Month: January 2024

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Sarcophagus of Rameses III

This striking red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ sarcophagus π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­ belonged to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses III π“›π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‹΄π“‹Ύπ“‰Ί. Rameses III π“‡³π“„Šπ“§π“ˆ˜π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– was the second pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 20th Dynasty and he ruled for 32 π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž†π“» turbulent years. His reign was marked by political, economic, and military issues.Β 

The most interesting part about Rameses III’s π“›π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‹΄π“‹Ύπ“‰Ί reign for me is what is known as the β€œHarem Conspiracy” – Rameses III’s π“‡³π“„Šπ“§π“ˆ˜π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– secondary wife, Tiye π“˜π“‡Œπ“­π“, plotted to have Rameses III π“‡³π“„Šπ“§π“ˆ˜π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– killed so her son π“…­ Pentawer π“Šͺπ“ˆ–π“π“„Ώπ“…©π“‚‹π“Ή could become pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 instead of the chosen heir, Rameses IV π“‡³π“„Ÿπ“Šƒπ“Šƒ. While Tiye π“˜π“‡Œπ“­π“ and her conspirators (other high officials) succeeded in killing Rameses III π“›π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‹΄π“‹Ύπ“‰Ί, they did not succeed in establishing Pentawer π“Šͺπ“ˆ–π“π“„Ώπ“…©π“‚‹π“Ή as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.Β  All of the conspirators were caught and put to death and Rameses IV π“‡³π“„Ÿπ“Šƒπ“Šƒ succeeded Rameses III π“›π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‹΄π“‹Ύπ“‰Ί as the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.Β 

Sarcophagus of Rameses III
The Sarcophagus of Rameses III showing details of the goddess Isis.

Here, on the sarcophagus π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­ of Rameses III π“›π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‹΄π“‹Ύπ“‰Ί, Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ is depicted where the feet of the deceased would be placed. Isis’ π“Š¨π“π“₯ sister Nepthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 is usually located where the deceased’s head would be located. Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ is easily recognized in Egyptian art because she is normally shown with the headdress of a throne, π“Š¨, which is also one of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ in her name π“‚‹π“ˆ–. Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ is shown with wings π“‚§π“Œ³π“π“†ƒπ“¦ and sitting on the hieroglyph π“ŠΉπ“Œƒ for β€œgold π“‹ž.” 

Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ is known as a devoted wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 and mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐, but was also associated with resurrection π“„Ÿπ“Ώπ“…± due to her role in piecing her brother/husband Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ back together after he was dismembered by their brother Seth π“Šƒπ“π“„‘π“£. She is the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Horus π“…ƒπ“€­, who was magically conceived after Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ brought Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ back to life π“‹Ή. 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.Β 

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Categories
Blog

Revenge of the Mummy

I found this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 from 2004 and it was too good to not share!! As everyone knows, my absolute favorite movie is The Mummy and it was so exciting when the Revenge of the Mummy ride opened at Universal Studios!! One of the ways the ride was promoted was a Statue of Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 at City Walk!!Β 

Revenge of the Mummy
Me standing in front of the Statue of Anubis at Universal Studios Orlando to celebrate the opening of the Revenge of the Mummy ride.

I was about 12 years old in this picture (can you believe I was reading hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ) and finding this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 brought back the memories of how excited I was to see the Statue of Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 because it was exactly like the one in the movie! I wish this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 was still at Universal Studios! 

Here is some hieroglyphic vocabulary that is associated with β€œThe Mummy”:

π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ – Imhotep

π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 – Anubis

𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 – Book of the Dead

𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 – Mummy

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί – Amun-Ra

𓐍π“Šͺ𓂋𓂋𓆣 – Scarab

I wish this statue was still there – I still don’t know why they would remove such an incredible recreation of a beloved movie prop!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.Β 

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Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Imhotep and Khereduankh

Today, let’s talk about some of the stories that surround Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ – including his mother! Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ was a real man that lived during Egypt’s π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– third dynasty (around 2700 B.C.E.) during the reign π“‹Ύπ“ˆŽπ“ of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Djoser 𓂦𓂋. While Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ is best known for being the architect of Djoser’s Step Pyramid (and Egypt’s first ever pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴), he was also a high priest π“ŠΉπ“› of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛! After his death, Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ became one of the few non-royal Egyptians to be deified.Β 

Imhotep and Khereduankh
Imhotep and Khereduankh on display at the MET

There is not much that is known about Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ as a person while he was alive; most of what we know about Imhotep was written at the earliest 1,200 years after his death! Referred to as β€œSebayt π“‹΄π“ƒ€π“‡Όπ“„Ώπ“‡Œπ“π“›β€ in Middle Egyptian, these β€œinstructions” or β€œteachings” refer to Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ as a great physician and a writer! One text from the 20th Dynasty called β€œEulogy of Dead Writers” even states β€œIs there another like Imhotep?” 

Most statues of Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ are made of bronze and are dated to the Ptolemaic Period, because that was when Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ was widely worshipped. Imhotep’s π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ mother, Khereduankh, even had statues made of her (she is on the right in my picture). Khereduankh is usually depicted as a seated woman wearing a short wig and the feathered crown with two Uraei 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗π“ͺ.Β 

Imhotep and Khereduankh
Imhotep and Khereduankh on display at the MET

There are even stories written about Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ, Khereduankh, Renpetneferet (his sister or wife depending on the story), and Djoser 𓂦𓂋! This story was written in Demotic on papyrus, and even includes Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ battling an Assyrian sorceress! Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ really could do everything! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.Β 

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Categories
Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Statue of Cleopatra VII

I’m going to make my first post of 2024 about one of my Nonno’s absolute favorite people from Egyptian history – Cleopatra VII! Even though Cleopatra VII π“ˆŽπ“ƒ­π“‡‹π“―π“Šͺ𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 was Greek, she is considered to be the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–.Β 

Cleopatra VII

One of the interesting features about this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is that on her forehead there are three Uraei 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗π“ͺ instead of the standard two! During the Ptolemaic Period, rulers π“ˆŽπ“π“‹Ύπ“ͺ had three Uraei 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗π“ͺ on their forehead, with the third possibly representing the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯. 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! The cartouche π“ π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“· seen on the shoulder is actually a later addition and not an original part of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾, so Egyptologists do not know if this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 was originally meant to represent Cleopatra VII π“ˆŽπ“ƒ­π“‡‹π“―π“Šͺ𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇!Β 

Cleopatra VII

The picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above shows the birth name cartouche π“ π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“· of Cleopatra VII π“ˆŽπ“ƒ­π“‡‹π“―π“Šͺ𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇! Since Cleopatra VII π“ˆŽπ“ƒ­π“‡‹π“―π“Šͺ𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 was Greek and not native Egyptian, this cartouche π“ π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“· of hers is very phonetic – most of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ used are uniliteral signs, which means that they correspond to a single sound, just like a letter in the alphabet.

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is made out of limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ and is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (200-30 B.C.E.). 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.Β 

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!