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Egyptian Artifacts

Small Stela of the Vizier Paser

This tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 and unassuming stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 at the Louvre is really important to me and my Nonno because it depicts Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽, who was my Nonno’s favorite non-royal Egyptian! Nonno and I would always make it a point to try and find something related to Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 in every museum we went to! 

Though he wasn’t a royal, Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 was one of the most prominent men of his time and he was vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 under two 𓏻 pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 – Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and then Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖.  Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 served many different roles over twenty-five 𓎆𓎆𓏾 years! Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 was also an architect and one of his most famous works is the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 in the Valley of the Kings! 

A vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was the highest ranking official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 and was the most powerful position in the government, besides the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Not only was the vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 the most trusted advisor to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but he also saw to the day-to-day operations of the government. The vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was in charge of architecture, taxation, agriculture, military, the judiciary, finances, and many other things. Honestly that sounds exhausting, however, his hard work got Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 a nice tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 for himself, so that’s how we know so much about him! I guess wanting to preserve his name 𓂋𓈖 for eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛 was a success! 

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 had many different titles, including “High Preist of Amun 𓊹𓍛𓌐𓈖𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳 ,” “superintendent of every work of the king,” “prophet of Maat,” “mouth of Nekhen” and “chief of secrets of the hieroglyphs.” This last title is probably why he is depicted with the god Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 on this small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! 

I wish I could see the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 more clearly, but I can see Paser’s 𓅮𓀙𓀽 name 𓂋𓈖 on the bottom part of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! 

Sorry the first picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is a bit blurry – I wanted to get as close as I could! The second picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows how small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is in relation to other objects!

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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. 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Roman Sarcophagus

Even though Rome was the dominant power in the Mediterranean at the time, Cleopatra VII 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 was determined to keep Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 independent of Rome.  However, with the defeat of Mac Antony by Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 in battle, and the death of Cleopatra VII 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 (the last Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, died by suicide c. 31 B.C.E.), Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 was conquered by the Romans. This made Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 the first Roman Emperor. 

Traditionally, the Romans burned their dead and put their ashes in urns. However, in Roman Egypt, traditional Egyptian funerary practices persisted but adopted some Roman style! Nonno always pointed out the Roman influenced sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪 in museums because he thought it was so interesting that an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 was on the coffin, instead of the traditional Egyptian “mask.” The painting of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 still functioned like a traditional Egyptian mask, however it was just more “Roman” in style. 

The mask could either serve as protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, or take the place of the body if the head was destroyed or lost. In the Egyptian religion, the body of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 needed to stay intact in order for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to be transported to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐/Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖. This was the purpose of mummification – to preserve the body so both the Ka 𓂓 (soul) and the Ba 𓅡𓏺(life force) would be able to recognize the body!

I think this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 (from the second century AD) in particular is very interesting because it demonstrates a marriage of the two 𓏻 cultures.  The Roman influence is clearly seen, with the painted portrait of the deceased (and his name 𓂋𓈖, Artemidorus below the portrait). 

However, the Egyptian gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are present in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 on the body of the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭. Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦, Thoth 𓅤𓀭 , and Horus 𓅃𓀭 are depicted. Iconic Egyptian imagery 𓏏𓅱𓏏 such as the winged sun disk is located above the feet, while a traditional broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 around the neck of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾. 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Roman Oil Lamps

While my Nonno loved ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, he also absolutely loved Ancient Rome and the Roman Emperors. This is why he loved the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 so much. Even though the Ptolemaic Period was technically Hellenistic Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, there was still a heavy Roman influence because Rome was still very powerful at the time! 

When Cleopatra VII 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 committed suicide in 31 B.C.E., that was seen as the end of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and the beginning of Roman Egypt. This makes Cleopatra 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt! Nonno often told me stories about Mark Antony, Cleopatra 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇, Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀, Julius Caesar – he loved that whole part of history so much. 

These are ancient oil lamps 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶! These oil lamps 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 are made of clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 and can be found throughout countries that were ruled by the Roman Empire! Many are found in present-day Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, Turkey, Syria, and many others! My Nonno absolutely adored these – he loved that you could still see where the oil 𓂝𓆓𓐖𓏊𓏦 had burned on some of them (that’s the black 𓆎𓅓 discoloration at the opening). Nonno always made sure to point these out in museums and now of course I always look for them. I love seeing the different designs on them! Each lamp 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 is unique which I love!

Isis and Horus design on the oil lamp, along with the black discoloration on the opening!

Due to Roman influence in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, oil lamps 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 from Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 were sometimes made with the Egyptian Gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on them! The oil lamp 𓆼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓐠𓏤𓇶 all the way on the right depicts Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 nursing Horus 𓅃𓀭. As Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 grew in popularity, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans.  Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 during the Roman times, and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby 𓈖𓐍𓈖𓀕 has even appeared on the back of Roman coins. Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 and bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 were also made in abundance during this time period. 

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Kohl Tube of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 Tube! Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 was a type of eye paint (makeup) that was very popular amongst the ancient Egyptians! This tube would have contained the kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀, and then a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 or faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 stick would have been used to apply it! The kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 tube itself is also made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, hence the gorgeous blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 color! This piece is dated to the 18th Dynasty (c. 1390-1353 B.C.E.).

For me, the most interesting part of an artifact is always going to be the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 on the object! Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓊹𓄤 – Perfect God 

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Nebmaatra (Amenhotep III’s Throne Name)

𓇓𓈞𓏏 – King’s Great Wife

𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 – Tiye

𓋹𓍘 – May She Live!

Some of you may notice when looking at this inscription that Queen Tiye’s 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 name 𓂋𓈖 is in a cartouche too! Sometimes, the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the queens who held the title of the “King’s Great Wife 𓇓𓈞𓏏” also appeared in cartouches to demonstrate their importance to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 was actually the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 grandmother! Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 and Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 seem to have been married by the second year of his reign. The reign of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 was an extremely prosperous and successful one, because it was at this time that Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 had reached its peak artistic and international power (even though Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 only participated in one military battle himself). His success had been set up by the works of the previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦, such as Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 and then Amenhotep III’s 𓇳𓁧𓎠 own father, Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼. 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Aswan Granite

After limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 and sandstone 𓂋𓅱𓂧𓏏𓌗𓈙, “Aswan Granite” was the third most used rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 by the ancient Egyptians! “Aswan Granite” is actually a collective term used to describe all of the intrusive igneous rocks in the Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 area, even though they aren’t all granitic! Diorite and granodiorite 𓏠𓈖𓏏𓏏𓊌 are other igneous rocks looped into this category, even though granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 is a felsic rock (lighter in color and lower in density with more quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙) as opposed to diorite/granodiorite 𓏠𓈖𓏏𓏏𓊌 (intermediate rock, less quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙, both dark and light in color). 

The most common of the “Aswan Granite” rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦 is known as red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶. Red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 was used for many different types of things such as vases, statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪, stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏦, obelisks 𓉶𓉶𓉶, and for parts of buildings and temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪! 

Quarrying of the “Aswan Granite” started in the Old Kingdom and was even used to build the Pyramids 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 at Giza! During the New Kingdom (particularly 18th Dynasty), red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 became extremely popular again, especially amongst the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏪 and many of them had their statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 and funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 carved out of this durable stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪! 

One of the best examples of these red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are the ones that used to line Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐. She had the red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 shipped 500 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 miles up the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 from Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖 to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐! 

The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 were such master geologists they even distinguished regular “granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿” from “red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶” in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 below is a close up of a sample red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 from my collection so you can get a better look at this gorgeous 𓄤 rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙! 

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Alexander the Great in Hieroglyphs

In 332 BCE, Alexander the Great 𓄿𓃭𓎡𓊃𓇋𓈖𓂧𓂋𓊃 conquered Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and became pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! This was the beginning of the Hellenistic Period of Egyptian history. 

So why was Alexander 𓄿𓃭𓎡𓊃𓇋𓈖𓂧𓂋𓊃 recognized as a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻? The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 saw him as the person who liberated them from the Persians! Alexander 𓄿𓃭𓎡𓊃𓇋𓈖𓂧𓂋𓊃 also restored many of the Egyptian temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪 and even built new monuments 𓏠𓏍 dedicated to the Egyptian gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹! Some of these monuments 𓏠𓏍 show him worshipping Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖, who basically would’ve been the Egyptian version of Zeus. After Alexander’s 𓄿𓃭𓎡𓊃𓇋𓈖𓂧𓂋𓊃 death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in Babylon, Ptolemy I 𓊪𓏏𓍯𓃭𓐝𓇌𓋴 became pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 and founded the Ptolemaic Dynasty.

Since Alexander 𓄿𓃭𓎡𓊃𓇋𓈖𓂧𓂋𓊃 was Macedonian and not native Egyptian, his cartouche is very phonetic – all of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 used are uniliteral signs, which means that they correspond to a single sound, just like a letter in the alphabet. Let’s take a closer look! 

𓄿 – The “Egyptian Vulture 𓄿” represents the sound “3” which would be pronounced like “ah.” 

𓃭 – the “recumbent lion 𓃭” was traditionally a biliteral phonogram for the sound “rw,” however, during the Hellenistic Period it adopted the sound of “L.” 

𓎡 – The “Basket with a Handle 𓎡” symbol has the sound of “k.”

𓊃 – The “doorbolt 𓊃” symbol represents the sound “z” or “s.” It’s also the ideogram for the word “doorbolt.” 

𓇋 – The “reed 𓇋” represents the sound of “ı͗,” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.” 

𓈖 – The “ripple of water 𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” 

𓂧 – The “hand 𓂧” represents the sound “d” and is also the ideogram for the word “hand.” 

𓂋 – The “mouth 𓂋” symbol is used to represent the sound “r.” It can also be used as an ideogram for the word “mouth 𓂋𓏺.” 

𓊃 – see above! 

The hieroglyphs of “𓄿𓃭𓎡𓊃𓇋𓈖𓂧𓂋𓊃” basically spell out “Alksindrs.” It’s pretty cool to see the versatility of the hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 symbols with examples of foreign names 𓂋𓈖𓏦!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Tutankhamun and Amun

This diorite 𓏠𓈖𓏏𓏏𓊌 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 portrays Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 and the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖. Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 is credited with restoring the Cult of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖, after it was eradicated by his father Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 in order to solely worship the sun 𓇳𓏺 god 𓊹 Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳. 

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is very interesting because it displays Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 very large, while Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 is very small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩. Since the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was considered a god 𓊹 on Earth 𓇾𓇾, they were usually depicted as large, intimidating, and regal figures. However, the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏪 were second to the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 themselves – especially Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 who was the king 𓇓 of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹. So in the presence of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 is very small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩. 

The statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 has sustained damage, most notable is the fact that Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 head is missing. This is because this era of the 18th Dynasty was supposed to be ‘forgotten’ by history. The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏪 that came after Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 tried to erase all evidence of the Amarna era. Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 fell victim to this as well, even though he restored the traditional Egyptian pantheon. It was due to his familial relation to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 that he was also subjected to having his images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 destroyed. 

A lot of Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 and statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏦 were usurped by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Horemheb 𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖, who was not only Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 general 𓀎𓏦, but was the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 18th Dynasty. 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Trial Piece of Two Hands

For some reason, this very simple relief of two 𓏻 hands 𓂧𓏏𓏦 was one of my favorite things that I saw at the Petrie Museum in London! 

Flinders Petrie was one of the main excavators at present-day Tel el-Amarna, the site of Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 new capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.  Amarna as it is commonly referred to as, is the modern name 𓂋𓈖 for “Akhetaten 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖 – Horizon of the Aten,” which replaced Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 as the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. 

During excavations at Amarna 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖 the workshops 𓄯𓏏𓉐𓏦 of artists were found, which contained a lot of unfinished reliefs. These “trial pieces” are though to have been made by young artists who were learning their craft. Even though this is such a simple relief of hands 𓂧𓏏𓏦 with many cracks, I find it to be so beautiful 𓄤. The art of the Amarna period fascinates me because it is so different stylistically from other Egyptian art! I love seeing all of the unfinished pieces that were found at Amarna – it’s kind of like getting a behind the scenes view of the art! 

A lot of reliefs in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 were made on limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉. From a geological perspective, limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 (due to its composition of the mineral calcite 𓍱 – which comes from dead marine organisms), is a very easy rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 to sculpt and work with because calcite 𓍱 is a softer mineral 𓇋𓌻𓂋𓅱𓈙. Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 used to be completely under water 𓈗 hundreds 𓏲𓏲𓏲 of millions 𓁨𓁨𓁨 of years ago, hence why limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 (and sandstone 𓂋𓅱𓂧𓏏𓌗𓈙) are so abundant – both of these rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦 are classified as sedimentary rocks, which are primarily formed under large bodies of water 𓈗!

Limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 is composed of dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 marine organisms, which I find correlates with ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 as a whole – their entire life 𓋹/religion focused on preparing for death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and they basically built 𓐍𓂤𓅱𓋴𓀧 their civilization out of dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 things! 

It’s so fascinating how geology and Egyptian history are so closely interrelated! Did you know that Petrie was a geologist and that he was the first to apply stratigraphy (studying rock layers) to the field of archaeology?! 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

“Rameses II Adoring the Sphinx at Giza”

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief is called “Rameses II adoring the Sphinx at Giza” and it is such a beautiful 𓄤 piece! Let’s take a closer look!

By the time Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 was pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, the Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 at Giza was already ancient (~1200 years old) – which is almost mind blowing to think about!!! During the 18th Dynasty (the dynasty before Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓) the cult of the Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 began to reach its peak in terms of religious importance. 

During the first 𓏃 year of their reign 𓈎𓏏𓋾, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 would take a trip to the Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 as almost a right of passage. They would then build monuments 𓏠𓏍 to document the occasion. This relief is representative of that trip that Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 took! 

The New Kingdom pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓐆 knew the Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 as Hor-em-Akhet 𓅃𓐝𓈌 which translates to “Horus in the Horizon.” The name 𓂋𓈖 most likely came from the fact that the Sphinx’s 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 head is seen in between Khufu 𓐍𓆑𓅱 and Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 pyramids 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴𓏪, and can appear like the sun disc 𓇳 when approached from a certain direction. It’s definitely a creative name 𓂋𓈖! 

Let’s read some simple hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here’s a breakdown of the name 𓂋𓈖 Horus in the Horizon 𓅃𓐝𓈌! Can you spot this on the relief?

𓅃 – Horus

𓐝 – em = in the

𓈌 – akhet = horizon

There are actually two 𓏻 different versions of this relief! If you look at the pictures above versus the pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 below, the reliefs are facing two 𓏻 different directions!

For a closer hieroglyphic study, we are going to be looking at the relief facing the left because I was able to get better pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on this one! Both reliefs are pretty much identical except for the direction that they face!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to look at the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 posted below. Some of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are missing, but I was able to infer what was being written:

𓏙 – Given

𓋹 – Life

𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances 

𓇳𓁩𓄟𓋴𓋴𓌸 – Rameses II (Birth Name Variant) (this cartouche is too damaged for me to know which variant, so I made my best guess)

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre (Rameses II throne name)

𓊹𓄤 – Perfect God 

𓎸𓅓(𓏲𓅆)(𓀭) – Khnum (these hieroglyphs are cut off, but my best guess is this is the start of the name of the god Khnum)

Here’s the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 translation for the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 posted below:

𓅃 – Horus

𓐝 – in the

𓈌  – Horizon

𓏙 – Given

𓋹 – Life

𓆑 – His

𓎟 – All

𓊽 – Stability

𓌀 – Strength

𓋴𓈖𓃀𓏜 – Health

𓄫𓄣𓏏 – Joy

𓎟 – All

𓇳𓏇 – Like Ra

𓇳𓎟 – Every day

This beautiful 𓄤 and unique relief is located at the Louvre in France!