

This is the name 𓂋𓈖 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! I’m sure you can see this, but Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 is unique compared to that of the other deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹! This is because her name is written with a composite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃! A composite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 is the combination of many symbols into one symbol! Even with the combination of the symbols, the sounds of the original symbol are still retained! 

Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 is the combination of an enclosure (house) 𓉗 and the falcon 𓅃. 

𓉗 +𓅃 = 𓉡 

Het (𓉗) + Heru (𓅃) = 𓉡 

If the two 𓏻 symbols were written separately, we would actually read Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 as “House of Horus” or “Estate of Horus” (depending on how you translated the 𓉗 hieroglyph) – so that is the literal translation of her name 𓂋𓈖! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Roman Oil Lamps

While my Nonno loved ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, he also absolutely loved Ancient Rome and the Roman Emperors. This is why he loved the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 so much. Even though the Ptolemaic Period was technically Hellenistic Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, there was still a heavy Roman influence because Rome was still very powerful at the time! 

When Cleopatra VII 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 committed suicide in 31 B.C.E., that was seen as the end of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and the beginning of Roman Egypt. This makes Cleopatra 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt! Nonno often told me stories about Mark Antony, Cleopatra 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇, Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀, Julius Caesar – he loved that whole part of history so much. 

These are ancient oil lamps 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶! These oil lamps 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 are made of clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 and can be found throughout countries that were ruled by the Roman Empire! Many are found in present-day Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, Turkey, Syria, and many others! My Nonno absolutely adored these – he loved that you could still see where the oil 𓂝𓆓𓐖𓏊𓏦 had burned on some of them (that’s the black 𓆎𓅓 discoloration at the opening). Nonno always made sure to point these out in museums and now of course I always look for them. I love seeing the different designs on them! Each lamp 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 is unique which I love!

Isis and Horus design on the oil lamp, along with the black discoloration on the opening!

Due to Roman influence in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, oil lamps 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 from Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 were sometimes made with the Egyptian Gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on them! The oil lamp 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 all the way on the right depicts Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 nursing Horus 𓅃𓀭. As Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 grew in popularity, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans.  Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 during the Roman times, and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby 𓈖𓐍𓈖𓀕 has even appeared on the back of Roman coins. Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 and bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 were also made in abundance during this time period. 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Kohl Tube of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 Tube! Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 was a type of eye paint (makeup) that was very popular amongst the ancient Egyptians! This tube would have contained the kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀, and then a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 or faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 stick would have been used to apply it! The kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 tube itself is also made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, hence the gorgeous blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 color! This piece is dated to the 18th Dynasty (c. 1390-1353 B.C.E.).

For me, the most interesting part of an artifact is always going to be the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 on the object! Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓊹𓄤 – Perfect God 

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Nebmaatra (Amenhotep III’s Throne Name)

𓇓𓈞𓏏 – King’s Great Wife

𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 – Tiye

𓋹𓍘 – May She Live!

Some of you may notice when looking at this inscription that Queen Tiye’s 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 name 𓂋𓈖 is in a cartouche too! Sometimes, the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the queens who held the title of the “King’s Great Wife 𓇓𓈞𓏏” also appeared in cartouches to demonstrate their importance to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 was actually the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 grandmother! Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 and Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 seem to have been married by the second year of his reign. The reign of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 was an extremely prosperous and successful one, because it was at this time that Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 had reached its peak artistic and international power (even though Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 only participated in one military battle himself). His success had been set up by the works of the previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦, such as Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 and then Amenhotep III’s 𓇳𓁧𓎠 own father, Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼. 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphs from the Abydos King List!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

These beautiful 𓄤 hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are from the Abydos King List at the British Museum. There are two 𓏻 surviving King Lists from temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪 at Abydos, the cult center of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. One temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 is from Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠, and the other from his son 𓅭 Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓁜𓏺𓄟𓋴𓊃, who were both pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 during the 19th Dynasty. Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 list is still in the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Abydos, while Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓁜𓏺𓄟𓋴𓊃 was excavated and brought to the British Museum. 

While the two 𓏻 lists were very similar, Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓁜𓏺𓄟𓋴𓊃 had more rows to accommodate the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 so it appears to be shorter. There are three 𓏼 rows of cartouches on the remaining limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief – the upper two 𓏻 rows contain the cartouches of earlier pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥, while the bottom row shows Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓁜𓏺𓄟𓋴𓊃 throne name and birth name alternating – this is the part we will be reading today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to start from the right!

𓅓𓂞𓂞 – By Permission Of

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓁜𓏺𓄟𓋴𓊃 – Rameses II, Beloved of Amun (birth name)

𓅓𓂞𓂞 – By Permission Of

𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 Rameses II (“Usermaatre” throne name)

𓅓𓂞𓂞 – By Permission Of

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

𓁩𓈘𓁜𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Rameses II (birth name variant)

“By Permission Of 𓅓𓂞𓂞” is meant to signify that Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 commissioned the creation of this King List! It’s also cool how different variants of the name 𓂋𓈖 were used throughout the relief!

The point of the King Lists was not to preserve history for future generations, rather the main objective was to glorify the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, and as we know, pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 were considered gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on Earth. These lists allowed Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓁜𓏺𓄟𓋴𓊃 to assert their legitimacy amongst the old pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Aswan Granite

After limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 and sandstone 𓂋𓅱𓂧𓏏𓌗𓈙, “Aswan Granite” was the third most used rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 by the ancient Egyptians! “Aswan Granite” is actually a collective term used to describe all of the intrusive igneous rocks in the Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 area, even though they aren’t all granitic! Diorite and granodiorite 𓏠𓈖𓏏𓏏𓊌 are other igneous rocks looped into this category, even though granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 is a felsic rock (lighter in color and lower in density with more quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙) as opposed to diorite/granodiorite 𓏠𓈖𓏏𓏏𓊌 (intermediate rock, less quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙, both dark and light in color). 

The most common of the “Aswan Granite” rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦 is known as red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶. Red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 was used for many different types of things such as vases, statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪, stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏦, obelisks 𓉶𓉶𓉶, and for parts of buildings and temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪! 

Quarrying of the “Aswan Granite” started in the Old Kingdom and was even used to build the Pyramids 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 at Giza! During the New Kingdom (particularly 18th Dynasty), red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 became extremely popular again, especially amongst the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏪 and many of them had their statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 and funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 carved out of this durable stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪! 

One of the best examples of these red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are the ones that used to line Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐. She had the red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 shipped 500 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 miles up the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 from Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐! 

The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 were such master geologists they even distinguished regular “granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿” from “red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶” in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 below is a close up of a sample red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 from my collection so you can get a better look at this gorgeous 𓄤 rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙!