Tag: the met

Recumbent Jackal on Shrine Hieroglyph

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 23, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to look at my favorite hieroglyphic symbol: Anubis 𓃣! So out of all 700+ symbols, this symbol of Anubis on a shrine 𓃣 has always been (and will always be) my absolute favorite!

There are three 𓏼 variants of this symbols: 𓃢, 𓃣, and 𓃤. The variants just mean that all three symbols could be used in the same way to represent the same thing!

The official name of this symbol given by Egyptologists is “recumbent jackal on shrine 𓃣” and it is used as both an ideogram and a determinative. 𓃣 is the determinative in the word “Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣” and also an ideogram for “Anubis 𓃣.”

When 𓃣 functions as an ideogram, the “𓃣” would be pronounced the same as “𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣.” The proper way to say Anubis in Middle Egyptian is “jnpw” (pronounced like “Inpu”).
𓇋 – j (i)
𓈖 – n
𓊪 – p
𓅱 – w (u)
𓃣 – Determinative – not pronounced!

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Anubis” is actually the Greek version of his name, not the Middle Egyptian name 𓂋𓈖, so that is why the hieroglyphs don’t match up with how we are so used to saying Anubis/Inpu’s name 𓂋𓈖!

Since this is my absolute favorite symbol, when I was a kid, I was so mad that I could not use this symbol as part of my name 𓂋𓈖 (my name written out is 𓈖𓇋𓎡𓍯𓃭𓀭).

Tags anubis, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Ointment Jars from Deir el-Bahri

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 23, 2022

These ointment jars were found amongst many other artifacts in the foundation deposits of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐. While foundation deposits can be traced all the way back to the 3rd Dynasty, putting ointment jars in them date back to the 12th Dynasty. There are fourteen foundation deposits associated with Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐!

These ointment jars that were found are made of travertine and many have hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 with Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 on them! Many of the jars found at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐 contain oil stains, which means that they were probably used primarily to hold oil that was used in ceremonies at the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐. You can also see a blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, which were very common to find in foundation deposits too!

I love seeing the artifacts from the foundation deposits because they give a glimpse into cool things such as temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 construction and religious worship! The artifacts found in foundation deposits also contain the cartouches of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 under whom the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 was constructed under!

One of the ointment jars has some simple text on it! Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓊹𓏏𓄤 – The Perfect Goddess
𓇳𓁦𓂓 – Maatkare
𓋹𓍘 – May She Live!

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Hatshepsut as Female King

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 23, 2022

I seem to always talk about the white limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 because it’s my favorite, but I never seem to discuss the red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 or “Hatshepsut as Female King.” This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is my second 𓏌𓏻 favorite!

The most striking aspect of this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is that Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 face, which displays feminine features, remained pretty much intact! Many of Hatshepsut’s 𓇳𓁦𓂓 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 have the faces destroyed, possibly in an attempt to destroy her image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 so she would be forgotten from history. Many blame Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 for this, but actually any motivation behind this deliberate destruction of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is unknown and mostly speculation.

It’s very difficult to read the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on this statue, but you can make out that Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓 is using the female version of titles, and referring to herself as a woman!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓄤𓊹𓏏 – Perfect Goddess
𓇳𓁦𓂓 – Maatkare

Something interesting about this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 (that cannot be seen in my pictures) is that Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗, the goddess 𓊹𓏏 that protects 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪 in childbirth (and women/children in general), is actually carved into the back of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! This is the only deity 𓊹 that is overtly carved into Hatshepsut’s 𓇳𓁦𓂓 statuary so this allows Egyptologists to infer that the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 was probably meant to belong in the Hathor 𓉡 shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐, and was probably used in cult worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢. It’s interesting that a goddess 𓊹𓏏 specifically aimed towards women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪 was chosen to be carved!

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

Egyptian Artifacts

Hatshepsut at the MET!

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 19, 2022

Happy 600 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 posts to @ancientegyptblog 𓃣 (on Instagram at least)!!

I am so thankful for everyone who reads my posts and follows this account. Thank you 𓋴𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢 for helping me to keep my Nonno’s name 𓂋𓈖 and image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 alive! That is my main reason for starting this account/website, and I just want to share everything he taught me with the world.

Today I 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 wanted to post something special, so here I am with the two 𓏻 best preserved statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 we have of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! These are also my two 𓏻 favorite statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 from Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! I always seem to celebrate this milestones with my favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, because these statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 mean the absolute world to me!

While they look different and are made of different materials, these statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are similar to each other in the way that Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is portrayed in female dress, but also with the nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 head cloth to show that she is in fact the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the inscriptions on both statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 use the female versions of words when referencing her. For example, “Lady 𓎟𓏏” is used instead of “Lord 𓎟.”

Both of these statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 were found during excavations at Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐. This gallery at the MET, which houses these striking statues, has always been my favorite room in any museum. I’m so thankful my Nonno taught me about Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and for all of the memories we have in this gallery looking at her statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 together 𓈖𓊗. Seeing these statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 as a child 𓐍𓇌𓀔 helped to ignite my love for studying Egyptian history.

As a kid 𓐍𓇌𓀔, seeing a woman portrayed so beautifully 𓄤 and so strong was incredibly inspiring. Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 has been my idol and inspiration since I was a small child 𓐍𓇌𓀔, and my Nonno even said to me “Why be the queen when you can be the king,” and that is something I try to live by!

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

White Cross-Lined Ware Pottery with Crocodiles

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 19, 2022

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to travel all the way back to predynastic Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 (c. 3650-3500 B.C.E.)! More specifically, this piece is dated to the Naqada II Period (also known as the Gerzean Period), which is a period of accelerated development in art and culture. This time period is when more elaborate pottery began to appear and people started to get buried in larger and more elaborate tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪! This was all before the first 𓏃 writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥 even appeared, which was during Naqada III (3200-3000 B.C.E.).

This piece of pottery 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 is commonly referred to as “white cross-lined ware” by archaeologists. Flinders Petrie, the first Egyptologist to try and date predynastic pottery, described white cross-lined ware pottery 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 as being a reddish-brown or dark red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 color that was decorated with white 𓌉𓆓𓇳 images 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 or geometric drawings. White cross-lined ware pottery 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 is usually only found in Upper Egypt 𓇓, near Abydos 𓍋𓃀𓈋𓊖 and Naqada.

I absolutely love this piece of pottery 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 because beautifully 𓄤 drawn crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏦 that are on it! Much like the hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯, the crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 is one of the animals that appears frequently in early Egyptian imagery 𓏏𓅱𓏏 probably because the people of the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 needed to always be on their guard in regards to crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏦 since they could come out of the water 𓈗 and on to the banks of the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺!

Even as ancient Egyptian culture evolved, Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 both feared and revered 𓇋𓌴𓄪 crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏦 due to their strength 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 and power. While crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏦 were the feared animals along the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺, images 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 of them could offer protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜, such as in the form of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 which evolved much later.

Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋, the god 𓊹 was both feared and revered due to him being a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌! He was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in order to ensure the fertility of both people and crops, but also to protect against crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 attacks. Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 was one of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 that was named in the Pyramid Texts, which makes him one of the oldest deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon, however, this piece of pottery 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 is still older than Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋!

Tags artifact, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Harpokrates

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 19, 2022

While a lot of the same themes and ideas persisted through the Egyptian religion for thousands of years, changes and evolution did occur from time to time! One of the ways those changes showed up were in the evolution of gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏. In both classical Egyptian and Graeco-Roman times, Horus 𓅃𓀭, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 were very popular deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, however, their names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 and roles did evolve. For example, Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was replaced/referred to as Serapis 𓁹𓊨𓀭𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 by the Ptolemies. Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at one of the ways that Horus evolved 𓅃𓀭!

In this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, Horus 𓅃𓀭 is represented in his Greek form Harpokrates 𓅃𓀭𓅮𓄿𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭 (or Harpocrates), with his trademarked “finger to lips” pose. This pose represents the “be quiet” gesture because to the Greeks, Harpokrates was the god 𓊹 of silence. In the Hellenistic world, Harpokrates could also be the god 𓊹 of secrets, confidentiality, and even the embodiment of hope!

The name 𓂋𓈖 Harpokrates 𓅃𓀭𓅮𓄿𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭 is actually a Greek adaptation of the Egyptian “Heru-pa-khered” or “Heru-pa-khart” which translates to “Horus the Child” or “Horus the Younger.” This name 𓂋𓈖 makes sense when you look at the statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, because Horus 𓅃𓀭/Harpokrates is represented as a child! Also, the determinative hieroglyph (last symbol in the phrase) for the word child “𓐍𓇌𓀔/𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔” shows a seated boy with his hand to his mouth, which is where the idea for the representation of Harpokrates 𓅃𓀭𓅮𓄿𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭 is thought to have originated from!

Here is a breakdown of Harpokrates’ name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:
𓅃𓀭𓅮𓄿𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭 – Harpokrates

𓅃𓀭 -Heru
𓅮𓄿 – pa
𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭 – khered/khart

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, horus, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

The False Door Inside Perneb’s Mastaba

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 19, 2022

Perneb 𓃀𓈖𓎟𓉐𓂋 was a palace administrator during the 5th Dynasty, and he had his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 built at Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 (modern day Saqqara). This type of tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 is commonly referred to today as a mastaba, but in ancient Egyptian times they were referred to as a “House of Eternity 𓉐𓆖.” The word “mastaba” is Arabic for the word “bench,” and these tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 got their modern name 𓂋𓈖 due to their rectangular structure and flat roofs!

During the Old Kingdom, the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 and the palace were pretty much the center of the government/society, so Perneb 𓃀𓈖𓎟𓉐𓂋 held quite an important role, hence the exquisite tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐!

I am standing inside the mastaba 𓉐𓆖 of Perneb 𓃀𓈖𓎟𓉐𓂋 at the MET in front of his False Door! I will never forget seeing it for the first time with my Nonno – the first time I saw it, there was no glass on the reliefs! Seeing this for the first time will always be one of my greatest memories! I love being inside the mastaba 𓉐𓆖 because I feel like I am in Egypt – 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 I love being in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪!

False Doors are an extremely important part of ancient Egyptian funerary practices. False Doors served as ways for the living relatives to make offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and there is a spot at the base of the False Door where offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 are meant to be left.

The False Door acted as a link between the land of the living 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and the land of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the soul 𓂓 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 could travel between the two lands 𓇿𓇿 through the False Door. They are also known as “ka 𓂓 doors” or “soul 𓂓 doors.”

Tags mastaba, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

The Temple of Dendur in Color!

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 19, 2022

One thing about Egyptian art that many people do not realize is that it once used to be very colorful! However, while time has preserved the beautiful 𓄤 carvings and inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥, the paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 on a lot of Egyptian art has been lost. This project at the MET, which features a projection of colors on to the Temple of Dendur shows what the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 might have looked like when it was commissioned to be built by the Emperor Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀. By 10 B.C.E, the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 construction was completed.

The relief at the Temple of Dendur without color

Usually when trying to recreate colors on past artifacts, a combination of techniques are used such as researching other similar objects (looking at the colors used at the Temple of Hathor at Dendera and the Temple of Isis at Philae), or using scientific techniques such as checking for remnants of color/paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 using various instruments. No traces of paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 were found on the Temple of Dendur, so looking at the paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 used on other similar temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏥 was how the colors were inferred for this particular relief.

The relief that the artists chose to recreate the color of the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 with shows the Emperor Augustus 𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋 making offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 of wine to the Egyptian gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭 and Hathor 𓉡! The pictures above show the progression of the colorization of the temple! This is created by using a projector to put the colors on the actual temple reliefs!

Fun fact because I can’t help myself: In this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 you can see two 𓏻 (of Augustus’ three 𓏼) cartouches! I loved seeing these in color on the projection too!!

𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋 Augustus (Autokrator)

𓈎𓇌𓊃𓂋𓊃𓋹𓆖 Augustus (Kaisaros)

The projection on the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 happens in phases, so people can see the color start to come together and that’s what I tried to show in my photographs 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏪!! I hope you enjoy this unique look at the Temple of Dendur – let me know what you think about it!

Tags artifact, temple of dendur, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

The “Water Jars in a Rack” Hieroglyph

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 19, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to be looking at another popular hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃! This is the “water jars in a rack 𓏅” symbol!

𓏅 is most commonly used as a triliteral phonogram, and is associated with the sound ḫnt. Less commonly, 𓏅 (and it’s variants) can be used as an ideogram for the word “jar-rack” and would then be associated with the sound ḫntw.

There are many variants of this symbol, all of which have the same sound associated with them. They are also classified as “water jars in a rack: 𓏃, 𓏄, and 𓏆.” All of these can be used interchangeably!

Let’s take a look at how 𓏅 can be used in a variety of inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!

Now, 𓏅 is very commonly used as a proposition to mean “in front at/of:”

𓏅𓊹𓉱/𓏅𓏏𓊹𓉱 – In Front at the God’s Booth (one of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 epithets)

𓏅𓈖𓏏 – At the Head of/In Front of

𓏅 Is also commonly used to mean the word “Foremost,” especially in epithets of the gods𓊹𓊹𓊹. “Foremost” can also be written as “𓄂𓏏.”

𓏅𓈖𓏏𓏭𓋀𓄿/ – Foremost of the Westerners (one of Osiris’ 𓁹𓊨𓀭 epithets)

𓏅𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 – Foremost of the West (I have seen this epithet of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 written this way too)

𓏶𓏅 – Is Foremost (priest’s title)

𓏅 can also function as an ordinal number and mean “First.”

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

The “Sedge” Hieroglyph

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 19, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to be looking at another popular hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃! This is the “sedge 𓇓” symbol!

The 𓇓 is a biliteral phonogram and has the sound of “sw.” The symbol can also function as an ideogram for both the words “king (nswt)” and “sedge (swt).” The sedge 𓇓 is also the symbol to represent Upper Egypt!

Let’s take a look at some examples of how 𓇓 can be used in words!

𓇓 – King

𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀭 – King

𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀲 – King

𓇓𓏏𓇌𓏛/𓇓𓏏𓈖𓇌𓏛 – To Be King

𓇓𓇌 – Kingship

𓇓𓏏𓏏𓈞 King’s Wife

𓇓𓂋𓐍𓏏 – King’s Acquaintance (literally “King’s 𓇓 Knowledge 𓂋𓐍𓏏(𓏜)”)

Now, let’s take a look at some examples of how 𓇓 can be used in popular phrases:

𓆥 – He of the Sedge and the Bee or King of Upper and Lower Egypt

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – An Offering the King Gives (𓇓 – King, 𓏏𓊵- Offering, 𓏙 – Gives)

As you can see, the sedge 𓇓 symbol has many uses, and they mostly have to do with the word “king!” So if you see the 𓇓, in most cases you’re going to be dealing with something to do with the king 𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀲/pharaoh 𓉐𓉻!

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

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