Month: March 2023

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Pendura and Nefertari

This is a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 my Nonno took at the Museo Egizio in Torino, Italy. That is the main reason why I love this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 so much; I love seeing Egyptian artifacts through the eyes of my Nonno! I wish I could have visited the Museo Egizio with him!

Statue of Pendura and Nefertari
Statue of Pendura and Nefertari at the Museo Egizio in Torino, Italy

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 depicts Pendura, a scribe 𓏟𓀀 and his wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 Nefertari. This is a very typical “couples statue,” which is a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 that depicts a husband 𓉔𓄿𓇌𓂺𓀀 and wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 embracing 𓇋𓆛𓈖𓎛𓀜. They are both also wearing stylish wigs 𓄿𓂋𓏏𓁸𓏦. 

If you look closely in between Pendura and Nefertari, you can see one of their daughters 𓅭𓏏𓏥 carved into the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾.  The back of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 contains invocations to the gods, including Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤, Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺, Mut 𓏏𓅑𓁐, Khonsu 𓐍𓈖𓇓𓅱𓀯, and Atum 𓇋𓏏𓂟𓀭. 

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 was found at Deir el-Medina, and was originally located in a funeral chapel. The funeral chapel would be where family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 members left offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, as those offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 would help to sustain their kas 𓂓𓂓𓂓 (souls). This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is dated to the 19th Dynasty reign 𓈎𓏏𓋾 of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓.

Categories
Video

Video – Egyptian Amulets and Molds

This video reveals the “secret” to how the ancient Egyptians were able to make so many amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 that were so small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 and detailed – they used molds! These molds are typically made of terracotta and allowed artists to not only mass produce amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, but also make the amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 small and detailed! 

The amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 that you see in the video  are grapes, daisy/rosette, Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗, Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜, the Eye of Horus 𓅃𓀭, the Eye of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛, various types of plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰, scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪, and then some rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦! I didn’t point them out in the video, but see if you can spot the frogs 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏𓏦!!

Lets’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! See if you can spot these in the video!!

𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Nebmaatra (throne name for Amenhotep III)

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 – Amenhotep III (birth name)

𓇓𓈞𓏏 – King’s Great Wife

𓍘𓇌𓏭- Tiye 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

The Vulture Hieroglyph

Lets’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a symbol that is used a lot in hieroglyphic writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥 and inscriptions 𓎘𓅱𓎖. There are multiple uses for the “vulture 𓅐,” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃, so let’s get started! 

Vulture Hieroglyph
The Vulture Hieroglyph in sunken relief, from a sarcophagus at the MET

The “vulture 𓅐” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 is usually a triliteral phonogram and represents the sounds “mjt/mwt.” In modern times, we infer that this would be pronounced like “mut.” However, the “vulture 𓅐” can also represent the sounds “mt” or “mjjwt” as well.

The “vulture 𓅐” is also used as a determinative in the word for “vulture 𓈖𓂋𓅐,” and any words that have a root of “nr.” 

One of the more popular uses for the “vulture 𓅐” is in the word for “mother.” There are multiple variants for “mother” in Middle Egyptian/hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, so let’s take a look:

𓅐𓏏𓁐

𓅐𓏏𓏏𓁐

𓅐𓏏

𓅐𓅆𓆇

𓅐𓏏𓐎

𓅐𓏏𓁐𓅆

All of these words would be pronounced like “mut,” despite the fact that some have differing symbols! However, even with spelling differences, all of the symbols will still write out “mut!”

The word for “mother” also appears in royal titles: 

𓇓𓅐 – King’s Mother 

𓅐𓏏𓊹 – God’s Mother (can be in reference to the mother of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, or to the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥)

The word for “mother” also appears in names 𓂋𓈖𓏦: 

𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑 – Duamutef (jackal headed Son of Horus that guarded the stomach. His name 𓂋𓈖 means “He Who Worships His Mother.”)

𓌢𓈖𓅐 / 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 – Senemut (Hatshepsut’s most trusted advisor. His name means “Mother’s Brother.”) 

For some reason when I am writing hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 myself, I sometimes get the “vulture 𓅐” and the “Egyptian vulture 𓄿” mixed up! A lot of the bird symbols look similar, which I why I think that happens to me! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Hedgehog Amulet

I think hedgehogs 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛𓏪 are such cute little animals!! I love tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 things, so a hedgehog 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 is perfect for me because both hedgehogs 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛𓏪 and amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩! This particular blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 hedgehog 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛 is from the Petrie Museum in London! Plus, I think hedgehogs 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛𓏪 are such cute animals!

Hedgehog Amulet
A blue faience hedgehog amulet at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology in London

The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 used amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 a lot in both their daily life and afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! No matter who was wearing it, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 had the same function: to invoke magical protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the wearer! Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 could represent gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏, everyday objects, hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰, animals, and many other things! While many amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were usually placed on mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 to help the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 on their journey to the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife), amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 could also be worn by the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 too! 

In ancient Egypt, the hedgehog 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛 was associated with rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱, which is a concept central to the ancient Egyptian religion. This association occurred because when food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 is scarce, hedgehogs 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛𓏪 will retreat into their underground burrows for long periods of time. Hedgehogs 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛𓏪 only re-emerge from their burrows during times of food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 abundance. This disappearing/appearing pattern strongly correlated with the concept of rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 to the ancient Egyptians. 

Hedgehog 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were placed in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 in order to invoke rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. Hedgehog 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were also thought to provide protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 against snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 bites. Most hedgehog 𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are dated to the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom, with their popularity peaking around the 18th Dynasty. 

“Hedgehog” can be written in two 𓏻 ways in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪: 

𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭

𓎛𓈖𓏏𓏭𓄛

Categories
Blog

Eid Mar – Beware the Ides of March!

Beware the Ides of March (aka Eid Mar)!! Today is a non-Egypt post, but it’s about something that is very special and meaningful to my Nonno. I wish you all could have seen his face light up every time he spoke about this coin and the history behind it.

Not only did my Nonno love ancient Egypt and Rome, he had a passion for numismatics (the study of coins/paper money). He particularly loved Roman coins, and knew so much about them. The coin pictured (which is a replica of the original and made into a necklace) was his absolute favorite. He would speak about this coin – The EID MAR Denarius – often; he even kept a picture of the coin in his wallet. That’s how much he loved it. Nonno would often tell me and my sister about how Julius Caesar was murdered. It was a story he loved to share; talk about cool bedtime stories!!! 

Eid Mar Coin
Brutus on the obverse (front of the coin)
Eid Mar Coin
Eid Mar with two daggers and the liberty cap on the reverse (back of the coin)

On March 15th, 44 B.C.E, Brutus (on the obverse [front] of the coin) and his co-conspirators (who called themselves The Liberators) stabbed Julius Caesar over 30 times with daggers that they had hidden in their clothes. They believed that they would free the Roman Republic from the threat of tyranny if they could remove Julius Caesar from power. That was not the case – the public was fond of Caesar and even Marc Antony condemned Brutus and the Liberators’ actions.  Brutus was forced to leave Rome with his army. 

The EID MAR coin is so historically significant and is considered the greatest ancient coin of all time because it proves the fact that Brutus was involved with the assassination of Julius Caesar. Brutus issued the coin to remind his soldiers that they fought for the Roman Republic. The reverse side of the coin has two daggers, with the liberty cap (ancient symbol of freedom) in the middle. EID MAR is written underneath. Interestingly, people who were still alive usually didn’t appear on coins – in fact, Brutus hated that Caesar had put his own portrait on coins! 

It was Nonno’s dream to own one of these coins, but there are only about 80 of the silver coins and two of the gold versions that are known, which makes them extremely valuable. 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

A “Ushabti Army”

I refer to this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 as the “Ushabti Army” – it’s no secret how much I absolutely love ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 (all thanks to how much my Nonno loved them)! 

Ushabti Army
A “Ushabti Army” at the Vatican Museum!

My Nonno took this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 when we were at the Vatican Museum together 𓈖𓊗! Sometimes it takes me a while to want to share my Nonno’s pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 because I’m selfish and want to keep them to myself, but I also want to share his pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 with everyone so we can all remember him together 𓈖𓊗. I guess it’s all a balance. Plus, his birthday is this week, so I am very sad about that because I miss my Nonno so much. 

So why did a deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person have a “Ushabti Army?” People who could afford it were buried with over 400 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 ushabtis  𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪! Usually there were 365 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓏾 worker ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 (one for each day of the year) and then overseer ushabtis! The overseers ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were there to make sure all of the others were doing their work! 

The ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 are made of clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇/terracotta. During the 3rd Intermediate Period, these materials replaced the popular stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 or faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪. So many ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 have been found from this time period that many of them were sold or given to museums around the world 𓇾𓇾. Did you know that there were so many that the Egyptian Museum in Cairo even sold authentic ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 to tourists at one point?! 

Fun Fact: the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 had originally calculated the year to be 365 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓏾 days, and then they revised it to 365.25 days – which is the actual length modern scientists calculated based on the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 revolution around the Sun 𓇳𓏺! How incredible is that?!

Categories
Video

Video – Statues of Isis and Horus

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby is one of the most popular images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the Third Intermediate Period, Late Period and even through the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods.  This video examines the significance of the statues of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭!

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 appeared in bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦, stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪, and even as small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪! My Nonno would always point out these pieces of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby because he felt they were so significant to the evolution of religious art through time. 

While my Nonno loved Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 and Roman art, he also loved Christian/Biblical art, so these Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 were kind of a natural connection between his area of interests! I always make sure to look for statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 like this in museums whenever I visit! 

Symbolically, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was thought to be the mother 𓄿𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and was often associated with motherhood, the protection of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐, and a user of magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜.  As Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 became a more popular religious figure, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans.  Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was widely worshipped during the Roman times, and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby has even appeared on the back of Roman coins.

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a mother 𓄿𓏏𓁐 holding a child 𓐍𓇌𓀕 is thought to have inspired the well known Catholic images of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus as a baby. 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

False Door of Tjetji and Debet

This is an incomplete False Door (right and left panels) and a door jamb (upper panel) from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 and his wife Debet. False Doors are an extremely important part of ancient Egyptian funerary practices. 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.

False Door of Tjetji and Debet
False Door of Tjetji (left) and Debet (right) with their door jamb (top) at the British Museum.

This Large piece is from the 4th Dynasty reign of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑. Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 is one of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 that built the Great Pyramids at Giza, and Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 was clearly part of the action! 

The top panel shows Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 and Debet sitting at an offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃. The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 underneath the offering table show that bread 𓏐,  beer 𓏊, linen 𓋲 and alabaster 𓍱 were offered to them. On either side of the offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 is a palace-facade, which still shows some signs of red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 and black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦. 

Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 (left) has the title of “King’s Acquaintance 𓇓𓂋𓐍𓏏.” The title “King’s Acquaintance 𓇓𓂋𓐍𓏏“ is taken to mean that the person was close to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 is also referred to as the “Overseer of the Pyramid of Khafre 𓅓𓂋(𓇳𓈍𓆑)𓅨𓉴,” so clearly Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 had a lot going on! This is probably why Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 and his wife Debet got such a nice burial! 

On the side with Debet (right) their children’s names 𓂋𓈖𓏥 are all written out! 

Can you spot Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the relief? It shows up quite a few times!! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Senemut and Neferure

This is a beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐 and Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤 – and I love these types of statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 because they were seemingly invented by Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐 himself and also give some insight into this time period!

Senemut and Neferure
A statue of Senemut holding Neferure (The Louvre)

Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐, although not of noble birth, became an extremely important figure during the reign of Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓. Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐 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-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐. Putting a commoner in such a powerful position might have been a strategic move by Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓 – it would pretty much guarantee that he remained loyal to her. But honestly, no one really knows how Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐 climbed the social ranks so dramatically and we probably never will! 

This is a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐 holding Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤, and many of these statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 exist, however, this one is a tiny bit different than some of the other similar statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 I have seen. This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 shows Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤 wrapped in a blanket and being held tight by Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐. Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤 has a Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 on her head (like royalty) and also at her feet. Was this Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 on her head to show that Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 intended for Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤 to rule as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 after her? 

There are many differing theories on Senemut’s relationship with Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓. Many believe (including myself) that they were having an affair. There’s even graffiti from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 builders in some unfinished tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 that show that they too believed that Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓 and Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐 were romantically involved. Gossiping about relationships seems to have always been something that people have done! 

It has even been speculated by some, based off of statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 such as the one I have pictured, that Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐 was actually Neferure’s 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤 father 𓇋𓏏𓀀! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Hatshepsut and International Women’s Day

Yesterday 𓋴𓆑𓇳 was International Womens Day and I didn’t get a chance to post, so I am going to post today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳! This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is ten years 𓎆 old (it’s from 2013) and of course it’s me and Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 at the MET! This gallery looks a little bit different now and the Maned Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is no longer with the White Limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪! Not going to lie, but I love seeing these two 𓏻 together 𓈖𓊗 and I miss the old Gallery 115 setup! 

Hatshepsut and International Women's Day
Me and the Maned Sphinx of Hatshepsut (left) and the White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut (right)

Let’s learn a bit more about my favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, the legendary Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪! Not only was she the most successful female pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 in Egyptian history, she was just one of the most successful pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 ever!

Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 was the first pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 to state her divine conception and birth 𓄟 through images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 and text 𓏟𓏛𓏥 at her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐. Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 story shows that the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 was her father, and this reinforced her right to rule 𓈎𓏏𓋾. These images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 were not available to the public, but only to a select few such as priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 and officials 𓋴𓂋𓀀𓏪 so it probably wasn’t propaganda. 

What caused Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 to want to claim herself as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻? We will probably never know the events that caused this to happen, so anything written by Egyptologists is mostly speculative. Whatever the reasoning, I’m glad that she did become pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 because Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 has been my inspiration ever since I was a little girl and my Nonno taught me about her for the first 𓏃 time! I’ll never forget learning that a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 was the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! Seeing these statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 in the museum give me joy each time!