These blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 tiles decorated the lower levels of Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 Complex. There were over 30,000 tiles used!!! The tiles were meant to represent various types of reeds that covered the walls of Djoser’s 𓂦 palace.
I have always been obsessed with anything having to do with the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 solely because of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪. My Nonno always spoke more about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 than Djoser 𓂦! My Nonno always pointed these tiles out to me in the museum. While to most people, the tiles look somewhat insignificant compared to beautifully 𓄤 carved reliefs and statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, my Nonno always said that these types of tiles were important because they were really only found in the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 and one of Djoser’s 𓂦 other buildings at Saqqara. The tiles were pretty much a “uniquely Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪” thing according to Nonno!
To celebrate the 100 𓏲 year anniversary of the discovery of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 (11/4/1922), here is a closer look at the head of a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓!
While to most this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 head may seem anti-climatic after seeing the Temple of Dendur, I have always loved it because it is a portrait of Pharaoh Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓. As a kid, seeing King Tut in the MET was just SO COOL. I still think it’s cool – even though I’m an adult, I still can’t shake the child-like fascination I have with Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓
This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 was made during Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 reign (18th Dynasty), and it shows that Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 brought back the old religion and traditional styles of Egyptian art and sculpture.
The hand 𓂧𓏏𓏺 that can be seen on the back of Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 head is the hand 𓂧𓏏𓏺 of the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭. Since Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 (king of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹) is touching Tutankhamun’s crown, it can be interpreted that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 approved of Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 reign.
This gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 statuette 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is so beautiful 𓄤 to see in person! In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 looks large but it is only about 7 inches (~18cm) tall! This statue is dated to the 22nd Dynasty (c. 945–712 B.C.E.). While the artistic features of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 definitely reflect this Third Intermediate Period, there are some callbacks to the 18th Dynasty artistic styles (the facial features in particular).
This solid gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is a very rare example of the statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 that filled the sanctuaries of the temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐. There is a trace of a loop on Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 crown, which means that this statuette 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 could have been worn by a priest 𓊹𓍛 or by another statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾. Or, the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 could have been mounted on top of a scepter or standard. The exact use is speculation right now! The color of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 was often associated with the sun 𓆄𓅱𓇶, and the skin of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 were thought to be made of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉.
Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is depicted with his flat topped crown, with the characteristic feathers 𓆄𓆄𓆄 having been lost in antiquity. He is wearing the false beard, and is carrying the Ankh 𓋹, a symbol of life 𓋹𓈖𓐍, in his hand. In the other hand he carries a scimitar 𓌛𓏺, which in temple reliefs, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is usually seen presenting to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. This gift of a scimitar 𓌛𓏺 is usually meant to ensure military victories!
The god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 gained popularity during the Middle Kingdom, however, it was during the New Kingdom (18th Dynasty in particular) that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 became the most important/most prominent god 𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 had many different roles and was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a creator god, solar god, fertility god, warrior god, and king of the gods. Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is also considered the “universal god” meaning that his power permeated the cosmos and all that the cosmos contained!
Priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 and the Priesthood 𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏏𓏭𓇼𓀀 were important roles in Egyptian society because religion was so central to life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. However, priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 did not preach to the public – their main role was to care for the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the temples. The priesthood 𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏏𓏭𓇼𓀀 was established during the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150-2613 B.C.E.) and became more developed during the Old Kingdom (c. 2613-2181 B.C.E.). The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 ceased to exist in the New Kingdom forward.
Throughout inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥, we are used to seeing the word for priest/high priest as “𓊹𓍛” which literally translates to “God’s Servant.” However, in the Old and Middle Kingdoms, there were special priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 who were referred to as “Sem” 𓋴𓅓 priests.
The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 were the priests who were responsible for the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony 𓄋𓏏𓂋𓏺. The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 performed this while dressed in leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin robes, and this ceremony is what allowed the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to be able to speak, see, hear, eat and drink in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 were also responsible for mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎; so they embalmed the corpse and recited all of the spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 while wrapping the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾.
The word we see here in the inscription, 𓋴𓅓𓎡, is a title that the Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 had, and can even be a variant way to write just Sem Priest 𓋴𓅓.
Sem Priest 𓋴𓅓 can also be written with a determinative, and can be spelled as: 𓋴𓅓𓀀, 𓋴𓅓𓀙, 𓋴𓅓𓀼.
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a word that sometimes pops up in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥! These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are from a Middle Kingdom relief which is dated to the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 (c. 2010-2000 B.C.E.).
This simple word (or phrase in English) “𓈖𓈖𓎡” could mean either “belongs to me,” “mine,” or “on my part.”
The “ripple of water 𓈖” is a uniliteral phonogram sign, which means it has the sound of a single consonant. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” The 𓈖 has many grammatical functions on its own, and it can mean “to,” “of,” “for,” “we/us/our,” “in,” “because,” “through,” and some others! How do we know which word it is? Context clues!
The “Basket with a Handle 𓎡” symbol is also a uniliteral phonogram that has the sound of “k.” A lot of people get this one confused with just the “basket 𓎟” symbol which is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound “nb.” These are very different symbols with different meanings so try not to confuse the two!
Another way to write “𓈖𓈖𓎡” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is “𓈖𓈖𓎡𓇋𓀀,” which is a more uncommon variant.
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol! This symbol can act as both a determinative and an ideogram! It can be used as a determinative in the word for “King 𓇓𓀴” and also as a determinative for “Osiris 𓁹𓇓𓀴.”
The “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol is also one the many symbols that can be used as an ideogram to solely represent the word for “King 𓀴” in both titles and phrases.
The “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol is a variant of the symbol “King With a White Crown 𓀲” and the two symbols can usually be used interchangeably with each other in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!
Here are some ways we can use “𓀴” in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!
𓇓𓏏𓀴 – King of Upper Egypt/King
𓆤𓏏𓀴/𓆤𓏏𓀴𓏥 – King of Lower Egypt/King
𓀴 – King
𓁹𓇓𓀴 – Osiris/The Osiris King
𓁹𓊨𓂋𓀴 – Osiris
So if you see the “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol in an inscription, you are probably looking at a word that has to do with either a King or Osiris!
This very simple limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 from the reign of Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 (Dynasty 11, c. 2051–2030 B.C.E.) and belonged to a priestess 𓊹𓍛 of Hathor 𓉡 named Henhenet 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏. This is one of my favorite pieces to see at the MET specifically because of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that the sarcophagus has inscribed on it!
This sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 shows the standard offering formula, the name 𓂋𓈖of the deity 𓊹, and the titles associated with that deity 𓊹. This standard way of writing the offering formula is extremely common, and if you know it, you will be able to recognize it anywhere!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:
𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓎟𓇾𓂦
𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 An Offering the King Gives
𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 – Anubis
𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑 – Upon his Hill/Mountain
𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎- He Who is in the Mummy Wrappings (can also be written as 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖)
𓎟𓇾𓂦 – Lord of the Sacred Land
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 would preside over. The title “He who is in the mummy wrappings 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖“ signifies Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 role in the mummification process, which is what he is most known for. “Lord of the Sacred Land 𓎟𓇾𓂦” refers to the necropolis or cemeteries that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 would guard.
While this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 contains a lot of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 titles, one that does not appear on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is “Lord of the Necropolis 𓎟𓇾𓂦𓈊.”
Also, Anubis’ name 𓂋𓈖 is shortened here and is missing a symbol: it is written as 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 instead of 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! I see this a lot with Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖, and it is done to save space!
Here is the second 𓏌𓏻 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥!
𓈎𓂋𓌠𓋴𓁀𓉬𓄤𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓅓𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓋴𓈖𓊼𓉓𓐍𓂋𓃣𓏅𓊹𓉱
𓈎𓂋𓌠𓋴𓁀𓉬 – Burial (I don’t have the composite hieroglyph on the sarcophagus so I used the two symbols here)
𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏- Good
𓅓 – In Her
𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 – Tomb
𓋴𓈖𓊼 – Necropolis
𓉓 – A Voice Offering
𓐍𓂋 – Before
𓃣 – Anubis
𓏅 – In Front At
𓊹𓉱 – God’s Booth (Shrine for Anubis)
So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, the second 𓏌𓏻 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 reads: “A good burial in her tomb of the necropolis with a voice offering before Anubis, in front at the god’s booth…”
The first 𓏅 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 (from yesterday’s post) contains a lot about Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, and this second part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 continues with that theme! Here we can see Anubis’ 𓃣 title “In Front at the God’s Booth 𓏅𓊹𓉱” in which “God’s Booth 𓊹𓉱” refers to a shrine specifically dedicated to Anubis 𓃣 himself! This second 𓏌𓏻 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 also only uses the determinative symbol of “𓃣” to spell out Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖!
Here is the third part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥:
𓊹𓉱𓈖𓇋𓌳𓄪𓐍𓇌𓏏𓇓𓏏𓆭𓌡𓏏𓏏𓉡𓊹𓍛𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏𓐙𓅱𓏏𓊤
𓊹𓉱 – God’s Booth (Shrine for Anubis)
𓈖𓇋- For The/By The
𓌳𓄪𓐍𓇌𓏏 – Venerated/Revered
𓇓 – King
𓏏𓆭𓌡𓏏𓏏 – Sole Ornament
𓉡 – Hathor
𓊹𓍛 – High Priestess
𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏 – Henhenet
𓐙𓅱𓏏𓊤 – True of Voice
The title “Sole Ornament of the King 𓇓𓏏𓆭𓌡𓏏𓏏” carried a lot of prestige, but no real responsibility or authority! The word “sole” in this case does not mean “unique” as we would define it in English, but rather signified a high social rank. Henhenet’s 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏 true role was as a High Priestess 𓊹𓍛 of Hathor 𓉡, which is why she was able to be buried in a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭!
I also love how Henhenet’s 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏 name 𓂋𓈖 is spelled because it is very phonetic – 𓉔 = h, 𓈖 = n, and 𓏏 = t so when we add in the “soft e” to make it pronounceable to us modern people, we get Henhenet 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏! There’s also no determinative here, and her name could have also possibly been written as 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏𓁐!
This piece is a large offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 that was dedicated to the god 𓊹 Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 by the 19th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠.
There is a lot going on with this piece! On the reliefs, Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 can be seen worshipping thegod Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, whose likeness has been erased. During the Ramesside time period, many pharaohs had “Seth” as part of their name 𓂋𓈖 because Seth’s 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 status was elevated at the time due to him being both a powerful aggressor and being associated with foreign lands. Once Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 fell out of favor, his name 𓂋𓈖/images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 were no longer used. Seth’s image is even removed, except for when he is mentioned in Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 name 𓂋𓈖! The image of the goddess 𓊹𓏏Nephthys 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓉐𓁐 has not been erased, because even though she is the consort of Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, she was considered a favorable figure in Egyptian mythology.
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, we see Seti I’s Horus Name: 𓅃𓃒𓂡𓅓𓈍𓋆𓋴𓋹𓈖𓐍𓈙𓈙 “The Strong bull who appeared in Thebes and sustains the Two Lands.”
In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, we see Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the goddess 𓊹𓏏Nephthys 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓉐𓁐 (her name 𓂋𓈖 is written above her), who is the consort of Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣. We can also see Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 titles and cartouches:
𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt
𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands
(𓇳𓁦𓏠) – Menmaatra (throne name)
(𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖) – Seti, Beloved of Ptah (birth name)
𓏙 – Given
𓆖 – Eternity
In the next picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 (above) we see the cartouches again, and Seti worshipping Seth. The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 translate to:
𓏙 – Given
𓋹 – Life
𓆑 – His
𓊽 – Stability
𓌀 – Strength
So all together, the inscription reads: “𓏙𓋹𓆑𓊽𓌀 Given Life, His Stability and Strength.”
The last picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 (above) is another variant of the Horus name!
I always find pieces such as these so fascinating, because upon first look, it looks like just a large slab of rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙. But in reality, there is so much to analyze and unpack when it comes to the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 and the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, and how they relate to the time period, and even the time periods that came long after this piece was made. While it was made during the 19th Dynasty (reign of Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖), it was definitely altered afterwards.
This is the lid of an ointment 𓌸𓎛𓏏𓎯𓃋 jar that has some beautiful 𓄤 hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 inscribed on it! One thing that is so interesting about Old and Middle Kingdom cartouches is that sometimes the titles and epithets associated with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 are also enclosed in the cartouche, not just the name 𓂋𓈖 itself!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to start reading from the right, because the directional symbols are pointing to the right!
Here is the full inscription: 𓋹𓊹𓄤𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱𓇔 𓊅𓆑𓌸𓇌
Now let’s break it down!
𓋹 – May He Live/Life
𓊹𓄤 – The Perfect God
𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖 – Senwosret
𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 – Ptah
𓇔 – South
𓊅 – Wall
𓆑 – His
𓌸𓇌 – Beloved
So the full inscription reads: “May He Live, the Perfect God, Senwosret, Beloved of Ptah, South of His Wall.” The last part, “South of His Wall,” refers to Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖, which was the main cult center where Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢.
It is actually quite hard to have an exact date for this piece because Senwosret 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖, the birth name of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, was used a bunch of times! There’s Senwosret I, II, and III who all use this birth name on their monuments! Unless the throne name is also present, we don’t know which Senwosret 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖 this is! Since the piece just has the name 𓂋𓈖 Senwosret 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖 on it, we know the jar lid is from the 12th Dynasty, but it could have been made between the dates of 1961–1840 B.C.E.
The symbol underneath the cartouche is the Hieratic symbol for the number 20!
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to look at some writing in the Book of the Dead (known to the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 as the Book of Coming Forth By Day). This Book of the Dead belonged to a man named Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, who was a priest 𓊹𓍛 of Horus 𓅃𓀭. He lived during the early Ptolemaic Period (between 332-200 B.C.E.). This Book of the Dead is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.
This inscription is about the god 𓊹/𓀭 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭! Let’s just jump right into it – some of these words are vocabulary we have gone over previously (or variants of the words), so see if you can recognize the words or phrases before reading the translation!
Since the symbols point to the right, we are going to start reading from the top of the right column! Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are always read from top to bottom no matter what!
𓆓𓌃𓇋𓁹𓊨𓀭𓏃𓈖𓏏𓏏𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 “Words Spoken By 𓆓𓌃𓇋 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, Foremost of 𓏃𓈖𓏏𓏏 the West 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊…”
𓃹𓈖𓄤𓀭𓐙𓊤𓎟𓋂𓃀𓈋𓊖 “It is 𓃹𓈖 the perfect god 𓄤𓀭, true of voice 𓐙𓊤, Lord 𓎟 of Abydos 𓋂𓃀𓈋𓊖…”
𓎟𓎛𓇳𓎛𓋾𓈎𓏏𓆓𓏏𓈖𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀭 “Lord 𓎟 of Eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛, Ruler 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of His Own 𓆓𓏏𓈖, King 𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀭.”
