This beautiful 𓄤 sculpture at the MET is a raised relief of an owl 𓅓 hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 dates to the Ptolemaic Period in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.
This relief shows only the partial hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 and this style of an object being “unfinished but actually finished” was very popular during this time period. Limestone pieces such as these are often referred to as “sculptors models” by Egyptologists because they are very detailed and only show one specific part of the object.
I have always loved this piece because I love owls!! I love owls because I absolutely love Harry Potter and anytime I see an owl it reminds me of Hedwig!
One of my favorite things about the Temple of Dendur at the MET are the incredible details that are carved into the walls! The temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 was built by the Roman Emperor Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀(who liked to refer to himself as just pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 in his cartouche) and was meant to be a place of honor for the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥. Just like most other Egyptian temples, the common people weren’t allowed to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 inside of it.
A lot of Egyptian architecture was built in three 𓏼 layers! In the case of the Temple of Dendur specifically, the three 𓏼 layers are the Earth 𓇾𓇾, the Sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯, and then what happens between the Earth 𓇾𓇾 and the Sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯. The “between the 𓇾𓇾 and 𓊪𓏏𓇯” section is the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 itself! This section would be where the carvings of the deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are!
The picture above details the section of the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 that represents the Earth 𓇾𓇾. I love this because it looks like papyrus 𓏠𓈖𓎛𓆰 and lotus 𓆸𓏪 plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰 are growing out of the base of the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐! I think it is such a beautiful 𓄤 way to represent the Earth 𓇾𓇾! The ancient Egyptians really like plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰 and flowers 𓆼𓅱𓆰𓏦 so it makes sense that they would want to represent them realistically in this way! How do we know that the ancient Egyptians liked plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰 and flowers 𓆼𓅱𓆰𓏦? Art like this allows us to make these inferences!
Fun fact! There are so many ways to write “papyrus” in Middle Egyptian! Here are a few:
𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 – papyrus roll/scroll
𓏠𓈖𓎛𓆰 – papyrus plant
𓍯𓇅 – papyrus
𓇅𓆰 – papyrus
𓆓𓇌𓏏𓇇 – papyrus marsh
Let’s now take a look at the “in-between” layer!
Augustus making an offering to Osiris and Isis
What I like most about the “between the Earth 𓇾𓇾 and Sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯” section is the depiction of Emperor Augustus 𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋 with many different Egyptian deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹! He doesn’t look like an Emperor though – he looks like a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! Augustus can be seen wearing many articles of Egyptian royal 𓋾 fashion such as the Atef crown 𓋚, the double crown 𓋖, a false beard, a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝, armlets 𓄟𓋴𓎡𓏏𓅱𓏦, and bracelets 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛𓏦. These are all features that are associated with Egyptian pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦, even though Augustus 𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋 was Roman.
In the following reliefs, Augustus 𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋 is making offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to Egyptian gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹. In the first image 𓏏𓅱𓏏, he is making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥. You can even see the papyrus 𓏠𓈖𓎛𓆰 and lotus 𓆸𓏪 flower plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰 from yesterday’s post just below the relief!
Hathor (right), Horus (middle) and Augustus (right) with me!A closeup view of Horus and Augustus
In the second/third images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 above, Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 is making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 of wine to Horus 𓅃𓀭 and Hathor 𓉡!
You can also see three 𓏼 of Augustus’ cartouches in these images! Can you spot them all?
𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋 – Autokrator (Greek for “Emperor”)
𓈎𓇌𓊃𓂋𓊃𓋹𓆖 – Kaisaros (Greek for “Caesar”)
𓉐𓉻𓀀 – Pharaoh
The next and final layer we are going to talk about is the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯! The winged 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃 sun disc 𓇳𓏺 appears above all of the entrances to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐.
The wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 belong to Horus 𓅃𓀭, who was often represented as a falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄. Horus 𓅃𓀭, whose realm was the Sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯, was one of the most important gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. Horus 𓅃𓀭 was not only the mythological representation of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻/heir to the throne of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, but also a sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯 god 𓊹. Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 name 𓂋𓈖 means “The Distant One,” due to him residing in the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯!
Due to the symbol’s association with Horus 𓅃𓀭, the winged 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃 sun disc 𓇳𓏺 also represents royalty 𓋾, power, divinity 𓊹, and order vs. chaos. There are many different representations of Horus throughout Egyptian mythology. The the winged 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃 sun disc 𓇳𓏺 design is also known as “Horus the Behdetite” and is a representation of Horus 𓅃𓀭.
The sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯 was not only the realm of Horus 𓅃𓀭, but many other deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 as well. Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛, Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭, Nut 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭, Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 and others were deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 associated with the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯. The sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯 was where the divine 𓊹 resided, hence why it was so heavily represented in Egyptian mythology and architecture.
The two 𓏻 columns represent papyrus 𓏠𓈖𓎛𓆰 and lotus flowers 𓆸𓏪 growing from the ground/Earth 𓇾𓇾 to the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯! These columns can be seen as forming a connection between all three 𓏼 layers of the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐! I will never not be amazed by the symbolism and craftsmanship of Egyptian architecture!
My Nonno took this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the Stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 for me! While we did see it at the Vatican Museum together, he always made sure to take a different picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 for me each time he saw it because he knew how much I love it!
This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 depicts Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 during their joint reign. Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is wearing the blue crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 and making an offering of nemset jars 𓏌𓏌𓏌 to Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺. The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 was meant to commemorate restoration works in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖!
The most interesting parts about this stela is that it is one of two pieces (that I know of) that contains Hatshepsut’s entire titulary in one place! The only other place I know that has all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 is the Obelisk at Karnak.
Let’s take a closer look at all of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦! The names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 can be found on the top two rows of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the bottom of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸!
Horus Name: 𓄊𓋴𓏏𓂓𓂓𓂓 – “Wosretkau” translates to “The Mighty of the Kas” or “The Mighty of the Souls.”
Nebty Name: 𓅒𓇅𓏏𓆳𓆳𓆳 – “Wadjet renput” translates to “Flourishing of Years.”
Golden Horus Name: 𓅉𓊹𓏏𓈍𓏦 – “Netjeret khau” translates to “Divine of Appearances.”
Throne Name: 𓇳𓁦𓂓 – “Maatkare” translates to “Truth is the Soul of Re.”
Birth Name: 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓄂𓀼 – “Khnemet Amun Hatshepsut” translates to “United with Amun, Foremost of the Noble Women.” This version of the Birth Name that appears on this stela is a variant of 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪. A “variant” is just a different way to spell out a person’s name 𓂋𓈖!
I absolutely love snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 jewelry! My Nonno even got me a replica of the snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 ring 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪 (from the MET) in the last picture for my sixteenth birthday, and while I may be 30 now, I haven’t taken the ring 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪 off because I love it so much!
While snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 (such as the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗) were popular symbols in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 based jewelry such as the bracelets 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛𓏪 and rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦 pictured did not appear in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 until the Hellenistic times, and then continued on into the Roman Period. Snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 were associated with the Greek and Roman figures Asklepios and Salus, but also the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. Snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 were also associated with the Wadjet 𓂀 and could be a symbol of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 as the living god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭.
Jewelry was very culturally important in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, and that continued in Roman Egypt. Traditional Egyptian jewelry usually took the form of necklaces and rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦. These pieces would usually also double as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, which would protect the wearer from evil.
Rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦 and necklaces were highly important to the Egyptians because they took the shape of a circle. A circle has no end, thus it represents eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹 and love. Rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦 that took the shape of the Eye of Horus 𓂀, signets, and scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 were extremely popular, and then snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 became popular much later.
The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and nobility wore more expensive jewelry that was made of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 and contained precious stones. In ancient Rome and Roman Egypt, gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 was highly treasured and only the richest were able to wear it.
The snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 bracelet 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛 in the first picture is meant to be for a child and is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (c. 332-30 B.C.E.). The snake bracelet 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛 and the snake rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦 in the second and third pictures are dated to the First Century A.D.
This is probably my favorite wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 model that I have seen in any museum! This particular model is at the MET!
This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of a man named 𓂋𓈖 Ukhhotep 𓋂𓊵𓏏𓊪. Ukhotep 𓋂𓊵𓏏𓊪 was the chief treasurer 𓋨𓅱, which is why he probably received such gorgeous 𓄤 funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭.
This is one of two 𓏻 funerary boats that were found in his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 – most Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 that had wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models always contained two 𓏻 boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦. In the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, one boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 was oriented to the north 𓎔𓏏 and the other towards the south 𓇔𓅱𓏏.
During the actual funeral, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would take one last journey across the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. Models of boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 (usually funerary boats), were usually found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 as a way to symbolically bring the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 into the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.
I really love this model because of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 that you can see underneath the canopy! As a kid I always loved that! The canopy also has a leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin on the top, and the details on the leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 are just gorgeous!
The mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is accompanied by two 𓏻 women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪 mourners – they are probably meant to represent Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇. There is also a priest 𓊹𓍛 (dressed in the leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin) who holds a scroll 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 with a funerary offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 on it. There is a second priest 𓊹𓍛, also dressed in leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin with his arm 𓂝𓏺 extended outward in a mourning gesture.
Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models were very popular amongst Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦. This particular boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is dated to the 12th Dynasty (c. 1981–1802 B.C.E.)
This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (c. 332–30 B.C.E.) and is quite beautiful 𓄤 in person! I have never posted about this piece before because the lighting in the gallery is so bad that it makes it hard to get a good picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏!
This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made of plaster and wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺, and has been painted 𓏞𓏜 in many beautiful 𓄤 colors! Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 arms are raised in a protective 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 stance, as if he is welcoming the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.
Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 held many important titles, all of which signify how important he was to not only embalming, but to all aspects of a person’s death 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The title “Upon His Hill/Mountain 𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑” references the cliff that usually surrounded necropolises, which Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 (and jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦) would guard. The title “He who is in the mummy wrappings 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖“ signifies Anubis’ role in the mummification process, which is what he is most known for.
The title “In front at the God’s booth 𓏅𓊹𓉱” references Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 place not only in the place of embalming, but in the burial chamber 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓉐 of a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 too! Before Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 became a much more major god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 had that role and was known by the title “Foremost of the Westerners 𓏅𓈖𓏏𓏭𓋀𓄿𓏦 ” Since the sun 𓆄𓅱𓇳 set in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊, the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 was known as the land of the dead to the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪.
I love wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 tomb models so much! As a kid they reminded me of dolls and dollhouses! Another thing I loved about them was how excited my Nonno would get over wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 pieces – he would always talk about how important wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 artifacts were. Since wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 decomposes over time, it is more rare to have wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 artifacts be found in good condition as opposed to stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪.
The models in this post (and many others) were found in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of the Royal Chief Steward Meketre who lived during the reign 𓋾 of Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 and possibly Amenemhat I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏. Meketre’s high status as an official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 is why he was able to afford so many wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models and such an elaborate burial.
While the main part of Meketre’s tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 had been plundered in ancient times, excavators found a hidden chamber, and that is where all of the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models were found! There were 24 𓎆𓎆𓏽 almost perfectly preserved models found in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐. Half of the models are at the MET, while the other half are at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo!
While Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 religious beliefs didn’t necessarily change much over time, some of the customs did! The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 needed nourishment in the forms of food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 and water 𓈗, even in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. During the Old Kingdom, this was achieved by depicting different types of food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 production on tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 and chapel walls. In the Middle Kingdom, this practice evolved into placing wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models depicting different types of food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥 production in a sealed chamber in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐. It was thought that the models would hold more magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 power than the carvings!
This wooden model depicts a slaughterhouse.
Cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 and geese 𓊃𓂋𓅬𓏦 are being slaughtered by butchers, and dried out meat 𓇋𓅱𓆑𓄹 can be seen hanging above them. Butchery was considered a high status occupation in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, and most of the population did not have access to meat 𓇋𓅱𓆑𓄹 as a type of food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥. Even having access to meat 𓇋𓅱𓆑𓄹 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 was a sign of status!
This model is of a granary 𓊚𓏏𓉐, and the model is divided into two 𓏻 sections.
The “top” section in my picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is of the actual granary 𓊚𓏏𓉐, where the grain 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦 was stored. The “bottom” section is of the accounting area, where scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 are seen keeping records with supplies such as papyrus rolls 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛𓏦 and wooden boards. The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 relied heavily on grain 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦 for food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥, so it was an absolute must for them to keep meticulous records about their supply.
It is interesting to note that there are only six 𓏿 workers carrying/pouring out the grain 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦, while there are nine scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 for record keeping! Either this is a coincidence, or a commentary on just how important scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 were to society in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!
Another thing I absolutely love about the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models are how detailed they are! If you look at the workers who are pouring grain 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦 into the granary 𓊚𓏏𓉐, they have dust 𓐍𓅓𓅱𓊡 all over their faces! This would be from them pouring the grain 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦, and some of the dust 𓐍𓅓𓅱𓊡 coming back up at them!
These wooden models are so amazing because they provide a look into some of the more common aspects of life 𓋹 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, despite the fact that Meketre’s high status as an official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 is why he was able to afford so many wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models and such an elaborate burial.
This next model has no people in it! This model is of a “Porch and Garden 𓎛𓊃𓊪𓈈,” and beautifully 𓄤 painted 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 columns (in the form of papyrus plants) can be seen on the porch part.
My favorite part of the model is that there is actually a pool 𓈙𓈇 in the center that could have been potentially filled with water 𓈗! The area around the pool 𓈙𓈇 is lined with sycamore trees 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭𓏪, and while it is hard to see in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, there are little red figs 𓂧𓄿𓃀𓇭𓏪 growing on the branches! Sycamore trees 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭𓏪 are commonly associated with the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡.
Some Egyptologists think that this piece would have functioned similarly to a “Soul House,” which we’re clay models that usually had an open court for offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 or water 𓈗. This garden 𓎛𓊃𓊪𓈈 model could also be thought of as a libation basin 𓌻𓂋𓈘 (because of the pool 𓈙𓈇 of water𓈗) that is decorated really nicely!
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 which has the various names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Teti 𓊪𓇌 on it!
While most sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 contain an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡 on the handle, this is actually one of the earliest sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 ever found (c. 2323–2291 B.C.E.) and is dated to the 6th Dynasty (Old Kingdom) so it is a little bit different than the sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 we are used to seeing! The top part of the sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 which contains the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is supposed to be a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐.
The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 are a list of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Teti’s 𓊪𓇌 various names 𓂋𓈖𓏥! Something interesting is that Teti’s 𓊪𓇌 names (except the birth name) are only mentioned on this sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 – I don’t think the names 𓂋𓈖𓏥 have been inscribed anywhere else! Usually just Teti 𓊪𓇌 is seen! Also, Teti 𓊪𓇌 doesn’t seem to have a throne name 𓂋𓈖!! Let’s take a closer look!
Let’s start from the right-most column:
𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt
(𓅭𓇳𓊪𓇌) – Son of Ra, Teti (in the Old Kingdom, the titles were sometimes placed in the cartouche) (Birth Name)
Left-most column:
𓅒𓋴𓊵𓏏𓊪 – Sehotep Nebty (The One Who Has Satisfied the Two Lands) (Nebty Name)
𓄥𓅉 – Bik Nebu Sema (The Uniter) (Golden Horus Name)
Middle column:
𓋴𓊵𓏏𓊪𓈙𓈙 – Sehotep Tawy (The One Who Pacifies the Two Lands) (Horus Name)
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be taking a closer look at one of the statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 that Merenptah 𓇳𓃒𓈖𓈘𓊹𓊹𓊹 usurped from Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆! There are definitely some familiar hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 phrases here that some of you will recognize!! This statue is at the 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 MET!
The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 here show three 𓏼 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦: the Horus Name, the Throne Name and the Given Name! Since the symbols are pointing to the left, let’s start reading from the left!
𓂡𓃒𓎛𓂝𓀠𓅓𓏏𓆄 – “The Strong Bull Who Rejoiced in Truth” (Horus Name)
𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands
𓁞𓁩𓈘𓈖𓃒 – “The Soul of Ra, Beloved of Amun” (Ba en Ra, mery Amun) (Throne Name)
𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances
𓁰𓁧𓈘𓈖𓊵𓁷𓏺 – “Beloved of Ptah, Maat is Satisfied” (Mer en Ptah hotep her Maat) (Birth Name)
Now let’s look at the bottom line of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓌺𓁞𓁩𓈘𓈖𓃒 – Ba en Ra, mery Amun (Throne Name)
𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra
𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances
𓌺𓁰𓁧𓈘𓈖𓊵𓁷𓏺 – Merenptah (Birth Name)
𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 – Amun-Ra
𓌹 – Beloved
𓋍 – this symbol on the side of the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 is thought to be representative of the unification of Upper 𓇓 and Lower 𓆤 Egypt.
Something else that is interesting is that there are name 𓂋𓈖 variants on the same statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾! Name 𓂋𓈖 variants were just different ways to write the same name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
I must admit – I am very guilty of walking past these statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 at the MET a lot because usually I want to go straight for the Temple of Dendur!! These pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 are from May, but when I went to the MET earlier this month I got some close up photos 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of these gorgeous 𓄤 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪, so I’m going to do a bit of a series on them! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we will learn the history, and then we will read the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 tomorrow 𓇼𓄿𓇳!
These two 𓏻 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 originally belonged to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆. While these two 𓏻 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 now adorn the entrance to the museum exhibit of the Temple of Dendur, they originally were located at Amenhotep III’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 dedicated to Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 at Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 (modern day Luxor). Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 ruled 𓋾 Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 during the 18th Dynasty.
Then in the 19th Dynasty, along came the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Merenptah 𓇳𓃒𓈖𓈘𓊹𓊹𓊹! Merenptah 𓇳𓃒𓈖𓈘𓊹𓊹𓊹 was the son 𓅭 of Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓, and like father 𓇋𓏏𓀀 like son 𓅭, Merenptah 𓇳𓃒𓈖𓈘𓊹𓊹𓊹 usurped the statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of other pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and put his name 𓂋𓈖 on them!
Usurping can be thought of as ancient plagiarism, and was very common during this time period. While I equate usurpation to plagiarism to put it in a modern context, the purpose wasn’t to defame the previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. The purpose was for the common pharaoh to promote his own rule 𓋾, and what better way to do that than to use statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪, temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦, etc. that already are made!?
It is always funny to see a statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 that has the facial features of one pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but has the name 𓂋𓈖 of another pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 on it! Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 did this all the time – that man’s name 𓂋𓈖 is everywhere!
