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Egyptian Artifacts

Linen Textile in Honor of Hathor

This is a linen 𓍱 textile that was made in honor of the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Hathor 𓉑 and was meant to be placed at her shrine π“π“Šƒπ“…“π“‚œπ“‰ at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐.

In the beautifully π“„€ colored images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 on the right side of the linen 𓍱, we can see Hathor 𓉑 in her cow 𓄀𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 form standing on a boat 𓂧π“Šͺπ“π“Šž, encompassed by a shrine π“π“Šƒπ“…“π“‚œπ“‰, and surrounded by lotus flowers 𓆸𓆸𓆸. Below Hathor’s 𓉑 head 𓁢𓏀, stands a small figure in black π“†Žπ“…“ that is representative of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Montuhotep II π“‡³π“Š€π“ŽŸ. We know that it’s Montuhotep II π“‡³π“Š€π“ŽŸ because of the cartouche next to the small figure!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!
π“ŠΉπ“„€ – Great/Perfect God
(π“‡³π“Š€π“ŽŸ) – Nebhapetra (Montuhotep II)

Next to Hathor 𓉑, the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ read:
𓉑 – Hathor
π“ŽŸπ“π“‡―- Lady/Mistress of Heaven
π“·π“Š“π“‹†π“π“Š– – Chief One of Thebes

On the left side, the first man standing before 𓐍𓂋 Hathor 𓉑 has his arms raised, which is to represent him worshipping 𓇼𓄿𓀒 the goddess π“ŠΉπ“.

Hathor’s 𓉑 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– in hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ is quite unique compared to some of the other gods/goddesses. Her name π“‚‹π“ˆ– is composed of a composite hieroglyph π“ŠΉπ“Œƒ which literally translates to β€œHouse of Horus.” Hathor 𓉑 was the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of women π“Šƒπ“π“‚‘π“π“π“ͺ, motherhood, joy, music π“‰”π“‡Œπ“†Έ, happiness 𓄫𓅱𓏛, and a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.