This is an ointment jar that was found amongst many other artifacts in the foundation deposits of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri. While foundation deposits can be traced all the way back to the 3rd Dynasty, putting ointment jars in them date back to the 12th Dynasty. There are fourteen foundation deposits associated with Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐! In Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 time, the temple was referred to as 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐 or the “Holiest of Holies” (or djeser-djeseru). There are many different hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 variations of the word as well!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓏏𓊹𓄤 – The Great Goddess
𓎟𓏏𓇿𓇿 – Lady of the Two Lands
𓇳𓁦𓂓 – Maatkare
𓋹𓍘 – May She Live!
𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun
𓅓 – In
𓂦𓂦𓅱𓉐 – Holiest of Holies
𓌺𓏏𓇌 – Beloved
So all together, the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 reads: “The Great Goddess, Lady of the Two Lands, Maatkare, May She Live! Beloved of Amun who is in the Holiest of Holies.”
Fun fact about the word “𓅓!” This one symbol, usually associated with the modern letter “m,” can have many meanings such as: in, as, by, with, from, when, through, and what!