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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

“Osiris Figure of Hatnefer”

This piece, titled the “Osiris Figure of Hatnefer” is dated to the joint reign of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 (New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, c. 1479–1458 B.C.E.).

This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 piece was found in Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓄿 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, though it inscribed 𓎘𓅱𓎖 with the name 𓂋𓈖 Hatnefer 𓄂𓄤𓁐. Hatnefer 𓄂𓄤𓁐 was Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 and due to his status as Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 most trusted advisor, he was able to give his mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 a proper burial.

This”Osiris Figure,” which represents resurrection, is almost a cross between a ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾(it contains the basic funerary text on it) and the popular Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures of the Late Period. The Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures always stood on a wooden base just like this. Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures represented birth, death, and resurrection. It’s interesting to see how the art has evolved over the years!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓄪𓇌𓏏 – Venerated (I believe this is a variant of 𓄪𓐍𓇌)
𓐍𓂋 – Before
𓊩𓁹 – Osiris
𓄂𓄤𓁐 – Hatnefer

I am always so amazed when wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 pieces are still in such great condition – wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is organic and it can break down very quickly as compared to a material like rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙.