Tag: hieroglyphs

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Reading Hieroglyphs

The Shabti Spell

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be learning about the Shabti Spell! The Shabti Spell was a special hieroglyphic inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 which gave the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figure the ability to perform tasks, such as manual labor, for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

The Shabti Spell

We are going to look at the blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼  ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 that is in this picture! 

The “Shabti Spell” usually starts off with the following phrase: 

𓋴𓌉𓆓𓇶 – The Illuminated One

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – The Osiris

Then the “Shabti Spell” will usually list the deceased’s 𓅓𓏏𓏱 job/titles: 

𓏟 – Scribe

𓉒 – Treasury

So this specific ushabti’s 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 spell starts off with “The Illuminated One, The Osiris, The Scribe of the Treasury…” – after this, the name 𓂋𓈖 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person would appear (we can’t see it the text wraps around the ushabti) and then the name 𓂋𓈖 of either the deceased’s 𓅓𓏏𓏱 mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 or father 𓇋𓏏𓀀 would also be listed. 

The word for “ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾” also appears in the Shabti Spell! It is usually part of the phrase “O these Shabtis, if I am counted, if I am reckoned at any works in the god’s land…” which is the part of the spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 that calls on the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 to do the work for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 so it is very important because this is the whole point of the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figure! 

The Shabti Spell

Let me know if you like the image above with the inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 highlighted! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphic Vocabulary – Week One

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! On my Instagram Stories, I have been doing a “Hieroglyphic Word of the Day” feature, where I feature a common Hieroglyphic Vocabulary word every single day! My goal with this feature is to make it easy for people to recognize words that are common in inscriptions so that the words are easy to spot and read!

@ancientegyptblog

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here’s a compilation of my “Word of the Day” posts that are featured on my Instagram stories! This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. @ancientegyptblog #ancientEgypt #egyptology #ancientegyptblog #hieroglyphics #egitto #이집트 #egyptianhistory #anticoegitto #egyptologist #egyptianmythology #letsreadsomehieroglyphs

♬ Cleópatra, Rainha do Egito – Wisley Vilela

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

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Reading Hieroglyphs

The Four Sons of Horus on a Sarcophagus

This beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 at the Brooklyn Museum shows the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Nephthys 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓆇 with the Four Sons of Horus! The Four Sons of Horus were an integral part of ancient Egyptian religion – usually in a funerary aspect so it makes sense that they would appear on a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭! 

The Four Sons of Horus usually appeared as the lids of canopic jars, which were the jars used to store the organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of a deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person during the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process. When they appears as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 or on sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏥, the Four Sons of Horus served as protectors 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. 

The Four Sons of Horus on a Sarcophagus

The Four Sons of Horus are easy to recognize because they usually appear together in funerary art! Another way to recognize them is by reading their names 𓂋𓈖𓏦! 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Something interesting about this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is the way the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the Four Sons of Horus are spelled! The spellings of the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 here are some interesting variants that aren’t seen too often! We will start reading from the left! 

Hapi 𓐑𓊪𓇌(can also be spelled 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌𓀭) had the head of a baboon and he protected the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺. 

Imseti 𓐝𓊃𓍿 (can also be spelled 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿𓀭/𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋 ) had the head of a human and he protected the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸. 

Duamutef 𓇼𓂟𓅐𓏏𓈖𓆑(can also be spelled 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑𓀭/𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑) had the head of a jackal and he protected the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻. 

Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓈖𓈖𓈖𓌢𓏏𓏥𓆑(can also be spelled 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭) had the head of a Falcon and he protected the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼. 

Can you spot all of the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 in the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖? 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Bronze Blade With Hatshepsut’s Name

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on this Bronze Blade with Hatshepsut’s name!

Bronze Blade With Hatshepsut's Name
Bronze Blade with Hatshepsut’s name in the hieroglyphic inscription at the Petrie Museum

While it doesn’t look like much, this piece is actually a bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 blade 𓅓𓂧𓈖𓐍𓋴 that was once attached to a handle. This was one of my favorite objects that I saw at the Petrie Museum because it has Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 throne name on it!

I also think this piece is unpublished, so it was a total surprise for me to see that it even existed! Since her name 𓂋𓈖appears on the blade 𓅓𓂧𓈖𓐍𓋴, it means that it was most certainly made during Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 time as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

Let’s take a closer look at the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

𓄤𓊹 – Great God

(𓇳𓁦𓂓) – Maatkare (Hatshepsut’s Throne Name which translates to “Truth 𓁦 is the Soul 𓂓 of Re 𓇳.”)

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

𓏃 – Foremost 

𓂦𓂦𓉐- Holiest of Holies (the name given to Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahri. It can also be written as 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐). 

𓌺𓇌 – Beloved 

Put together, the inscription reads: 𓄤𓊹(𓇳𓁦𓂓)𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏃𓂦𓂦𓉐𓌺𓇌 “The Great God Maatkare, Beloved of Amun, Foremost of the Holiest of Holies.” 

Interestingly, Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is referred to as “The Great God 𓄤𓊹” instead of the “Great Goddess 𓄤𓊹𓏏” as she usually is in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥. Certain inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 towards the later part of her reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 did sometimes omit the feminine ending of the word, so this might mean the blade 𓅓𓂧𓈖𓐍𓋴 is from the late part of her rule 𓋾𓈎𓏏. Or this could just be a spacing issue – the blade 𓅓𓂧𓈖𓐍𓋴 is small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 so maybe not all of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 could fit! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Imhotep Statue at the Vatican Museum

It’s been a while since I shared a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of an Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! I love this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 so much – look at those ears! It’s so cute!! This Imhotep statue is on display at the Vatican Museum!

Imhotep Statue
Bronze Statue of Imhotep on display at the Vatican Museum

The Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are always fashioned the same so they are very easy to pick out in museums! Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is always depicted as a scribe 𓏟𓀀 sitting with a papyrus roll 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 across his lap.

Even though Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 lived during the 3rd Dynasty, most of his statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are dated to the Ptolemaic Period, which is when Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a god 𓊹, especially by the Greeks. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was one of the few non-royal Egyptians to be deified. 

The name 𓂋𓈖 Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 actually translates to “He Who Comes in Peace.” Let’s break down the name 𓂋𓈖 to see what each of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 mean! 

𓇍 – Come, Arrive, Return

𓅓 – Who Is/Who Is In

𓊵𓏏𓊪 – Peace

I love translating the names of ancient Egyptian people! Much like names today, their names meant something too! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

“Life” in Hieroglyphs

Life, Vita, 𓋹𓈖𓐍.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

"Life" in Hieroglyphs
“Life” in hieroglyphs written on papyrus.

This is a piece of papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 with the word “Life 𓋹𓈖𓐍” written on it. To the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪, words were powerful because if something was written down, it was put into existence for all eternity 𓆖. This is why they put such importance on preserving the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 and name 𓂋𓈖 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person. This is also probably why Rameses II usurped as many statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 as he could and put his name 𓂋𓈖 on them!

Many Egyptian phrases mention life 𓋹𓈖𓐍, such as the most popular ones like “Given Life 𓏙𓋹,“ “Given Life for Eternity 𓏙𓋹𓆖,” and “Given Life, Stability and Strength 𓏙𓋹𓊽𓌀.” 

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) 

The lone 𓋹 symbol is a triliteral phonogram with the sound “ˁnḫ” which is commonly pronounced as “ankh.” The word “ˁnḫ” means life on its own! 

The two phonograms that follow after the 𓋹 are phonetic complements, meaning that the sounds they represent aren’t pronounced a second time, but they are used to show the reader how the triliteral symbol is pronounced! In hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, some symbols can have multiple pronunciations depending on how the symbol is used, so the phonetic complements help to clear up any confusion!  

The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” The “𓐍” is associated with the sound “ḫ.” So these to uniliteral phonograms complement the sound of the 𓋹 symbol! 

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 since it is shorter to write. You can think of it as an official abbreviation!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Nephthys in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the name 𓂋𓈖 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Nephthys 𓉠! Luckily, this sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum has her name 𓂋𓈖 written in two ways! 

Nephthys in Hieroglyphs
Nephthys in Hieroglyphs on a sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum

Most commonly, the type of symbol that is used in Nephthys’ 𓉠 name 𓂋𓈖 is called a Composite Hieroglyph. A Composite Hieroglyphic symbol is a symbol that is the combination of multiple phonographic symbols into a single glyph. 

The three 𓏼 symbols “𓎟𓏏𓉗” can be combined to make the “𓉠” symbol! In statuary and funerary art, the crown on her head 𓁶𓏺 is the composite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 that is used to write her name (𓉠), which makes Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 very easy to identify in tomb art/funerary art. Since the goddess depicted on this sarcophagus is wearing the “𓉠” on her head, we know it’s Nephthys! 

But what if she wasn’t wearing the crown? How would we know it was Nephthys 𓉠 that is depicted? Luckily, most ancient Egyptian funerary art came with “captions” – usually the name 𓂋𓈖 of the deity was written next to them! In this case, we can see Nephthys’ full name 𓂋𓈖 written out as “𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓆇” right next to her face! 

Here are the two ways we see Nephthys’ name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the sarcophagus: 

𓉠

𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓆇

Some other variants of Nephthys’ name 𓂋𓈖 are: 

𓉠𓏏𓆇

𓉠𓏏

𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓉐𓁐

𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓏒𓏯𓆗 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Anubis in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Anubis in Hieroglyphs
Anubis in Hieroglyphs on a sarcophagus at the MET

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to look at my favorite word to spot in inscriptions: Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣! Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is my favorite Egyptian god 𓊹, so I love spotting the different variants of his name 𓂋𓈖! His name 𓂋𓈖 turns up a lot because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is one of the main funerary gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, and a large part of Egyptian artifacts that are in museums happen to be funerary objects 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭! 

Let’s take a closer look at the symbols! 

The “reed 𓇋” is a uniliteral phonogram for “ı͗,” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.” 

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is also a uniliteral phonogram. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” 

The “stool 𓊪” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “p.” 

The “recumbent jackal on shrine 𓃣” is used as both an ideogram and a determinative. 𓃣 is the determinative in the word “Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣” and also an ideogram for “Anubis 𓃣. When 𓃣 functions as an ideogram, the “𓃣” would be pronounced the same as “𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣,” which is the full way to write the name. This is my absolute favorite hieroglyphic symbol!

The proper way to say Anubis in Middle Egyptian is “ı͗npw” (pronounced like “Inpu” or “Anpu”). Even though the quail chick is missing in this variant, the determinative of Anubis 𓃣 just implies the full spelling! 

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

Here are some common variants of Anubis’ name: 

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 (the one pictured)

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 

𓇋𓈖𓊪

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Words Spoken By Duamutef

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today we are going to look at the following inscription: “𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑 – Words Spoken By Duamutef” which is painted on a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 that is dated to the Middle Kingdom. One of my favorite things about this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is the bright colors! It’s always incredible how beautiful and bright the colors are even after thousands of years!

Words Spoken By Duamutef
“Words Spoken By Duamutef” painted on a sarcophagus from the Middle Kingdom

“ 𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖” is a really popular introduction to an inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 and it translates to “Words spoken by… 𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖.” “𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖” is usually followed by the name 𓂋𓈖 of a god 𓊹 or goddess 𓊹𓏏. 

The “cobra 𓆓” is a phonogram, which means that it is a symbol that represents sounds, and is usually part of a larger word! The cobra 𓆓 is a uniliteral sign, so it represents just one consonant. It represents the sound “ḏ” which would almost sound like a “j” when pronounced. 

The “staff or walking stick 𓌃” functions as both a phonogram (in this phrase) and as an ideogram (for the word “ staff 𓌃𓏺”). 𓌃 is a triliteral phonogram symbol and represents the three consonant sound “mdw.”

The “reed 𓇋” is a uniliteral phonogram for “ı͗,” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.” 

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is also a uniliteral phonogram. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” 

Let’s take a look at Duamutef’s 𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑 name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! All of the symbols in Duamutef’s 𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑 name 𓂋𓈖 are also phonograms! 

The “star 𓇼”  functions as a triliteral phonogram for the sound “dw3” (almost like “dua”). In other words, 𓇼 can also function as a determinative or ideogram. 

The “forearm with bread 𓂟“ symbol could either function as a uniliteral or biliteral phonogram depending on the word! 𓂟 represented the sounds “m” or “mj.” The “forearm with bread 𓂟” could also be a determinative in the word for “give 𓂋𓂟.”

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.” It also functions as the ideogram for the word “bread 𓏏𓏺” and can be used to make words feminine! 

The “horned viper 𓆑” functions as a uniliteral phonogram and represents the sound “f.” In other words, it can function as a determinative. 

So Duamutef’s 𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑 name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is something like “duamwttf” – which is very similar to “Duamutef!”

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

False Door of Metjetji

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to be looking at a section of a False Door from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of an official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 named Metjetji 𓅓𓍿𓍿𓇋. Metjetji 𓅓𓍿𓍿𓇋 lived during the Fifth or Sixth Dynasties (Old Kingdom) during the reign 𓈎𓏏𓋾 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Unas 𓃹𓈖𓇋𓋴 or slightly later. 

False Door of Metjetji
The False Door of Metjetji which contains a list of offerings for his use in the afterlife.

On the False Door, we see Metjetji 𓅓𓍿𓍿𓇋 on the left sitting in front of an offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃. The offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 seems to have a lot of jars on it! The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that we see are a part of the offering formula! 

Fun fact: usually the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the person is facing the same way as the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!  Since the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (and also Metjetji 𓅓𓍿𓍿𓇋) are pointing to the right, we will start reading the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 from the right! Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are always read from top to bottom, so we will read that way as well!  

This is a list of all of the things that Metjetji 𓅓𓍿𓍿𓇋 needs in order to sustain him in the afterlife! 

𓇓𓏏𓀻 – King’s Nobleman/King’s Gentleman

𓅓𓍿𓍿𓇋 – Metjetji

𓆼𓏐- A thousand bread

𓆼𓃾 – A thousand ox 

𓆼𓅿 – A thousand fowl 

𓆼𓍲 – A thousand alabaster (I think this is a mistake – it should be “𓍱” and not “𓍲”)

𓆼𓋲 – A thousand linen 

𓆼𓏖 – A thousand round loafs of bread

𓆼𓏊 – A thousand beer

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog