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Egyptian Artifacts

Menat Necklace

This is a picture of a special type of necklace called a menat π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹π“π“‹§. The menat π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹π“π“‹§ necklace is unique because it consists of a keyhole shaped piece and a lot of beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦. The beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦 on this menat π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹π“π“‹§ are made of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸π“₯ faience π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό and there are some glass π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦 near the keyhole piece!Β Blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸π“₯ is my favorite color, so I really love how blue was such a popular color in ancient Egyptian art!

Menat Necklace
A beautiful example of a menat necklace on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The menat π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹π“π“‹§ necklace not only appears a lot in Egyptian art, but it was clearly used by real people too! The menat π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹π“π“‹§ necklace was often carried or worn by women during religious ceremonies. Similar to a sistrum π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£, the menat π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹π“π“‹§ necklace was shaken like a rattle. The person would hold the keyhole piece and then shake the menat π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹π“π“‹§ to create the rattle-like sound!

The sound produced was meant to appease gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ or goddesses π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“. Similar to the sistrum π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£, the menat π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹π“π“‹§ necklace was often associated with Hathor 𓉑, who was the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of music π“‰”π“‡Œπ“†Έ (amongst other fun things).Β Hathor 𓉑 is often seen in art giving the menat π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹π“π“‹§ to a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 in Egyptian art.

This particular menat π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹π“π“‹§ necklace was found at Malqata and is dated to the reign π“‹Ύπ“ˆŽπ“ of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž  (c. 1390 – 1352 BCE). In order to celebrate his Heb Sed Festival π“Ž›π“ƒ€π“‹΄π“‚§π“π“Ž±π“‡³π“ͺ, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž  built a new palace π“‚π“Ž›π“π“‰₯𓉐 which was referred to as β€œThe House of Rejoicing” at present day Malqata in Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–. It would be interesting to know if this menat π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹π“π“‹§ was specifically used during his Heb Sed Festival π“Ž›π“ƒ€π“‹΄π“‚§π“π“Ž±π“‡³π“ͺ!

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