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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Sistrums with Hathor

Music π“‰”π“‡Œπ“†Έ and musicians were highly regarded in ancient Egyptian culture. I love music π“‰”π“‡Œπ“†Έ, and music π“‡‹π“Ž›π“‡Œ is something that I cannot live without! This is a sistrum π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£, which is a musical instrument from ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– that is similar to a modern rattle or tambourine.Β 

Sistrums with Hathor
A faience sistrum with Hathor from the Ptolemaic Period

Since Hathor 𓉑 was the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of music π“‡‹π“Ž›π“‡Œ, she was portrayed on most sistrums π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£π“ͺ in her human form! However, even though Hathor 𓉑 is represented as a woman π“Šƒπ“π“‚‘π“π“, she is recognized easily because of her characteristic cow 𓄀𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 ears!Β 

Sistrums with Hathor
A closeup view of the sistrum with Hathor’s face! See if you can spot her cow ears!

I love these two sistrums π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£π“ͺ pictured below because while they are both from the Ptolemaic Period, they look so different! One of the sistrums π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£π“ͺ is made of blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 faience π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό while the other is made of silver π“Œ‰π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰.Β 

Sistrums with Hathor
A blue faience sistrum (front) and a silver sistrum (back) both with Hathor’s face on it from the Ptolemaic Period.

Fun fact: in ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, silver π“Œ‰π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ was actually considered to be more valuable because it was harder to obtain through trade! Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– does not naturally have a lot of silver π“Œ‰π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰!

The silver π“Œ‰π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ sistrum π“Šƒπ“ˆ™π“ˆ™π“π“£ has hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ on the handle, however they are very hard to read due to cracks and natural wear. The blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 faience π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό one has hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ that are much easier to read! 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

π“ŽŸπ“ˆπ“ˆπ“ˆ – Lord of Appearances

π“Šͺπ“π“―π“ƒ­π“π“‡Œπ“‹΄ – Ptolemaios (Ptolemy I)

π“‹Ή – Life

𓏇 – Like

𓇳𓏺 – Ra 

π“Ž›π“‡³π“Ž› – Eternity

𓆖 – Eternity

When π“Ž›π“‡³π“Ž› and 𓆖 are used in the same phrase, it’s usually translated as β€œEverlasting Eternity” instead of β€œEternity Eternity.” 

Another way to write β€œLord of Appearances” is like this – π“ŽŸπ“ˆπ“₯ – using three strokes β€œπ“₯” instead of repeating the β€œsun over the horizon π“ŽŸπ“ˆπ“ˆπ“ˆβ€ hieroglyph three times! Both of these ways are the correct way to write the phrase, however the three strokes β€œπ“₯” is usually used more because it takes up less space! 

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

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