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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

White Limestone Sphinx of Hatshepsut

I was SO EXCITED to see the white limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ Sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ of Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ again! It has been so long since I’ve seen this piece; it was honestly like greeting an old friend! This Sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ used to be in the main Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ gallery at the MET, but for some reason it’s no longer there! Now it is hidden in one of the smaller galleries which is a shame because it is such a beautiful piece!

Most of Hatshepsut’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ statuary π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ that was excavated from her temple 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐 were carved from red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ, however this one is carved from limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ – the red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ sphinxes π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“¦ and this Sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ are very different too. The white limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ sphinxes π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“¦ have much more feminine features as compared to the red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ ones most likely because they were used in different parts of the temple 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐 for different purposes.

This Sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ has been heavily reconstructed by using pieces that were modeled after the second Sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ just like this one, which is in the Cairo Museum. These two 𓏻 sphinxes π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“¦ most likely guarded the upper terrace of Hatshepsut’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐 while the red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ sphinxes π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“¦ would have guarded the lower terrace.

Thanks to Hatshepsut’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ drive/intelligence and her architect Senemut π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“…π“€Ό, Hatshepsut will be remembered as one of the most prolific builders in Egyptian history! It’s such a shame that she doesn’t get the same recognition that Rameses II π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“ gets!

Instead of wearing the typical nemes π“ˆ–π“…“π“‹΄ head cloth that most pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 who were fashioned into sphinxes π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“¦ wear, Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is actually wearing a lion’s π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„› mane! This is very typical of Middle Kingdom art! This piece is dated to 1479–1458 B.C.E., and I love seeing New Kingdom art imitate styles from the past!

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

(𓇳𓁦𓂓) – Maatkare
π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– – Amun
π“ŒΊπ“π“‡Œ – Beloved
𓋹𓏏𓏙- Life Given
𓆖 – Eternity

β€œMaatkare, Beloved of Amun, Given Life for Eternity.”

I know this is strange, but β€œGiven Life” is written backwards! It should be β€œπ“™π“‹Ήβ€ not β€œπ“‹Ήπ“™β€ as it’s written (this inscription is read from right to left).

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