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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of an Official Named Nesthoth

This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is of an official π“‹΄π“‚‹π“€€ named Nesthoth. Wealthy Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ would often have a statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ made of themselves because the Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ believed that the soul π“‚“ of a person could inhabit the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ after death 𓅓𓏏𓏱. Having such a statue in a temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ meant that the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person would always be present during temple processions.

Statue of an Official Named Nesthoth at the Brooklyn Museum

This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is made of a rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™ called diorite. Diorite is classified as a coarse grained intrusive igneous rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™, meaning it was formed from the solidification of magma deep underground. Though it can’t be seen in this statue, the β€œcoarse” classification means that the rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™ has crystals between the sizes of 1mm-10mm in diameter. While Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– has an igneous rock base (as all continents do), diorite was a rare rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™ to find in Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– because Egypt’s bedrock is mostly granitic. Since diorite was rare and difficult to work with, this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ was most likely incredibly expensive to commission!

The base of the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ contains the standard offering formula β€œan offering the king gives Osiris” (π“‡“π“π“Š΅π“™π“‹”π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­). The rest of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are too difficult for me to read!

The god π“ŠΉ Thoth π“…€π“€­(in his baboon form) is seen with Nesthoth. Thoth π“…€π“€­ was the god π“ŠΉ of writing π“Ÿπ“›π“₯!