Tag: artifact

Hieroglyphs or the X-Men?

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 18, 2023

Over on my Instagram, a lot of people commented how much they loved my X-Men shirt! I’m going to be honest, there’s a reason I wore it to the MET – it looks like the “area with an intersection 𓊖” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃! I love it when my interests collide (I’m a huge Marvel comics fan)!

The “𓊖” is used as both an ideogram and a determinative! 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 (𓊖𓏺 – njwt), city, settlement, and even the country of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! “𓊖” seems to be used for towns/cities in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, while most foreign lands used the determinative of “𓈊.”

Me (in my X-Men shirt) at the MET standing with the Personified Estates relief from the tomb of Akhithotep

This relief I am standing with shows “Personified Estates” from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of a man named Akhithotep. The “people” in this relief aren’t actually meant to show people – they are personifications of the farms and estates that belonged to the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. Each of the figures is also carrying food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 – those are offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 that the estates will continue to provide to the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱! Personified Estates do appear frequently in Old Kingdom tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 art, and it’s a really interesting concept!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Above the first 𓏃 figure on the left, you can see:

𓊖𓊖𓊖𓇿𓎔𓇉 – Domains of Lower Egypt

𓃀𓂧𓆓𓏏𓊖 – Bedjet (the estate)

𓏑𓋴𓂋𓆑 – Warm Bread

This inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 means that the Bedjet 𓃀𓂧𓆓𓏏𓊖 estate of Lower Egypt will provide warm bread 𓏑𓋴𓂋𓆑 for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱!

This raised relief is dated to the 4th Dynasty (c. 2575–2551 B.C.E) and is carved in limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉. The relief is also quite high off of the limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉, which is typical of Old Kingdom (especially 4th Dynasty) art.

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

Tags artifact, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Late Period Mummy Mask

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 17, 2023

I love mummy masks 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪! Funerary Masks (also called Burial Masks or Mummy Masks) were an important part of a person’s burial equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 because the mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 could either serve as protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, or take the place of the body if the head was destroyed or lost. In the Egyptian religion, the body of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 needed to stay intact in order for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to be transported to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This was the purpose of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 – the mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 just served as extra protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜!

Me at the Brooklyn Museum with a Late Period Mummy Mask

This mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 of a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 is dated to the Late Period (1st Century B.C.E). This mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is made of cartonnage, which was a very popular type of material to use because it was easy to work with and the mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 could be made relatively quickly. The colors on this mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 are so bright and well preserved – especially on the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝. I love how the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 used red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 and the blue/green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 color together 𓈖𓊗 a lot.

A beautiful example of a Late Period Mummy Mask at the Brooklyn Museum. The goddess Isis is on the left and her sister Nephthys is on the right.

The art on the wig shows the goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 (left) and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇(right). Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 were sisters and were both prominent funerary goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 who appeared a lot together 𓈖𓊗 on funerary objects such as masks and sarcophagi.

You can easily tell Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 apart from each other in Egyptian art based off of the crowns that they are wearing. The crowns correspond to the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that make up their names: Isis (𓊨𓏏𓁥) wears “𓊨” as a crown while Nephthys (𓉠𓏏𓆇) wears “𓉠” as a crown!

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

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, isis, nephthys

Egyptian Artifacts

Embalming Cache of Tutankhamun

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 14, 2023

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a really cool display at the MET, which shows the Embalming Cache of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓!

Me with some of the artifacts from the Embalming Cache of Tutankhamun

In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 was an extremely important aspect of their religion because the body of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 needed to stay intact in order for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to reach to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process was long (about 70 days) and it took the work of special priests and many different supplies in order to embalm the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱.

Beautifully decorated vases from Tutankhamun’s Embalming Cahce

An embalming cache is a collection of the supplies and materials that were used during the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process. The embalming cache was usually kept separate from the actual tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 itself, though sometimes these supplies were found in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of the person.

The embalming cache that I am with is actually the supplies used to mummify the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓! Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 embalming ache was found in 1907, which was 15 years before the discovery of his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐! The embalming cache was actually only about 360 feet away from the entrance to his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐!

Embalming Cache of Tutankhamun — Broad Collars and Linens from Tutankhamun’s Embalming Cache

Some of the items that were found in Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 embalming cache are linens 𓍱𓍱𓍱, natron 𓃀𓂧𓇨, animal bones, vases 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏦, and most impressively, three 𓏼 floral broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝𓏦! The floral broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝𓏦 are thought to have been used during the funeral of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓.

An exquisitely preserved broad collar made of flowers, which was used during Tutankhamun’s funeral. This was found in his embalming cache.

I’m just so amazed that the broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝𓏦 stayed preserved for thousands of years – it’s absolutely incredible!

Tags artifact, the met, tutankhamun

Egyptian Artifacts

Corn Mummies in Ancient Egypt

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 12, 2023

Corn Mummies are an interesting part of Egyptian religious practices. While millions of animal mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 have been found at sites all over Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 made of grains 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦 like wheat and barley have also been found – these have been nicknamed “corn mummies” by Egyptologists.

A corn mummy with an outer “sarcophagus” made of wood with the head of a falcon. This is dated to the Late Period-Ptolemaic Period.

Corn mummies are found in cemeteries that are usually dated from the Third Intermediate Period through Roman times though they first 𓏃 appeared during the Middle Kingdom. This particular corn mummy is (in the first picture) from the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (400 – 200 B.C.E.).

Corn Mummies are meant to be a representation of the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Egyptologists came to this conclusion because the “coffins” that contain the corn mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 almost always contain Osiris’ 𓁹𓊨𓀭 name and his titles/epithets in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, but also a “mummy” stuffed with grain that has a head of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭.

Another reason Egyptologists made the connection to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was the cyclic nature of growing grains 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦- in Egyptian religion, anything that was cyclical was related to the birth 𓄟, death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and then rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 cycle of the human experience/Egyptian religion.

Three corn mummies on display at the MET. This picture shows the variation in the designs of the “sarcophagus,” however, they all have the head of a falcon.

Even though the corn mummies are dedicated to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, they are almost always found in cases with a falcon head. The falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 head is representative of the god 𓊹 Sokar 𓊃𓎡𓂋𓅋, who is often connected to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. Their connection goes all the way back to the Old Kingdom, and The Pyramid Texts are the one of the first instances in which they are shown to have a connection. This particular corn mummy contains hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that mention the combination god 𓊹 Ptah-Sokar-Osiris, who was popularly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a funerary god 𓊹 during this time period.

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Fragment of a Statue of Pharaoh Khafre

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 10, 2023

This is a fragment of a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 that once depicted the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑. Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 ruled during the 4th Dynasty and was the son 𓅭 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Khufu 𓐍𓅱𓆑𓅱. Most people think that Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 directly succeeded Khufu 𓐍𓅱𓆑𓅱, but actually Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 brother, Rajedef 𓇳𓊽𓆑 ruled 𓋾𓈎𓏏 for about eight years in between the two.

Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 is most famous for building one of the pyramids 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴𓏦 at Giza, and he built it just south 𓇔𓅱𓏏 of his father’s 𓇋𓏏𓀀 Great Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴. Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 also commissioned the construction of the Great Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 and a large temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 complex. Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 is the second largest, his father 𓇋𓏏𓀀 Khufu’s 𓐍𓅱𓆑𓅱 being the larger pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴.

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 fragment was found at Giza near Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 complex. Egyptologists have identified this fragment as belonging to Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 not just due to the location in which it was found, but also it’s similarities to other statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Other statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 contain his name 𓂋𓈖 in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷, so it is pretty easy to know that those statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 depict him!

Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 name 𓂋𓈖 translates to “He appears as Re.” However, sometimes in the Old Kingdom, “Re 𓇳” was both pronounced and written first 𓏃, so his name 𓂋𓈖 might have been “Rakhaf” which translates to “Ra is his Appearance,” which also makes sense! I guess we will never know which way was correct!

Let’s break down the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓇳 – Re

𓈍 – Appears

𓆑 – He/His

Tags artifact, khafre, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Base of a Hatshepsut Statue

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 9, 2023

If an object has Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 name 𓂋𓈖 or face on it, I am going to get excited about it – no matter what the artifact is! I was so excited to see this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 base on my most recent trip to the MET because it has not been on display for a while!

Me with the base of a Hatshepsut statue at the MET

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 base shows Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 throne name cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the left, and an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of her as a sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 on the right. It may be difficult to see in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, but some of the paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 has been retained on the limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉.

A closeup of the base of the Hatshepsut statue.

The statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 that stood on top of this base is most likely long gone. Most of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 from her temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐 were found in pieces, as they were intentionally destroyed after her death 𓅓𓏏𓏱.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Hatshepsut’s throne name cartouche, Maatkare on the statue base

This piece contains Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 throne name or prenomen, which is the name 𓂋𓈖 she took when she became the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! Let’s take a closer look at this beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 name 𓂋𓈖!

𓇳𓁦𓂓 – Maatkare

Let’s break down each of the symbols!

𓇳 – Re

𓁦 – Truth (Maat)

𓂓 – Soul (Ka)

So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, her name 𓂋𓈖 translates to “Truth is the Soul of Re.”

Hatshepsut represented as a sphinx on the statue base

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs Video

Video – Kohl Tube

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 8, 2023

@ancientegyptblog
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 Tube! Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 was a type of eye paint (makeup) that was very popular amongst the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪! This tube would have contained the kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀, and then a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 or faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 stick would have been used to apply it! The kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 tube itself is also made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, hence the gorgeous blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 color! This piece is dated to the 18th Dynasty (c. 1390-1353 B.C.E.). For me, the most interesting part of an artifact is always going to be the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 on the object! Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 𓊹𓄤 – Perfect God 𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands 𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Nebmaatra (Amenhotep III’s Throne Name) 𓇓𓈞𓏏 – King’s Great Wife 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 – Tiye 𓋹𓍘 – May She Live! Some of you may notice when looking at this inscription that Queen Tiye’s 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 name 𓂋𓈖 is in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 too! Sometimes, the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the queens who held the title of the “King’s Great Wife 𓇓𓈞𓏏” also appeared in cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 to demonstrate their importance to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Fun Fact: Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 was actually the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 grandmother! This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientEgypt #ancientegyptblog #egyptology #hieroglyphics #letsreadsomehieroglyphs #brooklynmuseum #hieroglyphs #egitto #anticoegitto
♬ original sound – ancientegyptblog Nicole Lesar

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 Tube! Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 was a type of eye paint (makeup) that was very popular amongst the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪! This tube would have contained the kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀, and then a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 or faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 stick would have been used to apply it! The kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 tube itself is also made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, hence the gorgeous blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 color! This piece is dated to the 18th Dynasty (c. 1390-1353 B.C.E.).

For me, the most interesting part of an artifact is always going to be the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 on the object!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓊹𓄤 – Perfect God

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Nebmaatra (Amenhotep III’s Throne Name)

𓇓𓈞𓏏 – King’s Great Wife

𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 – Tiye

𓋹𓍘 – May She Live!

Some of you may notice when looking at this inscription that Queen Tiye’s 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 name 𓂋𓈖 is in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 too! Sometimes, the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the queens who held the title of the “King’s Great Wife 𓇓𓈞𓏏” also appeared in cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 to demonstrate their importance to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Fun Fact: Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 was actually the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 grandmother!

A closeup image of the Kohl Tube of Amenhotep III, which is featured in the above video!

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, video

Egyptian Artifacts

The Goddess Seshat

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 7, 2023

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 I am going to speak about a goddess 𓊹𓏏 I have never written about before and her name 𓂋𓈖 is Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐! The reason I never wrote about Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is because I never had a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of her! I was so excited to finally “meet” Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 at the Brooklyn Museum!

Me at the Brooklyn Museum with a limestone relief of the goddess Seshat! You can always tell that it’s Seshat pictured due to the “𓋇” crown on her head which is associated with her!

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of writing, wisdom and knowledge. Her name 𓂋𓈖 literally translates to “female scribe,” and she is also the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪! In this relief, she is depicted as a scribe 𓏟𓀀 because she is holding writing with a stylus on a board. You can easily pick Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 out in Egyptian art because of the seven pointed emblem 𓋇 that she wears on her head (I call it a star). This symbol is also part of her name, which makes it easy!

Limestone relief of Seshat at the Brooklyn Museum.

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is also the goddess of architecture, accounting, mathematics, and surveying. This is what made her an essential part of a building ceremony called the “Stretching of the Cord.” The “Stretching of the Cord” was part of the foundation ritual that occurred when a building was constructed in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. It involved nailing four 𓏽 stakes into the ground at the four 𓏼 corners of the building and then linking them with a cord.

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 is definitely related to and shares some of the same functions as the god 𓊹 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 (or Djehuty to the ancient Egyptians), who was also considered to be the god 𓊹 of writing, knowledge and wisdom. Usually Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 is credited with inventing writing/hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (hence his title “Lord of the Divine Words/Writing 𓎟𓊹𓌃𓂂𓂂𓂂𓏟”), however, some mythology credits Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐 with inventing writing/hieroglyphs, while Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 was the one who taught writing to man!

Here are some ways to write Seshat’s name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:

Seshat 𓋇

Seshat 𓋇𓏏𓁐

Seshat 𓋴𓈙𓄿𓏏𓅆

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, seshat

Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Sati

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 5, 2023

This is the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Sati, and the Brooklyn Museum has two 𓏻 of them! The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 dates to the New Kingdom Dynasty 18 (c. 1390-1352 B.C.E.).

The Ushabti of Sati at the Brooklyn Museum. The hieroglyphs on this Ushabti are the “Shabti Spell”

Sati was not royal nor a high-ranking official so these ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were clearly a royal gift just due to the craftsmanship that went into making it. Sati’s only title that appears on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is “mistress of the house 𓎟𓏏𓉐𓏺.”

This piece is unique because of the six different colors on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 – most were not this colorful. I really love the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 accents and extreme attention to detail on this piece. If you look closely, the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are painted so beautifully on to the body of the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾. These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are the standard “Shabti Spell,” from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. This spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 gives the ushabti 𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 the power to complete tasks (farming, manual labor, etc) for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖.

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

𓋴𓌉𓆓𓇶 – The Illuminated One

𓁹𓊩𓀭 – The Osiris

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

𓎟𓏏𓉐𓏺 – Mistress of the House

This ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made out of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 and is mummiform in appearance, with the arms 𓂝𓏦 crossed along the chest. In each hand 𓂝𓏺, the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is holding a hoe and a basket. This indicates that the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 was meant to do some type of agricultural labor for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (as per the Shabti Spell)! The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is also wearing a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝.

Me with the Ushabti of Sati at the Brooklyn Museum!

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, shabti, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Vase of Woman Holding Anubis

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date April 4, 2023

On my most recent trip to the Brooklyn Museum, I saw this piece for the first 𓏃 time and it caught my eye immediately! I don’t remember ever really seeing a piece like this in a museum before and I think it’s stunning!

This is a clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 which depicts a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 holding a jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 or dog 𓃀𓎛𓈖𓃡! Some Egyptologists think that this vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 depicts a servant woman holding the pet dog 𓃀𓎛𓈖𓃡 of her master or mistress.

During the 18th Dynasty, when this piece was made, a certain group of potters 𓇋𓐪𓂧𓏏𓏭𓀨𓇋𓏲𓏭𓏜𓀜𓈖𓆓𓊃𓏏𓏰𓅩𓏦 (possibly all people from the same workshop) made vases 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏪 in the form of humans 𓇬𓈋𓏏𓅱𓀀𓁐𓏦 and animals! This would have been a complex process, and the potters 𓇋𓐪𓂧𓏏𓏭𓀨𓇋𓏲𓏭𓏜𓀜𓈖𓆓𓊃𓏏𓏰𓅩𓏦 would have had to make both halves of the piece separately using a mold for each and then join them together!

I really like it because I just see a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 holding what looks to be a recumbent jackal – aka Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is my absolute favorite Egyptian deity 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and my first thought when I saw this piece was that I could see Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in the woman’s 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 arms! I think this piece is so beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 and I think the little Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the cutest thing! This piece was made between the reigns of Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 (c. 1479-1352 B.C.E.) and was found at Saqqara (Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖).

Tags anubis, artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses

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