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Reading Hieroglyphs

Anubis and his Common Title

Here is a close up of an inscription π“Ÿπ“›π“₯ from a sarcophagus π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­ at the MET! While this is only part of the inscription π“Ÿπ“›π“₯, it is my favorite part! It’s my favorite because this is the part of the inscription that is the dedication to Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣! Whenever I see Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– in the inscriptions π“Ÿπ“›π“₯ I get really excited – as if I’m seeing a celebrity!

Lets’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!

π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓃣 – Anubis
𓁢π“Šͺπ“ˆ‹π“Ίπ“†‘ Upon His Hill

This inscription can also be written as: π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 π“Άπ“Ίπ“ˆ‹π“†‘. If you notice, on the sarcophagus π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­, Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– is missing the β€œπ“…±β€ hieroglyph π“ŠΉπ“Œƒ! Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– might have been pronounced β€œInpw,” but here it’s written just as β€œInp!”

Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– Can be written many different ways! Here are some common variations:
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓃣
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺπ“…±
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓁒
𓃣
𓃀
𓁒

Much like in English and other languages, the same words could have different spellings! In ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, most of the time the different spellings had to do with the space that was available on the piece that was being inscribed!

β€œUpon His Hill 𓁢π“Šͺπ“ˆ‹π“Ίπ“†‘β€ refers to Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 role as the protector of the tombs and cemeteries. Most of the time, tombs/cemeteries we’re surrounded by cliffs, hence the title! It could also be translated as β€œUpon His Mountain.”