Name Stones of Senemut

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

I’m sure doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone that my favorite time period of Egyptian history is the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪! These stones are dated to the 18th Dynasty reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and are inscribed 𓎘𓅱𓎖 with the name 𓂋𓈖 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼. Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was a non-royal man who rose to become the most important official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 during Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏. 

While these pieces may seem like some random limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 blocks, they are actually what archaeologists refer to as “Name Stones.” The Name Stones were built into Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀽 tomb chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐 and were not meant to be seen – they were just meant to indicate that Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 took ownership of his tomb chapel 𓀻𓋴𓉐. 

I’ve seen Senemut’s name 𓂋𓈖appear a couple of different ways in hieroglyphs and here are the variations: 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼, 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀽, and 𓌢𓈖𓅐. It’s the determinative that’s changing, not the symbols that influence pronunciation!

Let’s take a look at the hieroglyphs on each of the stones! 

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 states: 

𓄓𓉐𓏤 – Overseer 

𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀽 – Senemut 

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 states:

𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀽 – Senemut 

𓐙𓊤 – True of Voice

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 states:

𓈙𓏤𓊪𓈙𓈖 Overseer of the Garden

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀽 – Senemut 

“Overseer of the Garden of Amun, Senemut”

These are my personal photographs and original text. DO NOT repost without explicit permission.