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Egyptian Artifacts

Lintel of Amenhotep II

My sister π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“π“, my brother π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“€€ and I are with a red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ relief, titled β€œLintel of Amenhotep II!” This is a really interesting piece that contains so much history!Β 

Lintel of Amenhotep II
My sister (left), brother (middle) and me (right) with the Lintel of Amenhotep II at the British Museum

This piece was originally carved for the 18th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ. Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ was the son π“…­ of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 and he even co-ruled with his father! It was during the co-reign of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 and Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ that the destruction of Hatshepsut’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ monuments 𓏠𓏍 began.Β 

This relief shows mirrored scenes of Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ wearing the khepresh crown π“†£π“‚‹π“ˆ™π“‹™ (also known as the blue crown) presenting nemset jars π“Œπ“Œπ“Œ (containing either wine or water ) to the god π“ŠΉ Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί.

Over fifty π“ŽŠ years after this relief was carved, many of the figures (see the left side) and the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of the god π“ŠΉ Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί were destroyed by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– in an attempt to erase images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the old religion. 

Then, many years after Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– during the 19th Dynasty, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“£π“‡Œπ“ŒΈπ“ˆ– had some of the damage repaired – most of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ and the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ and Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί were actually recarved! How can Egyptologists tell it was recarved? The sunken relief is deeper in the rock! 

In order to show that it was he, pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“£π“‡Œπ“ŒΈπ“ˆ– who restored this piece, he had his cartouches π“ π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“·π“¦ and a record of the restoration carved in between the two 𓏻 images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί! Can you spot Seti I’s throne name (𓇳𓁦𓏠) and birth name (π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“£π“‡Œπ“ŒΈπ“ˆ–) cartouches π“ π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“·π“¦ in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏? 

The description of this piece from the British Museum gave a short timeline of the history of this fascinating piece! I remember being confused by seeing the cartouches π“ π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“·π“¦ of both Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ and Seti I π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“£π“‡Œπ“ŒΈπ“ˆ– on the same relief because they are pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 from different dynasties! What’s even more interesting is that this is not a case of the more common β€œusurping of monuments 𓏠𓏍” from previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦!

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

@ancientegyptblogΒ