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God’s Mother

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 14, 2023

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! What does the popular Middle Egyptian phrase “God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐” mean? Before we delve into the meaning, let’s break down the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

“God’s Mother” in raised relief on display at the MET

“God’s Mother” can be written three ways in hieroglyphs:

𓊹𓏏𓅐

𓊹𓅐𓏏

𓊹𓅐

This phrase is a combination of two different words: the word “God 𓊹” and the word “Mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐/𓅐𓁐/𓏏𓅐𓁐.”

The “cloth on a pole 𓊹“ hieroglyph is an ideogram for the word god. 𓊹 is also a triliteral phonogram, and represents the letters “ntr” which may have been pronounced like “neter” or “netjer.” 𓊹 Is also a determinative for “god.” So the “cloth on a pole 𓊹“ symbol can function as all three types of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! If you see this symbol, you are most likely looking at a word that has to do with the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹!

The “vulture 𓅐” is a triliteral phonogram and represents the sounds “mjt/mwt” which we infer would be pronounced like “mut.”

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.”

The phrase “God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐” can have two different (but related) meanings in Middle Egyptian inscriptions. It can be used to refer to the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and will usually appear after her name 𓂋𓈖 in inscriptions. This is in reference to the fact that Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Horus 𓅃𓀭, who is the mythological ruler of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was thought to be a representation of Horus 𓅃𓀭 on Earth.

This brings us to the next meaning of this phrase! The phrase “God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐” was an honorific title held by the woman who gave birth to the current pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! Since the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was a god on Earth, the woman who gave birth to him/her was quite literally the God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐!

Another variant of “God’s Mother” painted on a piece of a sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum

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

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Tags brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, isis, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Coffin Fragment of Isis

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date May 20, 2023

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

This is a coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 fragment (Late Period, Dynasties 26-31 c. 664-332 B.C.E.) that shows the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓆗 in mourning. Since in Egyptian mythology Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 assisted in the resurrection of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, it was believed that she would be instrumental in the rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 which is why she was always seen on coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 or the on the foot panel of sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏦. This coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 fragment of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is breathtaking in person!

Me with the Coffin Fragment of Isis at the Brooklyn Museum

It’s usually easy to tell when Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓆗 is being depicted in Egyptian art because she is wearing the same hieroglyphic symbol on her head that appears in her name 𓂋𓈖, which is the throne symbol 𓊨!! Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓆗 is shown wearing a white outfit, a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 and two 𓏻 green 𓇅𓄿𓆓𓏛 bracelets 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛𓏪 which seem to blend in to her green 𓇅𓄿𓆓𓏛 skin. The green 𓇅𓄿𓆓𓏛 skin symbolizes life 𓋹 and rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱.

Coffin Fragment of Isis

This is the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 in the right column: “𓆓𓇋𓈖𓊨𓏏𓆇𓆗𓅨𓂋𓊹𓅐”

𓆓𓇋𓈖 – Words Spoken By

𓊨𓏏𓆇𓆗 Isis (Isis is more commonly written like this “𓊨𓏏𓁥“ or “ 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓁥”)

𓅨𓂋 – the Great (greatness)

𓊹 – God

𓅐 – Mother

Put together 𓈖𓊗, the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 reads: “Words spoken by Isis, the great God’s Mother…” The rest of the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 on this column is cut off.

On the left column, the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 starts of with “𓁹𓈖” which translates to “born of” and then it says the name 𓂋𓈖of a person which is hard for me to translate because I can’t tell what bird symbol is being used! The last part of the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 seems to say “true of voice 𓐙𓊤,” but again it’s hard to tell because it’s cut off!

When I saw this piece I really liked it because of how colorful it was! No matter how many times I see artifacts in museums, I’m always shocked by how bright the colors still are on some objects!

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

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, isis

Egyptian Artifacts

Mother’s Day – Isis and Mut

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date May 14, 2023

Happy Mother’s 𓅐𓏏𓁐 Day to all of the moms – and especially to my Mom, Nonna, and Oma! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 I’m going to do a post about some of the Moms 𓅐𓏏𓁐𓏪 of Ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 who happen to be goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏!

A calcite statue accented with bronze of Isis feeding the baby Horus (Brooklyn Museum)

The first 𓏃 picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows a calcite 𓍱 and bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭. This is one of the most popular images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the Third Intermediate Period, Late Period and even through the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods. This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 has even appeared on the back of Roman Coins!

Symbolically, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was thought to be the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and was often associated with motherhood, the protection of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐, and she was also a user of magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜.

A sunken relief of the goddess Mut, from a Ramesside-era stela (Brooklyn Museum)

The second picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Mut 𓏏𓅑𓁐 whose name 𓂋𓈖 happens to mean “Mother!” Symbolically, Mut 𓏏𓅑𓁐 was also thought to be the divine mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and this idea became popularized as Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 (her husband) became one of the most worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 during the 18th Dynasty. Mut 𓏏𓅑𓁐 didn’t appear in religious texts until the Middle Kingdom, and some think she was “invented” to be Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 wife and a mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 figure.

The word for “mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐/𓅐𓏏” in Middle Egyptian seems to predate the appearance of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Mut 𓏏𓅑𓁐, so it’s possible that her name 𓂋𓈖 was intended to mean “mother.”

There are multiple variants for “mother” in Middle Egyptian/hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, so let’s take a look at them:

𓅐𓏏𓁐

𓅐𓏏𓏏𓁐

𓅐𓏏

𓅐𓅆𓆇

𓅐𓏏𓐎

𓅐𓏏𓁐𓅆

Happy Mother’s Day!

These are my personal photographs and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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

Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of the Goddess Isis

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date May 6, 2023

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looked at a raised relief of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇 from the West Wall of a Chapel of Rameses I 𓇳𓄟𓋴𓇓𓅱. This chapel was originally located in the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖. Rameses I 𓇳𓄟𓋴𓇓𓅱 was old when he took the throne, and most of his monuments 𓏠𓏍 were either finished by or made by his 𓆑 son 𓅭, Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖.

In ancient Egyptian art, one of the ways to distinguish deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 from each other are either looking at the crowns on their head, or the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that appear next to them. The crowns stayed pretty standard for most deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, however, Isis’ 𓊨𓏏𓆇 crown changed a lot! Most commonly she is depicted with the throne hieroglyph 𓊨 on her head because it’s part of her name 𓂋𓈖! She can also be represented with the solar disk 𓇳 and cow horns 𓄋, or as she is here, with the solar disc 𓇳, cow horns 𓄋, and feathers 𓆄𓏪. The solar disk 𓇳 and cow horns 𓄋 makes her look similar to Hathor 𓉡, so it’s a good idea to read the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 in this case!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Relief of the Goddess Isis from the Chapel of Rameses I in the temple of Seti I at the MET

We are going to start reading from the right because the directional symbols (aka the birds 𓅨 𓅐) point to the right! As usual, we are also going to read the columns from top to bottom!

𓊨𓏏𓆇 – Isis

𓅨𓂋𓏏 – Great One

𓊹𓏏𓅐 – God’s Mother

𓎟𓏏 – Lady/Mistress

𓊪𓏏𓇯 – Sky/Heaven

𓎺𓏏 – Lady/Mistress

𓇿𓇿 – Two Lands

The most common way to write Lady/Mistress is “𓎟𓏏,” however, “𓎺𓏏” is also a variant of that same word!

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

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, isis, 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

Video

Video – Statues of Isis and Horus

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date March 12, 2023

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby is one of the most popular images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the Third Intermediate Period, Late Period and even through the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods. This video examines the significance of the statues of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭!

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 appeared in bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦, stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪, and even as small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪! My Nonno would always point out these pieces of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby because he felt they were so significant to the evolution of religious art through time.

While my Nonno loved Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 and Roman art, he also loved Christian/Biblical art, so these Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 were kind of a natural connection between his area of interests! I always make sure to look for statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 like this in museums whenever I visit!

Symbolically, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was thought to be the mother 𓄿𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and was often associated with motherhood, the protection of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐, and a user of magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜. As Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 became a more popular religious figure, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans. Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was widely worshipped during the Roman times, and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby has even appeared on the back of Roman coins.

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a mother 𓄿𓏏𓁐 holding a child 𓐍𓇌𓀕 is thought to have inspired the well known Catholic images of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus as a baby.

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, horus, isis, the met, video

Egyptian Artifacts

The Tyet Knot

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date March 2, 2023

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a symbol known as the Tyet Knot 𓎬 or the Isis Knot 𓎬!

The Tyet Knot drawn in the Book of the Dead of Imhotep (the MET)

This particular Tyet Knot 𓎬 is from the Book of the Dead of 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 Imhotep at the MET! Even though this Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 is from the Ptolemaic Period, the origin of the Tyet Knot 𓎬 from the First Dynasty/Early Dynastic Period! It always amazes me how the same religious symbols just persisted through Egyptian history!

The Tyet Knot 𓎬, also known as the Isis knot 𓎬, was considered a very strong symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 and came to be associated with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥. The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that knots 𓎬 were able to bind and then release magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜. The Isis Knots 𓎬 were also mostly used in a funerary context, such as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏦 (starting in the New Kingdom) placed on mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 or as part of spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 in the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺.

In chapter 156 of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺, it states that the Tyet Knot 𓎬 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 should be made of red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 jasper and placed on the neck of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! The spell states that the Tyet Knot 𓎬 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 “will drive away whoever would commit a crime against him.”

Let’s take a look at the hieroglyphic meaning! Called the “tie 𓎬” by Gardiner, this symbol is an ideogram for “Tyet Knot 𓎬” or “Isis Knot 𓎬” and is associated with the sound “tjt” which would be pronounced like “tyet.”

Tags artifact, book of the dead, gods and goddesses, isis, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Sarcophagus of Pharaoh Rameses III

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 25, 2023

This striking red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 belonged to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses III 𓁛𓄟𓋴𓋴𓋾𓉺. Rameses III 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓈘𓇋𓏠𓈖 was the second pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 20th Dynasty and he ruled for 32 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓏻 tumultuous years. His reign was marked by political, economic, and military issues.

The most interesting part about Rameses III’s 𓁛𓄟𓋴𓋴𓋾𓉺 reign for me is what is known as the “Harem Conspiracy” – Rameses III’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓈘𓇋𓏠𓈖 secondary wife, Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁐, plotted to have Rameses III 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓈘𓇋𓏠𓈖 killed so her son 𓅭 Pentawer 𓊪𓈖𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏹 could become pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 instead of the chosen heir, Rameses IV 𓇳𓄟𓊃𓊃. While Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁐 and her conspirators (other high officials) succeeded in killing Rameses III 𓁛𓄟𓋴𓋴𓋾𓉺, they did not succeed in establishing Pentawer 𓊪𓈖𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏹 as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. All of the conspirators were caught and put to death and Rameses IV 𓇳𓄟𓊃𓊃 succeeded Rameses III 𓁛𓄟𓋴𓋴𓋾𓉺 as the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

The red granite sarcophagus of Pharaoh Rameses III, which depicts the goddess Isis

Here, on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 of Rameses III 𓁛𓄟𓋴𓋴𓋾𓉺, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is depicted where the feet of the deceased would be placed. Isis’ 𓊨𓏏𓁥 sister Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 is usually located where the deceased’s head would be located. Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is easily recognized in Egyptian art because she is normally shown with the headdress of a throne, 𓊨, which is also one of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 in her name 𓂋𓈖. Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is shown with wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 and sitting on the hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 for “gold 𓋞.”

Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is known as a devoted wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 and mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐, but was also associated with resurrection 𓄟𓍿𓅱 due to her role in piecing her brother/husband Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 back together after he was dismembered by their brother Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣. She is the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Horus 𓅃𓀭, who was magically conceived after Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 brought Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 back to life 𓋹.

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, isis, louvre, rameses iii

Egyptian Artifacts

The Book of the Dead of Nauny

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 11, 2023

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.

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!

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.

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.

Osiris

Tags anubis, artifact, book of the dead, gods and goddesses, horus, isis, osiris, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Roman Oil Lamps

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date January 15, 2023

While my Nonno loved ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, he also absolutely loved Ancient Rome and the Roman Emperors. This is why he loved the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 so much. Even though the Ptolemaic Period was technically Hellenistic Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, there was still a heavy Roman influence because Rome was still very powerful at the time!

When Cleopatra VII 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 committed suicide in 31 B.C.E., that was seen as the end of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and the beginning of Roman Egypt. This makes Cleopatra 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt! Nonno often told me stories about Mark Antony, Cleopatra 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇, Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀, Julius Caesar – he loved that whole part of history so much.

These are ancient oil lamps 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶! These oil lamps 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 are made of clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 and can be found throughout countries that were ruled by the Roman Empire! Many are found in present-day Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, Turkey, Syria, and many others! My Nonno absolutely adored these – he loved that you could still see where the oil 𓂝𓆓𓐖𓏊𓏦 had burned on some of them (that’s the black 𓆎𓅓 discoloration at the opening). Nonno always made sure to point these out in museums and now of course I always look for them. I love seeing the different designs on them! Each lamp 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 is unique which I love!

Isis and Horus design on the oil lamp, along with the black discoloration on the opening!

Due to Roman influence in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, oil lamps 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 from Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 were sometimes made with the Egyptian Gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on them! The oil lamp 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 all the way on the right depicts Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 nursing Horus 𓅃𓀭. As Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 grew in popularity, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans. Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 during the Roman times, and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby 𓈖𓐍𓈖𓀕 has even appeared on the back of Roman coins. Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 and bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 were also made in abundance during this time period.

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, horus, isis, petrie museum, roman

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