This large piece at the MET is referred to as a βDoorjamb from a Temple of Rameses II.β Basically, that means these blocks came from a gateway at a temple that was built in honor of one of Rameses IIβsΒ π³ππ§π³ππΒ royal jubilees.Β
The offering scene that is on the doorjamb is Rameses II π³ππ§π³ππ making an offering to the god πΉ Ptah-Tatanen πͺπππ―, who was the patron god πΉ of the jubilee. Ptah-Tatanen πͺπππ― is a combination of the deities πΉπΉπΉ Ptah πͺπππ± (the creator god πΉ) and Tatanen π―, a lesser known deity who was the personification of the primordial mound that rose during the Egyptian creation myth. Tatanen π― is often compared to Geb π ππ (the god πΉ of the Earth πΎπΎ), however Tatanen π― is often associated with things that come from the interior of the Earth πΎπΎ such as minerals, rocks πππππ¦, and plants πΎπ°π°π°!
So Geb π ππ is the Earthβs πΎπΎ surface (The Upper Earth), while Tatanen π― is the Earthβs πΎπΎ interior (The Lower Earth)! As a geologist, I love how the ancient Egyptians πππππͺ were able to make this distinction between the spheres of the Earth πΎπΎ in their mythology! They also recognized the atmosphere (another sphere of the Earth πΎπΎ) as the god πΉ Shu ππ ±π! Itβs all so impressive to me!
Ptah-Tatanen πͺπππ― in hieroglyphs πΉππͺ is broken down like this:
πͺππ – Ptah (spelled out with phonogram symbols)
π― – Tatanen (the determinative/ideogram)
Ptahβs πͺπππ± determinative was basically replaced with the determinative for Tatanen π― to make the godβs πΉ name ππ!
Can you spot Ptah-Tatanen πͺπππ― in the inscription on the doorjamb???
(Also Rameses IIIβs π³ππ§πππ π cartouches appear on this too on the bottom of the doorjamb – he clearly usurped this piece for his own use and didnβt change all of the cartouches!)