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Egyptian Artifacts

The Ushabtis of Nauny

Let’s look at some ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures! Gallery 126 at the MET has lot of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 on display and I LOVE being in this room!

These ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures and shabti boxes belong to a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Nauny, who lived during the 21st Dynasty reign of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Psusennes I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓅮𓇼𓈍𓈖𓊖. 

Nauny was buried with a total of 393 ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures that were divided amongst seven 𓐀 shabti boxes. The shabti boxes are made of sycamore 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭 wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 and painted 𓏞𓏜 with stucco. As demonstrated in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 below, the ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 are stored in an upright position in the box! 

Ushabtis of Nauny
The Ushabtis of Nauny and the Ushabti boxes

The ushabti figures 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that Nauny was buried with are made of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 and have featured and inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on them that are painted 𓏞𓏜 with black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦. The inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the front (and back) of the ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 reads:

The ushabti figures with the kilts are Overseer Ushabtis, while the ones with hieroglyphs on the front are Worker Ushabtis.

𓋴𓌉𓆓𓇶 – The Illuminated One 

𓊩𓁹 – The Osiris 

𓇓𓅭𓏏 – The King’s daughter 

𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐 – Nauny 

𓐙𓊤 – True of Voice

“The Osiris 𓊩𓁹” part of the inscription means that Nauny, through the process of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, becomes 𓆣 like the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓊩𓁹 who is the main god 𓊹 of the dead. This means that Nauny will live on in the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife) just like Osiris 𓊩𓁹 has! 

There are two 𓏻 different types of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏: worker ushabtis and overseer ushabtis! Nauny originally had a total of 365 worker ushabtis, one for each day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 of the year. The worker ushabtis are identified by having the inscription on the front! The overseer ushabtis had the job of making sure that the worker ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were doing their job! The overseer ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 can be identified by the long kilt that they are wearing, and their inscription is located on the back! 

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Apis Bull

This artifact is a seemingly bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of an Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 that is dated to either the Late Period or the Ptolemaic Period (c. 664 – 200 B.C.E.). The worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 of the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 can actually be traced back to as early as the First Dynasty! 

The Apis Bull in statue form

The Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was associated with fertility and rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 and was mostly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 near the Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 Temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐. People would travel from various locations to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 just to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒, and the mother 𓅐𓏏 of the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒. 

While Hathor 𓉡 is probably the most famous of the cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was also very widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 and represented eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛and the harmonious balance of the whole universe. The Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was usually associated with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 (hence why a lot of pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 were referred to as the “strong bull 𓂡𓃒”) were used to represent the strength 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 and vitality of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

Usually a live bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 was used to be worshipped, and the bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 needed to have special markings on it such as a triangle shape on its forehead, or patches that represented wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 on its body. When the bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 that was being worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 died, it was embalmed 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and buried elaborately. A new bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 would then take its place. 

One of the easiest ways to recognize the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 in statuary is by looking for the sun disc 𓇳 on its head, and the elaborate cloth that is decorating the back of its body. You can easily see the details of this decorated cloth on this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 at the MET! See if you can spot the triangle on his forehead!

The Apis Bull
The Apis Bull in statue form
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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Ushabti Box of Yuya

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is of the ushabti box (and one of the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures) of a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named Yuya 𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼. The purpose of the ushabit box was to store the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person. Since people who could afford it were buried with over 365 ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures, the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 needed a place to store them in the tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 so the ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 wouldn’t be all over the place!

Although Yuya 𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼 and his wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 Thuya 𓍿𓅱𓇋𓅱 were not of royal lineage, their daughter 𓅭𓏏 Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 became the “King’s Great Wife 𓇓𓈞𓏏,” (queen) of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠. 

This part of the 18th Dynasty when when all of the “fun” began! Yuya 𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼 and Thuya 𓍿𓅱𓇋𓅱 were Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 grandparents and Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 great-parents! Due to their daughter’s 𓅭𓏏 status, Yuya 𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼 and Thuya 𓍿𓅱𓇋𓅱 were given an elaborate burial in the area that is now known as the Valley of the Kings (KV46). 

This ushabti box is made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 that has been beautifully 𓄤𓆑𓂋 painted 𓏞𓏜 and inscribed 𓎘𓅱𓎖 with hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪.

The ushabti box (back) and ushabti figure (front) of Yuya at the MET
The ushabti box (back) and ushabti figure (front) of Yuya at the MET

Let’s take a closer look at the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the ushabti box! 

𓄪𓐍𓇌 – Venerated

𓐍𓂋 – Before 

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris

𓎿𓇌 – Favored One/Praised One

𓈖 – of

𓊹𓄤 – The Perfect God 

𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼 – Yuya 

𓐙𓊤 – True of Voice (Justified)

𓐍𓂋 – Before

𓊹𓉼 – Great God

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that appear on this ushabti box are very typical of funerary inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that appear on many different kinds of funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 throughout Egyptian history.

This ushabti box is from the 18th Dynasty and is dated to c. 1390–1352 B.C.E. The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figure in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 also belongs to Yuya 𓇌𓅱𓇋𓄿𓀼! The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is inscribed with the “Shabti Spell,” which is the magic spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 which makes the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figure come alive to perform a specific task for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

The Cartouches of Pharaoh Rameses II

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the throne name and the birth name cartouches 𓍷𓍷𓍷 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II! The cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 are written on a blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 cup 𓎺𓏏! Cups 𓎺𓏏𓏦 such as these, which were inscribed with the name 𓂋𓈖 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, were commonly found in foundation deposits of building projects that had been commissioned by that particular pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. These types of cups 𓎺𓏏𓏦 were usually not owned or used by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 despite his name 𓂋𓈖 being on it! 

The Cartouches of Pharaoh Rameses II

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to start with the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the left! This is the throne name of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖, which is preceded by the normal royal title! 

𓎟 – Lord 

𓇿𓇿 – Two Lands

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre setep en Ra

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Usermaatre setep en Ra 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖” translates to “The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra.” Let’s look at the name 𓂋𓈖 more closely:

𓇳 – Ra

𓄊 – Powerful

𓁧 – Justice (Mast)

𓇳 – Ra

𓍉𓈖 – Chosen

Now let’s look at the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the right! This is the birth name of Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 which is also preceded by the normal royal title! 

𓎟 – Lord 

𓈍𓏥 – Appearances 

𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Ramessu mery Amun

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Ramessu mery Amun 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓” translates to “Ra has fashioned him, beloved of Amun.” The name 𓂋𓈖 could also be translated as “Ra Bore Him.” Let’s look at the name 𓂋𓈖 more closely:

𓁩 – Amun

𓁛 – Ra

𓈘 – Beloved

𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Bore Him/Fashioned Him/Born Of

Both of the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 are sitting on top of the hieroglyphic symbol for “gold 𓋞.” The pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was associated with gold because the skin of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 were thought to be made of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉. Since the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was a god 𓊹 on Earth, it makes sense that he would be considered to be golden!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

The Cartouches of Seti II

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the birth name and the throne name cartouches 𓍷𓍷𓍷 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰! Seti I 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 and Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 have the same birth name so we know that these cartouches belong to Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 based on the throne name! 

These pieces are inlays of the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 , which mean that they were once part of a larger object. Seti II 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 (son 𓅭 of Merenptah 𓌺𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁧𓈖𓊵𓁷𓏺) ruled 𓈎𓏏𓋾 Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 for a couple of years towards the end of the 19th Dynasty (New Kingdom). 

The Cartouches of Seti II
The Cartouches of Seti II

Let’s look at the birth name first (left cartouche). Here’s the birth name:  𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰

𓁣𓇌 – Belongs to Seth

𓈘- Beloved 

𓈖 – Of

𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 – Ptah 

So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, the name 𓂋𓈖 reads “The one who belongs to Seth, Beloved of Ptah.”

Now let’s look at the throne name cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷! This inlay (the one on the right side) is very interesting because it is a combination of both the throne name and the birth name! Here’s the throne name, which appears first: 𓇳𓄊𓆣𓏦𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘

𓇳 – Ra

𓄊 – Strong One 

𓆣𓏦 – Manifestations

𓇋𓏠𓈖- Amun

𓈘 – Beloved 

So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, the the name 𓂋𓈖 reads “The Strong One of the Manifestations of Ra, Beloved of Amun.” The throne name is unique to Seti II 𓇳𓄊𓆣𓏦𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘, so we know these inlays are his and not Seti I’s 𓁣𓇌𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰. 

But we aren’t done!!! Underneath the throne name, the birth name appears! It’s so weird to see a combination cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 like this and I’m not gonna lie, when I saw this for the first 𓏃 time I was confused for a second! 

Here’s the birth name (again) and this time it’s a slightly different variant: 𓁣𓇌𓍘𓈘𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰

𓁣𓇌𓍘 – Belongs to Seth

𓈘- Beloved 

𓈖 – Of

𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁰 – Ptah 

Also, if you notice in this cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷, the symbol for “Seth 𓁣” is chiseled out. This is because the god 𓊹 Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 was considered to be an unfavorable deity 𓊹! 

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Blog

Scribal Palette

School supplies in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 definitely look a little bit different than what my students and I use every day 𓎟𓇳! This piece is a scribal palette 𓏠𓈖𓉔𓆓𓏞 which we’re used by scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪! Scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 held an important place in ancient Egyptian society because they were the few that were literate! While scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 are famous for their work in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 and temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪 they had other exciting responsibilities as well – such as recording taxes. Scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 were also the only profession that we’re not drafted into the army because they were that important to the functioning of Egyptian society! 

A scribal palette

A typical scribal palette 𓏠𓈖𓉔𓆓𓏞 was usually in a long rectangular shape made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺. In some cases, the palettes 𓏠𓈖𓉔𓂧𓏞𓏪 were made of ivory 𓍋𓃀𓅱𓌟. At one end, there were indented circles to hold the black 𓆎𓅓 and red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 ink that the scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 used to write, and the other end had a place for them to hold the reeds 𓇋𓇋𓇋/sticks that they used to write with! The jars that you see in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 are water jars 𓎛𓎿𓋴𓏏𓏌𓏦 that the scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 used to use to clean off their reeds 𓇋𓇋𓇋 while switching between inks while writing! 

While this particular scribal palette is 𓏠𓈖𓉔𓆓𓏞 dated to the Second Intermediate Period – New Kingdom (c. 1635–1458 B.C.E), there are also examples at the MET from the Middle Kingdom that look extremely similar to this one! Through time, the style of the scribal palette 𓏠𓈖𓉔𓆓𓏞 hasn’t changed at all! 

There are two 𓏻 ways to write “scribal palette” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪: 𓏠𓈖𓉔𓆓𓏞 and 𓏠𓈖𓉔𓂧𓏞! Both would have sounds like “mnhD” since both “𓆓” and “𓂧” are phonograms with a hard “d” sound like in the name “Djoser.” 

There were also many different types of scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, and their roles were usually designated by titles written on funerary objects 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 such as stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏦! 

𓏞 – Scribe

𓏟𓀀 – Scribe

𓇓𓏞 – King’s Scribe / Royal Scribe / King’s Secretary

𓏞𓐎𓏛 – Scribe of Accounts 

𓏞𓊹𓉗𓏏𓉐 – Scribe of the Temple

𓏞𓎘𓎛𓏲𓏋𓏫 – Scribe of the Offering Table

𓏞𓉒 – Scribe of the Treasury

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Video

Video – Funerary Cones

While not as artistically decorated as most of the artifacts in the Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 collections of museums, these “funerary cones” were always something my Nonno pointed out to me! He thought they were so interesting and now every time I go to museums, I actively seek these out as a way to remember my Nonno! He loved this little gallery (Gallery 117) at the MET solely because of the funerary cones! 

Funerary cones (a modern name given to these objects) are made of clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 and usually found at the openings of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 at Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 (almost exclusively). They were used primarily during the 18th Dynasty (though there are examples that date to the 11th Dynasty or as late as the 19th-20th Dynasties).

While the exact usage of the funerary cones is not known, but they are inferred to be architectural decorations, tomb labels, symbolic offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦, or even as passports to the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! Thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of these cones have been excavated to date! Every museum I have been to has a collection of these funerary cones!

The end of the funerary cone is usually circular in shape and usually contains an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 with the name of the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 occupant as well as a god 𓊹. These objects can also be referred to as “funerary stamps.”

An example inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that is common on a funerary cone would be something like: 

“Venerated before Osiris, Son of ____, Name of Deceased.” 

𓄪𓐍𓇌 – Venerated 

𓐍𓂋 – Before

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris

𓅭 – Son

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Statue of Anubis

This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is one of my favorites! One of the reasons it is so special is because the piece is in such good condition. The black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 is still clearly visible and the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is so well preserved. Wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is an organic material, and even in the dry heat of the desert 𓅟𓂋𓏏𓈊 it can still break down over thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of years! My Nonno always pointed out every wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 piece in a museum and told us how significant it was that the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 was preserved. Now, it is something I always look for. 

This particular Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 piece is dated to the Ramesside Period, which was during the 19th-20th Dynasties of the New Kingdom. This style of statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 depicting Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 actually became very popular during the Ptolemaic Period, and there is a piece similar to this in the Brooklyn Museum too! 

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 shows Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in his jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 form. The kneeling position is representative of him guarding the necropolis 𓋴𓈖𓊼 from high above on a hill 𓈎𓄿𓄿𓊎 or mountain 𓈋𓅳- as was his role as the god 𓊹 of cemeteries and mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎. One of his titles which is “Lord of the Sacred Land 𓎟𓇾𓂦𓈊,” exemplifies and highlights this role. The “sacred land” mentioned in this title is another way to say “necropolis 𓋴𓈖𓊼!” 

Another one of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 titles is “upon his hill 𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑” and this hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 phrase usually follows his name 𓂋𓈖 in dedication texts! Again, this is representative of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 role as protector 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱; he was always standing watch from above! 

I also love this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 because it is very similar to Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 determinative hieroglyph 𓃣 (which is my favorite hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 symbol) and it’s almost identical to the ‘recumbent jackal 𓃢” sign! Basically, I love anything to do with Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! Seeing a well preserved statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of him, or hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 symbols of his name 𓂋𓈖 in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 makes me really happy 𓄫𓏏𓄣 and excited. It’s like seeing an old friend 𓈘𓈇𓀀𓁐! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Early Dynastic Animal Statuettes

We are going back to the Early Dynastic Period today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳! I love anything to do with Egyptian hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦!!!

This calcite 𓍱 hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯 and faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 are dated c. 3100–2649 B.C.E and are from Abydos 𓍋𓃀𓈋𓊖. The hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯 figure was found near a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 and was most likely an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the deity 𓊹 Khentiamentiu 𓃢𓏃𓏠𓄿. 

Khentiamentiu 𓃢𓏃𓏠𓄿 is an early jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 headed deity 𓊹 whose name 𓂋𓈖 means “Foremost of the Westerners.” We know that phrase because later on it was commonly used as a title of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 before it then became Osiris’ 𓁹𓊨𓀭 title! Before the popularity of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 was the chief god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, which is why it was his title first! The temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Abydos 𓍋𓃀𓈋𓊖 which was originally dedicated to Khentiamentiu 𓃢𓏃𓏠𓄿 then solely became dedicated to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 during the First Intermediate Period. 

Hippopotamuses 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 and crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏦 were both feared and revered along the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 because while they were very dangerous animals, little figurines like these (and then later on, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪) could offer protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 to the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 or the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪. This is why hippopotamuses 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 and crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏦 are very common to see in early Egyptian art! The hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 is also seen as a symbol of fertility. 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs Video

Video – The Goddess Hathor in Hieroglyphs!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

This is the name 𓂋𓈖 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! I’m sure you can see this, but Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 is unique compared to that of the other deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹! This is because her name is written with a composite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃! A composite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 is the combination of many symbols into one symbol! Even with the combination of the symbols, the sounds of the original symbol are still retained! 

Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 is the combination of an enclosure (house) 𓉗 and the falcon 𓅃. 

𓉗 +𓅃 = 𓉡 

Het (𓉗) + Heru (𓅃) = 𓉡 

If the two 𓏻 symbols were written separately, we would actually read Hathor’s 𓉡 name 𓂋𓈖 as “House of Horus” or “Estate of Horus” (depending on how you translated the 𓉗 hieroglyph) – so that is the literal translation of her name 𓂋𓈖!