Tag: artifact

The Rainbow Fish

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 3, 2023

My sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 has always said that this piece reminds her of the children’s book “The Rainbow Fish,” and thanks to her that’s how I always refer to this piece!

Do you think this little fish rattle at the Brooklyn Museum looks like The Rainbow Fish?

This beautifully 𓄤 colored fish 𓂋𓅓𓆛 represents a tilapia 𓇋𓆛𓈖𓏏𓆛! The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 viewed the tilapia 𓇋𓆛𓈖𓏏𓆛 as a symbol of regeneration and rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱. Both of these concepts were super important in the Egyptian religion, so they held tilapia 𓇋𓆛𓈖𓏏𓆛 in very high regard!

What is so cool about this piece is that it is actually a rattle! There are little clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 pellets inside of it, which represents the eggs. This was most likely a ritual object; either played during childbirth or placed in a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 to help the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 with their rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱!

The blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 coloring on the fish 𓂋𓅓𓆛 is purely decorative as tilapia 𓇋𓆛𓈖𓏏𓆛 are not this color in real life! However, these particular colors used (blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛, red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 and black 𓆎𓅓) are very typical of the color palette used at Amenhotep III’s 𓇳𓁧𓎠 palace at Malqata and at Amarna 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖 during Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 reign. This piece is estimated to be from the late 18th Dynasty and is thought to be from Saqqara 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖.

From a hieroglyphic standpoint, the tilapia symbol 𓆛 is the main determinative for “fish 𓂋𓅓𓆛!” This demonstrates just how important the Egyptians viewed the tilapia – a lot of their fish related words contained the tilapia 𓆛! Tilapia also has its own word which is “𓇋𓆛𓈖𓏏𓆛.”

The Rainbow Fish with the word for “tilapia” in hieroglyphs!

Thanks 𓋴𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢 to my sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 for taking this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏!

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum

Video

Inner Cartonnage of Gautseshenu – Video

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 3, 2023

This stunningly painted piece is the Inner Cartonnage of a person named Gautseshenu. This piece would have been placed inside a larger coffin and is made of cartonnage (ancient paper mache). It is dated to the 25th Dynasty (Third Intermediate Period). It was found in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 and it’s amazing how well preserved it is and how bright the colors are.

@ancientegyptblog
This stunningly painted piece is the Inner Cartonnage of a person named Gautseshenu. This piece would have been placed inside a larger coffin and is made of cartonnage (ancient paper mache). It is dated to the 25th Dynasty (Third Intermediate Period). It was found in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 and it’s amazing how well preserved it is and how bright the colors are. The Weighing of the Heart scene from the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 is my absolute favorite type of religious art from ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. As a kid, I loved it because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 was the central god 𓊹 in the scene, and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 is my favorite Egyptian god 𓊹 . As an adult, I love what the scene represents and the symbolism behind it. For those unfamiliar with the context of the scene, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 weighs the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 against Maat’s 𓌴𓐙𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather. If Anubis determines there’s balance between the two, then the deceased would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 by Horus 𓅃𓀭. The simplified version of the scene represented on this cartonnage is missing Thoth 𓅤𓀭 and Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏. If you’re looking at the coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 from the front, you can see Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛(the winged beetle) and the Four Sons of Horus beneath him. I feel like this coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is the Sparks Notes version of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 – it kinda gives you some of the most important parts of it in a very small amount of space! This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientegypt #egyptianhistory #egyptologist #historytok #egypt #brooklynmuseum #anubis #bookofthedead
♬ snowfall – Øneheart & reidenshi

The Weighing of the Heart scene from the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 is my absolute favorite type of religious art from ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. As a kid, I loved it because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 was the central god 𓊹 in the scene, and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 is my favorite Egyptian god 𓊹 . As an adult, I love what the scene represents and the symbolism behind it.

For those unfamiliar with the context of the scene, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 weighs the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 against Maat’s 𓌴𓐙𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather. If Anubis determines there’s balance between the two, then the deceased would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 by Horus 𓅃𓀭. The simplified version of the scene represented on this cartonnage is missing Thoth 𓅤𓀭 and Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏.

If you’re looking at the inner cartonnage/coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 from the front, you can see Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛(the winged beetle) and the Four Sons of Horus beneath him. I feel like this coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is the Sparks Notes version of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 – it kinda gives you some of the most important parts of it in a very small amount of space!

You can also watch this video (with music) on TikTok!

@ancientegyptblog
This stunningly painted piece is the Inner Cartonnage of a person named Gautseshenu. This piece would have been placed inside a larger coffin and is made of cartonnage (ancient paper mache). It is dated to the 25th Dynasty (Third Intermediate Period). It was found in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 and it’s amazing how well preserved it is and how bright the colors are. The Weighing of the Heart scene from the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 is my absolute favorite type of religious art from ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. As a kid, I loved it because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 was the central god 𓊹 in the scene, and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 is my favorite Egyptian god 𓊹 . As an adult, I love what the scene represents and the symbolism behind it. For those unfamiliar with the context of the scene, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 weighs the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 against Maat’s 𓌴𓐙𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather. If Anubis determines there’s balance between the two, then the deceased would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 by Horus 𓅃𓀭. The simplified version of the scene represented on this cartonnage is missing Thoth 𓅤𓀭 and Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏. If you’re looking at the coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 from the front, you can see Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛(the winged beetle) and the Four Sons of Horus beneath him. I feel like this coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is the Sparks Notes version of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 – it kinda gives you some of the most important parts of it in a very small amount of space! This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientegypt #egyptianhistory #egyptologist #historytok #egypt #brooklynmuseum #anubis #bookofthedead
♬ snowfall – Øneheart & reidenshi

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, mummy, video

Egyptian Artifacts

Hippopotamus Statues

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 29, 2023

My sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏𓁐 sent me this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 that she took at the Brooklyn Museum and I immediately knew that I had to share it with all 𓎟 of you!

Hippopotamus Statues from the Middle Kingdom on display at the Brooklyn Museum

It’s no mystery that I love the ancient Egyptian hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪! My favorites are the blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ones that are typically dated to the Middle Kingdom time period!

What I love about this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is it shows the diversity of the art that was created during the Middle Kingdom! The blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 hippopotamus 𓐍𓃀𓃯 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is a lot more detailed and refined, while the clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are a little rougher!

The hippo 𓐍𓃀𓃯 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 in the forefront of the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 are made out of clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 and were most likely used as a kind of offering during the “Feast of the White Hippopotamus.” During this festival, a hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯 was dragged on a sled before the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. The base that these two 𓏻 hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 have are representative of that sled!

The blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 hippopotamus 𓐍𓃀𓃯 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is always a treat to see and I love seeing them across various museums! There are lotus flowers 𓆸𓆸𓆸 painted on the sides of the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 to represent the different plants that grew along the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺! The legs on this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 are actually restored!

FUN FACT: did you know that most blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 have broken feet because they were broken on purpose so the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 would not be a threat to the deceased person it was buried with?

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok!

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, hippo

Egyptian Artifacts

The Rosetta Stone

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 28, 2023

Happy (late) Anniversary to the deciphering of Egyptian Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Seeing the Rosetta Stone in person was a dream come true for me! When I saw the Rosetta Stone all I could thing was “this rock is the reason I can read hieroglyphs” and I was just in awe.

My sister and I with the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum!

Jean-François Champollion was just a teenager in September 1822 when he began to decipher hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 based off of the Rosetta Stone!

The Rosetta Stone is actually a decree issued by priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 in 196 B.C.E. that affirmed the cult of Ptolemy V 𓊪𓏏𓍯𓃭𓐝𓇌𓋴. Identical decrees were supposed to be placed in every temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

During the Christian period in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, the use of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 began to wane and finally disappeared at the beginning of the 4th Century. The Rosetta Stone contains three 𓏼 languages 𓂋𓏦: Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, Greek and Demotic. Since Greek was a known language 𓂋𓏺, scholars began to try to use the Greek section of the Rosetta Stone to translate the portion in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪.

Thomas Young was the first person to show that the name 𓂋𓈖 in the cartouche (𓊪𓏏𓍯𓃭𓐝𓇌𓋴) actually spelled out “Ptolemy,” however, Champollion gets the credit for deciphering hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 because he showed that the phonetic symbols were also used for Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 and not just foreign names 𓂋𓈖𓏦. With his extensive knowledge of Coptic, Champollion was able to begin reading the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 more fully!

My sister and I with the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum

I am thankful for the early works of scholars like Champollion because I would not be reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 without it! The work that these people did to further the understanding of the Egyptian language, and thus the civilization as a whole is nothing short of incredible!

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok!

Tags artifact, british museum, rosetta stone

Video

Cow, Beautiful Woman, or Both? – Video

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 23, 2023

Did you know that the word for “cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒” and “beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐” are the same in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪/the Middle Egyptian language? Well now you do! This is one of my absolute favorite “fun facts” about hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and it has been since I was a little girl!

@ancientegyptblog
Did you know that the word for “cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒” and “beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐” are the same in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪/the Middle Egyptian language? Well now you do! This is one of my absolute favorite “fun facts” about hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and it has been since I was a little girl! The root of both of these words is “𓄤𓆑𓂋” which would probably be pronounced like “nefer.” This word could mean perfect, beautiful, or good in Middle Egyptian! Adding the “𓏏” to the end of the word makes it feminine, and then the determinative symbol distinguishes the meaning! So “𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏” could also mean a beautiful woman or beautiful/perfect! Both “cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒” and “beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐” would have probably been pronounced like “neferet” due to the addition of the uniliteral phonogram of “𓏏” which would have been pronounced like a “t.” In order to make words pronounceable in modern times, a lot of Egyptologists/linguists will add a soft “e” sound in between the consonants! This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientegypt #egyptianhistory #egyptologist #letsreadsomehieroglyphs #hieroglyphs #hieroglyphics #languagelearning #egypt #hathor #metropolitanmuseumofart #historytok
♬ original sound – ancientegyptblog Nicole Lesar

The root of both of these words is “𓄤𓆑𓂋” which would probably be pronounced like “nefer.” This word could mean perfect, beautiful, or good in Middle Egyptian! Adding the “𓏏” to the end of the word makes it feminine, and then the determinative symbol distinguishes the meaning! So “𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏” could also mean a beautiful woman or beautiful/perfect!

Both “cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒” and “beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐” would have probably been pronounced like “neferet” due to the addition of the uniliteral phonogram of “𓏏” which would have been pronounced like a “t.” In order to make words pronounceable in modern times, a lot of Egyptologists/linguists will add a soft “e” sound in between the consonants!

I love learning little things like this about the culture of ancient Egypt! It’s incredible what a language can tell us!

You can also watch the video on TikTok!

@ancientegyptblog
Did you know that the word for “cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒” and “beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐” are the same in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪/the Middle Egyptian language? Well now you do! This is one of my absolute favorite “fun facts” about hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and it has been since I was a little girl! The root of both of these words is “𓄤𓆑𓂋” which would probably be pronounced like “nefer.” This word could mean perfect, beautiful, or good in Middle Egyptian! Adding the “𓏏” to the end of the word makes it feminine, and then the determinative symbol distinguishes the meaning! So “𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏” could also mean a beautiful woman or beautiful/perfect! Both “cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒” and “beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐” would have probably been pronounced like “neferet” due to the addition of the uniliteral phonogram of “𓏏” which would have been pronounced like a “t.” In order to make words pronounceable in modern times, a lot of Egyptologists/linguists will add a soft “e” sound in between the consonants! This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientegypt #egyptianhistory #egyptologist #letsreadsomehieroglyphs #hieroglyphs #hieroglyphics #languagelearning #egypt #hathor #metropolitanmuseumofart #historytok
♬ original sound – ancientegyptblog Nicole Lesar

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, hathor, hieroglyphs, the met, video

Reading Hieroglyphs

Funerary Vessel Painted to Imitate Stone

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 19, 2023

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a really cool vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 that is on display at the Brooklyn Museum! The museum has named this piece “Inscribed Funerary Vessel Painted to Imitate Stone” and I just love that because it is such a great description of the piece!

I believe that the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 that this vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 is supposed to be imitating breccia, which is a sedimentary rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 commonly found in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and was primarily used for pottery and stoneware during the early dynastic period and Old Kingdom!

We know that this piece is a funerary vase because of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that is on it! Starting an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 with “Revered before *name of god*” is a very common way to begin funerary inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!

Inscribed Funerary Vessel Painted to Imitate Stone on display at the Brooklyn Museum

Let’s take a closer look:

𓄪𓐍𓇌 – Revered

𓐍𓂋 – Before

𓁹𓊩𓀭 – Osiris

𓃂𓈖 – Wab Priest (can also be written as 𓃂𓈗 or 𓃂)

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

All together, the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 reads “Revered Before Osiris, the Wab Priest of Amun…” – then I can’t see the rest of it!

In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, the Wab Priest 𓃂𓈖 was the most common type of priest and they performed the tasks of maintaining the temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪 and could be placed in charge of funerals. This was considered to be the lowest class of priests. The Middle Egyptian word, “God’s Servant 𓊹𓍛” usually referred to the High Priests.

This piece is dated to the late 18th – early 19th dynasties!

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok!

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs

Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statue of Ptah

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 15, 2023

This bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the god 𓊹 Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 from the Third Intermediate Period is striking to see in person not just because of its wonderful state of preservation, but its size as well!

Bronze Statue of Ptah on display at the MET

For a bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾, it is quite large! In antiquity, this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 would have been covered in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf, and it’s amazing that you can still see some of the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 on the statue! Imagine how magnificent it would have looked in all gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉! I also love how the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 are still perfectly preserved; they really stand out among the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 and the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉!

The staff that Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 is holding in his hands is actually a merging of the Djed Pillar 𓊽 and the Was Scepter 𓌀. The hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 for Djed 𓊽 means “stability” while the hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 for the Was Scepter 𓌀 means “strength,” and this staff exemplifies Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 representation of both!

One of the epithets that follows Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 name 𓂋𓈖 in inscriptions is “The One of Fair Face 𓄤𓁷𓏤𓀭” and I think that description totally fits with how beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 this particular statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 represents him! That epithet could also be translated as “Kindly of Face 𓄤𓁷𓏤𓀭” and can also be written as “𓄤𓆑𓂋𓁷𓏤𓀭.”

Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 was not created; he existed before anyone else and anything. In short, he was the creator of the other creator gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, like Atum 𓇋𓏏𓂟𓀭. Due to Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 creativity, he is also the designated god 𓊹 of all forms of craftsman such as carpenters , shipbuilders, potters, metalworkers, and sculptors.

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 would have been housed in a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 and would have received offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 from priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪.

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, ptah, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

Tomb in Hieroglyphs

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 12, 2023

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at one of the ways to write “tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐𓏺” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Can you spot the word for “tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐𓏺” in hieroglyphs?

Let’s break down each of the symbols:

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

The “bundle of reeds 𓇩” is a biliteral phonogram that represents the sound “jz.”

The “doorbolt 𓊃” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram which represents the sound “z” or “s.” It’s also the ideogram for the word “doorbolt.”

The “schematic house plan 𓉐“ symbol is a biliteral phonogram for the sound “pr,” but it can also function as an ideogram for the word “house 𓉐𓏺.” This symbol is commonly used as a determinative for words that have to do with buildings (like our word of the day – tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐) or places (Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐).

The “stroke 𓏺” has many different uses but here it is used for aesthetic purposes! The “stroke 𓏺” is used to fill up that extra space after the “𓉐” symbol and can almost be thought of as punctuation!

The word “tomb” is highlighted in blue! Were you able to spot it in the first photo?

So how would “𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐𓏺” be pronounced? 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐𓏺 would actually be said like “is.” In Middle Egyptian, a bunch of the written words repeat sounds, but the repeated sounds aren’t pronounced at all. It’s like how “𓄤” and “𓄤𓆑𓂋” are both still pronounced “nfr” even though the sounds repeat in the word.

Here are some other variants/ways to write “tomb” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:

𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐 – (without the stroke)

𓉐𓆖 – Mastaba (House of Eternity)

𓂝𓂝𓉴 – Tomb/Mastaba

𓄿𓂝𓂝𓉴 – Tomb/Mastaba

𓄿𓎛𓌸 – Tomb Shaft

𓅜𓏏𓈌𓉐 – Tomb of a King, Horizon

𓀻𓋴𓉐 – Tomb Chapel

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs

Reading Hieroglyphs

The Shabti Spell

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 11, 2023

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.

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!

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!

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

Reading Hieroglyphs

The Four Sons of Horus on a Sarcophagus

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 8, 2023

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 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

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, nephthys, sons of horus

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