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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Amun and Horemheb

This is a limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the god π“ŠΉ Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ–. This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is special because my Nonno took it at the Museo Egizio in Torino, Italy.

Amun and Horemheb
Statue of Amun (left) and the pharaoh Horemheb (right) at the Museo Egizio in Torino, Italy

Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– was the final pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 18th Dynasty, having taken over the throne from Ay 𓇳𓆣𓆣π“ͺ𓁹𓐙𓏏. Before he was pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– was the commander of the army for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“. He continued the restoration of traditional Egyptian religious practices that Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ began, and he also usurped a lot of monuments from both Ay 𓇳𓆣𓆣π“ͺ𓁹𓐙𓏏 and Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“. 

Let’s take a closer look at the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! The god π“ŠΉ Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ (left) is depicted larger than Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– (right) because the only person more important than the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 himself was another god π“ŠΉ! 

Amun and Horemheb
A closer view of the hieroglyphic inscription that appears on either side of Amun’s throne on the statue.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! We are going to start on the left side of Amun’s throne!Β 

π“ŠΉπ“„€ – The Perfect God 

π“ŽŸπ“‡Ώπ“‡Ώ – Lord of the Two Lands

π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– – Horemheb (Throne Name – The sacred one of the manifestations of Ra, chosen of Ra)

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί – Amun-Ra

π“ŒΊπ“‡Œ – Beloved

𓏙𓋹- Given Life

So all π“ŽŸ together π“ˆ–π“Š— the inscription π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž– reads: “The Perfect God, Lord of the Two Lands, Horemheb, Beloved of Amun-Ra, Given Life.”

Now let’s look at the left side of the throne: 

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

π“ŽŸπ“ˆπ“₯ – Lord of Appearances 

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŒΊπ“„Ώπ“‹”π“π“Ž± – Horemheb (Birth Name – Horus in Jubilation, whom Amun has loved)

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί – Amun-Ra

π“ŒΊπ“‡Œ – Beloved

𓏙𓋹- Given Life

So all π“ŽŸ together π“ˆ–π“Š— the inscription π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž– reads: “Son of Ra, Lord of Appearances, Horemheb, Beloved of Amun-Ra, Given Life.”

While the last part of the inscription π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž– is the same on either side of the throne, the titles are different because of Horemheb’s birth name versus the throne name! Different titles in the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are associated with each name π“‚‹π“ˆ–!

Notice how the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are mirrored on either side of the throne! This makes it so all of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are facing Amun’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ legs! The ancient Egyptians loved to have symmetry in their art!