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Reading Hieroglyphs

Montuhotep II – Birth Name Cartouche

π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ – Montuhotep II

Same relief from yesterday, but different hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!

Montuhotep π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ is his birth name/given name π“‚‹π“ˆ–, and that is the cartouche we will be looking at today!

π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ – Montuhotep II

Let’s look even closer at the individual words!

π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…± – Montu (𓏠 – mn) (π“ˆ– – n) (𓍿- t) (π“…± – u/w)
π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ – Hotep (π“Š΅ – htp) (𓏏 – t) (π“Šͺ – p)

Montu π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…± refers to one of the gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ in the Egyptian pantheon. Montu π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…± was a falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„ headed god π“ŠΉ of war who was mainly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀒 in Thebes π“Œ€π“π“Š–. He is mentioned as early as the Pyramid texts, but he didn’t rise to importance until the 11th Dynasty. However, Montu’s π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…± importance waned beginning in the 12th Dynasty as Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ rose to power in the Theban region. However, Montu π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…± wasn’t forgotten because Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴(who was quite the general/military leader) frequently compared himself to Montu π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±!

The word β€œhotep/htp π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ” translates to the word β€œsatisfied” or β€œcontent.” The word β€œhotep/htp π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ” can also mean β€œoffering” or β€œpeace!”

So the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– Montuhotep π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ means β€œMontu is satisfied” or β€œMontu is content.”