Tag: the met

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Winged Scarab

The Winged Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is a large faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 that consists of three 𓏼 separate pieces; the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 itself and the two 𓏻 wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 that go on either side. These amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were placed usually on the chest of a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾, and sometimes were even sewn into the beaded shrouds that would cover the wrapped mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 in the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭. There are even holes in the amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 to allow for them to be attached securely! Most of the time, the pieces were integrated right into the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 bandages just like the other funerary amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪. I love this type of amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 so much!

The wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 are not those fo a beetle, but are actually the wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 of a bird! The wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 allowed the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 to join the rising and setting of the sun 𓇳𓏺 each day – which to the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 represented the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The cycle was central to the ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 religion! As a god 𓊹 who was constantly reborn, Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 was associated with resurrection!

Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 is the god 𓊹 that is associated with scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 and he is the god 𓊹 of the rising sun 𓇳𓏺 in the east 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭. The name “ Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛” is pronounced pretty much the same as “scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣” even though they are spelled differently!

In this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 are also the four Sons of Horus amulets, which I have posted about previously! The four Sons of Horus were usually placed below the winged scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 on the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾, just like in this display!

The Winged Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 also showed up in the Marvel show Moon Knight a lot! What did you think of Layla’s outfit in the last episode?!?! I loved it! If I was a superhero I would want that to be my costume!!!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Life

Life, Vita, 𓋹𓈖𓐍.

This is a piece of papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 with the word “Life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 written on it. While the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 were a people who were focused on the idea of preparing for the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, they sure did write about living and preserving the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 quite a lot! Many Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 phrases mention life 𓋹𓈖𓐍, such as the most popular ones like “Given Life 𓏙𓋹“ or “Given Life for Eternity 𓏙𓋹𓆖.”

In Middle Egyptian, “Life” can be either written as:
𓋹 – just the single “ankh” symbol
𓋹𓈖𓐍 – the full word written out (which is what is pictured)

Both ways to write “life” are common, though the lone “ 𓋹” is what most people are familiar with. “𓋹𓈖𓐍” is used more in full inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥, while “𓋹” is used in phrases like the ones mentioned above. However, they both have the same meaning of “life.”

My Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 was a person who loved life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and wanted to live it to the fullest. He was like the Energizer Bunny and just never stopped! Since I have gained many new followers, please check my “About Me” highlight that mentions the story of my Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 and how this whole account is dedicated to preserving his name 𓂋𓈖 and memory. My Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 loved ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and shared his passion with me; he is the reason I’m able to read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and have a lifelong passion for the history of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. My Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 gave life 𓏙𓋹 to my passion!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Ammit – The Devourer

Ammit in the Book of the Dead of Imhotep at The MET

Never did I think I would see the day where Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was the main villain on a Marvel tv show but here we are! Let’s learn a bit about the Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 from Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 mythology – there are some similarities to the Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 we saw on Moon Knight! In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was not formally worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in any formal cult (unlike on Moon Knight) and the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 saw her as a goddess 𓊹𓏏 to be feared and overcome!

Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was a combination of animals that were most feared by the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪: she had the head 𓁶𓏺 of a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌, the neck and mane of a lion 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛, and the rear of a hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯! Since she was the combination of both land and marine animals there was no escaping Ammit’s 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 wrath no matter where you went!

Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was known as “the devourer” or “eater of hearts” and her name 𓂋𓈖 means “female devourer” or “female devourer of the dead.” That is in reference to Ammit’s 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 role in the Weighing of the Heart of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱; if the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 led a life full of bad deeds, Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 would eat their heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 when it weighed more than Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather. When Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 eat their heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would not be granted access to the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife).

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 is from the Book of the Dead of Imhotep (Early Ptolemaic Period) at the MET!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

The Star Hieroglyph

The Star Hieroglyph

The star 𓇼 hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is one of my favorite symbols! I am an Earth/Environmental scientist, and I love astronomy (I teach Earth Science and Astrophysics)! Fun Fact about me: I went to Kennedy Space Center for my Sweet 16!

The star 𓇼 hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 is so cool because it can function as a determinative, phonogram, and ideogram! Let’s take a look at how that works!

The word for star is “𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼” and here the “𓇼” functions as the determinative, or the last symbol in the word that almost acts as punctuation to let the reader know the general meaning of the word. It can also be used as the determinative in the name 𓂋𓈖 of a specific star, like “Sirius 𓇮𓏏𓇼”

In words like “𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 Duat/afterlife” or
“𓇼𓄿𓇳 morning/tomorrow,” the “𓇼” functions as a phonogram for the sound “dw3” (almost like “dua”).

The word “star,” while written like “ 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼,” can also just be written as “𓇼𓏺,” and here the “𓇼” symbol functions as an ideogram, or a symbol that is used to write the word it represents.

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Faience Foundation Brick of Thutmosis III

“The Great God, Menkheperra, Beloved of Osiris.”

This faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 piece is most likely a foundation deposit brick of a building that was built during the reign 𓋾 of Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴.

Foundation deposit bricks were ceremonial offerings that were placed at the corners of buildings, courts, temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦 , tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦, and pretty much the foundation of any building. They can almost be thought of as the ancient version of a ground-breaking ceremony. The foundation deposit bricks usually contained the cartouche of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 that the building was constructed under on it!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!

𓊹𓄤 – [The] Great God
(𓇳𓏠𓆣) – Menkheperra [Throne name of Thutmosis III]
𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris
𓌹𓇌 – Beloved

So the full inscription reads: “The Great God, Menkheperra, Beloved of Osiris.”

“Beloved 𓌹𓇌” is a word that pops up a lot in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 so it is a good one to know! It is also popular as the first part of a person’s name 𓂋𓈖. For example the name 𓂋𓈖 “Meryamun” or “Beloved of Amun” was a very popular name 𓂋𓈖 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

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Egyptian Artifacts

“Small Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut”

Nicole (me) with Hatshepsut!

Here I am with a small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 “Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut.” This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is in the “Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 Room” at the MET – aka Gallery 115, which is my absolute favorite room in any museum I have ever been to! I love the details on this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 – especially the black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 around the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦!

Small State of Hatshepsut that shows the painted details around the eyes

This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made out of black/pink granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 (also called red granite by geologists)! The black 𓆎𓅓 and pink granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 is traditionally found in Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 (Upper Egypt 𓇓). In the USA, black 𓆎𓅓 and pink granite is commonly found in Nevada and other western 𓋀𓏏𓏭 states!

While not as grand as some of her other statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 that adorned her temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐, this one makes quite an impression. There are at least eight of these statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪, and many of them are in the MET. They were most likely used to line the upper court at her temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐, and are thought to be intended for her Heb Sed festival (a festival used to celebrate 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆 years of rule, and then celebrated every three 𓏼 years after the initial 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆). Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, ever the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 to break from tradition, instead celebrated hers in the 16th 𓎆𓏿 year of her rule!

In this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾, Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is kneeling and is seen holding the nemset jar 𓏌. The jar 𓏌 has the djed pillar 𓊽 adorning the front. The djed pillar 𓊽 is thought to be the spine of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, and it represents stability and endurance – both are attributes a Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 needed in order to be a successful ruler 𓋾!

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Cartouche of Seti I

A wooden Ushabti and Scarabs that contain the cartouche of Seti I (The MET)

These are pieces that contain the cartouche of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠! There is a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 and a bunch of scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 – some of my favorite types of artifacts!

One of my favorite things to see in museums are the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠. While only about 700 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 of these wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures remain, it is estimated that Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 had over 1000 𓆼 of them. What happened to the ones that are missing? They were used for firewood when Belzoni was excavating the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐!

My Nonno frequently told me about this – he was not happy that artifacts were destroyed! Anytime Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 came up in conversation (which was often because he was one of my Nonno’s favorite pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦) my Nonno would say “can you believe some idiots used his ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 as torches??!!”

Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 remaining ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 are in museums throughout the world 𓇾𓇾 and I have always been on the lookout for them whenever I go to a museum! Originally, my Nonno and I would always point them out to each other. Now whenever I see them, they are a reminder of my Nonno.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statue of Imhotep

Small Bronze Statue of Imhotep at The MET

Seeing the small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 are one of my favorite parts of going to the museum! My Nonno loved Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 and always pointed him out to us! We even played a game as to who could find Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 first! I had to get a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of me with the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾!

Nicole (me) with Imhotep at The MET

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, whose name 𓂋𓈖 means “he who comes in peace,” was a high official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 (“overseer of the works” and a priest 𓊹𓍛 of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱) during the reign 𓋾 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Djoser 𓂦 during the 3rd Dynasty. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is most famous for constructing the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 (modern day Saqqara). In addition to being a priest 𓊹𓍛 and architect, he is also connected with medicine, even though no written evidence of his achievements in medicine has been found.

Even though Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 lived during the Old Kingdom and reached demigod status (he is thought to be the son 𓅭 of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱) within a century of his death, it wasn’t until the Late Period/Ptolemaic Period that the worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 reached its peak. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is one of the few commoners to ever reach godly status and cult centers dedicated to his worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 were located at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖, Philae, and Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖. His tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 has never been found, though if I had to guess, I would think it would be at Saqqara – near the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphic Symbols: “Area with an Intersection”

Let’s learn some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!!

The “area with an intersection 𓊖” or as I like to call it “the circle with the X” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 or the X-Men symbol, is a decently common symbol you will find in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!

The “𓊖” is used as both an ideogram and a determinative! An ideogram is a symbol that is used to write the word that it represents, and is usually followed by a single stroke. The stroke acts as a form of punctuation!

𓊖𓏺 – Town (njwt)

More commonly, “𓊖” functions as the determinative, or the last symbol in the word that almost acts as punctuation to let the reader know the general meaning of the word. “𓊖” is the determinative for town, city, settlement, and even the country of Egypt! “𓊖” seems to be used for towns/cities in Egypt, while most foreign lands used the determinative of “𓈊.”

Here are some examples of “𓊖” being used as a determinative!

𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 – Egypt
𓌀𓏏𓊖 – Thebes
𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 – Aswan
𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 – Memphis
𓆓𓂝𓈖𓏏𓊖 – Tanis
𓍋𓃀𓈋𓊖 – Abydos
𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖 – Amarna

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

“Venerated Before…” in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Also, how gorgeous 𓄤 are the colors on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭?!

This is another inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that you will find on sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪 or other funerary objects, like stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪. While the phrase may not be as common as some others (like the Offering Formula), it does pop up fairly frequently and it’s a good one to know!

𓄪𓐍𓇌- Venerated
𓐍𓂋 – Before
𓊨𓏏𓏺 – Isis (her name is usually written as 𓊨𓏏𓁥, but the determinative is missing most likely due to the amount of space available on the sarcophagus.)

Since “Venerated 𓄪𓐍𓇌“ is just another way to say “respect,” this phrase means that the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person was held in high regard by the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥! That is certainly a position that an ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 would want to be in!

Now, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓏺 isn’t the only goddess’ 𓊹𓏏 name 𓂋𓈖 that is used in this phrase; Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 and Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 are popular to find as well! This is because all three 𓏼 of these deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are associated with death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐!

𓄪𓐍𓇌𓐍𓂋𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 – Venerated Before Anubis
𓄪𓐍𓇌𓐍𓂋𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Venerated Before Osiris

I hope this has been helpful in your hieroglyph journey!