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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Statue of a Pharaoh and Ancient Plagiarism

This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is very interesting because it was originally made for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenemhat II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“…“π“„‚π“ during the 12th π“Ž†π“» Dynasty. However if you look at the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ, the cartouches of Rameses II can be read! The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻π“₯ used to recycle statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ all the time – this is a process known as usurping (taking one pharaoh’s monuments, erasing their nameπ“‚‹π“ˆ–, and putting yours!). It’s kind of like ancient plagiarism!

This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is made of granodiorite, a type of volcanic (igneous) rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™. It was quarried at Aswan π“‹΄π“ƒΉπ“ˆ–π“Œπ“²π“Š– and then transported up the Nile π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί to Memphis π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“†‘π“‚‹π“‰΄π“Š–, where it was sculpted.

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

π“†₯ – King of Upper and Lower Egypt

π“ŽŸπ“‡Ώπ“‡Ώ – Lord of the Two Lands

(π“‡³π“„Šπ“§π“‡³π“‰π“ˆ–) – Rameses II (throne name Usermaatre)

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

π“ˆ˜π“†‘ – His Beloved

(π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“) – Rameses II

𓇳𓏇𓏺 – Like Ra

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 below shows some of the ancient erasing that took place!