Tag: the met

My Favorite Egyptian Artifacts

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 22, 2023

Happy 700 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 posts to @ancientegyptblog 𓃣 on Instagram!! Thank you 𓋴𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢 all 𓎟 for your continued support – it means the world 𓇾𓇾 to me!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 for a special post, I wanted to share some of my absolute favorite Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 artifacts that I have seen in museums! Now, these objects aren’t the “big ticket” items, or objects that most people run and see, however, these are the ones that I love and items that you can probably see at your local museums!

Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 – it’s no secret that I love reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, and I love seeing them no matter what object they appear on!

Me with the King’s List in the British Museum

Ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾- my favorite little guys who perform tasks for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! There are so many different types across various time periods of Egyptian history! I love them all!

The Ushabti display at the Brooklyn Museum

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪- Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was one of the only commoners to be deified, and he was the architect of Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 first 𓏃 pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴! My Nonno loved Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, and I do too! This Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 pictured is my favorite one at the Vatican!

My favorite Imhotep statue at the Vatican Museum – Look at those ears!!

Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺- better known to the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 as the “Book of Going Forth By Day,” this papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 would provide spells needed for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to reach the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This one pictured is the Papyrus of Hunefer, which contains my favorite “Weighing of the Heart” scene.

The Weighing of the Heart Scene from the Book of the Dead of Hunefer at the British Museum

Wooden Sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪 (with the Eyes) – The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 on this side of the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 would allow the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to see outside of it! My Nonno told me this every time we were in a museum and saw a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 like this!

Middle Kingdom sarcophagus with the eyes! (the MET)

Anything Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 – Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and tombs, has been my favorite god 𓊹, so I get excited every time I see him! Reliefs, sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪, statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, – you can find Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 all over!

My favorite relief of Anubis (from the Middle Kingdom) at the MET

Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪- I love tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 things so of course I love amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪! Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 come in all different designs – every day objects, deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, animals – the list is endless! There are so many different types and functions, however their main function was protection of the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 or the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱!

Various amulets on display at the MET – including the winged scarab which is one of my favorites!

Hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 – I am obsessed with the Egyptian Hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 statues! Hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 were both feared and revered along the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺! I always look to see if a museum has one of these!

William, the blue faience Egyptian hippo at the MET

I hope you enjoyed this highlight of some of my favorite Egyptian artifacts!

Tags anubis, artifact, blog, book of the dead, british museum, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, imhotep, the met, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Offering Table and Statue

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 19, 2023

This Middle Kingdom era piece is so cool – well actually, it’s two 𓏻 separate pieces! This is a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named 𓂋𓈖 Sehetepib, which is sitting on top of a small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃!

Statue and Offering Table of Sehetepib

The statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is made of graywacke 𓁷𓂋𓃀𓐍𓈖 while the offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 is made of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉. I love the contrast of colors between the dark graywacke 𓁷𓂋𓃀𓐍𓈖 and the light limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 – it really makes both the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 and the offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 stand out against each other!

This piece was found in the shaft of a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 in Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖, but it was most likely originally placed in an above ground chapel. What was the point of putting the offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 in a chapel outside of the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐? Essentially, the offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 allows for the ka 𓂓 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to continue to receive offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 so the ka 𓂓 can continue to be sustained even after death 𓅓𓏏𓏱!

If you look at the front of the offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃, there are offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 carved into the limestone! These are symbolic offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 that would continue to sustain the soul 𓂓 of Sehetepib even when real offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 stopped being placed in his tomb’s 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 chapel! One of the offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 is definitely bread 𓏐, but I don’t know what the rest are! The circles could be anything!!

Sehetepib’s name 𓂋𓈖 and titles are written down the front of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 (on his skirt), but I can’t make out the individual hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The only phrase I can see clearly is “For the Soul of 𓈖𓂓𓈖“ and then Sehetepib’s name 𓂋𓈖 should follow that! I wish I could see more of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, but sometimes with ancient objects such as this one, it’s not always easy!

Tags artifact, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs Video

Video – Maned Sphinx of Hatshepsut

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 18, 2023

Here’s a video on the Maned Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 of Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

(𓇳𓁦𓂓) – Maatkare

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

𓌺𓏏𓇌 – Beloved

𓋹𓏏𓏙- Life Given

𓆖 – Eternity (Forever)

“Maatkare, Beloved of Amun, Given Life for Eternity.”

I know this is strange, but “Given Life” is written backwards! It should be “𓏙𓋹” not “𓋹𓏙” as it’s written (this inscription is read from right to left).

There’s also an added 𓏏, which makes it the feminine form! There’s a second sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 just like this one in the Cairo Museum, and on that sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤, there is no added 𓏏! Why would one sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 use the feminine form and one use the masculine?! We will probably never know!

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

Reading Hieroglyphs

The Djed Pillar

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 16, 2023

The “Djed Pillar 𓊽” is one of the most common symbols seen in Egyptian art and hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! This particular Djed Pillar 𓊽 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 Djed Pillar 𓊽 is in the Predynastic Period!

The Djed Pillar 𓊽 can be seen in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 as a hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃, as an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 for mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 or the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪, in tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 and temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 art, statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, and so much more! This is a wonderful symbol to understand the meaning of because it is everywhere!

In terms of religious symbolism, The Djed Pillar 𓊽 is thought to represent the spine of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. When a person died 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and became “The Osiris,” The Djed Pillar 𓊽 was then thought to represent their spine! The spine was thought to keep Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 upright and able to function as the primary god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. This is even referenced in the The Book of the Dead: “Raise yourself up Osiris. You have your backbone once more, weary-hearted One; you have bones.”

Let’s take a look at the hieroglyphic meaning! The “reed column 𓊽” more commonly known as the “Djed Pillar” is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound “ḏd” which sounds like “Djed.” It also functions as an ideogram for “Stability.”

There are many common words and phrases that have the Djed Pillar 𓊽 in it:

𓏙𓋹𓊽𓌀 – Given Life, Stability, and Strength

𓊽𓊽𓈋𓅱𓊖 / 𓊽𓊽𓅱𓊖 – Djedu

𓊽 / 𓊽𓏏 – Stability, Endure

𓋴𓊽𓊽 – Make Permanent

𓊽𓂧𓏛 – To Be Stable

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

Reading Hieroglyphs

“High Priest” in Hieroglyphs

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 15, 2023

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a common word that is seen on many funerary objects 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 such as stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏦! These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 pictured translate to “Priest 𓊹𓍛,” “Prophet 𓊹𓍛, “High Priest 𓊹𓍛” or even “High Priestess 𓊹𓍛” in English, but if you were to breakdown the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, it translates to “God’s Servant 𓊹𓍛” in Middle Egyptian!

𓊹 – God

𓍛 – Servant

The word for “Servant” on its own is usually written with the determinative and looks like this: 𓍛𓀀 (for males) and 𓍛𓏏𓁐 (for females). For a phrase such as “God’s Servant 𓊹𓍛,” the determinative is left out!

Usually, the name 𓂋𓈖 of a god 𓊹 or goddess 𓊹𓏏 would come before the phrase “God’s Servant 𓊹𓍛.” For example, 𓉡𓊹𓍛 would translate to “High Priest of Hathor” and 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓊹𓍛 would translate to “High Priest of Ptah.”

Let’s take a closer look at each of these symbols!

The “cloth on a pole 𓊹“ symbol 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.” 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 “launderer’s club 𓍛” is a biliteral phonogram which means it represents the sounds of two consonants. “𓍛” represents the sound “ḥm.”

There are so many different ways to write priest in Middle Egyptian because there were so many different types of priests! Here are some of the other popular ones:

𓋴𓅓 – Sem Priests (responsible for the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony 𓄋𓏏𓂋𓏺)

𓃂 / 𓃂𓈗 – Wab Priest

𓀆 – To Be a Priest

𓂖 / 𓂗𓀀 – Ka Priest/Soul Priest/Priest of the Dead

𓂝𓈎𓂭𓂭𓀀 – Priest

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

Common Hieroglyphic Phrases

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 11, 2023

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

This hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃 text from the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 of Imhotep contains some really common hieroglyphic phrases and words! These phrases are short and easy to recognize, so once you learn them, you’ll be reading through some partial inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 in no time!

Some parts of this papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 are written in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, which is very cool because I can read it! I have not mastered Hieratic at all, which is what a lot of papyri 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛𓏦 and Books of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 are written in! Hieratic is pretty much short-hand hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! I really want to learn Hieratic, and it’s one of my long term goals, but there are a lack of books on the subject which has hindered me from learning!

Let’s break down the following text: 𓃹𓈖𓄤𓀭𓐙𓊤

𓃹𓈖 – It Is

𓄤 – Perfect/Beautiful

𓀭 – God

𓐙𓊤 – True of Voice/Justified

All together the text reads: “It is 𓃹𓈖 the perfect god 𓄤𓀭, true of voice 𓐙𓊤…”

The phrase “It is” can be written as 𓃹𓈖 or 𓃹𓈖𓈖 – both are grammatically correct, it’s just spacing that can become an issue which is why sometimes only one “𓈖” appears!

Let’s break down each of the symbols individually!

The “hare 𓃹” is normally used as a biliteral phonogram. The 𓃹 represents the sounds “wn.”

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is a uniliteral phonogram. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!”

The “heart and windpipe 𓄤” symbol is a triliteral phonogram that represents the sound “nfr” which in modern times we pronounce like “nefer.”

The “seated god 𓀭” symbol is a determinative for the word “God” or “King.”

The “platform 𓐙” symbol is a triliteral phonogram which represents the sound “m3ˁ” which would be pronounced like “mah.”

The “oar 𓊤” symbol is a triliteral phonogram and represents the sound “ḫrw.”

Tags book of the dead, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

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 Reading Hieroglyphs

Cartouche Box of Shosenq II

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 10, 2023

This cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 shaped box is a small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 yet interesting piece at the MET! I stumbled upon this piece because it is in a display with lots of ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures! One of my absolute favorite Egyptian artifacts is Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 box, and while this is a smaller and less elaborate version of Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓, I still love it!

This cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 shaped box is dated to the Third Intermediate Period (c. 825-773 B.C.E.) which would be in the 22nd Dynasty! The box is also inscribed for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Shosenq II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏𓊹𓋾𓉺.

Cartouche Box of Shosenq II

Even though they may be difficult to see in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre setep en Ra (Throne Name)

𓊹𓋾𓉺 – God and Ruler of Heliopolis

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏 – Shosenq II (Shoshenk, Son of Bastet, Beloved of Amun)

There are a lot of interesting things going on in this inscription! The first 𓏃 interesting thing is that Shosenq II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏𓊹𓋾𓉺 has the same throne name as the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓! The name 𓂋𓈖 “Usermaatre setep en Ra 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖” translates to “The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra.”

The second interesting thing is that all of the titles appear before both names 𓂋𓈖𓏦, instead of being broken up and appearing before either the throne name or the given/birth name!

Another interesting thing is that the part of Shosenq II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏𓊹𓋾𓉺 birth name, “God and Ruler of Heliopolis𓊹𓋾𓉺,” appears at the beginning of this birth name instead of at the end, hence why I broke it up in my translation! The name 𓂋𓈖 should appear like this in the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥: 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏𓊹𓋾𓉺, but instead appears as 𓊹𓋾𓉺𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏!

The fourth interesting part is that neither the birth name nor the throne name appear in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷! I guess the whole box is the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 so maybe the artist felt that the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 didn’t need a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥?!

Who knew such a small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 piece could hold so many interesting things! It’s amazing what can be discovered by just reading a couple of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Tags artifact, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, shosenq ii, the met

Video

Video – Anubis Statue

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 9, 2023

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was found near the Sacred Animal Necropolis at Saqqara (Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖). The Sacred Animal Necropolis housed thousands 𓏲𓏲𓏲 of mummified animals such as falcons 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄𓏦, baboons, ibises 𓉔𓃀𓅤𓏦 and bulls/cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦. This piece is dated to the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (664–30 B.C.E.).

Although mummified jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦 were not found in the area, statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 have been found most likely because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and embalming 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, so it would make sense that there would be statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of him in the vicinity of this large necropolis. It is thought that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 such as this were used to guard embalming tents.

Interestingly, this piece was originally painted 𓏞𓏜 black 𓆎𓅓, but through time it has lost its coloring! It’s hard to see in my pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 (the MET really needs better lighting – the galleries are so dark) but you can still see remnants of some of the black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 on the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾!

I was very excited to see this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾, because there is a similar one in the Petrie Museum in London! I love seeing similar pieces in different museums around the world! It is really cool to see pieces that are similar across museum collections – I can’t explain why, but I just find it incredible! Also (no surprise), I love anything Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, so of course I absolutely love this statue and I need to visit it every time I go to the MET!

Fun fact! There are no temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦 dedicated to Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 because all tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and large burial areas were considered “temples” to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in! It makes so much sense because he is the god 𓊹 of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎!

A picture of me with the Anubis statue!

Tags anubis, artifact, gods and goddesses, the met, video

Egyptian Artifacts

Scarabs of Thutmosis III

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 8, 2023

Look at all 𓎟 of these scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪!

I love these displays at the MET because they have all 𓎟 of the scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 grouped by the name 𓂋𓈖 of the pharaoh that is inscribed on them! These scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 contain the throne name of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴! I also love tiny things, so these displays are some of my favorites!

The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is the personification is the god 𓊹 Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛. The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were said to be the most powerful of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 because the the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the dung beetle (which the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 was fashioned after) was capable of eternal regeneration.

The god 𓊹 Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 symbolizes a “life cycle” – birth 𓄟, death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and then rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This cycle was essential to Egyptian religious beliefs, as Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 spent their lives preparing for death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and entering the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife).

Can you see the throne name (𓇳𓏠𓆣) and variant of Thutmosis III’s throne name (𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓) in the picture?

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

The most common throne name spelling for Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴 is “Menkhepperra 𓇳𓏠𓆣.” The name 𓂋𓈖 Menkhepperra 𓇳𓏠𓆣 translates to “Lasting is the Manifestation of Ra.”

𓇳 – Ra

𓏠 – Lasting

𓆣 – Manifestation

One of Thutmosis III’s throne name variants appears on one of the scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪- it is rare to see this variant! This throne name variant is “Menkhepperkara 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓” which translates to “Lasting is the Manifestation of the Soul of Ra.” I love seeing the variants!

Can you spot any of the words in the text below in the picture above?

There are some other common phrases that accompany the name 𓂋𓈖 of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓 on these little scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪! See if you can spot them in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏:

𓎟 – Lord of/Everything/All

𓊹𓄤 – The Perfect God

𓏙𓋹 – Given Life

𓆖 – Eternity

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

Tags artifact, hieroglyphs, scarab, the met, thutmosis iii

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