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Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Rameses II

Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 was arguably one of Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 greatest builders, and his face/name 𓂋𓈖 can be found pretty much everywhere you look in a museum (this is why his cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 are good to learn – you will see them a lot). 

Ushabti of Rameses II
Me with the wooden Ushabti of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum!

This beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 piece is a Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 Ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 (New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, c. 1292-1190 B.C.E.). While the provenance of this ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is unknown, it is assumed that it was originally from Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 original tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 (KV 7). 

Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 was plundered in the 20th Dynasty, and only three 𓏼 of his wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures remain! Tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 robbing during ancient Egyptian times was a huge problem even though the tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏥 were “hidden” in the Valley of the Kings! 

In 1049 B.C.E., the High Priest of Amun ordered Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 be moved from his original tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 and to the Royal Cache, a place where many royal 𓋾 mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 were re-buried in order to protect the mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 from tomb robbers. 

Ushabti of Rameses II
The wooden Ushabti of Rameses II with the Shabti Text carved into the wood

The text 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is a version of the “Shabti Spell” from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead. This spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 gives the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 the power to complete tasks (farming, manual labor, etc) for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖. I love how detailed the hieroglyphs are! 

This ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 has a lot of mummiform details; it is wearing the nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 head cloth and there is an intact Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 on his forehead. Like Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, it is wearing a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝, and is holding the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅. 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Menat Necklace

This is a picture of a special type of necklace called a menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧. The menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace is unique because it consists of a keyhole shaped piece and a lot of beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦. The beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦 on this menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 are made of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 and there are some glass 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦 near the keyhole piece! Blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 is my favorite color, so I really love how blue was such a popular color in ancient Egyptian art!

Menat Necklace
A beautiful example of a menat necklace on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace not only appears a lot in Egyptian art, but it was clearly used by real people too! The menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace was often carried or worn by women during religious ceremonies. Similar to a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣, the menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace was shaken like a rattle. The person would hold the keyhole piece and then shake the menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 to create the rattle-like sound!

The sound produced was meant to appease gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 or goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏. Similar to the sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣, the menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace was often associated with Hathor 𓉡, who was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of music 𓉔𓇌𓆸 (amongst other fun things). Hathor 𓉡 is often seen in art giving the menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 to a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 in Egyptian art.

This particular menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace was found at Malqata and is dated to the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 (c. 1390 – 1352 BCE). In order to celebrate his Heb Sed Festival 𓎛𓃀𓋴𓂧𓏏𓎱𓇳𓏪, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 built a new palace 𓂝𓎛𓏏𓉥𓉐 which was referred to as “The House of Rejoicing” at present day Malqata in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. It would be interesting to know if this menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 was specifically used during his Heb Sed Festival 𓎛𓃀𓋴𓂧𓏏𓎱𓇳𓏪!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Video

White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut – Video

Can you tell how excited/happy 𓄫𓄣𓏏 I am in this video? 

It’s no secret 𓃀𓋴𓆟𓏛 that the White Limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is my absolute favorite artifact that has ever been found in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! This is the piece that captured my imagination and I’ll never forget the first 𓏃 time I saw this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 with my Nonno! 

Nonno was always so excited to tell me about Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, because she was the most successful female pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Her twenty 𓎆𓎆 year rule 𓋾𓈎𓏏 was marked by big building projects (her mortuary temple 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐), economic prosperity (the expedition to Punt 𓊪𓃺𓈖𓏏𓈉) and peace! 

Not only is this White Limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 just absolutely stunning 𓄤, I love the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on it because Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 refers to herself using the female form of words in the inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥! These were also some of the first inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 I learned how to read, so they are very special to me! 

White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut
White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut at the MET

Check out this post for a more in-depth look at this beautiful 𓄤 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! No matter how many times I see it, I am still in awe of its beauty 𓄤!

Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube page for more videos like this!

This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Birthdays in Ancient Egypt

My birthday is soon, so let’s talk about birthdays in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

Birthdays in Ancient Egypt
Me hanging out at the Temple of Dendur at the MET!

This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is from my last trip to the MET, when I just got to sit and hang out in one of my absolute favorite places – The Temple of Dendur! The temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 was actually commissioned by Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 (first emperor of Rome) and the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 was primarily used to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥.

The ancient Egyptians didn’t celebrate the birthdays of regular people – they celebrated the birthdays of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏! The 365-day calendar which is one of the ancient Egyptians’ long lasting contributions to the world! Egyptian astronomers even adjusted the year to be exactly 365.25 days when their calculations got more accurate! 

The Egyptian calendar consisted of 12 𓎆𓏻 months that were each 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆 days long. The extra five 𓏾 days left over at the end of the year were festival days – each day dedicated to celebrating the birthday of a different deity 𓊹! 

Day 1 was the Birthday of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭

Day 2 was the Birthday of Horus 𓅃𓀭

Day 3 was the Birthday of Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣

Day 4 was the Birthday of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥

Day 5 was the Birthday of Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇

So how do we write “birthday” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪? Let’s use Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 as an example: 𓄟𓋴𓅱𓏏𓁹𓊨𓀭𓎱 or 𓄟𓏏𓁹𓊨𓀭𓎱. 

Let’s break it down: 𓄟𓋴𓅱𓏏/𓄟𓏏 is the word for “birth” and both are pronounced “mswt.” In the case of  “𓄟𓋴𓅱𓏏,” this is what we call a “phonetic complement” – the sounds are written twice but pronounced once!

The “alabaster basin 𓎱” symbol is a determinative for “feast” or “festival” but can also be an ideogram for “heb” (feast). 

So if I wanted to write out my own birthday, it would look like this: 𓄟𓋴𓅱𓏏𓈖𓇋𓎡𓍯𓃭𓁐𓎱. You can do the same with your own – just replace my name 𓂋𓈖 with your name 𓂋𓈖! 

A big thank you 𓋴𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢 to the UCL website for the list of the festival days!! Check out their website for incredible information about ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission. 

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of the Goddess Isis

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looked at a raised relief of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇 from the West Wall of a Chapel of Rameses I 𓇳𓄟𓋴𓇓𓅱. This chapel was originally located in the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖. Rameses I 𓇳𓄟𓋴𓇓𓅱 was old when he took the throne, and most of his monuments 𓏠𓏍 were either finished by or made by his 𓆑 son 𓅭, Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖. 

In ancient Egyptian art, one of the ways to distinguish deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 from each other are either looking at the crowns on their head, or the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that appear next to them. The crowns stayed pretty standard for most deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, however, Isis’ 𓊨𓏏𓆇 crown changed a lot! Most commonly she is depicted with the throne hieroglyph 𓊨 on her head because it’s part of her name 𓂋𓈖! She can also be represented with the solar disk 𓇳 and cow horns 𓄋, or as she is here, with the solar disc 𓇳, cow horns 𓄋, and feathers 𓆄𓏪. The solar disk 𓇳 and cow horns 𓄋 makes her look similar to Hathor 𓉡, so it’s a good idea to read the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 in this case!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Relief of the Goddess Isis
Relief of the Goddess Isis from the Chapel of Rameses I in the temple of Seti I at the MET

We are going to start reading from the right because the directional symbols (aka the birds 𓅨 𓅐) point to the right! As usual, we are also going to read the columns from top to bottom! 

𓊨𓏏𓆇 – Isis

𓅨𓂋𓏏 – Great One

𓊹𓏏𓅐 – God’s Mother

𓎟𓏏 – Lady/Mistress

𓊪𓏏𓇯 – Sky/Heaven

𓎺𓏏 – Lady/Mistress

𓇿𓇿 – Two Lands

The most common way to write Lady/Mistress is “𓎟𓏏,” however, “𓎺𓏏” is also a variant of that same word! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission. 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Roman Mummy Mask

One of the features of Egyptian funerary practices that persisted throughout most of the civilization was the use of mummy masks 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪. Mummy masks 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 first appeared during the First Intermediate Period (c. 2181 B.C.E.), and were last used during the Roman Period (c. 395 AD). While the styles certainly changed, their purpose of protecting 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 remained the same. While the function of the mummy masks 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 remained the same throughout Egyptian history, there are many different styles! Let’s take a look at this particular Roman Mummy Mask at the Brooklyn Museum!

Roman Mummy Mask
Me with a Roman Mummy Mask at the Brooklyn Museum

The function of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 is made explicit by Spell 151 from the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. Spell 151 also restores the ability of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to see through the mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾. Spell 151 even appears on the back of the mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓! 

This mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is from the Roman Period, and it’s always so interesting to see the merging of the two 𓏻 different styles. The mask is made of cartonnage (kind of like paper mache) and is covered in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf, which is typical of Ptolemaic/Roman masks. The mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is wearing a nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 style headdress, and Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 (the winged scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣) can be seen on the head 𓁶𓏺. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭, god 𓊹 of the rising sun 𓇳𓏺, is a symbol of rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱.

Roman Mummy Mask
Roman Mummy Mask at the Brooklyn Museum

What makes this mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 so beautiful 𓄤 are all of the small details in the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf. The most prominent is the deceased (as a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾) standing before 𓐍𓂋 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. The protective cobras 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 also adorn the mask. Daisies/Rosettes are seen as decoration along with the Wedjat-eyes 𓂀 on each side. Both of these are also symbols of rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱! Symbols of rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 were important to place on funerary equipment because the deceased wanted to be reborn in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, just like Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was. 

During Roman times, masks 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 were mass produced in workshops so it is unlikely that this mask represents a specific person. 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission. 

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

The God Osiris Inside A Sarcophagus

This depiction of the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓊩𓁹 is on the inside of a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭. Osiris 𓊩𓁹 is the lord of the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐  and it was the goal to be “reborn” like Osiris 𓊩𓁹 was after death. Much like Osiris 𓊩𓁹 in the myth, the deceased would not return to the world of the living, but instead live on in the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. 

The God Osiris

Osiris 𓊩𓁹 is always depicted in the same way – as a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾, holding the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅 , and wearing the Atef crown 𓋚. The Atef crown is the White Crown of Upper Egypt 𓌉𓏏𓋑 with two 𓏻 feathers 𓆄𓏏𓏭𓋛 of Ma’at 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 adorning the sides. Above Osiris 𓊩𓁹 is Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛, who is the god 𓊹 of the rising sun 𓇳𓏺. 

I love how Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 is drawn in the “Horizon 𓈌” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃. The ancient Egyptians used to use hieroglyphic symbols 𓊹𓌃𓏪 as artistic depictions for a lot of the natural happenings! Another example is how the “sky 𓇯” and “star 𓇼” hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 were often also used to depict these object in art. 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to start near Osiris’ head!

𓊩𓁹 – Osiris

𓎟 – Lord

𓇽 – Duat (ancient Egyptian word for Afterlife/Netherworld)

𓎟 – Lord

𓂦𓈊 – Sacred Land/Necropolis

Next to the flail: 

𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 – West

Osiris 𓊩𓁹 is often referred to as “Foremost of the West 𓏅𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊” because in ancient Egypt, the “west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊” was referred to as the Land of the Dead since the sun 𓇳𓏺 set in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊.

Now beneath “west” is where I don’t know what the glyphs say! It looks like “𓊹𓌃” which is “divine writing” (aka hieroglyphs” but “Great God 𓊹𓉼” would make more sense! Sometimes the way the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are drawn/painted can make it difficult to read and interpret!

There are many different ways to write Osiris’ name in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. Much like any language, Middle Egyptian changed and evolved over time. The way that Osiris is written on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭, “𓊩𓁹,” is a popular spelling from the Third Intermediate Period – Late Period, which is when this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is dated to. The most common way that Osiris was written before then was “𓁹𓊨𓀭,” which is the spelling that most are familiar with. Other ways to write Osiris are: 𓁹𓇓𓀴 and 𓁹𓊨𓂋𓀴, but these are less common.

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Cartouches of the Aten

Usually, a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 enclosed the name 𓂋𓈖 of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. The oval surrounding the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was meant to be protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 from evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 both in life 𓋹 and in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. During the 18th Dynasty, the name 𓂋𓈖 of the King’s Great Wife 𓇓𓈞𓏏 would also sometimes appear in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷. 

Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 was not a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 that followed tradition! Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏, which archaeologists sometimes refer to as the “Amarna Revolution” is a period of less than 20 𓎆𓎆 years which showed big changes not only to the traditional Egyptian religion, but also changes to the traditional Egyptian art. 

This fragment does not contain the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖. Instead, the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 are very long way to write the name 𓂋𓈖 of Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳, the sole sun 𓇳𓏺 deity 𓊹 in Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 new religion. 

Cartouches of the Aten
The Cartouches of the Aten

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! These are two 𓏻 of the “early” cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳, as there were variations during the later part of the Amarna period. The two 𓏻 cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 are incomplete, but since we know what the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 are supposed to say, I will translate both! 

Here is the first two cartouches at the top of the fragment:  𓋹𓅊𓈌𓈌𓎛𓂝𓏻𓏛𓐝𓈌𓏏 

𓋹 – Living 

𓅊𓈌𓈌 – Ra-Horakhty

𓎛𓂝𓏻𓏛 – Rejoicing 

𓐝 – in

𓈌𓏏 – Horizon

This translates to “The Living Ra-Horakhty, Rejoicing in the Horizon.” 

This second cartouche got cut off (you can only see the first two symbols), but here it is: 𓐝𓈖𓂋𓆑𓐝𓆄𓅱𓇳𓈖𓏏𓏻𓐝𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳

𓐝 – In 

𓈖𓂋 – Name

𓆑 – His 

𓐝 – As 

𓆄𓅱𓇳𓈖𓏏𓏻 – Light

𓐝 – In 

𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 – Aten

This translates to “In His Name As the Light Which is In the Aten.” 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Ivory Amulet of Thoth

Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are some of my favorite ancient Egyptian artifacts because I really love tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 things! It’s incredible how much artistry and detail can be seen even in the smallest 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 of objects! To the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were significant because they were seen as being powerful magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 in miniature form! 

Ivory Amulet of Thoth
Ivory Amulet of Thoth at the Brooklyn Museum.

During the 18th Dynasty, the use of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 both by the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 was becoming more and more popular. The amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 used by the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 were wrapped within the linen 𓍱 bandages that wrapped mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪, and these amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 helped the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 reach the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. 

Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 like this ivory 𓍋𓃀𓅱𓌟 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 of the god 𓊹 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 that is pictured 𓏏𓅱𓏏, was worn by a living person 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪. Sometimes people wore amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 like this one to proclaim their devotion to a specific god 𓊹. Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 is represented here as a man with the head of an ibis 𓉔𓃀𓅤, which was a very popular way to see him depicted in Egyptian art. 

Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 of Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 were also popular to be wrapped within mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 bandages, most likely due to Thoth’s 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 role in the Weighing of the Heart. 

My Nonno loved amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 too, and he would always tell me to look out for the intact cord loop. I love how the loop is still intact on this amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 – it makes me think of my Nonno! Whenever I see amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, I always make sure to look for it!

Ivory Amulet of Thoth
The Ivory Amulet of Thoth at the Brooklyn Museum. If you look closely behind his head, you can see the intact cord loop!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission. 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Sedimentary Rocks in Ancient Egypt

Let’s have a combination geology and history lesson today! While I always refer to ancient Egyptian history and hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 as my “First Love,” my second love is petrology! Most people think geology is solely the study of rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦, however, geology is actually an umbrella term that covers any field that studies the surface and interior of the Earth 𓇾𓇾! Petrology is solely the study of rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦, and within that field, sedimentary rocks are my absolute favorite type of rock to study!

Sedimentary Rocks
A stone vessel from the pre-dynastic period made from the sedimentary rock breccia (Brooklyn Museum)

Even in the pre-dynastic period, ancient Egyptian artisans mastered the art of taking very hard rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦 and turning them into something beautiful 𓄤 – as is the case with this Breccia jar dated to c. 3500-3100 B.C.E. Breccia was mainly used to make these stone jars, and rarely is it seen in other statuary. 

Breccia is classified as a clastic sedimentary rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙. Sedimentary rocks are rocks that formed from tiny pieces (sediments) of pre-existing rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦 and are classified based off the size of the fragments in the rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦. Breccia is defined by the fact that is has fragments over two 𓏻 millimeters in diameter, those fragments are angular, and they are suspended in a matrix (natural cement formed by the precipitation of minerals). 

Breccia’s “sister rock” (as I like to call it) is called conglomerate, which is also found in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! While the rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦 are similar (fragments over two 𓏻 millimeters in diameter, fragments in a matrix), their main difference is that conglomerate has rounded fragments! Why do we care about that difference? If the fragments are round, it means they traveled a far distance in water 𓈗 before they formed into the conglomerate! The angular fragments signify that the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 formed quickly after the sediments were deposited! 

Sedimentary Rocks
A piece of the rock conglomerate, which was found by me on the North Shore of Long Island. This is from my personal rock collection.

I included a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a conglomerate from my personal collection (I also found this rock myself) so you can see the difference in the shape of the fragments (scientifically referred to as “clasts”).  This conglomerate is one of my favorites because it has a “Hidden Mickey” in it!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.