A blue faience hedgehog amulet at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology in London
The ancient Egyptians πππππͺ used amulets ππͺπ πͺ a lot in both their daily life and afterlife πΌπΏππ! No matter who was wearing it, amulets ππͺπ πͺ had the same function: to invoke magical protection π ππ‘π for the wearer! Amulets ππͺπ πͺ could represent gods πΉπΉπΉ and goddesses πΉπΉπΉπ, everyday objects, hieroglyphs πΉππͺ, plants πΎπ°π°π°, animals, and many other things! While many amulets ππͺπ πͺ were usually placed on mummies ππΉπ ±πΎπͺ to help the deceased π ππ± on their journey to the Duat πΌπΏππ (afterlife), amulets ππͺπ πͺ could also be worn by the living π£πππͺ too!
In ancient Egypt, the hedgehog πππππ was associated with rebirth ππΏπ ±, which is a concept central to the ancient Egyptian religion. This association occurred because when food π¬ππ ±ππ₯ is scarce, hedgehogs ππππππͺ will retreat into their underground burrows for long periods of time. Hedgehogs ππππππͺ only re-emerge from their burrows during times of food π¬ππ ±ππ₯ abundance. This disappearing/appearing pattern strongly correlated with the concept of rebirth ππΏπ ± to the ancient Egyptians.
Hedgehog πππππ amulets ππͺπ πͺ were placed in tombs ππ«πππͺ in order to invoke rebirth ππΏπ ± of the deceased π ππ±. Hedgehog πππππ amulets ππͺπ πͺ were also thought to provide protection π ππ‘π against snake πππππ bites. Most hedgehog πππππ amulets ππͺπ πͺ are dated to the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom, with their popularity peaking around the 18th Dynasty.
βHedgehogβ can be written in two π» ways in hieroglyphs πΉππͺ:
I refer to this picture ππ ±π as the βUshabti Armyβ – itβs no secret how much I absolutely love ushabtis π ±πππππΎπͺ (all thanks to how much my Nonno loved them)!Β
A “Ushabti Army” at the Vatican Museum!
My Nonno took this picture ππ ±π when we were at the Vatican Museum together ππ! Sometimes it takes me a while to want to share my Nonnoβs pictures ππ ±ππ¦ because Iβm selfish and want to keep them to myself, but I also want to share his pictures ππ ±ππ¦ with everyone so we can all remember him together ππ. I guess itβs all a balance. Plus, his birthday is this week, so I am very sad about that because I miss my Nonno so much.Β
So why did a deceased π ππ± person have a βUshabti Army?β People who could afford it were buried with over 400 π²π²π²π² ushabtisΒ π ±πππππΎπͺ! Usually there were 365 π²π²π²πππππππΎ worker ushabtis π ±πππππΎπͺ (one for each day of the year) and then overseer ushabtis! The overseers ushabtis π ±πππππΎπͺ were there to make sure all of the others were doing their work!Β
The ushabtis π ±πππππΎπͺ in this picture ππ ±π are made of clay πͺππ΄π/terracotta. During the 3rd Intermediate Period, these materials replaced the popular stone ππππͺ or faience π£πππΈπΌ ushabtis π ±πππππΎπͺ. So many ushabtis π ±πππππΎπͺ have been found from this time period that many of them were sold or given to museums around the world πΎπΎ. Did you know that there were so many that the Egyptian Museum in Cairo even sold authentic ushabtis π ±πππππΎπͺ to tourists at one point?!
Fun Fact: the ancient Egyptians πππππͺ had originally calculated the year to be 365 π²π²π²πππππππΎ days, and then they revised it to 365.25 days – which is the actual length modern scientists calculated based on the Earthβs πΎπΎ revolution around the Sun π³πΊ! How incredible is that?!
The image ππ ±π of Isis π¨ππ₯ feeding Horus π π as a baby is one of the most popular images ππ ±ππ¦ of the Third Intermediate Period, Late Period and even through the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods. This video examines the significance of the statues of Isis π¨ππ₯ feeding Horus π π!
While my Nonno loved Egyptian ππππ and Roman art, he also loved Christian/Biblical art, so these Egyptian ππππ statues ππ ±ππΎπͺ were kind of a natural connection between his area of interests! I always make sure to look for statues ππ ±ππΎπͺ like this in museums whenever I visit!
Symbolically, Isis π¨ππ₯ was thought to be the mother πΏππ of the pharaoh ππ», and was often associated with motherhood, the protection of women πππππ, and a user of magic πππΏπ. As Isis π¨ππ₯ became a more popular religious figure, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans. Isis π¨ππ₯ was widely worshipped during the Roman times, and Isis π¨ππ₯ feeding Horus π π as a baby has even appeared on the back of Roman coins.
This image ππ ±π of a mother πΏππ holding a child πππ is thought to have inspired the well known Catholic images of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus as a baby.
This is an incomplete False Door (right and left panels) and a door jamb (upper panel) from the tomb ππ«ππ of Tjetji πΏπΏπ and his wife Debet. False Doors are an extremely important part of ancient Egyptian funerary practices. False Doors served as ways for the living relatives to make offerings π΅ππͺπππ¦ to the deceased π ππ±. The False Door acted as a link between the land of the living and the land of the dead.
False Door of Tjetji (left) and Debet (right) with their door jamb (top) at the British Museum.
This Large piece is from the 4th Dynasty reign of the pharaoh ππ» Khafre π³ππ. Khafre π³ππ is one of the pharaohs ππ»π¦ that built the Great Pyramids at Giza, and Tjetji πΏπΏπ was clearly part of the action!
The top panel shows Tjetji πΏπΏπ and Debet sitting at an offering table πππ ‘πΏπ. The hieroglyphs πΉππͺ underneath the offering table show that bread π, beer π, linen π² and alabaster π± were offered to them. On either side of the offering table πππ ‘πΏπ is a palace-facade, which still shows some signs of red π§πππ and black ππ paint π¨ππ ±ππΈπ¦.
Tjetji πΏπΏπ (left) has the title of βKingβs Acquaintance ππππ.β The title βKingβs Acquaintance ππππβ is taken to mean that the person was close to the pharaoh ππ»! Tjetji πΏπΏπ is also referred to as the βOverseer of the Pyramid of Khafre π π(π³ππ)π ¨π΄,β so clearly Tjetji πΏπΏπ had a lot going on! This is probably why Tjetji πΏπΏπ and his wife Debet got such a nice burial!
On the side with Debet (right) their childrenβs names πππ₯ are all written out!
Can you spot Khafreβs π³ππ cartouche π πππ· on the relief? It shows up quite a few times!!
This is a beautiful π€ππ statue ππ ±ππΎ of Senemut π’ππ and Neferure π³π€π€π€ – and I love these types of statues ππ ±ππΎπͺ because they were seemingly invented by Senemut π’ππ himself and also give some insight into this time period!
A statue of Senemut holding Neferure (The Louvre)
Senemut π’ππ , although not of noble birth, became an extremely important figure during the reign of Hatshepsut π³π¦π. Senemut π’ππ was Hatshepsutβs ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ closest advisor, the tutor for her daughter Neferure π³π€π€π€, and the architect responsible for building her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri π¦ππ¦π₯π. Putting a commoner in such a powerful position might have been a strategic move by Hatshepsut π³π¦π – it would pretty much guarantee that he remained loyal to her. But honestly, no one really knows how Senemut π’ππ climbed the social ranks so dramatically and we probably never will!
This is a statue ππ ±ππΎ of Senemut π’ππ holding Neferure π³π€π€π€, and many of these statues ππ ±ππΎπͺ exist, however, this one is a tiny bit different than some of the other similar statues ππ ±ππΎπͺ I have seen. This statue ππ ±ππΎ shows Neferure π³π€π€π€ wrapped in a blanket and being held tight by Senemut π’ππ . Neferure π³π€π€π€ has a Uraeus πππππ on her head (like royalty) and also at her feet. Was this Uraeus πππππ on her head to show that Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ intended for Neferure π³π€π€π€ to rule as pharaoh ππ» after her?
There are many differing theories on Senemutβs relationship with Hatshepsut π³π¦π. Many believe (including myself) that they were having an affair. Thereβs even graffiti from the tomb ππ«ππ builders in some unfinished tombs ππ«πππ¦ that show that they too believed that Hatshepsut π³π¦π and Senemut π’ππ were romantically involved. Gossiping about relationships seems to have always been something that people have done!
It has even been speculated by some, based off of statues ππ ±ππΎπͺ such as the one I have pictured, that Senemut π’ππ was actually Neferureβs π³π€π€π€ father πππ!
Yesterday π΄ππ³ was International Womens Day and I didnβt get a chance to post, so I am going to post today ππππ³! This picture ππ ±π is ten years π old (itβs from 2013) and of course itβs me and Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ at the MET! This gallery looks a little bit different now and the Maned Sphinx ππ ±ππ€ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is no longer with the White Limestone ππππ Statue ππ ±ππΎ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ! Not going to lie, but I love seeing these two π» together ππ and I miss the old Gallery 115 setup!Β
Me and the Maned Sphinx of Hatshepsut (left) and the White Limestone Statue of Hatshepsut (right)
Letβs learn a bit more about my favorite pharaoh ππ», the legendary Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ!Β Not only was she the most successful female pharaoh ππ» in Egyptian history, she was just one of the most successful pharaohs ππ»π₯ ever!
Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ was the first pharaoh ππ» to state her divine conception and birth π through images ππ ±ππ¦ and text πππ₯ at her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri π¦ππ¦π₯π. Hatshepsutβs ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ story shows that the god πΉ Amun ππ ππ was her father, and this reinforced her right to rule πππΎ. These images ππ ±ππ¦ were not available to the public, but only to a select few such as priests πΉππͺ and officials π΄πππͺ so it probably wasnβt propaganda.
What caused Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ to want to claim herself as pharaoh ππ»? We will probably never know the events that caused this to happen, so anything written by Egyptologists is mostly speculative. Whatever the reasoning, Iβm glad that she did become pharaoh ππ» because Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ has been my inspiration ever since I was a little girl and my Nonno taught me about her for the first π time! Iβll never forget learning that a woman πππππ was the pharaoh ππ» of Egypt ππ ππ! Seeing these statues ππ ±ππΎπͺ in the museum give me joy each time!
Today I am standing with a relief which contains the cartouches of Thutmosis III π³π π£ from Elephantine πππ°π ±πΆπ! Elephantine πππ°π ±πΆπ is an island πΎπ πΊ on the Nile River ππππ ±ππππΊ, and it forms part of the city of Aswan π΄πΉπππ²π in Upper Egypt π! According to ancient Egyptian religion, Elephantine πππ°π ±πΆπ was where the god πΉ Khnum πΈππ lived and he controlled the waters π of the Nile ππππ ±ππππΊ from caves beneath the island πΎπ πΊ!Β
The Temple of Satet π΄πΏπππ (or Satis π΄ππππ) is on the island πΎπ πΊ of Elephantine πππ°π ±πΆπ and while it began to be built during the pre-dynastic period, it was rebuilt several times, most notably during the reign πΎππ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ, and then the reign πΎππ of Thutmosis III π³π π£. They both mostly expanded the temple πππ and made it much larger. The relief I am standing with is from that temple πππ!Β
Me with a relief from the Temple at Elephantine, which shows the cartouches of the 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Thutmosis III.
Letβs read some hieroglyphs πΉππͺ! Two π» of Thutmosis IIIβs cartouches π πππ·π¦ appear on this relief, so letβs take a closer look at each of them! We are going to look at the throne name (π³π π£) first!
π³π π£ Menkhepperra βLasting is the Manifestation of Reβ
π³ – Re
π – Lasting
π£ – Manifestation
Letβs look at the birth name cartouche π πππ·! Itβs hard to see which variant is in the picture ππ ±π but I think itβs this one:
π πππ€π£ – Thutmosis III (Thoth is Born, Beautiful of Form)
π – Thoth
ππ – Born
π€ – Beautiful
π£ – Form
Underneath the cartouches, this famous phrase βπΉπ½ππ³πΊπβ appears:
πΉ – Life
π½ – Stability
π – Strength
π³ – Ra
π – Like
This translates to βLife, Stability, and Strength Like Ra.β The extra βπΊβ is there as an aesthetic placeholder!Β All pharaohs ππ»π¦ wanted to be like Ra, so it is a fitting phrase to be put after the name of a pharaoh ππ».
Here I am at the British Museum with a beautifully π€ππ preserved granodiorite π ππππ statue ππ ±ππΎ of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh ππ» Amenhotep III π³π§π ! This particular statue ππ ±ππΎ of Amenhotep III ππ ππ΅πΎπ was found at his temple πππ at Thebes πππ.Β
Me with a Statue of Amenhotep III at the British Museum
In this statue ππ ±ππΎ, Amenhotep III ππ ππ΅πΎπ is depicted in the typical fashion of a pharaoh ππ»! He is wearing the nemes ππ π΄ head cloth on his head, and there is a Uraeus πππππ on the forehead of the nemes ππ π΄ head cloth. A Uraeus πππππ is usually depicted as an upright snake πππππ and is a symbol of sovereignty, royalty, and divine authority in Egypt ππ ππ – all characteristics usually associated with the pharaoh ππ»! While a lot of the Uraeus πππππ has been broken off (probably just due to the passage of time), it is clear that it was once there!
Amenhotep III π³π§π is also wearing the false beard ππππ ±ππΈ, which is another common accessory that the statues ππ ±ππΎπͺ of the pharaohs ππ»π¦ wore! Why did the pharaohs ππ»π¦ wear false beards ππππ ±ππΈπ¦ though?! Many of the gods πΉπΉπΉ had beards ππππ ±ππΈπ¦ so it was considered to be a godly trait. By imitating the appearance of a god πΉ, the pharaoh ππ» not only linked themselves to the gods πΉπΉπΉ, but also made themselves seen as gods πΉπΉπΉ on Earth πΎπΎ. A false beard ππππ ±ππΈ was only worn by the pharaoh ππ»- no one else could wear it because no on else was a god πΉ!
In order to celebrate his Heb Sed Festival πππ΄π§ππ±π³πͺ, the pharaoh ππ» Amenhotep III π³π§π built a new palace ππππ₯π which was referred to as βThe House of Rejoicingβ at present day Malqata in Egypt ππ ππ. The Heb Sed Festival πππ΄π§ππ±π³πͺ, also known as the β30 Year Jubilee,β was meant to celebrate the 30th year of a pharaohβs ππ» reign πΎππ. Amenhotep III ππ ππ΅πΎπ threw himself three separate Heb Sed Festivals πππ΄π§ππ±π³πͺ, even though he did not rule πΎππ for ninety years!Β
The blue faience tiles were found at Malqata, but this design is a reconstruction of what it might have looked like (the MET)
This beautiful π€ππ decoration is a reconstruction using the tiles that were found during the excavation of Amenhotep IIIβs ππ ππ΅πΎπ palace at Malqata. These strikingly blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ faience π£πππΈπΌ tiles were found on the floor of ruins of a temple πππ dedicated to the god πΉ Amun ππ ππ.
After the death of pharaoh ππ» Amenhotep III π³π§π , his palace ππππ₯π and the surrounding villages (used by the people serving the pharaoh ππ») at Malqata were abandoned and the site was never used again during ancient Egyptian times. This caused the site to fall into ruin and get covered by the desert π πππ sand. This allowed The House of Rejoicing and surrounding villages at Malqata to be preserved decently well, and it is considered to be one of the most extensive town sites to be preserved in Egypt ππ ππ.
Many examples of these blue ππΉππΏπΈπ₯ faience π£πππΈπΌ tiles have been found at Malqata, along with other beautiful π€ππ artwork that decorated the palace ππππ₯π! It must have been such a beautiful sight to see!
