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Egyptian Artifacts

Roman-Egyptian Limestone Stela

(from left) The Pharaoh, Anubis and a Goddess (inferred to be Hathor)

This limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ from the Roman Period is an interesting piece! Let’s take a closer look!

The stela depicts π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 (left) holding a sistrum π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£ and and offering a cloth 𓍱 to Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 (middle) and a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ (right). The pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 is wearing the Atef Crown π“‹š. The Atef Crown π“‹š is usually associated with the god π“ŠΉ Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­.

Right next to the pharaoh’s 𓉐𓉻 head 𓁢𓏺 in the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ you can just see a cartouche which simply says (𓉐𓉻) or pharaoh! The emperor Augustus usually wrote his cartouche as (𓉐𓉻), however many other rulers during this time period did too so we can’t necessarily say for sure that it is Augustus that is depicted!

Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is shown wearing the double crown π“‹– of both Upper 𓇓 and Lower 𓆀 Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, which is cool because Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 usually isn’t depicted with a crown on his head 𓁢𓏺 in more traditional Egyptian art. During the Greek and Roman Periods, Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 was regarded as the β€œconquerer of death” and β€œcompanion/escort of the dead” and was very popular! Both Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 and the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ are holding Ankhs π“‹Ήπ“‹Ήπ“‹Ή in their hands.

The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ isn’t in the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ, however, I think the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ depicted is Hathor 𓉑 because the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 is holding a sistrum π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£, and sistrums π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£π“ͺ are associated with Hathor 𓉑. Plus, Hathor 𓉑 was also a popular goddess π“ŠΉπ“ to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀒 during this time period. I’m sure others have their interpretations as well, this is just mine!