Maned Sphinx of Hatshepsut

A couple of weeks ago I asked on my Instagram if there was an object people wanted to see more of, and someone suggested the Maned Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭 of Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓, so here it is! 

Pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 were commonly represented as sphinxes 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏦 in ancient Egyptian art for many reasons. A sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭 is a mythical creature that has the body of a lion 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛 and the head of a human. In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, lions 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛𓏪 have been associated with kingship 𓇓𓇌 since prehistoric times due to their strength 𓌀 and ferocity. The sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭 was the perfect representation of the strength 𓌀 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 due to its lion 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛 body, while the face still preserved the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the king 𓇓 himself/herself. 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

(𓇳𓁦𓂓) – Maatkare

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

𓌺𓏏𓇌 – Beloved

𓋹𓏏𓏙- Life Given

𓆖 – Eternity

“Maatkare, Beloved of Amun, Given Life for Eternity.”

I know this is strange, but “Given Life” is actually written backwards! It should be “𓏙𓋹” not “𓋹𓏙” as it’s written (this inscription is read from right to left, because that’s the way the directional symbols are pointing). 

There’s also an added 𓏏, which makes it the feminine form! There’s a second sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 just like this one in the Cairo Museum, and on that sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤, there is no added 𓏏! Why would one sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 use the feminine form and one use the masculine?! We will probably never know! 

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

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