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Egyptian Artifacts

Early Dynastic Animal Statuettes

We are going back to the Early Dynastic Period today π“‡π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‡³! I love anything to do with Egyptian hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦!!!

This calcite 𓍱 hippopotamus π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ― and faience π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ are dated c. 3100–2649 B.C.E and are from Abydos π“‹π“ƒ€π“ˆ‹π“Š–. The hippopotamus π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ― figure was found near a shrine π“π“Šƒπ“…“π“‚œπ“‰ and was most likely an offering π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the deity π“ŠΉ Khentiamentiu 𓃒𓏃𓏠𓄿. 

Khentiamentiu 𓃒𓏃𓏠𓄿 is an early jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯ headed deity π“ŠΉ whose name π“‚‹π“ˆ– means β€œForemost of the Westerners.” We know that phrase because later on it was commonly used as a title of Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓁒 before it then became Osiris’ π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ title! Before the popularity of Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­, Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓁒 was the chief god π“ŠΉ of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, which is why it was his title first! The temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ at Abydos π“‹π“ƒ€π“ˆ‹π“Š– which was originally dedicated to Khentiamentiu 𓃒𓏃𓏠𓄿 then solely became dedicated to Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ during the First Intermediate Period. 

Hippopotamuses π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ and crocodiles π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œπ“¦ were both feared and revered along the Nile π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί because while they were very dangerous animals, little figurines like these (and then later on, amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ) could offer protection π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ to the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 or the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀π“ͺ. This is why hippopotamuses π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ and crocodiles π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œπ“¦ are very common to see in early Egyptian art! The hippo π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ― is also seen as a symbol of fertility.