Month: March 2024

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Egyptian Artifacts

Shu

Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was the god π“ŠΉ of the air and atmosphere but was also associated with sunlight 𓆄𓅱𓇢! In the Egyptian creation myth, Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 raised the atmosphere from the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface, separating the two 𓏻 from each other!

Shu
A small faience statue of the god Shu in his characteristic pose!

Shu 𓇋𓅱 is usually depicted as a man standing or kneeling with both of his arms raised (like this hieroglyphic symbol – 𓁏). His arms are in this position to show that he is holding up the air/atmosphere above the ground! Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was often worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀒 by sailors, who were looking for favorable winds π“‡‹π“‡¬π“ˆ–π“…±π“Š‘π“¦!

Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was the consort of Tefnut π“π“†‘π“ˆ–π“π“†—, who is a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ associated with moisture. In some mythology, Shu 𓇋𓅱 and Tefnut π“π“†‘π“ˆ–π“π“†— produced Geb 𓅬𓃀𓀭 (god π“ŠΉ of the Earth 𓇾𓇾) and Nut π“Œπ“π“‡―π“€­ (goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of the sky π“Œπ“π“‡―). In the Pyramid Texts, the clouds are even mentioned as β€œthe bones of Shu.”  

The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– β€œShu 𓆄𓅱” can actually mean β€œHe Who Rises Up,” β€œEmptiness 𓆄𓅱𓅨,” or β€œSunlight 𓆄𓅱𓇢/𓆄𓅱𓇳” too! In Middle Egyptian, these words were also pronounced like β€œShu,” except they have different determinatives which changes the meaning of the word!

I’m fascinated by the fact that both β€œempty 𓆄𓅱𓅨” and β€œShu 𓆄𓅱” are the same because we can’t see the atmosphere so what is above/all around us appears to be empty 𓆄𓅱𓅨 but it’s not – and the ancient Egyptians knew that!Β It’s incredible the insight that mythology can give us into the thoughts of the ancient Egyptians!

This faience π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό piece is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (332–30 B.C.E.).Β 

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

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Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Water Clocks

β€œWhat time is it” is such a common question and the ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ wondered it too! The ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ were masters of math and science π“‚‹π“π“π“œ and one of their long lasting contributions to the world was the first clock – which was a sundial π“¬π“π“ŠŒ (also known as a shadow clock)! The sundial π“¬π“π“ŠŒ was the first portable time keeping device!Β 

Water Clocks

These two pieces pictured are also clocks except these are known as water clocks π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“…±π“ƒ». The water clock π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“…±π“ƒ» is the first clock that didn’t depend on an astronomical object to tell the time! The oldest water clock π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“…±π“ƒ» known was found in the tomb π“‡‹π“‡©π“Šƒπ“‰ of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep I π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ(c. 1500 B.C.E.). The Greeks even adopted the use of water clocks π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“…±π“ƒ»π“ͺ around 325 B.C.E. and named them β€œclepsydras” which translates to β€œwater thieves.” 

A water clock π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“…±π“ƒ» is a vessel/vase that has a hole at the bottom that allowed water π“ˆ— to drip through at a slow pace. Water clocks π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“…±π“ƒ»π“ͺ were usually used to tell time at night π“ŽΌπ“‚‹π“Ž›π“„›, but they might have been used during the day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 too. The water π“ˆ— was drained from the vessel after twelve π“Ž†π“» hours, and then it could be refilled and be used again! Markings on the side helped to keep more accurate time! 

These two water clocks π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“…±π“ƒ»π“ͺ were probably used in a temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰. They both depict baboons because the god π“ŠΉ Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 could take the form of a baboon. Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 was not only the inventor of hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ and the god π“ŠΉ of knowledge π“‚‹π“π“π“œ, but his many other duties included being an overseer of measurement! 

Both of the water clocks π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“…±π“ƒ»π“ͺ are made of faience π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό. The blue/green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 one dated to the 4th Century B.C.E. (Late Period) while the tan colored one is dated to 664–30 B.C.E. (Late-Ptolemaic Periods). 

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

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Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

The Amarna Letters

The β€œAmarna Letters” is the modern designation for a group of over 300 𓏲𓏲𓏲 clay tablets that were found at Tell el-Amarna, Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– in the 1880s. Amarna as it is commonly called, is the modern name for β€œAkhetaten π“ˆŒπ“π“‰π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“Š–.” β€œAkhetaten π“ˆŒπ“π“‰π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“Š–β€ was the capital of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– during the reign π“‹Ύ of Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…žπ“π“ˆ–.Β 

Amarna Letters
Two of the clay tablets, designed as the “Amarna Letters” on display at the MET.

The β€œAmarna Letters” are written on clay tablets in cuneiform script, which was a type of Mesopotamian script! Cuneiform could be used to write many languages, but the language on the β€œAmarna Letters’” tablets is Akkadian. This is significant because it shows the reach that cuneiform/Akkadian had throughout the ancient world! Akkadian was probably the lingua franca (common language/trade language) of the time! 

Most of the letters are written from rulers outside of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, and they document diplomatic relations between these territories and Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–. 

The Amarna Letter on the left is from Ashur-uballit the king of Assyria. In this letter he offers gifts to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…žπ“π“ˆ– in order to open communications between the two countries! 

The Amarna Letter on the right is from Abi-milku of Tyre to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…žπ“π“ˆ– . Abi-milku was asking Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– for protection in return for his loyalty to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…žπ“π“ˆ–!

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

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