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Reading Hieroglyphs

Ramessu Mery Amun

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at one of the many cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖! This time, we are going to look at his birth name cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷, which is the name 𓂋𓈖 that he was given when he was born! 

Ramessu Mery Amun
The birth name cartouche of pharaoh Rameses II, Ramessu Mery Amun, on a column at the British museum

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Ramessu Mery Amun 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓” translates to “Ra has fashioned him, beloved of Amun.” The name 𓂋𓈖 could also be translated as “Ra Bore Him, Beloved of Amun.” 

Let’s look at the name 𓂋𓈖 more closely! The names of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are written first due to honorific transposition!

𓁩 – Amun

𓁛 – Ra

𓈘 – Beloved

𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Bore Him/Fashioned Him/Born Of

Let’s break down each of the symbols: 

The “falcon with the sun disc 𓁛” symbol is both a determinative and ideogram for “Ra.” 

The “Amun figure 𓁩” symbol is both a determinative and ideogram for “Amun.” 

The “canal 𓈘” symbol is a biliteral phonogram for the sound “mr” and can also be “shorthand” for the word “mery” which means beloved. 

The “three fox skins 𓄟” symbol is a biliteral phonogram for the sounds “ms.” 

The “folded cloth 𓋴” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “s.”

The “sedge 𓇓” symbol can be a biliteral phonogram, ideogram (for sedge) and determinative (for king), but here it is representing the sound “sw.”

Ramessu Mery Amun
The birth name cartouche of pharaoh Rameses II, Ramessu Mery Amun, on a column at the British museum

Rameses II’s birth name cartouche has many variants and can also be written like this: 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓. Certain symbols can be substituted for each other because 𓇋𓏠𓈖 and 𓁩 both mean Amun 𓁜 and 𓇳𓏺 both mean Ra. 

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

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