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Reading Hieroglyphs

Nephthys in Hieroglyphs

The name of the goddess “Nephthys” from the coffin of Khnumnakht

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! These hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are from the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 Coffin π“‹΄π“…±π“Ž›π“π“†± of Khnumnakht, an individual who lived during the 12th-13th Dynasties (c. 1850-1750 B.C.E.).

Today, our inscription very simply reads β€œπ“‰ ,” which is the shortened version of the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Nephthys 𓉠!

This type of symbol that is used in Nephthys’ 𓉠 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– is called a Composite Hieroglyph. A Composite Hieroglyphic symbol is a symbol that is the combination of multiple symbols into a single glyph.

The three 𓏼 symbols β€œπ“ŽŸπ“π“‰—β€ can be combined to make the β€œπ“‰ β€ symbol, which is not only the crown that Nephthys wears 𓉠, but a space saver when writing out hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!

Nephthys’ 𓉠 title was β€œMistress of the House π“ŽŸπ“π“‰π“Ί.” If you look, even the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ for β€œMistress of the House π“ŽŸπ“π“‰π“Ί,” are very similar to her name (𓉠)! Both 𓉐and 𓉗 are part of the symbols that relate to β€œStructures and their Parts;” I love when it is all connected!

Her name π“‚‹π“ˆ– could also be written as π“ŽŸπ“π“‰—π“π“’π“―π“†— or more commonly as 𓉠𓏏𓆇.

In statuary and funerary art, the crown on her head 𓁢𓏺 is one of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ that is used in her name (𓉠), which makes Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 very easy to identify in tomb art/funerary art.