Month: March 2023

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

“Great God Ptah”

Lets’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that is part of the West Wall of the Tomb Chapel of Kaemsenu. This inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 is a little bit tricky to read at first because one of the symbols is actually upside down!! Not going to lie, at quick glance I thought this inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 said “High Priest 𓊹𓍛!” 

Great God Ptah
“Great God Ptah” in hieroglyphs! Since the “cloth on a pole 𓊹” symbol is pointing to the left, that’s the direction we start reading from!

So let’s take a look at what it actually says: 

𓊹𓉼 – Great God

𓊪𓏏𓎛 – Ptah

All 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 reads “Great God Ptah.”

Let’s take a closer look at each of the symbols: 

The “cloth on a pole 𓊹“ hieroglyph is an ideogram for the word god. 𓊹 is also a triliteral phonogram, and represents the letters “ntr” which may have been pronounced like “neter.” 𓊹 Is also a determinative for “god.” So the “cloth on a pole 𓊹“ symbol can function as all three types of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. If you see this symbol, you are most likely looking at a word that has to do with the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹!

The “wooden column 𓉼” hieroglyph is a biliteral phonogram which represents the sound “ˁ3.” This symbol does have a variant, 𓉻, which means the same, it’s just oriented at a different angle! But I’ve never seen it upside down before! 

The “stool 𓊪” is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “p.” 

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.” It also functions as the ideogram for the word “bread 𓏏𓏺” and can be used to make words feminine! 

The “wick 𓎛” is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “h.”

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Sarcophagus of Harkhebit

This is the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 of a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named 𓂋𓈖 Harkhebit who lived during Dynasty 26 (c. 595-526 B.C.E.).

Sarcophagus of Harkhebit
The Sarcophagus of Harkhebit

Harkhebit was the “Royal Seal Bearer, Sole Companion, Chief Priest of the Shrines of Upper and Lower Egypt, and Overseer of the Cabinet.” The sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 was found in his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, which was a shaft tomb near Djoser’s 𓂦 pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 complex at Saqqara (ancient Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖). 

This sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is striking not just from an artistic point of view, but its massive size is also breathtaking! Other large and plump sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏦 have been found in the Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 area that are similar in style to this one! 

Sarcophagus of Harkhebit
Me taking a selfie with Anubis and other deities!
Sarcophagus of Harkhebit
A close-up of the sunken relief of the goddess Isis

Let’s take a closer look! The sunken relief hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 are inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 from The Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. Many different deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 such as Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇, and the Four Sons of Horus (Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑, Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿, Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌 and Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑) all appear. 

Here is a picture of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖 as it appears on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭! This is one of the variants of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖, as it is missing the “𓅱” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃!

Anubis' name in hieroglyphs on the Sarcophagus of Harkhebit
Anubis’ name in hieroglyphs

This sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is considered to be mummiform, meaning it looks like a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! The “mummy” is wearing a wig 𓄿𓂋𓏏𓁸 and a false beard 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸. I also love the large broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 that is on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭! If you look closely, you can see two 𓏻 falcons 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄𓏪 on either end of it! Between the wig 𓄿𓂋𓏏𓁸, false beard 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸, and broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝, Harkhebit is dressed for the best in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! 

Sarcophagus of Harkhebit
A closeup image of the face of the sarcophagus showing details such as the broad collar, wig, and false beard.

The Sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 of Harkhebit is definitely one of the better examples of Late Period ancient Egyptian stonework!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Drawers Full of Ushabtis!

My Nonno always spoke very highly of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology at UCL in London. As a kid 𓐍𓇌𓀕, he would always tell me that they had “drawers and drawers full of ushabtis” and it just sounded so cool to me! I wanted to visit so badly! 

Ushabtis
A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains a collection of faience ushabtis

When we got to visit the museum together 𓈖𓊗, it was like a dream come true! It was VERY COOL to be able to open the drawers in the cabinets and be greeted by ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪!

Ushabtis
A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains terracotta ushabtis

We spent hours at the museum going through everything and I spent the most time with the ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 (no surprise there)!! 

Ushabtis
A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains wood, limestone, faience, and terracotta ushabtis

The Petrie Museum has quite the collection of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 and they are representative of a lot of the differing styles of ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 through different time periods in Egyptian history. Most of the photos are representative of more “classical” ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 from the 20th Dynasty forward (made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 or terracotta 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇), while the picture below shows the “stick ushabtis.” 

Stick Ushabtis
A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains stick ushabtis

Stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 (17th to the beginning of the 18th Dynasty) are made of wood  𓆱𓏏𓏺, have a roughly mummiform shape, no artistic details, and have an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the front.  The function of these stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 also seems to be different than that of the regular ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 that are found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 whose function was to perform tasks for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 have only been found in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖, in the above ground chapels that were found near tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦, not inside the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐! 

The stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 most likely represented the family members of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and were placed in the above ground chapel as a way to symbolize family members being close to their dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 loved one.

Ushabtis
A view of a drawer in the Petrie Museum which contains faience ushabtis, and a stone ushabti in the back.
Categories
Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Cartouches of Akhenaten

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a fragment of a relief that has some gorgeous 𓄤 hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on it – the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖!! This fragment is from present day Amarna, which during Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 rule was known as Akhetaten 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖. Akhetaten 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖 translates to “Horizon of the Aten,” and Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 named it the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 during year five 𓏾 of his reign. 

Cartouches of Akhenaten
The Cartouches of Akhenaten on a fragment of a relief from the city of Akhetaten (The MET)

This relief is probably from after year five 𓏾 of his reign, just based off of the throne name variant that is used in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Let’s start from the top row of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We will start reading from the right since that is where the snake points to! This is a very popular phrase that you may recognize: 𓆖𓏙𓋹. This translates to “Given 𓏙 Eternal 𓆖 Life 𓋹.” 

Under that, we are also going to start reading from the right since that is where the directional symbols point to! 

𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt

𓋹 – Life

𓐝 – On

𓁧 – Maat (Truth)

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖- Neferkheperura-waenre which means “Beautiful are the Forms/Manifestations of Re, the Unique one of Re” (Akhenaten’s throne name)

On to the next set of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

𓋹 – Life

𓐝 – On

𓁧 – Maat (Truth)

𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 – Akhenaten (the “birth name” variant, since Akhenaten’s actual birth name was Amenhotep (IV))

𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances 

What always gets me is Akhenaten’s throne name of 𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖- Neferkheperura-waenre. This particular spelling of the throne name is only seen after he changed his given name from Amenhotep IV 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓊹𓋾𓌀 to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖. The original spelling, before the name 𓂋𓈖 change was “𓁜𓄤𓆣𓏦𓇳𓌡𓈖.” The name 𓂋𓈖 is still pronounced the same and has the same meaning, but the falcon glyph 𓁜 was changed to just the sun disc 𓇳 (both pronounced Re/Ra).  Also, all of Akhenaten’s other names (Horus name, etc) underwent a change, to remove the other deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, but this one didn’t. 

I wonder why Akhenaten didn’t change the throne name (𓇳𓄤𓆣𓇳𓏦𓌡𓈖) to represent the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳, just like how all of his other names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 were changed. He also kept the title “Son of Ra 𓅭𓇳,” instead of changing it to an Aten-based title. There are probably some mysteries that we will never fully comprehend about this time period! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Amun and Horemheb

This is a limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Horemheb 𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖. This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is special because my Nonno took it at the Museo Egizio in Torino, Italy.

Amun and Horemheb
Statue of Amun (left) and the pharaoh Horemheb (right) at the Museo Egizio in Torino, Italy

Horemheb 𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖 was the final pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 18th Dynasty, having taken over the throne from Ay 𓇳𓆣𓆣𓏪𓁹𓐙𓏏. Before he was pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, Horemheb 𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖 was the commander of the army for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓. He continued the restoration of traditional Egyptian religious practices that Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 began, and he also usurped a lot of monuments from both Ay 𓇳𓆣𓆣𓏪𓁹𓐙𓏏 and Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓. 

Let’s take a closer look at the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! The god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 (left) is depicted larger than Horemheb 𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖 (right) because the only person more important than the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 himself was another god 𓊹! 

Amun and Horemheb
A closer view of the hieroglyphic inscription that appears on either side of Amun’s throne on the statue.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to start on the left side of Amun’s throne! 

𓊹𓄤 – The Perfect God 

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Horemheb (Throne Name – The sacred one of the manifestations of Ra, chosen of Ra)

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 – Amun-Ra

𓌺𓇌 – Beloved

𓏙𓋹- Given Life

So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗 the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 reads: “The Perfect God, Lord of the Two Lands, Horemheb, Beloved of Amun-Ra, Given Life.”

Now let’s look at the left side of the throne: 

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances 

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌺𓄿𓋔𓐝𓎱 – Horemheb (Birth Name – Horus in Jubilation, whom Amun has loved)

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 – Amun-Ra

𓌺𓇌 – Beloved

𓏙𓋹- Given Life

So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗 the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 reads: “Son of Ra, Lord of Appearances, Horemheb, Beloved of Amun-Ra, Given Life.”

While the last part of the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 is the same on either side of the throne, the titles are different because of Horemheb’s birth name versus the throne name! Different titles in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are associated with each name 𓂋𓈖!

Notice how the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are mirrored on either side of the throne! This makes it so all of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are facing Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 legs! The ancient Egyptians loved to have symmetry in their art!

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Book Recommendations Video

Video – “Hatshepsut” Book Review

It’s time for another book 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 review!

This book 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 on Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is one of my absolute favorites that I have in my collection! My Nonno brought it for me in 2006 when we went to the “Hatshepsut From Queen to Pharaoh” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art! The book not only details the exhibition, but gives a lot of information about Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪! 

The MET has a beautiful 𓄤 collection of artifacts from Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 reign, and this book does an incredible job of highlighting these important objects. 

While the book is out of print, you can get it used online or you can get it as a PDF from the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Publications website! The MET has a great program that provides free PDFs for their out of print books! I have gotten amazing books through their program – you should check it out!

I hope you enjoy and love this book as much as I do!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Amenhotep III

One of the things I love so much about ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures is the fact that they are all so different! Even ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures from the same time period have a lot of variation! For example, ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 that are from the same burial can contain many different types of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪! Many ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 that belonged to the 18th Dynasty pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 contained a combination of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺, faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, and stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures! 

Ushabti of Amenhotep III
A mummiform ushabti of pharaoh Amenhotep III (left) on display at the Louvre in Paris, France. This ushabti is made of red granite, which is unusual!

The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 on the left side of this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 belonged to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 and was found in his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 in the Valley of the Kings. In the Louvre, this piece is listed as “Mummiform Funerary Servant (Serviteur Funéraire Momiforme)” which basically means a ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that looks like a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! This particular ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made of red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶! 

The word “mummiform” is used by Egyptologists to describe various artifacts that look like a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! So what characteristics makes this ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 mummiform?  The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is fashioned in the style of the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭; its crossed arms are holding a crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅. Much like the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 (at least those who could afford it) were also laid to rest in this fashion. The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is also wearing the false beard 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸, and the white crown 𓄤𓋑 with a uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 (that is hard to see but is still there). 

This ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 has a lot of beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 engraved on it, but the text is too small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 for me to see! The only thing I can really make out is the cartouche of Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆.

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Ancient Egyptian Beads

I love ancient Egyptian jewelry 𓂝𓏏𓍢 – especially the beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦! One of the reasons I love it so much are the bright and beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 colors! It always amazes me how these beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 colors are probably just as bright today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 as they were thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of years ago! 

Ancient Egyptian Beads
An ancient Egyptian necklace that is displayed how it was found – just the beads, no string! These beads are dated to the reign of Amenhotep III (18th Dynasty) and are at the MET.

Fun fact: most of the necklaces 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓋝𓏦 that are displayed in museums have been re-strung because over time, the fine threading used to actually string the beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦 together decomposes or disintegrates, and just leaves the beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦 behind until they are found by archaeologists! 

These beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦 have not been restrung into a necklace 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓋝, instead they are displayed as they were found. I honestly don’t know which way I like better; the reconstructed necklaces 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓋝𓏦 that are restrung, or the necklaces 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓋝𓏦 displayed such as these! 

These beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦 were found at Amenhotep III’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 palace at Malqata and are dated to his reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏.  The House of Rejoicing (the name of his palace) and the surrounding villages at Malqata were preserved really well, and it is considered to be one of the most best town sites preserved in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. 

Lets’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! See if you can spot this on the tiles/inlays on the top of the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏! 

𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Nebmaatra (throne name for Amenhotep III)

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

Do you like ancient Egyptian jewelry 𓂝𓏏𓍢? Let me know your favorite type!! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Tomb Chapel of Raemkai

This beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 raised relief is part of a much larger tomb chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐 that is on display at the MET. This tomb chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐 belonged to a man named 𓂋𓈖 Raemkai, however, it was originally built for someone else! This was originally built for an official named 𓂋𓈖 Neferiretnes, and he either fell out of favor or his family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 could no longer care for the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 so it was then repurposed for Raemkai! 

Tomb Chapel of Raemkai
These two women are personifications of various cities, as indicated by the hieroglyphs which accompany the images. This raised relief is from the tomb chapel of Raemkai at the MET.

The tomb chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐 is where family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 members of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would leave offerings for their loved ones. This tomb chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐 also typically contains a False Door. False Doors served as ways for the living relatives to make offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The False Door acted as a link between the land of the living and the land of the dead.

This particular relief is from the east 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭 wall of the tomb chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐 which shows a total of twenty-two 𓎆𓎆𓏻 women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪 carrying baskets of various goods on their heads. These woman are not servants, which can be inferred by the sophisticated types of jewelry 𓂝𓏏𓍢 they are wearing: broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝𓏦, bracelets 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛𓏪, anklets, and even very fancy wigs 𓄿𓂋𓏏𓁸𓏦! 

These twenty-two 𓎆𓎆𓏻 women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪 are actually personifications of various places; both Egyptian and foreign. The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 next to each woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 names the village or estates that they represent! We know that these are names of locations/villages due to the “𓊖” determinative hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 that appears at the end of each word! The “𓊖” is the determinative for village/city! 

I love this tomb chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐, but it is so hard to take good pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 due to the lightning!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Gilded Wooden Coffin

The British Museum has so many different sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏦 in their collection that it was almost overwhelming trying to see everything! I loved getting to see all of the different types of coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪/sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏦!

Gilded Wooden Coffin
A wooden coffin at the British Museum that was once fully covered in gold leaf. This was a popular way to make coffins seem like they were made of solid gold in ancient Egypt!

This particular sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭, or it is better defined as a “mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾” due to its human appearance instead of an oval or rectangular shape. These mummiform coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 are usually made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 with a gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf overlay. This is a really cool ancient Egyptian “trick” because the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf makes it look like the sarcophagus 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is made of pure gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 when it is not! Gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 is classified as a metal which means it is extremely malleable. Malleability is the ability of a metal to be hammered into very thin sheets. The gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf overlaying this sarcophagus 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is probably thinner than aluminum foil! 

I love pieces like this that are a little “worn” because it allows you a deeper look into the processes by which they were made! There is a hole in the forehead, which is where the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 would be and the missing gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf allows the underlying wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 to be seen. The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 have stood the test of time and are still striking! 

There are three 𓏼 common ways to write “coffin” or “sarcophagus” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. There are definitely other variants, but this is what I have come across most often! 

𓅱𓇋𓀾 – The Mummiform Coffin, which usually takes on a human shape

𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 – A coffin, usually made of wood (hence the determinative for “wood 𓆱” in the word) 

𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 – A sarcophagus, usually made of stone in a rectangular or oval shape. 

This is where translating English and Middle Egyptian together can be a tiny bit difficult because we tend to use all of these words interchangeably in English!