Month: February 2023

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Scarabs of Thutmosis III

Look at all 𓎟 of these scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪! 

Scarabs of Thutmosis III

I love these displays at the MET because they have all 𓎟 of the scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 grouped by the name 𓂋𓈖 of the pharaoh that is inscribed on them! These scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 contain the throne name of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴! I also love tiny things, so these displays are some of my favorites! 

The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is the personification is the god 𓊹 Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛. The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were said to be the most powerful of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 because the the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the dung beetle (which the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 was fashioned after) was capable of eternal regeneration. 

The god 𓊹 Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 symbolizes a “life cycle” – birth 𓄟, death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and then rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This cycle was essential to Egyptian religious beliefs, as Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 spent their lives preparing for death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and entering the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife). 

Scarabs of Thutmosis III
Can you see the throne name (𓇳𓏠𓆣) and variant of Thutmosis III’s throne name (𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓) in the picture?

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

The most common throne name spelling for Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴 is “Menkhepperra 𓇳𓏠𓆣.” The name 𓂋𓈖 Menkhepperra 𓇳𓏠𓆣 translates to “Lasting is the Manifestation of Ra.”

𓇳 – Ra

𓏠 – Lasting

𓆣 – Manifestation

One of Thutmosis III’s throne name variants appears on one of the scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪- it is rare to see this variant! This throne name variant is “Menkhepperkara 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓” which translates to “Lasting is the Manifestation of the Soul of Ra.” I love seeing the variants! 

Scarabs of Thutmosis III
Can you spot any of the words in the text below in the picture above?

There are some other common phrases that accompany the name 𓂋𓈖 of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓 on these little scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪! See if you can spot them in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏: 

𓎟 – Lord of/Everything/All

𓊹𓄤 – The Perfect God 

𓏙𓋹 – Given Life

𓆖 – Eternity

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

The Ushabtis of Nauny

Let’s look at some ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures! Gallery 126 at the MET has lot of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 on display and I LOVE being in this room!

These ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures and shabti boxes belong to a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Nauny, who lived during the 21st Dynasty reign of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Psusennes I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓅮𓇼𓈍𓈖𓊖. 

Nauny was buried with a total of 393 ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures that were divided amongst seven 𓐀 shabti boxes. The shabti boxes are made of sycamore 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭 wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 and painted 𓏞𓏜 with stucco. As demonstrated in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 below, the ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 are stored in an upright position in the box! 

Ushabtis of Nauny
The Ushabtis of Nauny and the Ushabti boxes

The ushabti figures 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that Nauny was buried with are made of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 and have featured and inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on them that are painted 𓏞𓏜 with black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦. The inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the front (and back) of the ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 reads:

The ushabti figures with the kilts are Overseer Ushabtis, while the ones with hieroglyphs on the front are Worker Ushabtis.

𓋴𓌉𓆓𓇶 – The Illuminated One 

𓊩𓁹 – The Osiris 

𓇓𓅭𓏏 – The King’s daughter 

𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐 – Nauny 

𓐙𓊤 – True of Voice

“The Osiris 𓊩𓁹” part of the inscription means that Nauny, through the process of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, becomes 𓆣 like the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓊩𓁹 who is the main god 𓊹 of the dead. This means that Nauny will live on in the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife) just like Osiris 𓊩𓁹 has! 

There are two 𓏻 different types of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏: worker ushabtis and overseer ushabtis! Nauny originally had a total of 365 worker ushabtis, one for each day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 of the year. The worker ushabtis are identified by having the inscription on the front! The overseer ushabtis had the job of making sure that the worker ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were doing their job! The overseer ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 can be identified by the long kilt that they are wearing, and their inscription is located on the back! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

The Apis Bull

This artifact is a seemingly bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of an Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 that is dated to either the Late Period or the Ptolemaic Period (c. 664 – 200 B.C.E.). The worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 of the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 can actually be traced back to as early as the First Dynasty! 

The Apis Bull in statue form

The Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was associated with fertility and rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 and was mostly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 near the Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 Temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐. People would travel from various locations to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 just to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒, and the mother 𓅐𓏏 of the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒. 

While Hathor 𓉡 is probably the most famous of the cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was also very widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 and represented eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛and the harmonious balance of the whole universe. The Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was usually associated with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 (hence why a lot of pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 were referred to as the “strong bull 𓂡𓃒”) were used to represent the strength 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 and vitality of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

Usually a live bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 was used to be worshipped, and the bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 needed to have special markings on it such as a triangle shape on its forehead, or patches that represented wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 on its body. When the bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 that was being worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 died, it was embalmed 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and buried elaborately. A new bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 would then take its place. 

One of the easiest ways to recognize the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 in statuary is by looking for the sun disc 𓇳 on its head, and the elaborate cloth that is decorating the back of its body. You can easily see the details of this decorated cloth on this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 at the MET! See if you can spot the triangle on his forehead!

The Apis Bull
The Apis Bull in statue form
Categories
Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Ushabti Box of Yuya

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is of the ushabti box (and one of the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures) of a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named Yuya 𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼. The purpose of the ushabit box was to store the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person. Since people who could afford it were buried with over 365 ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures, the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 needed a place to store them in the tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 so the ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 wouldn’t be all over the place!

Although Yuya 𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼 and his wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 Thuya 𓍿𓅱𓇋𓅱 were not of royal lineage, their daughter 𓅭𓏏 Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 became the “King’s Great Wife 𓇓𓈞𓏏,” (queen) of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠. 

This part of the 18th Dynasty when when all of the “fun” began! Yuya 𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼 and Thuya 𓍿𓅱𓇋𓅱 were Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 grandparents and Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 great-parents! Due to their daughter’s 𓅭𓏏 status, Yuya 𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼 and Thuya 𓍿𓅱𓇋𓅱 were given an elaborate burial in the area that is now known as the Valley of the Kings (KV46). 

This ushabti box is made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 that has been beautifully 𓄤𓆑𓂋 painted 𓏞𓏜 and inscribed 𓎘𓅱𓎖 with hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪.

The ushabti box (back) and ushabti figure (front) of Yuya at the MET
The ushabti box (back) and ushabti figure (front) of Yuya at the MET

Let’s take a closer look at the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the ushabti box! 

𓄪𓐍𓇌 – Venerated

𓐍𓂋 – Before 

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris

𓎿𓇌 – Favored One/Praised One

𓈖 – of

𓊹𓄤 – The Perfect God 

𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼 – Yuya 

𓐙𓊤 – True of Voice (Justified)

𓐍𓂋 – Before

𓊹𓉼 – Great God

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that appear on this ushabti box are very typical of funerary inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that appear on many different kinds of funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 throughout Egyptian history.

This ushabti box is from the 18th Dynasty and is dated to c. 1390–1352 B.C.E. The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figure in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 also belongs to Yuya 𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼! The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is inscribed with the “Shabti Spell,” which is the magic spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 which makes the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figure come alive to perform a specific task for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

The Cartouches of Pharaoh Rameses II

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the throne name and the birth name cartouches 𓍷𓍷𓍷 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II! The cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 are written on a blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 cup 𓎺𓏏! Cups 𓎺𓏏𓏦 such as these, which were inscribed with the name 𓂋𓈖 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, were commonly found in foundation deposits of building projects that had been commissioned by that particular pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. These types of cups 𓎺𓏏𓏦 were usually not owned or used by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 despite his name 𓂋𓈖 being on it! 

The Cartouches of Pharaoh Rameses II

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to start with the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the left! This is the throne name of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖, which is preceded by the normal royal title! 

𓎟 – Lord 

𓇿𓇿 – Two Lands

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre setep en Ra

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Usermaatre setep en Ra 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖” translates to “The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra.” Let’s look at the name 𓂋𓈖 more closely:

𓇳 – Ra

𓄊 – Powerful

𓁧 – Justice (Mast)

𓇳 – Ra

𓍉𓈖 – Chosen

Now let’s look at the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the right! This is the birth name of Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 which is also preceded by the normal royal title! 

𓎟 – Lord 

𓈍𓏥 – Appearances 

𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Ramessu mery Amun

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Ramessu mery Amun 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓” translates to “Ra has fashioned him, beloved of Amun.” The name 𓂋𓈖 could also be translated as “Ra Bore Him.” Let’s look at the name 𓂋𓈖 more closely:

𓁩 – Amun

𓁛 – Ra

𓈘 – Beloved

𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Bore Him/Fashioned Him/Born Of

Both of the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 are sitting on top of the hieroglyphic symbol for “gold 𓋞.” The pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was associated with gold because the skin of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 were thought to be made of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉. Since the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was a god 𓊹 on Earth, it makes sense that he would be considered to be golden!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

The Cartouches of Seti II

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the birth name and the throne name cartouches 𓍷𓍷𓍷 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰! Seti I 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 and Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 have the same birth name so we know that these cartouches belong to Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 based on the throne name! 

These pieces are inlays of the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 , which mean that they were once part of a larger object. Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 (son 𓅭 of Merenptah 𓌺𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁧𓈖𓊵𓁷𓏺) ruled 𓈎𓏏𓋾 Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 for a couple of years towards the end of the 19th Dynasty (New Kingdom). 

The Cartouches of Seti II
The Cartouches of Seti II

Let’s look at the birth name first (left cartouche). Here’s the birth name:  𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰

𓁣𓇌 – Belongs to Seth

𓈘- Beloved 

𓈖 – Of

𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 – Ptah 

So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, the name 𓂋𓈖 reads “The one who belongs to Seth, Beloved of Ptah.”

Now let’s look at the throne name cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷! This inlay (the one on the right side) is very interesting because it is a combination of both the throne name and the birth name! Here’s the throne name, which appears first: 𓇳𓄊𓆣𓏦𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘

𓇳 – Ra

𓄊 – Strong One 

𓆣𓏦 – Manifestations

𓇋𓏠𓈖- Amun

𓈘 – Beloved 

So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, the the name 𓂋𓈖 reads “The Strong One of the Manifestations of Ra, Beloved of Amun.” The throne name is unique to Seti II 𓇳𓄊𓆣𓏦𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘, so we know these inlays are his and not Seti I’s 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰. 

But we aren’t done!!! Underneath the throne name, the birth name appears! It’s so weird to see a combination cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 like this and I’m not gonna lie, when I saw this for the first 𓏃 time I was confused for a second! 

Here’s the birth name (again) and this time it’s a slightly different variant: 𓁣𓇌𓍘𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰

𓁣𓇌𓍘 – Belongs to Seth

𓈘- Beloved 

𓈖 – Of

𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 – Ptah 

Also, if you notice in this cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷, the symbol for “Seth 𓁣” is chiseled out. This is because the god 𓊹 Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 was considered to be an unfavorable deity 𓊹! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

The Deities Maat and Osiris-Iah

These two 𓏻 bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 pieces at the Petrie Museum are both such nice representations of Egyptian deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹! Bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 were popular during the later period of Egyptian history, and there are so many of them for two 𓏻 reasons! The first 𓏃 is that bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 preserves really well so the pieces aren’t as subject to breakdown and the second is because bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 pieces were mass produced! Both of these bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are dated to the 26th Dynasty. 

Osiris-Iah (left) and Maat (right)

The statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 at the forefront of the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦. Not only was Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of truth 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄, fact, law, order and justice 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄𓏜, “maat” was also a concept and a way of life in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 was also the balance and order in the whole universe. Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 is usually shown as a woman with a feather 𓆄 on her head.  Her most important role was in the judgement of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱.

Some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 fun! The words for “Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦,” “truth 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄,” and “justice 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄𓏜” are super similar! 

The statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 in the back of the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is of the combination god 𓊹 Osiris-Iah. I know the description says “Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭,” but the crown on the head of the deity 𓊹, which shows the moon and a crescent underneath, leads me to believe this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is Osiris-Iah. 

While Iah 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹 is the god 𓊹 of the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹, he seems to be the adult version of the god 𓊹 Khonsu 𓐍𓈖𓇓𓅱𓀯(another lunar god 𓊹), and over time seemed to take over the lunar aspect of Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭. So why was Iah 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹 assimilated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭? This is most likely due to the monthly lunar cycle, which seems to follow a birth 𓄟 – death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 – rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 cycle. This cycle was the backbone to the Egyptian religion, and was always linked back to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. 

Some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 fun! The words for the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 “Iah” and “moon” are the same – 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Relief of Hathor as a Cow

This little limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief of Hathor 𓉡 as a cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 at the Louvre is very small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 and simple but I love it! One of the reasons I love Hathor 𓉡 so much is because I love cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 – not only they adorable, even today they are a life source for humans! 

Hathor as a cow, with her characteristic crown on her head!

In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 were venerated 𓄪𓐍𓇌 and thought of as divine 𓊹 long before 7000 B.C.E. – which is when archaeologists believe the domestication of cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 took place. Some historians think that the reverence for cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 in ancient Egypt started during the Neolithic times, and since cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 were so vital to culture and life 𓋹, their importance persisted in the forms of early goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 such as Hathor 𓉡, Nut 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭 and Neith 𓈖𓏏𓋌𓀭. Cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 gave milk, and thus life, just like women 𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪, hence why they were so revered 𓄪𓐍𓇌! 

Hathor 𓉡 can be easily recognized in Egyptian art because she will either be represented as a cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒, or as a beautiful woman with a solar disc 𓇳 and cow horns 𓄋 as her crown. Even when she is in cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 form, Hathor 𓉡 will have her characteristic crown on her head, as seen in this relief! As Egyptian religion evolved, the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 adopted this same crown, so it is difficult to tell them apart in later period art – that is where hieroglyphs come in handy 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Even in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, the words for cow and beautiful are linked – look below at how similar “cow” and “beautiful” are – even “cow” and “beautiful woman” are the same word – only the determinative different so it would have been pronounced the same! I think this connection to language just demonstrates how important cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 were to the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪. 

𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 – Cow

𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐 – Beautiful Woman

𓄤𓆑𓂋 – Beautiful

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on this particular relief are cut off, but “𓎟𓏏” is the word for all, or Lady/Mistress!