Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today we are going to be looking at the birth name cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 for the Middle Kingdom pharaoh Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪!
Montuhotep II’s 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 name is a combination of two different Middle Egyptian words! Let’s break down the two words:
𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 – Montu (𓏠 – mn) (𓈖 – n) (𓍿- t) (𓅱 – u/w)
𓊵𓏏𓊪 – Hotep (𓊵 – htp) (𓏏 – t) (𓊪 – p)
Montu 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱 refers to of the falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 headed god 𓊹 of war who was mainly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖. The word “hotep/htp 𓊵𓏏𓊪” translates to the word “satisfied” or “content.” The word “hotep/htp 𓊵𓏏𓊪” can also mean “offering” or “peace!” The name 𓂋𓈖 Montuhotep 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 means “Montu is satisfied” or “Montu is content.”
Let’s take a closer look at the symbols!
The “𓏠 game board and pieces” is a biliteral phonogram. The “ 𓏠” is associated with the sound “mn” which could be pronounced like “men,” “mun,” “mon,” etc.
The “ripple of water 𓈖” is a uniliteral phonogram associated with the sound of “n!” Here it is a phonetic complement!
The “𓍿 hobble/tie” is a uniliteral phonogram sign associated with the sounds of “ṯ” or “t.”
The “Quail Chick 𓅱” is uniliteral phonogram that is representative of the sound w/u.
The “bread loaf on mat 𓊵” symbol is a triliteral phonogram for the sound “ḥtp” and is also an ideogram for “offering slab” which is also associated with the sound “ḥtp.”
The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.” Here it is a phonetic complement!
The “stool 𓊪” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “p.” Here it is a phonetic complement!
Read about Montuhotep II’s Throne Name in this post!
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