Tag: anubis

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Blog Egyptian Artifacts

My Favorite Egyptian Artifacts

Happy 700 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 posts to @ancientegyptblog 𓃣 on Instagram!! Thank you 𓋴𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢 all 𓎟 for your continued support – it means the world 𓇾𓇾 to me!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 for a special post, I wanted to share some of my absolute favorite Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 artifacts that I have seen in museums! Now, these objects aren’t the “big ticket” items, or objects that most people run and see, however, these are the ones that I love and items that you can probably see at your local museums! 

Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 – it’s no secret that I love reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, and I love seeing them no matter what object they appear on! 

Hieroglyphs King's List
Me with the King’s List in the British Museum

Ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾- my favorite little guys who perform tasks for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! There are so many different types across various time periods of Egyptian history! I love them all! 

Ushabtis
The Ushabti display at the Brooklyn Museum

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪- Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was one of the only commoners to be deified, and he was the architect of Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 first 𓏃 pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴! My Nonno loved Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, and I do too! This Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 pictured is my favorite one at the Vatican!

My favorite Imhotep statue at the Vatican Museum – Look at those ears!!

Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺- better known to the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 as the “Book of Going Forth By Day,” this papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 would provide spells needed for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to reach the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This one pictured is the Papyrus of Hunefer, which contains my favorite “Weighing of the Heart” scene. 

Book of the Dead of Hunefer
The Weighing of the Heart Scene from the Book of the Dead of Hunefer at the British Museum

Wooden Sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪  (with the Eyes) – The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 on this side of the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 would allow the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to see outside of it! My Nonno told me this every time we were in a museum and saw a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 like this! 

Middle Kingdom Sarcophagus
Middle Kingdom sarcophagus with the eyes! (the MET)

Anything Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 – Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and tombs, has been my favorite god 𓊹, so I get excited every time I see him! Reliefs, sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪, statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, – you can find Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 all over! 

Anubis relief
My favorite relief of Anubis (from the Middle Kingdom) at the MET

Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪- I love tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 things so of course I love amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪! Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 come in all different designs – every day objects, deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, animals – the list is endless! There are so many different types and functions, however their main function was protection of the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 or the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱! 

Amulets
Various amulets on display at the MET – including the winged scarab which is one of my favorites!

Hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 – I am obsessed with the Egyptian Hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 statues! Hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 were both feared and revered along the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺! I always look to see if a museum has one of these! 

William the Hippo
William, the blue faience Egyptian hippo at the MET

I hope you enjoyed this highlight of some of my favorite Egyptian artifacts!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

The Book of the Dead of Nauny

The Weighing of the Heart (sometimes called the Judgement of Osiris 𓊩𓁹) is my absolute favorite part of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. I love how each version is unique and not a single one is the same! I find this particular papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 to be absolutely stunning. 

The Book of the Dead of Nauny

In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, the Book of the Dead was actually called “Coming Forth By Day 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺,” and it was a collection of magic spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 to help the deceased enter the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, and eventually the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖. 

The Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 is interesting because it doesn’t follow a particular story.  The spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 do seem to be grouped by theme, and sometimes pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 can be representative of the spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 that are written! 

This particular Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 belonged to a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Nauny 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐 who lived during the 21st Dynasty reign of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Psusennes I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓅮𓇼𓈍𓈖𓊖. Nauny’s 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 are also at the MET! 

The Book of the Dead of Nauny
Isis (left) and Nauny (right)

Starting from the left: the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is shown next to Nauny 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐, who is shown holding her eyes 𓁹𓁹 and mouth 𓂋 in her hands. Nauny’s 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐 heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 is weighed by Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 against Maat 𓁦. Usually, Maat’s 𓁦 feather 𓆄𓏺 is used, but this time Maat 𓁦 herself is shown on the scale, and is represented by the hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 that is used in her name 𓂋𓈖! Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 is shown on top of the scale, and his job is to record the findings. Osiris 𓊩𓁹 presides over the scene. 

The Book of the Dead of Nauny
Anubis

Luckily for Nauny 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐, the scales are in balance which means that she lead a true 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄 and just 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄𓏜 life 𓋹 and is worthy enough to enter the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖 and enjoy eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹 with Osiris 𓊩𓁹! Above the Weighing of the Heart scene, Nauny 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐 is seen standing by her own tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 and worshipping 𓇼𓄿𓀢 Horus 𓅃𓀭. 

The Book of the Dead of Nauny
Osiris
Categories
Video

Video – Anubis Statue

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was found near the Sacred Animal Necropolis at Saqqara (Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖). The Sacred Animal Necropolis housed thousands 𓏲𓏲𓏲 of mummified animals such as falcons 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄𓏦, baboons, ibises 𓉔𓃀𓅤𓏦 and bulls/cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦. This piece is dated to the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (664–30 B.C.E.). 

Although mummified jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦 were not found in the area, statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 have been found most likely because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and embalming 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, so it would make sense that there would be statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of him in the vicinity of this large necropolis. It is thought that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 such as this were used to guard embalming tents. 

Interestingly, this piece was originally painted 𓏞𓏜 black 𓆎𓅓, but through time it has lost its coloring! It’s hard to see in my pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 (the MET really needs better lighting – the galleries are so dark) but you can still see remnants of some of the black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 on the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾! 

I was very excited to see this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾, because there is a similar one in the Petrie Museum in London! I love seeing similar pieces in different museums around the world! It is really cool to see pieces that are similar across museum collections – I can’t explain why, but I just find it incredible! Also (no surprise), I love anything Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, so of course I absolutely love this statue and I need to visit it every time I go to the MET!

Fun fact! There are no temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦 dedicated to Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 because all tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and large burial areas were considered “temples” to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in! It makes so much sense because he is the god 𓊹 of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎! 

Anubis Statue
A picture of me with the Anubis statue!
Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Statue of Anubis

This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is one of my favorites! One of the reasons it is so special is because the piece is in such good condition. The black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 is still clearly visible and the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is so well preserved. Wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is an organic material, and even in the dry heat of the desert 𓅟𓂋𓏏𓈊 it can still break down over thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of years! My Nonno always pointed out every wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 piece in a museum and told us how significant it was that the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 was preserved. Now, it is something I always look for. 

This particular Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 piece is dated to the Ramesside Period, which was during the 19th-20th Dynasties of the New Kingdom. This style of statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 depicting Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 actually became very popular during the Ptolemaic Period, and there is a piece similar to this in the Brooklyn Museum too! 

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 shows Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in his jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 form. The kneeling position is representative of him guarding the necropolis 𓋴𓈖𓊼 from high above on a hill 𓈎𓄿𓄿𓊎 or mountain 𓈋𓅳- as was his role as the god 𓊹 of cemeteries and mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎. One of his titles which is “Lord of the Sacred Land 𓎟𓇾𓂦𓈊,” exemplifies and highlights this role. The “sacred land” mentioned in this title is another way to say “necropolis 𓋴𓈖𓊼!” 

Another one of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 titles is “upon his hill 𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑” and this hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 phrase usually follows his name 𓂋𓈖 in dedication texts! Again, this is representative of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 role as protector 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱; he was always standing watch from above! 

I also love this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 because it is very similar to Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 determinative hieroglyph 𓃣 (which is my favorite hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 symbol) and it’s almost identical to the ‘recumbent jackal 𓃢” sign! Basically, I love anything to do with Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! Seeing a well preserved statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of him, or hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 symbols of his name 𓂋𓈖 in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 makes me really happy 𓄫𓏏𓄣 and excited. It’s like seeing an old friend 𓈘𓈇𓀀𓁐! 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Stela with a Dedication to Anubis

This sandstone 𓂋𓅱𓂧𓏏𓌗𓈙 piece, located in one of the tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 offshoot galleries at the MET is a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 from the New Kingdom (c. 1400–1390 B.C.E.) with two 𓏻 people, Siamun and Taruy, worshipping Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! Usually on stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪, people are shown worshipping Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, so seeing Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 on one makes me very happy! 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! I’m going to start on the right, with the cartouche!

(𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼) – Thutmosis IV 

Now, above Anubis: 

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱 – Anubis

𓎟 – Lord

𓇾𓏤𓈅𓂦 – Sacred Land

Above the Two People: 

𓂋𓏏𓂞𓀢 – Giving Praise

𓇋𓈖 – To

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓏲 – Anubis

𓇋𓈖 – by the 

𓃂 – Wab Priest

(These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are etched out, but probably read “Siamun”)

𓌢𓈖𓏏 – Sister

𓈘𓏏 – Beloved

𓆑 – His

𓏏𓄿𓂋𓏤𓏭𓅱 – Taruy

So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 reads: 

“𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓎟𓇾𓏤𓈅𓂦” – Anubis, Lord of the Sacred Land

“𓂋𓏏𓂞𓀢𓇋𓈖𓇋𓈖𓊪𓏲𓇋𓈖𓃂…𓌢𓈖𓏏𓈘𓏏𓆑𓏏𓄿𓂋𓏤𓏭𓅱” – Giving praise to Anubis, by the Wab Priest (Siamun) to his beloved sister Taruy.

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Anubis

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 I am going to be re-sharing one of my absolute favorite reliefs of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! This relief of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is from a larger limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 piece that was made for Amenemhat I’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏 “Heb Sed” festival,  better known as the 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆 Year Jubilee! 

There are so many amazing facts about Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢; I could probably write a book about him! Aptly named, “Lord of the Necropolis 𓎟𓇾𓂦𓈊,” he was guardian of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and cemeteries. Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 was the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, and the title “He who is in the mummy wrappings 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖“ signifies Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 role in the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process, which is what he is most known for. 

Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 also could act as a guide to souls 𓂓𓂓𓂓 in the Underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐(referenced in the Pyramid Texts of Unas 𓃹𓈖𓇋𓋴). One of his most famous roles is in the Weighing of the Heart, in which the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 would be weighed against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather 𓆄𓏺 by Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣.  Basically, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 played a big role in all aspects of a person’s death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 was a huge part of the Egyptian religion. 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (the ones above Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 head)! This is part of a much larger inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥!

𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎- He Who is in the Mummy Wrappings – (the first symbol is cut off in my picture, 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖, but it actually can be written both ways)

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands (we have seen this one many times before – part of the titles of the pharaoh)!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Recumbent Jackal on Shrine Hieroglyph

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to look at my favorite hieroglyphic symbol: Anubis 𓃣! So out of all 700+ symbols, this symbol of Anubis on a shrine 𓃣 has always been (and will always be) my absolute favorite!

There are three 𓏼 variants of this symbols: 𓃢, 𓃣, and 𓃤. The variants just mean that all three symbols could be used in the same way to represent the same thing!

The official name of this symbol given by Egyptologists is “recumbent jackal on shrine 𓃣” and it is used as both an ideogram and a determinative. 𓃣 is the determinative in the word “Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣” and also an ideogram for “Anubis 𓃣.”

When 𓃣 functions as an ideogram, the “𓃣” would be pronounced the same as “𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣.” The proper way to say Anubis in Middle Egyptian is “jnpw” (pronounced like “Inpu”).
𓇋 – j (i)
𓈖 – n
𓊪 – p
𓅱 – w (u)
𓃣 – Determinative – not pronounced!

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Anubis” is actually the Greek version of his name, not the Middle Egyptian name 𓂋𓈖, so that is why the hieroglyphs don’t match up with how we are so used to saying Anubis/Inpu’s name 𓂋𓈖!

Since this is my absolute favorite symbol, when I was a kid, I was so mad that I could not use this symbol as part of my name 𓂋𓈖 (my name written out is 𓈖𓇋𓎡𓍯𓃭𓀭).

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Anubis – Names and Titles in Hieroglyphs

It’s no secret that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 (Inpu in Egyptian – the name Anubis is actually Greek) is my favorite of the Egyptian gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹! I have always been a fan of mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪, so it makes sense that the god of embalming, tombs, cemeteries, etc ended up being my favorite! Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 also could act as a guide to souls in the Underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐(referenced in the Pyramid Texts of Unas).

The inscription (which is read from left to right on this particular text) states: 𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖.

The translation is:
𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – An offering the king gives
𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣- Anubis
𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑 – Upon his hill/mountain
𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖 – He who is in the mummy wrappings

The title “𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑” refers to Anubis’ role as the protector of the tombs while “ 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖” refers to Anubis’ importance as the god 𓊹 of embalming/mummification.

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Ptolemaic Statue of Anubis

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (c. 332–30 B.C.E.) and is quite beautiful 𓄤 in person! I have never posted about this piece before because the lighting in the gallery is so bad that it makes it hard to get a good picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏! 

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made of plaster and wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺, and has been painted 𓏞𓏜 in many beautiful 𓄤 colors! Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 arms are raised in a protective 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 stance, as if he is welcoming the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. 

Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 held many important titles, all of which signify how important he was to not only embalming, but to all aspects of a person’s death 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The title “Upon His Hill/Mountain 𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑” references the cliff that usually surrounded necropolises, which Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 (and jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦) would guard. The title “He who is in the mummy wrappings 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖“ signifies Anubis’ role in the mummification process, which is what he is most known for. 

The title “In front at the God’s booth 𓏅𓊹𓉱” references Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 place not only in the place of embalming, but in the burial chamber 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓉐 of a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 too!  Before Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 became a much more major god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 had that role and was known by the title “Foremost of the Westerners 𓏅𓈖𓏏𓏭𓋀𓄿𓏦 ” Since the sun 𓆄𓅱𓇳 set in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊, the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 was known as the land of the dead to the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪. 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Graeco-Roman Stela

This is certainly an interesting stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 for sure!

This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is made of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 but the craftsmanship is kind of…off! This is very typical for work from the time period (1st Century B.C.E. – 4th Century A.D.). During the Greek and Roman periods, objects like amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪, statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪, and more were so mass produced that the craftsmanship suffered. Let’s take a look at what is going on! 

The top section of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 seems to be trying to follow the traditional Egyptian way – the winged 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃 sun disc 𓇳𓏺 and the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 are roughly carved but are definitely there! This design is known as “ Horus the Behdetite” and is a representation of Horus 𓅃𓀭 that is popular on stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪. Under that, two 𓏻 jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦 are depicted! 

In the middle section, from the left, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is depicted holding an ankh 𓋹 or key which most likely symbolizes his association with/ability to access the underworld (a very Graeco-Roman version of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣)! Then the four 𓏽 people to the right of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 are identified by the Greek inscription below: “Pekysis, son of Aruotes, and his brother Pachoumis; Tbaikis the elder and Tbaikis the younger.” Pekysis is thought to be the man holding the torch! Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 is depicted all the way on the right! 

Thanks to the MET for the Greek translation because I certainly don’t speak Greek!