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Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Rameses II and Horus

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at this fragmented relief from the Louvre which depicts the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 and the god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭! Horus is holding Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 hand and leading him. How do we know that this is a depiction of Horus 𓅃𓀭 since there are many falcon gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹? The word “Edfu 𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖” in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is a major clue – Horus 𓅃𓀭 of the Winged Disc or “Behdetite” was the chief god 𓊹 of the city 𓊖!

Look at who is leading Horus 𓅃𓀭- it’s the god 𓊹 Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 who is the “Opener of the Ways!” Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 appears on a standard and is associated leading ritual processions. 

Rameses II and Horus
Relief showing Rameses II and Horus

Above the depiction is actually part of Rameses II’s royal titularly! Each pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 had five names, and the first one that appears is known as the “Horus Name.” Rameses II had many variants of his Horus Name, but we will look at the one that appears here: “𓂡𓃒𓁧𓌺 Strong Bull, Beloved of Maat”

𓂡 – Strong

𓃒 – Bull

𓁧 – Maat

𓌺 – Beloved

After that, the Nebty Name 𓅒 is listed! The Nebty Name is distinguished by the Nebty or Two Ladies symbol “𓅒.” Only the partial name appears on the relief: “𓅖𓎡𓆎𓏏𓊖 Protector of Egypt.”

𓅖 – Protector 

𓎡𓆎𓏏𓊖 – Egypt (Kemet) (most commonly, Kemet is written as “𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖,” however this is another variant).

The full name is as follows: 𓅖𓎡𓆎𓏏𓊖𓅱𓂝𓆑𓏲𓂡𓈊𓏏𓏦 “Protector of Egypt Who Curbs Foreign Lands.” 

Rameses II and Horus
Relief showing Rameses II and Horus

Above Horus 𓅃𓀭 appears: 

𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖 – Edfu

𓎟- Lord

𓇯 – Sky

𓄤 – Perfect

𓊹 – God 

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre setep en Ra (Throne Name of Rameses II which translates to “The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra.”)

𓏙 – Given

𓋹 – Life 

𓌀 – Strength

All together the inscription says: “Edfu, Lord of the Sky, the Perfect God Usermaatre setep en Ra Give Life and Strength.”

To the left of Rameses II: 

𓃹𓈖𓈖 – It Is

𓄤 – Perfect

𓊹 – God 

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre setep en Ra

All together the inscription says: “It Is the Pefect God Usermaatre setep en Ra.”

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

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