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Reading Hieroglyphs

Raised Relief of Horus

This raised relief in limestone is dated to the 12th Dynasty (Middle Kingdom c. 1981–1952 B.C.E.) and the reign of the pharaoh Amenemhat Iπ“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“…“π“„‚. Amenemhat I π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“…“π“„‚ is famous for moving the capital of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– from Thebes π“Œ€π“π“Š– to just south of Memphis π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“†‘π“‚‹π“‰΄π“Š–. He also began a co-regency with his son π“…­, Senwosret I π“„Šπ“‹΄π“‚‹π“π“Šƒπ“ˆ– ten π“Ž† years before his death in order to maintain stability. This block was found at the foundation of Amenemhat I’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“…“π“„‚ mortuary temple.

From the right, the upper part of a was scepter π“Œ€ can be seen supporting the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯. On the was scepter, a Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 is seen with the shen 𓍢 symbol of the universe around its neck. The falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„ that is seen is actually the top part of the Horus name cartouche (which is usually rectangular shaped and is meant to represent a palace). The god π“ŠΉ Horus π“…ƒπ“€­ is seen presenting an ankh π“‹Ή to the falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„. Due to the ram π“Šƒπ“‚‹π“ƒ horn 𓄋𓏏𓏺 that can be partially seen on the left, it can be inferred that it is the god π“ŠΉ Khnum π“ŽΈπ“π“€­ that is being depicted.

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

On top of Horus π“…ƒπ“€­ reads: π“„‘π“‚§π“π“Š–π“‚π“†‘π“‹Ή which translates to:

π“„‘π“‚§π“π“Š–- Edfu

𓂝𓆑𓋹 – May He Give Life (One of Horus’ π“…ƒπ“€­ titles is β€œHorus of Edfu.”)

In between Horus and Khnum the inscription is broken but reads: π“ƒπ“ˆ–π“π“‰π“³ π“†“π“Œƒπ“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‹΄π“ˆ–π“ƒ” which translates to: β€œHe who is before the house of protection, Words Spoken By…”

π“ƒπ“ˆ–π“ -Before/In front of

𓉐𓍳 – House of Protection

π“†“π“Œƒπ“‡‹π“ˆ– – Words Spoken By

π“‹΄π“ˆ–π“ƒ” – ?