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Egyptian Artifacts

Hounds and Jackals Game

The ancient Egyptians loved playing games 𓇋𓏲𓏏𓊑𓄛𓏦, and many of examples of ancient games 𓇋𓏲𓏏𓊑𓄛𓏦  such as senet 𓊃𓏏𓈖𓏠 and Mehen 𓎔𓈖𓆓/𓎔𓈖𓆗 exist both as actual artifacts and as depictions in art!

Hounds and Jackals Game
The Hounds and Jackals Game was named after the Hounds and Jackals that appear on the top of the pegs! This is the most complete version of the game that’s ever been found!

The game 𓇋𓏲𓏏𓊑𓄛𓏦 in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is one that was named “Hounds and Jackals” by Howard Carter! Carter named the game after the hounds 𓍿𓊃𓅓𓄛𓏪 and the jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦 that are at the tops of the pegs. This particular piece is the only game of “Hounds and Jackals” that has been found with the pegs! The game has also been referred to as “59 Holes” due to the holes that are on each side of the palm tree! 

No one knows the rules to this game, but it is thought to be symbolic of the deceased’s 𓅓𓏏𓏱 journey to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and that the hounds 𓍿𓊃𓅓𓄛𓏪 and the jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦 were used as pieces because they could be related to Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. Other less-complete versions of this game have been found in other tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦. 

Unlike senet 𓊃𓏏𓈖𓏠 and Mehen 𓎔𓈖𓆓/𓎔𓈖𓆗, games 𓇋𓏲𓏏𓊑𓄛𓏦 which seem to have persisted throughout Egyptian history, “Hounds and Jackals” seems to be a Middle Kingdom exclusive! This piece is made of the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 from a sycamore tree 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭 and ivory 𓍋𓃀𓅱𓌟. 

This piece was discovered in 1910 by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon – I find this to be so cool because this was about twelve years before they discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓! This piece is dated to the Middle Kingdom, reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of Amenemhat IV 𓇳𓌶𓂝𓊤𓅱 (12th Dynasty). 

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

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Egyptian Artifacts

Mother’s Day – Isis and Mut

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! 

Mother's Day Isis
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.

Mother's Day Mut
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.

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Ushabti of Thutmosis IV

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that belonged to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼! This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 also shows a shabti coffin! The shabti coffin allowed for the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 to take the place of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in case the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 was destroyed! I like to think of this as a call back to the original “wax ushabtis” of the Middle Kingdom, which served the same purpose. 

Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼 was the eighth pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 18th Dynasty and he was actually not supposed to be pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! His brother 𓌢𓈖 was chosen successor by their father 𓇋𓏏𓀀 Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪, but Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼 usurped the throne and made himself the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! 

Ushabti of Thutmosis IV
A Ushabti of Thutmosis IV (left) and a shabti coffin that also belonged to Thutmosis IV (right) on display at the MET

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!! Let’s take a closer look at the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾: 

𓊹𓄤 – Perfect God 

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼 – Menkheperura “Established Manifestations of Ra” (Throne name of Thutmosis IV)

𓐙𓊤 – True of Voice (Justified)

𓁹𓊨 – Osiris (Osiris’ name is written without the determinative symbol here (𓁹𓊨𓀭))

𓌸𓇌 – Beloved

So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗 the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 says: “The Perfect God, Lord of the Two Lands, Menkheperura, True of Voice, Beloved of Osiris.” 

The tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐 of Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼 in the Valley of the Kings was excavated by Theodore Davis and Howard Carter in 1903, which is where these objects were found! Many blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 pieces were found during this excavation! I love how bright the blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 color still is; it’s really striking in person! 

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

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Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Rameses II

Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 was arguably one of Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 greatest builders, and his face/name 𓂋𓈖 can be found pretty much everywhere you look in a museum (this is why his cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 are good to learn – you will see them a lot). 

Ushabti of Rameses II
Me with the wooden Ushabti of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum!

This beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 piece is a Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 Ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 (New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, c. 1292-1190 B.C.E.). While the provenance of this ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is unknown, it is assumed that it was originally from Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 original tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 (KV 7). 

Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 was plundered in the 20th Dynasty, and only three 𓏼 of his wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures remain! Tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 robbing during ancient Egyptian times was a huge problem even though the tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏥 were “hidden” in the Valley of the Kings! 

In 1049 B.C.E., the High Priest of Amun ordered Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 be moved from his original tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 and to the Royal Cache, a place where many royal 𓋾 mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 were re-buried in order to protect the mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 from tomb robbers. 

Ushabti of Rameses II
The wooden Ushabti of Rameses II with the Shabti Text carved into the wood

The text 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is a version of the “Shabti Spell” from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead. This spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 gives the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 the power to complete tasks (farming, manual labor, etc) for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖. I love how detailed the hieroglyphs are! 

This ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 has a lot of mummiform details; it is wearing the nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 head cloth and there is an intact Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 on his forehead. Like Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, it is wearing a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝, and is holding the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅. 

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

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Egyptian Artifacts

Menat Necklace

This is a picture of a special type of necklace called a menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧. The menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace is unique because it consists of a keyhole shaped piece and a lot of beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦. The beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦 on this menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 are made of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 and there are some glass 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦 near the keyhole piece! Blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 is my favorite color, so I really love how blue was such a popular color in ancient Egyptian art!

Menat Necklace
A beautiful example of a menat necklace on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace not only appears a lot in Egyptian art, but it was clearly used by real people too! The menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace was often carried or worn by women during religious ceremonies. Similar to a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣, the menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace was shaken like a rattle. The person would hold the keyhole piece and then shake the menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 to create the rattle-like sound!

The sound produced was meant to appease gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 or goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏. Similar to the sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣, the menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace was often associated with Hathor 𓉡, who was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of music 𓉔𓇌𓆸 (amongst other fun things). Hathor 𓉡 is often seen in art giving the menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 to a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 in Egyptian art.

This particular menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 necklace was found at Malqata and is dated to the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 (c. 1390 – 1352 BCE). In order to celebrate his Heb Sed Festival 𓎛𓃀𓋴𓂧𓏏𓎱𓇳𓏪, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 built a new palace 𓂝𓎛𓏏𓉥𓉐 which was referred to as “The House of Rejoicing” at present day Malqata in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. It would be interesting to know if this menat 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧 was specifically used during his Heb Sed Festival 𓎛𓃀𓋴𓂧𓏏𓎱𓇳𓏪!

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

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Video

White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut – Video

@ancientegyptblog

“É un capolavoro” – (It) Is a masterpiece! Anyone who has been following me knows that I love nothing more than the white limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 at the MET! Seeing this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 in the museum gives me so much joy 𓄫𓏏𓄣 each time! Yesterday I was teaching my 8th graders about different sedimentary rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦, and of course I used pictures of this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 as an example of what limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 could look like! Hatshepsut’s birth name, 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, and throne name,𓇳𓁦𓂓, both appear on this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and take a look at what her names mean! Her birth name – 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun 𓎹𓏏- United with (Khnemet) 𓄂𓏏 – Foremost (Hat) 𓀼𓏪 – Noble Women (Shepsut) So Hatshepsut’s birth name 𓂋𓈖 translates to “United with Amun, Foremost of the Noble Women.” Her throne name – 𓇳𓁦𓂓 𓇳 – Ra 𓁦 – Maat (Truth) 𓂓 – Ka (Soul) So Hatshepsut’s throne name “Maatkare 𓇳𓁦𓂓” translates to “Truth is the Soul of Re.” (As a side note, “Capolavoro” is my favorite song from Sanremo 2024 and @ilvolomusic is one of my absolute favorite groups! I have been listening to their music for longer than ten years and knew I had to use this song with this piece!!) Follow me to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, Egyptian mythology, art, culture and more! This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientEgypt #hatshepsut #ilvolo #hieroglyphics #egitto #egyptianhistory #anticoegitto #metropolitanmuseumofart #metmuseum #egyptology #ancientegyptblog @ilvolomusic @Ginoble Gianluca

♬ Capolavoro – Il Volo

It’s no secret 𓃀𓋴𓆟𓏛 that the White Limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is my absolute favorite artifact that has ever been found in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! This is the piece that captured my imagination and I’ll never forget the first 𓏃 time I saw this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 with my Nonno! 

Nonno was always so excited to tell me about Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪, because she was the most successful female pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Her twenty 𓎆𓎆 year rule 𓋾𓈎𓏏 was marked by big building projects (her mortuary temple 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐), economic prosperity (the expedition to Punt 𓊪𓃺𓈖𓏏𓈉) and peace! 

Not only is this White Limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 just absolutely stunning 𓄤, I love the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on it because Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 refers to herself using the female form of words in the inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥! These were also some of the first inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 I learned how to read, so they are very special to me! 

White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut
White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut at the MET

Check out this post for a more in-depth look at this beautiful 𓄤 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! No matter how many times I see it, I am still in awe of its beauty 𓄤!

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

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Birthdays in Ancient Egypt

My birthday is soon, so let’s talk about birthdays in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

Birthdays in Ancient Egypt
Me hanging out at the Temple of Dendur at the MET!

This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is from my last trip to the MET, when I just got to sit and hang out in one of my absolute favorite places – The Temple of Dendur! The temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 was actually commissioned by Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 (first emperor of Rome) and the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 was primarily used to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥.

The ancient Egyptians didn’t celebrate the birthdays of regular people – they celebrated the birthdays of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏! The 365-day calendar which is one of the ancient Egyptians’ long lasting contributions to the world! Egyptian astronomers even adjusted the year to be exactly 365.25 days when their calculations got more accurate! 

The Egyptian calendar consisted of 12 𓎆𓏻 months that were each 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆 days long. The extra five 𓏾 days left over at the end of the year were festival days – each day dedicated to celebrating the birthday of a different deity 𓊹! 

Day 1 was the Birthday of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭

Day 2 was the Birthday of Horus 𓅃𓀭

Day 3 was the Birthday of Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣

Day 4 was the Birthday of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥

Day 5 was the Birthday of Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇

So how do we write “birthday” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪? Let’s use Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 as an example: 𓄟𓋴𓅱𓏏𓁹𓊨𓀭𓎱 or 𓄟𓏏𓁹𓊨𓀭𓎱. 

Let’s break it down: 𓄟𓋴𓅱𓏏/𓄟𓏏 is the word for “birth” and both are pronounced “mswt.” In the case of  “𓄟𓋴𓅱𓏏,” this is what we call a “phonetic complement” – the sounds are written twice but pronounced once!

The “alabaster basin 𓎱” symbol is a determinative for “feast” or “festival” but can also be an ideogram for “heb” (feast). 

So if I wanted to write out my own birthday, it would look like this: 𓄟𓋴𓅱𓏏𓈖𓇋𓎡𓍯𓃭𓁐𓎱. You can do the same with your own – just replace my name 𓂋𓈖 with your name 𓂋𓈖! 

A big thank you 𓋴𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢 to the UCL website for the list of the festival days!! Check out their website for incredible information about ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

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

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of the Goddess Isis

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
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. 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Roman Mummy Mask

One of the features of Egyptian funerary practices that persisted throughout most of the civilization was the use of mummy masks 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪. Mummy masks 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 first appeared during the First Intermediate Period (c. 2181 B.C.E.), and were last used during the Roman Period (c. 395 AD). While the styles certainly changed, their purpose of protecting 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 remained the same. While the function of the mummy masks 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 remained the same throughout Egyptian history, there are many different styles! Let’s take a look at this particular Roman Mummy Mask at the Brooklyn Museum!

Roman Mummy Mask
Me with a Roman Mummy Mask at the Brooklyn Museum

The function of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 is made explicit by Spell 151 from the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. Spell 151 also restores the ability of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to see through the mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾. Spell 151 even appears on the back of the mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓! 

This mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is from the Roman Period, and it’s always so interesting to see the merging of the two 𓏻 different styles. The mask is made of cartonnage (kind of like paper mache) and is covered in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf, which is typical of Ptolemaic/Roman masks. The mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is wearing a nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 style headdress, and Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 (the winged scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣) can be seen on the head 𓁶𓏺. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭, god 𓊹 of the rising sun 𓇳𓏺, is a symbol of rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱.

Roman Mummy Mask
Roman Mummy Mask at the Brooklyn Museum

What makes this mask 𓅱𓇋𓀾 so beautiful 𓄤 are all of the small details in the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf. The most prominent is the deceased (as a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾) standing before 𓐍𓂋 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. The protective cobras 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 also adorn the mask. Daisies/Rosettes are seen as decoration along with the Wedjat-eyes 𓂀 on each side. Both of these are also symbols of rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱! Symbols of rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 were important to place on funerary equipment because the deceased wanted to be reborn in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, just like Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was. 

During Roman times, masks 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 were mass produced in workshops so it is unlikely that this mask represents a specific person. 

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

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

The God Osiris Inside A Sarcophagus

This depiction of the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓊩𓁹 is on the inside of a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭. Osiris 𓊩𓁹 is the lord of the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐  and it was the goal to be “reborn” like Osiris 𓊩𓁹 was after death. Much like Osiris 𓊩𓁹 in the myth, the deceased would not return to the world of the living, but instead live on in the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. 

The God Osiris

Osiris 𓊩𓁹 is always depicted in the same way – as a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾, holding the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅 , and wearing the Atef crown 𓋚. The Atef crown is the White Crown of Upper Egypt 𓌉𓏏𓋑 with two 𓏻 feathers 𓆄𓏏𓏭𓋛 of Ma’at 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 adorning the sides. Above Osiris 𓊩𓁹 is Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛, who is the god 𓊹 of the rising sun 𓇳𓏺. 

I love how Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 is drawn in the “Horizon 𓈌” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃. The ancient Egyptians used to use hieroglyphic symbols 𓊹𓌃𓏪 as artistic depictions for a lot of the natural happenings! Another example is how the “sky 𓇯” and “star 𓇼” hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 were often also used to depict these object in art. 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to start near Osiris’ head!

𓊩𓁹 – Osiris

𓎟 – Lord

𓇽 – Duat (ancient Egyptian word for Afterlife/Netherworld)

𓎟 – Lord

𓂦𓈊 – Sacred Land/Necropolis

Next to the flail: 

𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 – West

Osiris 𓊩𓁹 is often referred to as “Foremost of the West 𓏅𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊” because in ancient Egypt, the “west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊” was referred to as the Land of the Dead since the sun 𓇳𓏺 set in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊.

Now beneath “west” is where I don’t know what the glyphs say! It looks like “𓊹𓌃” which is “divine writing” (aka hieroglyphs” but “Great God 𓊹𓉼” would make more sense! Sometimes the way the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are drawn/painted can make it difficult to read and interpret!

There are many different ways to write Osiris’ name in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. Much like any language, Middle Egyptian changed and evolved over time. The way that Osiris is written on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭, “𓊩𓁹,” is a popular spelling from the Third Intermediate Period – Late Period, which is when this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is dated to. The most common way that Osiris was written before then was “𓁹𓊨𓀭,” which is the spelling that most are familiar with. Other ways to write Osiris are: 𓁹𓇓𓀴 and 𓁹𓊨𓂋𓀴, but these are less common.

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