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Blog Reading Hieroglyphs

Tutankhamun’s Cartouche Box Replica

Here’s a bit of a different post for today! One of my absolute favorite pieces besides the Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ and the Anubis shrine 𓃣 is the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 cartouche box from Tutankhamun’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ tomb π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰. I have always loved this piece because Tutankhatmun’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ cartouche was one of the first hieroglyphic phrases that I learned how to read. I remember being so proud for being able to decipher its meaning when I first started learning! I remember showing my Nonno how I could read it! This box was just the beginning of my journey into the Egyptian language!

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

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– – Amun
𓏏𓅱𓏏 – Tut (image)
π“‹Ή – Ankh (life/living)
π“‹Ύ – Ruler
𓉺 – of/on
𓇓 – Upper Egypt

So all put together, the cartouche says β€œTutankhamun, Ruler of Upper Egypt.” The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– Tutankamun means β€œLiving Image of Amun.” Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– is placed first in the cartouche because of honorific transposition – the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of the god π“ŠΉ is always placed (out of respect) first even though it is said last.

The wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 cartouche box was one of the pieces featured at the King Tut exhibit in the USA back in 2007, and I spent so much time just looking at this piece while I was there! I was struck by the beauty π“„€ of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ made of ebony and ivory. Seeing the box in person cemented it as one of my most favorite artifacts of all time! I have always wanted a replica (usually they are so expensive), and now I have one! This replica is very detailed and I got it on Amazon!

Fun Fact: The ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ referred to the cartouche as shen 𓍢 (cartouche is actually a French word). The word shen 𓍢 is derived from the verb meaning “to encircle.” The purpose of the cartouche was to represent the pharaoh as ruler of all that the sun 𓇳𓏀 encircled! Shen 𓍢 was also representative of infinity, completeness, and protection.