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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Cartouches of Thutmosis III from Elephantine

Today I am standing with a relief which contains the cartouches of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 from Elephantine π“‹π“ƒ€π“ƒ°π“…±π“ŽΆπ“ˆŠ! Elephantine π“‹π“ƒ€π“ƒ°π“…±π“ŽΆπ“ˆŠ is an island π“‡Ύπ“ˆ…π“Ί on the Nile River π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί, and it forms part of the city of Aswan π“‹΄π“ƒΉπ“ˆ–π“Œπ“²π“Š– in Upper Egypt 𓇓! According to ancient Egyptian religion, Elephantine π“‹π“ƒ€π“ƒ°π“…±π“ŽΆπ“ˆŠ was where the god π“ŠΉ Khnum π“ŽΈπ“π“€­ lived and he controlled the waters π“ˆ— of the Nile π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί from caves beneath the island π“‡Ύπ“ˆ…π“Ί!Β 

The Temple of Satet 𓋴𓍿𓏏𓄝𓉐 (or Satis 𓋴𓄝𓏏𓏏𓀭) is on the island π“‡Ύπ“ˆ…π“Ί of Elephantine π“‹π“ƒ€π“ƒ°π“…±π“ŽΆπ“ˆŠ and while it began to be built during the pre-dynastic period, it was rebuilt several times, most notably during the reign π“‹Ύπ“ˆŽπ“ of Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ, and then the reign π“‹Ύπ“ˆŽπ“ of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣. They both mostly expanded the temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ and made it much larger. The relief I am standing with is from that temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰!Β 

Cartouches of Thutmosis III
Me with a relief from the Temple at Elephantine, which shows the cartouches of the 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Thutmosis III.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! Two 𓏻 of Thutmosis III’s cartouches π“ π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“·π“¦ appear on this relief, so let’s take a closer look at each of them! We are going to look at the throne name (𓇳𓏠𓆣) first! 

𓇳𓏠𓆣 Menkhepperra β€œLasting is the Manifestation of Re” 

𓇳 – Re 

𓏠 – Lasting

𓆣 – Manifestation

Let’s look at the birth name cartouche π“ π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“·! It’s hard to see which variant is in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 but I think it’s this one: 

π“…π“„Ÿπ“Šƒπ“„€π“†£ – Thutmosis III (Thoth is Born, Beautiful of Form)

𓅝 – Thoth

π“„Ÿπ“Šƒ – Born

π“„€ – Beautiful 

𓆣 – Form

Underneath the cartouches, this famous phrase β€œπ“‹Ήπ“Š½π“Œ€π“‡³π“Ίπ“‡β€ appears: 

π“‹Ή – Life 

π“Š½ – Stability 

π“Œ€ – Strength 

𓇳 – Ra

𓏇 – Like

This translates to β€œLife, Stability, and Strength Like Ra.” The extra β€œπ“Ίβ€ is there as an aesthetic placeholder!Β All pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 wanted to be like Ra, so it is a fitting phrase to be put after the name of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.