Tag: the met

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Egyptian Artifacts

Burial Chamber of Sobekmose

This is the burial chamber 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓉐 of Sobekmose, who was a treasury official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 under the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠(18th Dynasty, c. 1417–1379 B.C.E.). The south 𓇔𓅱𓏏 wall, part of the east 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭 wall, and the ceiling 𓉔𓄿𓏏𓇯 blocks are all preserved here. The blocks are made of sandstone 𓂋𓅱𓂧𓏏𓌗𓈙.

Decorated burial chambers 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓉐 were not super common in the 18th Dynasty. Instead, the scenes depicted here were usually distributed amongst many chambers. They are all condensed into one room here.

The ceiling’s 𓉔𓄿𓏏𓇯 inscriptions include a prayer to Nut 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭 (goddess 𓊹𓏏 of the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯), “words spoken by 𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖” Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nut 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭, and inscriptions saying that “the Osiris Sobekmose” is “honored by” the Four Sons of Horus and various other gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹. The east 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭 entrance wall is decorated with protective texts and images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣. The south 𓇔𓅱𓏏 wall is covered in prayers to many different Egyptian gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏.

This was purchased from the Egyptian government in 1908, and the north 𓎔𓏏 and west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 walls of the burial chamber 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓉐 are actually in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Canopic Jars and Canopic Jar Lids

Here are some canopic jars and canopic jar lids!

Ever since I was a little kid 𓐍𓇌𓀕 I have been obsessed with the process of mummification and mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 – I have never been scared of it I just thought it was so cool! The purpose of the canopic jars was to hold the organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 that were removed during the process of mummification. The stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻, intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼, the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸 and the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺. The brain 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓄹 was removed through the nose 𓆑𓈖𓂧𓂉 but then gotten rid of! The heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not removed because the deceased’s 𓅓𓏏𓏱 heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 needed to be weighed against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather in order to enter the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

The canopic jars on the top row belonged to a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Nephtys who was a mayor’s daughter. These are dated to the Middle Kingdom (Dynasty 12 – c. 1981–1802 B.C.E.), and human headed lids were popular during this time period. Before this, the canopic jars had flat lids. These four 𓏽 jars are made of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉!

The canopic jars on the bottom row belong to a person named Kay. These are also dated to the Middle Kingdom (Dynasty 12 – c. 1981–1802 B.C.E.), and are made out of linen 𓍱 and stucco. These canopic jars contain a hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the front. I think the lids of these jars are so cool because they look like a mummy mask!

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Coffin of Nephtys

This rectangular outer coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 and mummiform inner coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Nephtys who was a mayor’s daughter (the canopic jars from yesterday’s post belonged to her too). These are dated to the Middle Kingdom (Dynasty 12 – c. 1981–1802 B.C.E.).

The rectangular outer coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 is very standard for this time period. The two 𓏻 eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 that are seen would serve as a way for the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to be able to see into the land of the living. The head 𓁶𓏺 of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 would have been placed directly behind these two 𓏻 eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦. Below the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦, is the Middle Kingdom version of the false door (particularly popular in Old Kingdom tombs). The false door would allow the spirit of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to be able to travel between the land of the living and the land of the dead. The design is sometimes referred to as the “palace facade.”

The mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 of Nephtys is still preserved in in the mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾. The mask she is wearing has a gilded 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 face and is wearing a faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The standard offering formula is seen in the long line of text at the top of the coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱!

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – “An offering the king gives..”

𓊨𓁹𓏺 – “…Osiris…”

𓎟 – “…Lord…”

𓊽𓊽𓅱 – “…of Djedu…”

𓊹𓉻 – “…the Great God…”

𓎟 – “…Lord…”

𓍌𓈋𓃀𓅱𓊖 – “…of Abydos.”

𓂞𓆑𓉓 – “Given a voice offering of…”

So put together, the inscription says:

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓊨𓁹𓏺𓎟𓊽𓊽𓅱𓊹𓉻𓎟𓍌𓈋𓃀𓅱𓊖𓂞𓆑𓉓

“An offering the king gives Osiris, Lord of Djedu, the Great God, Lord of Abydos, Given a voice offering of…”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Canopic Jar from the Amarna Period

This beautifully 𓄤 made canopic jar was made during the reign of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 (Dynasty 18, c. 1349–1336 B.C.E.).

Since it’s discovery in the Valley of the Kings (Tomb KV55) in 1907, Egyptologists have been trying to figure out who the canopic jars (there are four 𓏽 of them) originally belonged to. The jar has been identified as: Queen Tiye, Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐; Queen Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭, his principal wife 𓇓𓏏𓏏𓈞; Queen Kiya, his secondary wife; and Princess Merytaten, Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 eldest daughter whom he married later in his reign (🤢).

There were hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the jar to help identify the original owner, however they have been completely faded or erased. Very faint traces of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 could identify the owned as Queen Kiya. Some argue that the face looks like Queen Tiye, and that the lid was just placed on Queen Kiya’s jar. I guess we will never know for sure who the canopic jars belonged to!

The face on the lid is wearing what is called the Nubian Wig, which was very popular during the Amarna Period. There is also a hole on the forehead, where a Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 would be. These features indicate that the owner of the jar was in fact part of the royal family.

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Mummiform Coffin of Harmose

This (left) mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a singer named 𓂋𓈖 Harmose who lived during the joint rule of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣(New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, c. 1479–1458 B.C.E.). While Harmose was not royal, this coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is still quite striking. The face is overlaid with gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 foil while the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 are made out of inlaid alabaster (white 𓌉𓆓𓇳) and obsidian (black 𓆎𓅓). The coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 was found in the vicinity of Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 during excavations funded by the Metropolitan Museum of Art during the 1935-1936 dig season.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! By now, I’m sure those of you who have been following me for a bit can now recognize parts of the standard offering formula!

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – “An offering the king gives…”

𓊩𓁹 – “…Osiris…” (this is a not as common variation of his name)

𓋾𓈎𓏛 – “…Ruler of…”

𓆖 – “…Eternity…”

𓉼𓊹 – “…The Great God”

𓎟 – “…Lord…”

𓍌𓃀𓈋𓊖 – “…of Abydos…” (this is another variation – Abydos is more commonly written as 𓍌𓈋𓃀𓅱𓊖)

𓉓 – “…A Voice Offering of…”

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Scarab of Hatshepsut

Here is a scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 from the MET! The MET has so many of these beautiful 𓄤 scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 and I honestly love looking at them! I really like tiny things, so scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 and other amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are some of my favorite pieces to see in museums!

This scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 has a very simple message:

𓊹𓄤 – “Perfect God”

𓇳𓁧𓂓 – “Maatkare”

Interestingly, Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 throne name Maatkare (which translates to “Truth is the Soul of Re”) is usually written as 𓇳𓁦𓂓, however on the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣, the symbol for Maat is slightly different! On this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣, the symbol shows Maat holding an ankh 𓁧! It’s a very subtle but cool variation. It doesn’t change the meaning or the pronunciation of her name 𓂋𓈖, but I love seeing little changes like this! Clearly, this was an artistic choice!

When learning hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, throne names are a great place to start learning because the names aren’t too complex! Let’s use Maatkare 𓇳𓁧𓂓 as an example!

𓇳 – Re

𓁧 – Truth (Maat)

𓂓 – Soul (Ka)

With the three 𓏼 symbol cartouche, especially when Re 𓇳𓏺 is involved, it’s read middle-right-left. So why is Re 𓇳𓏺 written first but said last!? Honorific transposition! As a sign of respect, Re (or another god 𓊹) is always written first!

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Statue of a Pharaoh and Ancient Plagiarism

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is very interesting because it was originally made for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenemhat II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏 during the 12th 𓎆𓏻 Dynasty. However if you look at the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, the cartouches of Rameses II can be read! The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 used to recycle statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 all the time – this is a process known as usurping (taking one pharaoh’s monuments, erasing their name𓂋𓈖, and putting yours!). It’s kind of like ancient plagiarism!

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made of granodiorite, a type of volcanic (igneous) rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙. It was quarried at Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 and then transported up the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 to Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖, where it was sculpted.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

(𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖) – Rameses II (throne name Usermaatre)

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

𓈘𓆑 – His Beloved

(𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓) – Rameses II

𓇳𓏇𓏺 – Like Ra

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

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Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Column of Bes

This is part of a limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 column that is representative of the god 𓊹 Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 and it is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (332-31 B.C.E.).

Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 was worshipped as the protector 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of households 𓉐𓏺, mothers 𓅐𓏏𓁐𓏪, children 𓐍𓇌𓀕𓏪, and even childbirth. Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 also represented everything good, and was the enemy of anything evil. Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 is also thought to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 people against sickness. Cups were fashioned in Bes’ 𓃀𓋴𓄜 likeness and people thought if they drank from the cup, Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 would heal them! Small statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 and amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 of Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 were also placed in bedrooms as a form of protection.

Fun fact: the Spanish island of Ibiza is thought to be named after Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜! Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 was worshipped by the Phoenicians (whose pantheon mixed with the Egyptians) and Phoenician settlers brought their worship of Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 with them to Ibiza when it was settled. Ibiza actually means “Island of Bes.”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Faience Tiles from the Step Pyramid

Djoser 𓂦 was the first pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 3rd Dynasty, and his Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 was the first large stone structure in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. Designed by the architect Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, who was later deified, the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 was meant to provide the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 with a large funerary complex and a home for eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛.

These blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 tiles decorated the lower levels of Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 Complex. There were over 30,000 tiles used!!! The tiles were meant to represent various types of reeds that covered the walls of Djoser’s 𓂦 palace.

I have always been obsessed with anything having to do with the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 solely because of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪. My Nonno always spoke more about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 than Djoser 𓂦! My Nonno always pointed these tiles out to me in the museum. While to most people, the tiles look somewhat insignificant compared to beautifully 𓄤 carved reliefs and statues, my Nonno always said that these types of tiles were important because they were really only found in the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 and one of Djoser’s 𓂦 other buildings at Saqqara. The tiles were pretty much a “uniquely Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪” thing according to Nonno!

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Blog

BTS and Ancient Egypt!

안녕하세요 – Hello!!

So this is going to be a different type of post but that’s okay! Namjoon 남준 from BTS 방탄소년단 posted a picture at the Temple of Dendur at the MET! As many of you know, this is one of my absolute favorite places and I was very excited to see that I actually have a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 in the same exact spot as him! Namjoon 남준 loves museums and is a big supporter of the arts – just like me!

I discovered BTS 방탄소년단 during quarantine in 2020 after my Nonno passed away and their music (plus their TV shows etc.) have been a huge comfort for me. I love their music and I love their message – so much so that I am trying my hardest to learn some Korean 한국어 so I can listen to their music without needing as many translations. Writing about ancient Egypt and BTS 방탄소년단 have been my ways to try to healthily cope with my Nonno’s death, which is still something I am having difficulty processing.

Some history on the Temple of Dendur: The temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 was actually commissioned by Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 and building was completed by 10 B.C. Dendur is located in Nubia, and is just south 𓇔𓅱𓏏 of Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖. Even though the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 was built by Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀, it definitely follows Egyptian style and not Roman style. The temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 was primarily used to worship the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥.

감사합니다 – Thank You!