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Reading Hieroglyphs

Offering Table Dedicated to the God Seth

This piece is a large offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅑𓄿𓋃 that was dedicated to the god π“ŠΉ Seth π“Šƒπ“π“„‘π“£ by the 19th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠.

There is a lot going on with this piece! On the reliefs, Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 can be seen worshipping thegod Seth π“Šƒπ“π“„‘π“£, whose likeness has been erased. During the Ramesside time period, many pharaohs had β€œSeth” as part of their name π“‚‹π“ˆ– because Seth’s π“Šƒπ“π“„‘π“£ status was elevated at the time due to him being both a powerful aggressor and being associated with foreign lands. Once Seth π“Šƒπ“π“„‘π“£ fell out of favor, his name π“‚‹π“ˆ–/images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 were no longer used. Seth’s image is even removed, except for when he is mentioned in Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 name π“‚‹π“ˆ–! The image of the goddess π“ŠΉπ“Nephthys π“ŽŸπ“π“‰—π“π“‰π“ has not been erased, because even though she is the consort of Seth π“Šƒπ“π“„‘π“£, she was considered a favorable figure in Egyptian mythology.

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

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, we see Seti I’s Horus Name: π“…ƒπ“ƒ’π“‚‘π“…“π“ˆπ“‹†π“‹΄π“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“ˆ™π“ˆ™ β€œThe Strong bull who appeared in Thebes and sustains the Two Lands.” 

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, we see Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 making an offering π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the goddess π“ŠΉπ“Nephthys π“ŽŸπ“π“‰—π“π“‰π“ (her name π“‚‹π“ˆ– is written above her), who is the consort of Seth π“Šƒπ“π“„‘π“£. We can also see Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 titles and cartouches: 

π“†₯ – King of Upper and Lower Egypt 

π“ŽŸπ“‡Ώπ“‡Ώ – Lord of the Two Lands

(𓇳𓁦𓏠) – Menmaatra (throne name)

(π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“£π“‡Œπ“ŒΈπ“ˆ–) – Seti, Beloved of Ptah (birth name)

𓏙 – Given

𓆖 – Eternity

In the next picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 (above) we see the cartouches again, and Seti worshipping Seth. The hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ translate to:

𓏙 – Given

π“‹Ή – Life

𓆑 – His

π“Š½ – Stability

π“Œ€ – Strength

So all together, the inscription reads: “π“™π“‹Ήπ“†‘π“Š½π“Œ€ Given Life, His Stability and Strength.”

The last picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 (above) is another variant of the Horus name! 

I always find pieces such as these so fascinating, because upon first look, it looks like just a large slab of rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™. But in reality, there is so much to analyze and unpack when it comes to the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 and the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ, and how they relate to the time period, and even the time periods that came long after this piece was made. While it was made during the 19th Dynasty (reign of Seti I π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“£π“‡Œπ“ŒΈπ“ˆ–), it was definitely altered afterwards.