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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Anubis

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 I am going to be re-sharing one of my absolute favorite reliefs of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! This relief of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is from a larger limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 piece that was made for Amenemhat I’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏 “Heb Sed” festival,  better known as the 30 𓎆𓎆𓎆 Year Jubilee! 

There are so many amazing facts about Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢; I could probably write a book about him! Aptly named, “Lord of the Necropolis 𓎟𓇾𓂦𓈊,” he was guardian of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and cemeteries. Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 was the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, and the title “He who is in the mummy wrappings 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖“ signifies Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 role in the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process, which is what he is most known for. 

Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 also could act as a guide to souls 𓂓𓂓𓂓 in the Underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐(referenced in the Pyramid Texts of Unas 𓃹𓈖𓇋𓋴). One of his most famous roles is in the Weighing of the Heart, in which the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 would be weighed against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather 𓆄𓏺 by Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣.  Basically, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 played a big role in all aspects of a person’s death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 was a huge part of the Egyptian religion. 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (the ones above Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 head)! This is part of a much larger inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥!

𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎- He Who is in the Mummy Wrappings – (the first symbol is cut off in my picture, 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖, but it actually can be written both ways)

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands (we have seen this one many times before – part of the titles of the pharaoh)!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

“Given Life”

“Given Life 𓏙𓋹”

Such a simple and easy phrase, however, this phrase was extremely powerful in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! If you look at inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥, it is literally everywhere! A lot of inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 either started or ended with “Given Life 𓏙𓋹.” Usually, inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 were meant to preserve the name 𓂋𓈖 of the deceased, so their soul 𓂓𓏺 could continue to live on. 

My Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 loved ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and shared his passion with me; he is the reason I’m able to read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and is the reasons I have a lifelong passion for the history of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. My Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 gave life 𓏙𓋹 to my passion, and now I am giving life 𓏙𓋹 to his name 𓂋𓈖 and memory.

As Christmas approaches, dealing with the grief of not having Nonno here for a third Christmas has been extremely difficult. Grief can be an overpowering emotion. This morning I had no inspiration to write because while usually going through my pictures and writing helps me handle my grief on a daily basis, this morning that felt impossible until I came across this picture I took. 

The simple phrase “Given Life 𓏙𓋹,” that I’ve read thousands of times over the years gave me comfort. It is wild how a phrase uttered and written by people thousands of years ago, can bring comfort to me today. The power of words, language, and ideas never cease to astound me.

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Reading Hieroglyphs – Stela of Irethoreru

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 for a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named Irethoreru and it is dated to the 25th Dynasty (Third Intermediate Period, c. 775-663 B.C.E.). I have posted about the full stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 in the past, but today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to take a closer look at some of the inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on it! I like to highlight the titles/epithets associated with Gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and Goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏, because they are inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that you can easily recognize a lot! 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are starting right underneath the solar disc! 

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris

𓉼𓊹 – Great God (this is actually written backwards and should be “𓊹𓉼”)

𓎟 – Lord

𓇯 – Sky

𓋾 – Ruler

𓆖 – Eternity

All 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, this reads: “Osiris, the Great God, Lord of the Sky, Ruler of Eternity.” “Lord of the Sky 𓎟𓇯” is usually Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 title, so it’s interesting to see it associated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 here! Also, “𓇯” can mean the word “above,” as “sky” is more commonly written as “𓊪𓏏𓇯.” 

Here’s the next inscription: 

𓊨𓏏𓆇 – Isis

𓅨𓂋 – Great One

𓊹𓅐 – God’s Mother/Goddess

All 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, this reads: “Isis, the Great One, the God’s Mother.” 

Next to each Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗, the name 𓂋𓈖 of the city “Behdet 𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖” (modern day Edfu) is written. Behdet 𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖 is an Egyptian city 𓊖𓏺 in Upper Egypt 𓇓. Horus of the Winged Disc or “Behdetite” was the chief god 𓊹 of the city 𓊖𓏺. 

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Reading Hieroglyphs

“Sem Priest” in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 and the Priesthood 𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏏𓏭𓇼𓀀 were important roles in Egyptian society because religion was so central to life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. However, priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 did not preach to the public – their main role was to care for the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the temples. The priesthood 𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏏𓏭𓇼𓀀 was established during the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150-2613 B.C.E.) and became more developed during the Old Kingdom (c. 2613-2181 B.C.E.). The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 ceased to exist in the New Kingdom forward. 

Throughout inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥, we are used to seeing the word for priest/high priest as “𓊹𓍛” which literally translates to “God’s Servant.” However, in the Old and Middle Kingdoms, there were special priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 who were referred to as “Sem” 𓋴𓅓 priests.

The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 were the priests who were responsible for the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony 𓄋𓏏𓂋𓏺. The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 performed this while dressed in leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin robes, and this ceremony is what allowed the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to be able to speak, see, hear, eat and drink in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 were also responsible for mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎; so they embalmed the corpse and recited all of the spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 while wrapping the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾. 

The word we see here in the inscription, 𓋴𓅓𓎡, is a title that the Sem Priests 𓋴𓅓 had, and can even be a variant way to write just Sem Priest 𓋴𓅓. 

Sem Priest 𓋴𓅓 can also be written with a determinative, and can be spelled as: 𓋴𓅓𓀀, 𓋴𓅓𓀙, 𓋴𓅓𓀼. 

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Reading Hieroglyphs

“Belongs to Me” in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a word that sometimes pops up in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥! These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are from a Middle Kingdom relief which is dated to the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 (c. 2010-2000 B.C.E.). 

This simple word (or phrase in English) “𓈖𓈖𓎡” could mean either “belongs to me,” “mine,” or “on my part.” 

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is a uniliteral phonogram sign, which means it has the sound of a single consonant. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” The 𓈖 has many grammatical functions on its own, and it can mean “to,” “of,” “for,” “we/us/our,” “in,” “because,” “through,” and some others! How do we know which word it is? Context clues! 

The “Basket with a Handle 𓎡” symbol is also a uniliteral phonogram that has the sound of “k.” A lot of people get this one confused with just the “basket 𓎟” symbol which is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound “nb.” These are very different symbols with different meanings so try not to confuse the two!

Another way to write “𓈖𓈖𓎡” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is “𓈖𓈖𓎡𓇋𓀀,” which is a more uncommon variant. 

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Reading Hieroglyphs

“King with a White Crown and Flail” Hieroglyph

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol! This symbol can act as both a determinative and an ideogram! It can be used as a determinative in the word for “King 𓇓𓀴” and also as a determinative for “Osiris 𓁹𓇓𓀴.”

The “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol is also one the many symbols that can be used as an ideogram to solely represent the word for “King 𓀴” in both titles and phrases. 

The “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol is a variant of the symbol “King With a White Crown 𓀲” and the two symbols can usually be used interchangeably with each other in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥! 

Here are some ways we can use “𓀴” in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥! 

𓇓𓏏𓀴 – King of Upper Egypt/King

𓆤𓏏𓀴/𓆤𓏏𓀴𓏥 – King of Lower Egypt/King

𓀴 – King

𓁹𓇓𓀴 – Osiris/The Osiris King

𓁹𓊨𓂋𓀴 – Osiris

So if you see the “King with a White Crown and Flail 𓀴” symbol in an inscription, you are probably looking at a word that has to do with either a King or Osiris! 

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Translation of the Sarcophagus of Henhenet

This very simple limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 from the reign of Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 (Dynasty 11, c. 2051–2030 B.C.E.) and belonged to a priestess 𓊹𓍛 of Hathor 𓉡 named Henhenet 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏. This is one of my favorite pieces to see at the MET specifically because of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that the sarcophagus has inscribed on it! 

This sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 shows the standard offering formula, the name 𓂋𓈖of the deity 𓊹, and the titles associated with that deity 𓊹. This standard way of writing the offering formula is extremely common, and if you know it, you will be able to recognize it anywhere!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓎟𓇾𓂦

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 An Offering the King Gives 

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 – Anubis

𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑 – Upon his Hill/Mountain

𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎- He Who is in the Mummy Wrappings (can also be written as 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖)

𓎟𓇾𓂦 – Lord of the Sacred Land

Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 held many important titles, all of which signify how important he was to not only embalming, but to all aspects of a person’s death 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The title “Upon His Hill/Mountain 𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑” references the cliff that usually surrounded necropolises, which Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 would preside over. The title “He who is in the mummy wrappings 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖“ signifies Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 role in the mummification process, which is what he is most known for. “Lord of the Sacred Land 𓎟𓇾𓂦” refers to the necropolis or cemeteries that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 would guard. 

While this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 contains a lot of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 titles, one that does not appear on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is “Lord of the Necropolis 𓎟𓇾𓂦𓈊.”

Also, Anubis’ name 𓂋𓈖 is shortened here and is missing a symbol: it is written as 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 instead of 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! I see this a lot with Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖, and it is done to save space! 

Here is the second 𓏌𓏻 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥!

𓈎𓂋𓌠𓋴𓁀𓉬𓄤𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓅓𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓋴𓈖𓊼𓉓𓐍𓂋𓃣𓏅𓊹𓉱

𓈎𓂋𓌠𓋴𓁀𓉬 – Burial (I don’t have the composite hieroglyph on the sarcophagus so I used the two symbols here)

𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏- Good 

𓅓 – In Her

𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 – Tomb 

𓋴𓈖𓊼 – Necropolis

𓉓 – A Voice Offering 

𓐍𓂋 – Before

𓃣 – Anubis 

𓏅 – In Front At 

𓊹𓉱 – God’s Booth (Shrine for Anubis)

So all 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, the second 𓏌𓏻 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 reads: “A good burial in her tomb of the necropolis with a voice offering before Anubis, in front at the god’s booth…”

The first 𓏅 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 (from yesterday’s post) contains a lot about Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, and this second part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 continues with that theme! Here we can see Anubis’ 𓃣 title “In Front at the God’s Booth 𓏅𓊹𓉱” in which “God’s Booth 𓊹𓉱” refers to a shrine specifically dedicated to Anubis 𓃣 himself! This second 𓏌𓏻 part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 also only uses the determinative symbol of “𓃣” to spell out Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖! 

Here is the third part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥:

𓊹𓉱𓈖𓇋𓌳𓄪𓐍𓇌𓏏𓇓𓏏𓆭𓌡𓏏𓏏𓉡𓊹𓍛𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏𓐙𓅱𓏏𓊤

𓊹𓉱 – God’s Booth (Shrine for Anubis)

𓈖𓇋- For The/By The

𓌳𓄪𓐍𓇌𓏏 – Venerated/Revered

𓇓 – King 

𓏏𓆭𓌡𓏏𓏏 – Sole Ornament 

𓉡 – Hathor

𓊹𓍛 – High Priestess

𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏 – Henhenet

𓐙𓅱𓏏𓊤 – True of Voice

The title “Sole Ornament of the King 𓇓𓏏𓆭𓌡𓏏𓏏” carried a lot of prestige, but no real responsibility or authority! The word “sole” in this case does not mean “unique” as we would define it in English, but rather signified a high social rank. Henhenet’s 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏 true role was as a High Priestess 𓊹𓍛 of Hathor 𓉡, which is why she was able to be buried in a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭! 

I also love how Henhenet’s 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏 name 𓂋𓈖 is spelled because it is very phonetic – 𓉔 = h, 𓈖 = n, and 𓏏 = t so when we add in the “soft e” to make it pronounceable to us modern people, we get Henhenet 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏! There’s also no determinative here, and her name could have also possibly been written as 𓉔𓈖𓉔𓈖𓏏𓁐! 

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Offering Table Dedicated to the God Seth

This piece is a large offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 that was dedicated to the god 𓊹 Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 by the 19th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠.

There is a lot going on with this piece! On the reliefs, Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 can be seen worshipping thegod Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, whose likeness has been erased. During the Ramesside time period, many pharaohs had “Seth” as part of their name 𓂋𓈖 because Seth’s 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 status was elevated at the time due to him being both a powerful aggressor and being associated with foreign lands. Once Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 fell out of favor, his name 𓂋𓈖/images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 were no longer used. Seth’s image is even removed, except for when he is mentioned in Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 name 𓂋𓈖! The image of the goddess 𓊹𓏏Nephthys 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓉐𓁐 has not been erased, because even though she is the consort of Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, she was considered a favorable figure in Egyptian mythology.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, we see Seti I’s Horus Name: 𓅃𓃒𓂡𓅓𓈍𓋆𓋴𓋹𓈖𓐍𓈙𓈙 “The Strong bull who appeared in Thebes and sustains the Two Lands.” 

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, we see Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the goddess 𓊹𓏏Nephthys 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓉐𓁐 (her name 𓂋𓈖 is written above her), who is the consort of Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣. We can also see Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 titles and cartouches: 

𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt 

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

(𓇳𓁦𓏠) – Menmaatra (throne name)

(𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖) – Seti, Beloved of Ptah (birth name)

𓏙 – Given

𓆖 – Eternity

In the next picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 (above) we see the cartouches again, and Seti worshipping Seth. The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 translate to:

𓏙 – Given

𓋹 – Life

𓆑 – His

𓊽 – Stability

𓌀 – Strength

So all together, the inscription reads: “𓏙𓋹𓆑𓊽𓌀 Given Life, His Stability and Strength.”

The last picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 (above) is another variant of the Horus name! 

I always find pieces such as these so fascinating, because upon first look, it looks like just a large slab of rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙. But in reality, there is so much to analyze and unpack when it comes to the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 and the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, and how they relate to the time period, and even the time periods that came long after this piece was made. While it was made during the 19th Dynasty (reign of Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖), it was definitely altered afterwards.

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Seti I and Hathor

This is such a beautiful 𓄤 relief and it is actually from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠! The tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 is the largest in the Valley of the Kings and it is also my Nonno’s favorite of all the tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪! This relief is now located at the Louvre in France.

The relief shows Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡. Hathor 𓉡 was known as the Lady of the West 𓎟𓏏𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 (the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐). The West 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 and the Underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 were equated by the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 because the sun 𓇳𓏺 set in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊! This is why all of the Egyptian tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 are located on the western 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 side of the Nile!

Here, Hathor 𓉡 is seen welcoming Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 into her domain, while offering him a menat necklace 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧, which was a symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. They are even holding hands 𓂧𓏏𓏺!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓉡 – Hathor
𓁶𓁷𓏏𓏏𓊖𓋆 – Chief one of Thebes
𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands
(𓇳𓁦𓏠) – Menmaatra (throne name – “Eternal is the Truth of Ra”)
𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances
(𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁵𓇌𓈘𓈖) – Seti, Beloved of Ptah (birth name – this is an uncommon variant that uses the Osiris 𓁵 symbol instead of the Seth 𓁣 symbol)
𓏙𓋹𓇳𓏇𓏺𓆖 – Given Eternal Life, Like Ra

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Lid of an Ointment Jar with a Cartouche

This is the lid of an ointment 𓌸𓎛𓏏𓎯𓃋 jar that has some beautiful 𓄤 hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 inscribed on it! One thing that is so interesting about Old and Middle Kingdom cartouches is that sometimes the titles and epithets associated with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 are also enclosed in the cartouche, not just the name 𓂋𓈖 itself! 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to start reading from the right, because the directional symbols are pointing to the right!

Here is the full inscription: 𓋹𓊹𓄤𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱𓇔 𓊅𓆑𓌸𓇌

Now let’s break it down! 

𓋹 – May He Live/Life

𓊹𓄤 – The Perfect God

𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖 – Senwosret 

𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 – Ptah

𓇔 – South

𓊅 – Wall

𓆑 – His 

𓌸𓇌 – Beloved

So the full inscription reads: “May He Live, the Perfect God, Senwosret, Beloved of Ptah, South of His Wall.” The last part, “South of His Wall,” refers to Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖, which was the main cult center where Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢. 

It is actually quite hard to have an exact date for this piece because Senwosret 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖, the birth name of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, was used a bunch of times! There’s Senwosret I, II, and III who all use this birth name on their monuments! Unless the throne name is also present, we don’t know which Senwosret 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖 this is! Since the piece just has the name 𓂋𓈖 Senwosret 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖 on it, we know the jar lid is from the 12th Dynasty, but it could have been made between the dates of 1961–1840 B.C.E. 

The symbol underneath the cartouche is the Hieratic symbol for the number 20!