The Vulture Hieroglyph

Lets’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a symbol that is used a lot in hieroglyphic writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥 and inscriptions 𓎘𓅱𓎖. There are multiple uses for the “vulture 𓅐,” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃, so let’s get started! 

The “vulture 𓅐” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 is usually a triliteral phonogram and represents the sounds “mjt/mwt.” In modern times, we infer that this would be pronounced like “mut.” However, the “vulture 𓅐” can also represent the sounds “mt” or “mjjwt” as well.

The “vulture 𓅐” is also used as a determinative in the word for “vulture 𓈖𓂋𓅐,” and any words that have a root of “nr.” 

One of the more popular uses for the “vulture 𓅐” is in the word for “mother.” There are multiple variants for “mother” in Middle Egyptian/hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, so let’s take a look:

𓅐𓏏𓁐

𓅐𓏏𓏏𓁐

𓅐𓏏

𓅐𓅆𓆇

𓅐𓏏𓐎

𓅐𓏏𓁐𓅆

All of these words would be pronounced like “mut,” despite the fact that some have differing symbols! However, even with spelling differences, all of the symbols will still write out “mut!”

The word for “mother” also appears in royal titles: 

𓇓𓅐 – King’s Mother 

𓅐𓏏𓊹 – God’s Mother (can be in reference to the mother of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, or to the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥)

The word for “mother” also appears in names 𓂋𓈖𓏦: 

𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑 – Duamutef (jackal headed Son of Horus that guarded the stomach. His name 𓂋𓈖 means “He Who Worships His Mother.”)

𓌢𓈖𓅐 / 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 – Senemut (Hatshepsut’s most trusted advisor. His name means “Mother’s Brother.”) 

For some reason when I am writing hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 myself, I sometimes get the “vulture 𓅐” and the “Egyptian vulture 𓄿” mixed up! A lot of the bird symbols look similar, which I why I think that happens to me!