Tag: artifact

Ushabti or Shabti?

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 18, 2022

Seeing ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures in museums will always bring me back to seeing them with my Nonno as a kid. Just like with the Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, he was always so excited to show my sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏𓁐 and I the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures and tell us all about them. I wish I could hear Nonno tell his ushabti stories again. I miss listening to him speak about ancient Egypt and ancient history more than anyone can even realize. He was always so passionate when he spoke about these things, and I think I get that from him because other people tell me that I am the same way.

Many people debate if the word is “shabti” or “ushabti,” when in reality, both pronunciations would be correct because it appears both ways in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 too! “𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 usbty” is where “ushabti” comes from and “𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 sawabti” is where “shabti” comes from! My Nonno always said “Ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾” so that is what I tend to use as well!

Here are some other variations for “ushabti” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that aren’t used as much as the ones I have listed above. These variants are basically shortened versions of 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 or just use a different determinative!

𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮

𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾

𓆷𓄿𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀭

𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀭

𓆷𓄿𓍯𓄿𓃀𓏲𓍘𓇋𓆱 (the 𓆱 symbol as a determinative is interesting – probably because wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabtis were popular in the 19th Dynasty).

The text 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabti 𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is a version of the “Shabti Spell” from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead. 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

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 spell starts off with “The Illuminated One, The Osiris, The Scribe of the Treasury…”

Tags artifact, hieroglyphs, nonno, the met, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Anubis

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 14, 2022

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)!

Tags anubis, artifact, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Video

Canopic Jars (Video)

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 11, 2022

@ancientegyptblog
The Four Sons of Horus were an integral part of ancient Egyptian religion – usually in a funerary aspect. During the process of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 (which took about 70 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆 days), the embalmers removed the internal organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 and placed them in Canopic Jars. Each of the four 𓏽 jars was for one of the major internal organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 and each jar had a different head which represented one of the four Sons of Horus. Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭 (falcon head) held/protected the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼. Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌𓀭 (baboon head) held/protected the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺 Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑𓀭 (jackal head) held/protected the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻 Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿𓀭 (human head) held/protected the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸 For some reason the captions are not working I apologize!! #ancientEgypt #egyptianhistory #egyptologist #egyptology #historytok #themummy1999 #metropolitanmuseumofart #canopicjars #egyptianmythology
♬ original sound – ancientegyptblog Nicole Lesar

The Four Sons of Horus were an integral part of ancient Egyptian religion – usually in a funerary aspect.

During the process of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 (which took about 70 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆 days), the embalmers removed the internal organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 and placed them in Canopic Jars. Each of the four 𓏽 jars was for one of the major internal organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 and each jar had a different head which represented one of the four Sons of Horus.

Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭 (falcon head) held/protected the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼.

Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌𓀭 (baboon head) held/protected the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺

Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑𓀭 (jackal head) held/protected the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻

Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿𓀭 (human head) held/protected the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, sons of horus, the met, video

Video

Statue of Imhotep (Video)

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 11, 2022

My Nonno always made a point to make sure we saw Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 in every museum that we went to. It was part of the fun of going to the museum!! After seeing “The Mummy” for the first time when I was about ten 𓎆 years old, I had already known about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 for years from a historical perspective!!

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, meaning “He who comes in peace,” was a non-royal man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 who became deified (reached godly status). This is a very rare occurrence, as it was thought by the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 that the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was the only god 𓊹 on the Earth 𓇾𓇾. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was not deified in his lifetime – it was about 2,000 𓆼𓆼 years after his death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 that he began to be worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a god 𓊹.

Not much is known about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 from his lifetime – much information about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is from Demotic texts or stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪 that were written thousands of years after his death 𓅓𓏏𓏱.

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is famous for being an incredible architect and is credited with designing Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid (aka the first ever pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴) at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 (modern day Saqqara). He was also a physician!

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is always depicted as a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 seated in a chair, usually with a piece of papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 in his lap. Much like the god 𓊹 Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱(who he is said to be the son 𓅭 of), he wears a cap on his head. Once you are able to remember what Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 look like, you will be able to recognize them in any museum that you go to!

Tags artifact, imhotep, need to fix, the met, video

Egyptian Artifacts

Gold Statuette of Amun

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 10, 2022

This gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 statuette 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is so beautiful 𓄤 to see in person! In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 looks large but it is only about 7 inches (~18cm) tall! This statue is dated to the 22nd Dynasty (c. 945–712 B.C.E.). While the artistic features of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 definitely reflect this Third Intermediate Period, there are some callbacks to the 18th Dynasty artistic styles (the facial features in particular).

This solid gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is a very rare example of the statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 that filled the sanctuaries of the temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐. There is a trace of a loop on Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 crown, which means that this statuette 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 could have been worn by a priest 𓊹𓍛 or by another statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾. Or, the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 could have been mounted on top of a scepter or standard. The exact use is speculation right now! The color of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 was often associated with the sun 𓆄𓅱𓇶, and the skin of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 were thought to be made of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉.

Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is depicted with his flat topped crown, with the characteristic feathers 𓆄𓆄𓆄 having been lost in antiquity. He is wearing the false beard, and is carrying the Ankh 𓋹, a symbol of life 𓋹𓈖𓐍, in his hand. In the other hand he carries a scimitar 𓌛𓏺, which in temple reliefs, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is usually seen presenting to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. This gift of a scimitar 𓌛𓏺 is usually meant to ensure military victories!

The god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 gained popularity during the Middle Kingdom, however, it was during the New Kingdom (18th Dynasty in particular) that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 became the most important/most prominent god 𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 had many different roles and was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a creator god, solar god, fertility god, warrior god, and king of the gods. Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is also considered the “universal god” meaning that his power permeated the cosmos and all that the cosmos contained!

Tags amun, artifact, gods and goddesses, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Magical Stelae – “Cippus”

These pieces are known as Magical Stelae, or a Cippus.

The Cippus depicts Horus 𓅃𓀭 (or technically Harpokrates 𓅃𓀭𓅮𓄿𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭, the Greek version of Horus 𓅃𓀭) standing on two 𓏻 crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏥 and holding other dangerous animals such as snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 and scorpions 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫𓏪 in each hand. The god 𓊹 Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 also appears above Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 head 𓁶𓏺. Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 was known to ward off evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 and bad luck.

Normally, stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 were used to commemorate the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 so a Cippus is almost like a protective amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 in the form of a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸. This Cippus was used by the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. Since the Old Kingdom, Horus 𓅃𓀭 was called upon as a defender against snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 or scorpion 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫 bites. Placing the Cippus on a wound would evoke its magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 and healing powers. Cippus stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 like this were usually kept in homes 𓉐𓏦 due to their protective nature.

Cippus pieces have also been found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪, so we can assume that the Egyptians thought it not only would help protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 , but the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 too.

One thing I love about this display at the Louvre is now all of the Cippus pieces are together 𓈖𓊗 in one single case! I also think the one in the middle, the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 holding a Cippus is very unique; this was the first time I saw a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 like that!

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, horus, louvre

Egyptian Artifacts

Boat of Mutemwia

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 4, 2022

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is dedicated to Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 who was a minor wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 of Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼 and mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠.

This statue was originally meant to show Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 on a sacred boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞(her body has been broken off). The boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 has the goddess Hathor 𓉡 on the front. The sides of the boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 are inscribed with the name and titles of Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 along with a carving of the Wedjat 𓂀. Cartouches showing the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 and Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 are also inscribed on the boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞.

Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 held many titles such as the “Great King’s Wife His Beloved 𓇓𓏏𓏏𓈞𓅩𓂋𓏏𓈘𓆑,” “Lady of the Two Lands 𓎛𓏌𓏏𓇿𓇿,” “God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐,” and “King’s Mother 𓇓𓅐.” The latter two titles mean the same thing – since the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 (Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠) was a god 𓊹 on Earth 𓇾𓇾.

Something interesting though that these titles listed above were only used after the death of Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼. It seems that Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 elevated his mother’s 𓅐𓏏𓁐 status when he became the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. In the Luxor Temple, Mutemwia 𓏏𓅐𓅓𓊞 is depicted in the reliefs of the divine birth of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 – and these reliefs are almost an exact copy of the ones from the divine birth of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐.

The boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is made of the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 granodiorite, which is an igneous (volcanic) rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 that is kind of the mix of both granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 and diorite. Granodiorite is an intrusive rock, meaning it formed underground, which also makes it a very strong and durable piece of material!

Tags amenhotep iii, artifact, british museum, geology, thutmosis iv

Egyptian Artifacts

Large Scarab at the British Museum

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 3, 2022
1 Comment on Large Scarab at the British Museum

This is definitely the largest scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 that I have ever seen! I was shocked when I saw just how big it was in the British Museum! I have honestly never seen anything like it in any of the other museums I have visited!

This scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 represented Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭 the god 𓊹 that was associated with the “rising of the sun 𓅃𓈌𓏏𓏭𓀭” (these hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 translate to “sun at dawn”) and thus he is associated with life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and rebirth. Scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 were extremely popular as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, and were considered to have the strongest 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 powers.

The “scarab beetle 𓆣” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 symbol is a determinative, ideogram and phonogram symbol! It is associated with the sound ḫpr (like “Kheper”) is also used to write the words “evolve,” “manifestation,” and “become.”

From a geologic perspective, this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is made of the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 diorite. Diorite is an intrusive igneous rock (meaning it forms underground from the solidification of magma). Diorite is an extremely durable rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 (one of the strongest found on Earth 𓇾𓇾), and is comparable to granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 in terms of strength and method of formation.

However, diorite usually doesn’t contain a lot quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙, a very strong 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 mineral which is abundant in granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿, hence the difference between the two 𓏻 rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦. One of the reasons why this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is so well preserved, is probably due to the strength of the diorite! Diorite, like granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿, was usually mined by the Egyptians in Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓌕𓊖

As you all know, ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 is one of my biggest passions, however I actually have degrees in Earth and Environmental science! I love combining my passions for Egyptian history and geology together 𓈖𓊗!

Tags artifact, british museum, geology, gods and goddesses, khepri, scarab

Egyptian Artifacts

Canopic Jar Lid Found in Senemut’s Tomb

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 25, 2022

This very simple and unassuming lid of a canopic jar was found in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 (can also be written without a determinative 𓌢𓈖𓅐). Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 rose to become the most important official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 during Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 reign and held over 80 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆 different titles.

Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was referred to as a “High Steward 𓄂𓂝𓀀 (literally translated as “arm is in front”), which meant he was much more than just an official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 in Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 government. In a lot of inscriptions, Senemut is sometimes simply referred to as an overseer 𓄓𓉐𓏤, since that seems to summarize his various roles. As the Chief Royal Architect, Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 supervised all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 building projects, including at least one of her massive obelisks 𓉶𓉶𓉶.

Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was also the tutor for Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 daughter Neferure 𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤, which is how he is depicted in statuary 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 a lot of the time. Some other common titles include Steward of Amun, Chief Steward of the King, Overseer of the Treasury, Granary, Fields, Cattle of Amun, a Controller of Works, and so many more! I guess Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was a workaholic!

Back to the canopic jar lid – it is actually debated l if this lid represents Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 or not! Based on other statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼, I personally think that the canopic jar lid is in Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 likeness, however, that is just my inference/personal opinion. The lid is dated to the joint reign of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 (c. 1479–1458 B.C.E.), however, based on what I have read the actual date this piece was made seems to be debated, even though it was found in Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐.

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, senemut, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Ointment Jars from Deir el-Bahri

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 23, 2022

These ointment jars were found amongst many other artifacts in the foundation deposits of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐. While foundation deposits can be traced all the way back to the 3rd Dynasty, putting ointment jars in them date back to the 12th Dynasty. There are fourteen foundation deposits associated with Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐!

These ointment jars that were found are made of travertine and many have hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 with Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 on them! Many of the jars found at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐 contain oil stains, which means that they were probably used primarily to hold oil that was used in ceremonies at the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐. You can also see a blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, which were very common to find in foundation deposits too!

I love seeing the artifacts from the foundation deposits because they give a glimpse into cool things such as temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 construction and religious worship! The artifacts found in foundation deposits also contain the cartouches of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 under whom the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 was constructed under!

One of the ointment jars has some simple text on it! Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓊹𓏏𓄤 – The Perfect Goddess
𓇳𓁦𓂓 – Maatkare
𓋹𓍘 – May She Live!

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, hieroglyphs, the met

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