A couple of weeks ago I asked on my Instagram if there was an object people wanted to see more of, and someone suggested the Maned Sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ of Hatshepsut ๐ณ๐ฆ๐, so here it is!ย
Pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ were commonly represented as sphinxes ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ in ancient Egyptian art for many reasons. A sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ is a mythical creature that has the body of a lion ๐ณ๐น๐ฟ๐ and the head of a human. In ancient Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐, lions ๐ณ๐น๐ฟ๐๐ช have been associated with kingship ๐๐ since prehistoric times due to their strength ๐ and ferocity. The sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ was the perfect representation of the strength ๐ of the pharaoh ๐๐ป due to its lion ๐ณ๐น๐ฟ๐ body, while the face still preserved the image ๐๐ ฑ๐ of the king ๐ himself/herself.ย
Letโs read some hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช!
(๐ณ๐ฆ๐) – Maatkare
๐๐ ๐ – Amun
๐บ๐๐ – Beloved
๐น๐๐- Life Given
๐ – Eternity
โMaatkare, Beloved of Amun, Given Life for Eternity.โ
I know this is strange, but โGiven Lifeโ is actually written backwards! It should be โ๐๐นโ not โ๐น๐โ as itโs written (this inscription is read from right to left, because thatโs the way the directional symbols are pointing).
Thereโs also an added ๐, which makes it the feminine form! Thereโs a second sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ค just like this one in the Cairo Museum, and on that sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ค, there is no added ๐! Why would one sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ค use the feminine form and one use the masculine?! We will probably never know!ย
This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.
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