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Reading Hieroglyphs

Inscription – “Before Anubis”

Here is a piece of an inscription π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž– from a Middle Kingdom sarcophagus π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­ at the MET.

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

𓐍𓂋 – Before
𓃣 – β€œAnubis”

A very simple inscription π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž–, but something that was important for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 since Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 was tasked with the protection of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! In order for ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ to journey through the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and eventually reach the Field of Reeds π“‡π“π“ˆ…π“‡‹π“„Ώπ“‚‹π“…±π“†°π“Š–, the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾/body of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 needed to remain intact! So a person definitely wanted to be near Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓁒!

Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– Can be written many different ways! Here are some common variations:
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓃣
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺπ“…±
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓁒
𓃣
𓃀
𓁒

Much like in English and other languages, the same words could have different spellings! In ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, most of the time the different spellings had to do with the space that was available on the piece that was being inscribed!