The Horus Name of Pharaoh Hatshepsut

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

While the throne name and birth name are the two 𓏻 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 that appear most often in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥, today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the Horus Name of my favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪! The Horus Name is one of five 𓏾 ways to write the name 𓂋𓈖 of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and it is the oldest way to do so. The purpose of the Horus Name was to identify the king 𓇓 as an earthly representation of the god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭. This helped to legitimize their rule 𓈎𓏏𓋾, especially if the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 wasn’t necessarily “in line” for the throne. 

Usually the Horus Name will appear in a Serekh, however that’s not the case here! The Falcon Horus 𓅃 is usually standing on top of a palace facade 𓊁 which enclosed the name 𓂋𓈖 but that is missing here probably due to spacing issues! The ancient Egyptians will always put aesthetics before grammar! Instead, 𓋹𓅃 or “Living Horus” is written to indicate the Horus Name! Again, “𓋹𓅃 Living Horus” really tells everyone that Hatshepsut herself is the god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭, just here on Earth 𓇾𓇾. 

Let’s take a look at Hatshepsut’s Horus Name! 

𓄊𓋴𓏏𓂓𓂓𓂓 – Wosretkau or Useretkau 

Let’s break down the meaning of the name:

𓄊𓋴𓏏 – Powerful, Mighty, Strong (this is the female version; male version is 𓄊𓋴). 

𓂓𓂓𓂓 – Kas (Souls) 

“Wosretkau” translates to “The Mighty of the Kas” or “The Mighty of the Souls.”

Let’s break down the hieroglyphic symbols 𓊹𓌃𓏪:

The “head and neck of a jackal 𓄊” symbol is a triliteral phonogram and represents the sound “wsr” or “usr.” 

The “folded cloth 𓋴” is a uniliteral phonogram for “s.”

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.” It also functions as the ideogram for the word “bread 𓏏𓏺” and can be used to make words feminine! 

The “𓂓 two arms” symbol is a biliteral phonogram for the sound “ka,” and also functions as an ideogram for the same. The word “ka” has been translated into our modern languages as “soul.” 

I think that is such a cool name 𓂋𓈖 to have! This name 𓂋𓈖 has only been recorded in a couple of places, including the Stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 at the Vatican (pictured), the Obelisk 𓉶 at Karnak, and on a couple of statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 from Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐 (one of these is at the MET). 

Here’s a post about Hatshepsut’s Birth Name

Here’s a post about Hatshepsut’s Throne Name