Categories
Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Mummy of Ukhotep

This is the coffin π“‹΄π“…±π“Ž›π“π“†± and mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 of a man named Ukhotep π“‹‚π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ. Ukhotep π“‹‚π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ lived during the 12th dynasty (Middle Kingdom) and he was the chief treasurer 𓋨𓅱, which is why he probably received such gorgeous π“„€ funerary equipment π“ˆŽπ“‚‹π“‹΄π“π“π“Š­.Β 

Mummy of Ukhotep
The Mummy of Ukhotep on display at the MET

Ukhotep π“‹‚π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ had a wooden coffin π“‹΄π“…±π“Ž›π“π“†± inscribed with parts of the Coffin Texts, which were spells π“Ž›π“‚“π“›π“¦ that the deceased needed in order to gain magical powers in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This coffin π“‹΄π“…±π“Ž›π“π“†± and mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is very typical of the Middle Kingdom burials (not just because of the styles/materials used for both the coffin and mask) but because the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 was placed on his side inside of the wooden coffin π“‹΄π“…±π“Ž›π“π“†±, which allowed him to see out of the coffin π“‹΄π“…±π“Ž›π“π“†± through the eyes on the side!Β My Nonno always told me about this fact when I was little, and I was always fascinated by this funerary practice!

Mummy of Ukhotep
The Mummy of Ukhotep with hieroglyphs on his coffin! Learn how to read the hieroglyphs below!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! Here is the inscription: π“‡“π“π“Š΅π“™π“Ήπ“Š¨π“ŽŸπ“ˆ–π“…˜π“Ž›π“Ž›π“‡³ π“…π“ˆ–π“π“‹π“ƒ€π“ˆ‹π“Š–π“‰»π“ŽŸπ“†„π“

Here is a breakdown of the inscription: 

π“‡“π“π“Š΅π“™ – An Offering the King Gives

π“Ήπ“Š¨ – Osiris (his name is missing the determinative this time – usually it’s written as π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­)

π“ŽŸ – Lord 

π“ˆ–π“…˜π“Ž›π“Ž›π“‡³ – Eternity 

𓏅 – Foremost 

π“ˆ–π“ – of

π“‹π“ƒ€π“ˆ‹π“Š– – Abydos

π“ŠΉπ“€­ – God

𓉻 – Great

π“ŽŸ -Lord 

𓆄𓏏 – Maat

Fun Fact: β€œπ“ˆ–π“β€ is also another way to spell the name of the goddess Neith but it can also mean β€œof” and a bunch of other filler-type words!

The variant of β€œeternity π“ˆ–π“…˜π“Ž›π“Ž›π“‡³β€ used in this inscription is very Middle Kingdom too – I rarely see this one used ever!! Usually the typical β€œπ“Ž›π“‡³π“Ž›β€ is used!Β 

Mummy of Ukhotep
The Mummy of Ukhotep with some of his other funerary equipment including his canopic jar case (near the head of the mummy)

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

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!