In Middle Egyptian, the word for broad collar was π ±π΄ππΊπ (pronounced βwesekh) or simply just the determinative hieroglyph π could be used for the whole word. This particular broad collar π ±π΄ππΊπ was made during the early Ptolemaic Period (332β246 B.C.E.), though broad collars π ±π΄ππΊππ¦ became very popular during the 18th Dynasty!
I donβt know why, but I think this piece is so cute! Itβs a bowl π§ππππΈ in the shape of a turtle πππΏπ that was made during the Predynastic Period (c. 3900β3500 B.C.E). The turtle πππΏπ bowl π§ππππΈ is made of red π§πππ clay!
In ancient Egypt ππ ππ, turtles πππΏππ¦ were seen as an ambiguous force because they were creatures of both land πΎ and water π. Turtles πππΏππ¦ were also seen as the enemy of Ra π³πΊπ, and in chapter 162 of the Book of the Dead, it is stated that βMay Ra live, and may the turtle die.β The turtles πππΏππ¦ that lived in the Nile ππππ ±ππππΊ were mostly nocturnal, which is probably why they were considered to be Raβs π³πΊπ enemy. Ra π³πΊπ was the sun π³ god πΉ, and was responsible for the rising of the sun π³, while the night represented Raβs π³πΊπ death π ππ±.
While not as popular as some iconography, throughout Egyptian history, turtles πππΏππ¦ took the form of vessels, palettes ππππ±π¦, amulets ππͺπ πͺ, and images ππ ±ππ¦ on objects such as stelae ππ ±ππΈπͺ.
Turtle πππΏπ can also be written in hieroglyphs πΉππͺ like this: ππΊ.
In ancient Egyptian religion and culture, amulets ππͺπ πͺ were thought to have magical πππΏπ powers and bestow them upon its wearer. Worn by both the living and the dead π ππ±, different amulets ππͺπ πͺ served various religious and protective functions. Amulets ππͺπ πͺ were usually made of faience π£πππΈπΌ, which is a cheap and easy material to work with. Most faience π£πππΈπΌ pieces have a green/blue π ππ color. This is because these colors were thought to represent life πΉ and regeneration.
The djed pillar π½ was associated with Osiris πΉπ¨π and his regenerative powers and is thus considered an amulet ππͺπ of power. The djed pillars π½ are usually blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ or green π πΏππ in color to represent the Nile River ππππ ±ππππΊ. These amulets ππͺπ πͺ date back to the Old Kingdom, and were used throughout Egyptian history. In the New Kingdom, they were strung around the neck of the deceased π ππ±. In hieroglyphs πΉππͺ, the djed π½ symbol means βstabilityβ or βenduring.β
The djed pillar π½ has also been thought to represent the spine of Osiris πΉπ¨π, as referenced in The Book of the Dead: βRaise yourself up Osiris. You have your backbone once more, weary-hearted One; you have bones.β
This is a sketch of a hippo πππ― completed by an artist during the joint reign of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ and Thutmosis III π³π π£ (c. 1479β1425 B.C.E., 18th Dynasty). Ostraca were pieces of limestone ππππ that artists would practice drawing and writing on, simply because papyrus π πππ was very expensive!
In Egypt ππ ππ, hippos πππ―π¦ were both feared and respected πππ . They were feared because they were one of the most dangerous animals in the Nile Valley π. However, in some cases, hippos πππ―π¦ were also thought to be powerful protectors π ππ‘π against evil!
In this image ππ ±πhowever, I donβt believe thereβs any hidden meaning or good π€ππ vs. evil πππππ ¨ debate going on! I think the artist was just simply practicing! Usually ostraca contain guidelines or a grid, but this one does not! Iβm assuming this means that this was the work of an experienced artist! Also, the hippo πππ― is beautiful π€, and itβs also colored in, so it looks like a completed work and not necessarily a sketch!
The Red Crown π§ππππ of Lower Egypt π€ (left) was the headdress that was associated with the area of Lower Egypt π€ (North) while the White Crown π€π (middle) was associated with the area of Upper Egypt π (South). Combined, the two π» crowns represented a United Egypt (right). The combined crown is on a falcon πππ‘π amulet ππͺπ that most likely represents the god πΉ Horus π π! Today I am going to focus on the Red Crown π§ππππ amulet ππͺπ because it is a favorite of mine!
Known as the deshret to the ancient Egyptians, the Red Crown π§ππππ in amulet ππͺπ form was considered to be an amulet ππͺπ of power. The word βdeshretβ in Middle Egyptian could both refer to the color red π§πππ , or the desert π πππ/πππΊ. Sometimes, Egypt ππ ππ was even referred to as the βRed Landβ in ancient Egyptian texts.
While the Red Crown π§ππππ was first worn by the pharaoh ππ» Narmer π’π, it was only first seen in amulet ππͺπ form during the First Intermediate Period. The Red Crown π§ππππ of Lower Egypt is a cylindrical headpiece with a tall spike in the back and a long spiral in the front. This crown has been named the βred crownβ by Egyptologists because it is usually depicted in a red π§πππ color in Egyptian ππππ art. While usually depicted in red π§πππ , most amulets ππͺπ πͺ are in the blue/green π ππ color that is typical of faience π£πππΈπΌ.
In ancient Egypt, red π§πππ was considered a powerful color because it is associated with blood, in particular the blood of Isis. While the Red Crown π§ππππ (and all other crowns) would have only been worn by a pharaoh ππ», amulets ππͺπ πͺ in the shape of crowns would imbue the wearer (even if they were a commoner or non-royal) with the same power or authority as a pharaoh ππ» or god πΉ.
The Weighing of the Heart πππ£ is my absolute favorite scene from the Book of the Dead, and just one of my favorite scenes from literature in general! I have been so fortunate to see many different version of the Book of the Dead in various museums! While this is a simplified version of the scene, I still love it! This papyrus π πππ is kinda hidden amongst many other papyri π ππππ¦ at the MET, and Iβve definitely missed it during other visits!
Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ is the center of the scene so of course it is my favorite! Here, Anubis πππͺπ ±π’ weighs the heart πππ£ of the deceased π ππ± against Maatβs π΄ππ£ππ¦ feather. If Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ determines thereβs balance between the two π», then the deceased π ππ± would be presented to Osiris πΉπ¨ π by Horus π π. The deceased π ππ± would then enter the Duat πΌπΏππ, or the afterlife.
Thoth π €π records the findings. While Thoth π €π is usually represented in his human body/ibis πππ € head form during this scene, that is not the case here! Thoth π €π is in his baboon form and is sitting on top of the scale! Ammit ππ π π(the Devourer of the Dead/Eater of Hearts) is also absent from this version! Itβs always so interesting to see different versions of the same scene!
This beautiful π€ faience π£πππΈπΌ piece is a foundation deposit brick with the cartouche of pharaoh ππ» Rameses II π³ππ§π³ππ written on it (19th Dynasty, c. 1279β1213 B.C.E.). I chose this piece for today, because Rameses II π³ππ§π³ππ is thought to possibly be the pharaoh ππ» of the Exodus – there are many theories as to who the pharaoh ππ» was that is mentioned in The Bible by Moses. The pharaoh ππ» of the Exodus is only referred to as βthe pharaohβ in The Bible and not by name ππ, so historians and religious scholars can only make inferences based on The Bible and archaeological evidence.
It is all so fascinating and based on my research, I believe that the evidence lines up to Rameses II π³ππ§π³ππ being the pharaoh ππ» of the Exodus. Some of the specific references made in the text of Exodus seems to line up really well with the 19th Dynasty time period. Some scholars disagree and think the Exodus happened at a later time period, some believe it happened earlier.
Why would there be no historical record of the Exodus in writings πππ₯ from Egypt ππ ππ? Egyptian writing was full of propaganda and only the good stuff was mentioned. Something like the Exodus would have been kept on the down-low.
Foundation deposit bricks were ceremonial offerings that were placed at the corners of buildings, courts, temples ππππ¦ , tombs ππ«πππ¦, and pretty much the foundation of any building. They can almost be thought of as the ancient version of a ground-breaking ceremony. The foundation deposit bricks usually contained the cartouche of the pharaoh ππ» that the building was constructed under on it! Iβm the early dynastic times, foundation deposits took the form of pottery, but later evolved into different versions of what you see pictured ππ ±π!
As we all know, Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ is the Egyptian god πΉ of embalming and tombs/cemeteries. This means that Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ was the main protector π ππ‘π of the recently deceased π ππ±! During the New Kingdom, more specifically the 18th Dynasty, it became common for statues πππππΎπͺ of Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ to be placed in tombs ππ«πππ¦ as a sort of protection π ππ‘π for the dead! The most famous example is the βAnubis Shrine π£β that was found in Tutankhamunβs ππ πππ ±ππΉπΎπΊπ tomb ππ«ππ! The statue πππππΎ in this picture ππ ±π is from the Late Period.
Since I am in the process of reading the Bible, hereβs something very interesting about Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ I just learned recently! Did you know that some Bible/religious scholars believe that Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ is actually mentioned in Exodus!? When I was reading Exodus, and I caught what I thought was a reference to Anubis πππͺπ ±π£, I was shocked and immediately had to start researching!
βBut not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.β (Exodus 11:7, English Standard Version) Another translation is “But against all the Israelites, whether man or beast, not even a dog will snarl.”
The plagues of Egypt ππ ππ can be interpreted as the Egyptian gods πΉπΉπΉ being powerless against God himself – such as when God blocked the Sun π³πΊ for three πΌ days during the ninth plague, Ra π³πΊπ was powerless to stop it. So, the mention of Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ can be interpreted as Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ having no power over life and death π ππ±, or that Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ will have no power over the death π ππ± of the people of Israel (Canaan ππΏπππ in The Bible). It can also be taken as God (not Anubis) would bring death π ππ± to Egypt ππ ππ, but not Israel ππΏπππ.
Again, these are interpretations of the Bible (including some of my own), and Iβm sure many scholars and other readers have their own interpretations that are different and just as valid!
Iβm going to talk about the Second Plague of Egypt ππ ππ today: Frogs πππππ¦! Many Biblical/religious scholars believe that the 10 Plagues of Egypt were not only directed by God against the Pharaoh ππ»/people of Egypt ππ ππ, but the Egyptian ππππ deities πΉπΉπΉ as well.
These frog ππππ figures are dated to the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3000-2675 B.C.E.) so these are quite old! Frogs πππππ¦ were not really written about at all during these predynastic times, and these statues πππππΎπͺ predate a lot of religious writing πππ₯ and iconography , however, they are mentioned in Exodus (starting at 8:1).
The Egyptians πππππͺ believed the frog ππππ to be a symbol of fertility because they would appear after the flooding of the Nile River ππππ ±ππππΊ, so they were associated with life πΉ/the regenerative qualities of water π. The frog ππππ is also associated with the fertility goddess πΉπ Heqet ππππ who is represented as a woman with a frog ππππ head.
Heqet ππππ also had the task of controlling the population of frogs πππππ¦ in Egypt ππ ππ by protecting the frog-eating crocodiles. Without Heqet ππππ, the frog ππππ population would grow out of control! During the Second Plague, God overwhelmed Heqet ππππ hence the large amount of frogs πππππ¦ that appeared in Egypt ππ ππ! It is God who controls fertility, not Heqet ππππ because The Lord is all powerful!
I was SO EXCITED to see the white limestone ππππ Sphinx ππ ±ππ€ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ again! It has been so long since Iβve seen this piece; it was honestly like greeting an old friend! This Sphinx ππ ±ππ€ used to be in the main Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ gallery at the MET, but for some reason itβs no longer there! Now it is hidden in one of the smaller galleries which is a shame because it is such a beautiful piece!
Most of Hatshepsutβs ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ statuary πππππΎ that was excavated from her temple π¦ππ¦π₯π were carved from red granite π π³ππΆ, however this one is carved from limestone ππππ – the red granite π π³ππΆ sphinxes ππ ±ππ¦ and this Sphinx ππ ±ππ€ are very different too. The white limestone ππππ sphinxes ππ ±ππ¦ have much more feminine features as compared to the red granite π π³ππΆ ones most likely because they were used in different parts of the temple π¦ππ¦π₯π for different purposes.
This Sphinx ππ ±ππ€ has been heavily reconstructed by using pieces that were modeled after the second Sphinx ππ ±ππ€ just like this one, which is in the Cairo Museum. These two π» sphinxes ππ ±ππ¦ most likely guarded the upper terrace of Hatshepsutβs ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ temple at Deir el-Bahri π¦ππ¦π₯π while the red granite π π³ππΆ sphinxes ππ ±ππ¦ would have guarded the lower terrace.
Instead of wearing the typical nemes ππ π΄ head cloth that most pharaohs ππ»π¦ who were fashioned into sphinxes ππ ±ππ¦ wear, Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is actually wearing a lionβs π³πΉπΏπ mane! This is very typical of Middle Kingdom art! This piece is dated to 1479β1458 B.C.E., and I love seeing New Kingdom art imitate styles from the past!
Letβs read some hieroglyphs πΉππͺ!
(π³π¦π) – Maatkare ππ π – Amun πΊππ – Beloved πΉππ- Life Given π – Eternity
βMaatkare, Beloved of Amun, Given Life for Eternity.β
I know this is strange, but βGiven Lifeβ is written backwards! It should be βππΉβ not βπΉπβ as itβs written (this inscription is read from right to left).
Thereβs also an added π, which makes it the feminine form! Thereβs a second sphinx ππ ±ππ€ just like this one in the Cairo Museum, and on that sphinx ππ ±ππ€, there is no added π! Why would one sphinx ππ ±ππ€ use the feminine form and one use the masculine?! We will probably never know!
