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Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Montuhotep II

This beautiful π“„€ raised relief of Montuhotep II π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ and the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Hathor 𓉑 in limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ is originally from Montuhotep’s π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐. This relief was part of one of the main areas of the temple that was added at the end of Montuhotep’s π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ reign. This dates the piece to c. 2010–2000 B.C.E. (Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 11).

Hathor’s 𓉑 face was actually chiseled away during the Amarna Period, when Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– changed Egypt’s religion to the sole worship of the Aten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³. After Akhenaten’s π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– reign, in Dynasty 19, some repairs were made to this piece.

In the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ, you can see Montuhotep II’s π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ birth name, throne name (both with titles), and Nebty name.

π“†₯(π“ π“ˆ–π“Ώπ“…±π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ) – King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Montuhotep II (Birth Name)

𓅭𓇳(π“‡³π“Š€π“ŽŸ) – Son of Ra, Nebhapetra (Throne Name)

π“„₯𓇿𓇿 – The Uniter of the Two Lands (Nebty π“…’ Name)

In front of Hathor 𓉑 the inscription reads: π“„₯π“ˆ–π“ˆ–π“Ž‘π“‡Ώπ“‡Ώπ“‡π“‡‹π“Ž—π“…±π“π“ˆ–π“…Ίπ“„«π“π“„£π“ŽŸ which translates to β€œFor you I united the two lands as the powers commanded, all joy.”