Tag: artifact

Sistrum with the Face of Hathor

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 17, 2023

Hathor 𓉡 is one of the most prominent goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 of the Egyptian pantheon. Along with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, she is regarded as the “God’s mother 𓅐𓏏𓊹” of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but is also the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of love 𓈘𓏏, joy 𓄫𓄣𓏏, music 𓇋𓎛𓇌, and dance 𓂋𓅱𓂻- basically the fun things in life!

Two sistrums with Hathor’s face on them at the Louvre

In some variations of Egyptian mythology, Hathor 𓉡 is also the wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 of Horus 𓅃𓀭, and the daughter 𓅭𓏏 of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛. Hathor 𓉡 is usually associated with cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏪 and can take the form of a cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 in many forms of Egyptian art.

The piece above is a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣, which is a musical instrument from ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. A sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 was a musical instrument that is similar to a modern rattle or tambourine. Since Hathor 𓉡 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of music 𓇋𓎛𓇌, she was portrayed on most sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 in her human form! However, even though Hathor 𓉡 is represented as a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐, she is recognized easily because of her characteristic cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 ears!

Music 𓇋𓎛𓇌 was essential to many religious rituals, so it was considered to be extremely important! There is even a word in Middle Egyptian just for “Sistrum Player/Music Priest: 𓇋𓎛𓇋𓌂”!!!

I love music 𓇋𓎛𓇌 and it is something that brings me so much joy 𓄫𓄣𓏏! I love how Hathor 𓉡 is associated with both of these things, because I do truly think that music 𓇋𓎛𓇌 and joy 𓄫𓄣𓏏 are linked together 𓈖𓊗 – and I’m sure that the ancient Egyptian people did too!

BTS 𓃀𓏏𓋴 and Il Volo 𓇋𓃭 𓆑𓍯𓃭𓍯 are my absolute favorite artists and I love 𓈘𓏏 listening to their music 𓇋𓎛𓇌! What I love 𓈘𓏏 about BTS 𓃀𓏏𓋴 most are their lyrics – they have written some truly beautiful 𓄤 songs!

Tags artifact, bts, gods and goddesses, hathor, louvre

Reading Hieroglyphs

The Djed Pillar

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 16, 2023

The “Djed Pillar 𓊽” is one of the most common symbols seen in Egyptian art and hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! This particular Djed Pillar 𓊽 is from the Book of the Dead of 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 Imhotep at the MET! Even though this Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 is from the Ptolemaic Period, the origin of the Djed Pillar 𓊽 is in the Predynastic Period!

The Djed Pillar 𓊽 can be seen in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 as a hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃, as an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 for mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 or the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪, in tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 and temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 art, statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, and so much more! This is a wonderful symbol to understand the meaning of because it is everywhere!

In terms of religious symbolism, The Djed Pillar 𓊽 is thought to represent the spine of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. When a person died 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and became “The Osiris,” The Djed Pillar 𓊽 was then thought to represent their spine! The spine was thought to keep Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 upright and able to function as the primary god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. This is even referenced in the The Book of the Dead: “Raise yourself up Osiris. You have your backbone once more, weary-hearted One; you have bones.”

Let’s take a look at the hieroglyphic meaning! The “reed column 𓊽” more commonly known as the “Djed Pillar” is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound “ḏd” which sounds like “Djed.” It also functions as an ideogram for “Stability.”

There are many common words and phrases that have the Djed Pillar 𓊽 in it:

𓏙𓋹𓊽𓌀 – Given Life, Stability, and Strength

𓊽𓊽𓈋𓅱𓊖 / 𓊽𓊽𓅱𓊖 – Djedu

𓊽 / 𓊽𓏏 – Stability, Endure

𓋴𓊽𓊽 – Make Permanent

𓊽𓂧𓏛 – To Be Stable

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, osiris, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

The Heart and Heart Scarab

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 15, 2023

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!

Since it’s Valentine’s Day, let’s talk about the Heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the Heart Scarab! This particular Heart Scarab at the Brooklyn Museum is so cool because it is actually in the shape of a heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 instead of a Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣. The term “Heart Scarab” is a modern one used by archaeologists!

In ancient Egyptian culture, the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not only the center of a person’s life 𓋹, but also thinking, memory, and moral values. The heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not removed during the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process, because the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person would need it on their journey through the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

The person’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 would be weighed against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather 𓆄𓏺 by Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, and that would determine if the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and then enter the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖, or eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹. This was called the “Weighing of the Heart,” or the “Judgement of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭.”

Two Heart Scarabs in the shape of a heart, with Chapter 30B of the Book of the Dead inscribed on it.

So how does the Heart Scarab play into this? In modern terms, the Heart Scarab could be seen as a “cheat code” for getting past the “Weighing of the Heart” – most are inscribed with the spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 from Chapter 30B from the Book of the Dead. In this spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 asks their own heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 to not betray them during the “Weighing of the Heart.”

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 30B from the Papyrus of Ani: “O my heart of different ages! Do not stand up as a witness against me, do not be opposed to me in the tribunal, do not be hostile to me in the presence of the keeper of the balance, for you are my ka which was in my body, the protector who made my members hale.”

Basically, the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 feared the outcome of their final judgement so they developed this amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 as a way to ensure a positive outcome to the scales!

Tags artifact, book of the dead, brooklyn museum, scarab

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Osiris’ Name in a Cartouche

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 13, 2023

Osiris’ 𓁹𓊨𓀭 name 𓂋𓈖 in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷? Usually the name 𓂋𓈖 of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 appears in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷! While this doesn’t happen often, there are instances where the name 𓂋𓈖 of a god 𓊹 will appear in the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷!

This is a fragment of a beautifully 𓄤 painted 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭. I would estimate its from around the later New Kingdom period or later because that’s when painted 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪 such as these became popular!

Osiris’ name in a cartouche on a sarcophagus fragment

I love this piece because of the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷, but also because there is so much other stuff going on even though it’s small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩! The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are: 𓁹𓊨𓀭𓎟𓎛𓇳𓎛 which translates to “Osiris, Lord of Eternity.” Let’s break down the symbols!

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris

𓎟 – Lord

𓎛𓇳𓎛 – Eternity

I haven’t seen that many pieces like this, so I just found this one so cool! Usually the name 𓂋𓈖 of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 is what appears in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷, but in this case it’s Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and his title! The top of the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 also has the Atef Crown 𓋚 on it, which is the crown that is associated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭.

The ancient Egyptians talked about “eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛” a lot and were actually the civilization to derive the concept of “eternity 𓆖.” There were two 𓏻 very common ways they expressed the word for “eternity” in hieroglyphic symbols:

𓎛𓇳𓎛 – Eternity

𓆖 – Eternity/Everlasting

There are some other popular hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that appear on this piece!! See if you can spot them!

𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖 – Edfu

𓊹𓉼 – Great God

Both of the phrases appear symmetrically on either side of the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 which is something that is common on these types of pieces!

Let’s take a look at some of the deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 that appear! If you look in the lower left, you can see part of the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 with a large table of offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 in front of him. On the top left, below the winged 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃 sun disk 𓇳𓏺 is a falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 which is representative of the god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭. On the top right, there is an ibis 𓉔𓃀𓅤 which is representative of the god 𓊹 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭.

On either side of the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷, the god 𓊹 Hapi 𓎛𓂝𓊪𓏭𓈘 (god 𓊹 of the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺/flooding of the Nile) is shown. There are two 𓏻 of him because if you look closely, you can see both symbolically tying up papyrus 𓏠𓈖𓎛𓆰 and lotus 𓆸 plants together. This was meant to represent the union of Upper 𓇓 and Lower 𓆤 Egypt! You can easily recognize Hapi 𓎛𓂝𓊪𓏭𓈘 because of the papyrus flowers 𓏠𓈖𓎛𓆰 on his head!

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, hapi, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, horus, louvre, osiris

Egyptian Artifacts

The Book of the Dead of Nauny

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 11, 2023

The Weighing of the Heart (sometimes called the Judgement of Osiris 𓊩𓁹) is my absolute favorite part of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. I love how each version is unique and not a single one is the same! I find this particular papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 to be absolutely stunning.

In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, the Book of the Dead was actually called “Coming Forth By Day 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺,” and it was a collection of magic spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 to help the deceased enter the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, and eventually the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖.

The Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 is interesting because it doesn’t follow a particular story. The spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 do seem to be grouped by theme, and sometimes pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 can be representative of the spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 that are written!

This particular Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 belonged to a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Nauny 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐 who lived during the 21st Dynasty reign of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Psusennes I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓅮𓇼𓈍𓈖𓊖. Nauny’s 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 are also at the MET!

Isis (left) and Nauny (right)

Starting from the left: the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is shown next to Nauny 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐, who is shown holding her eyes 𓁹𓁹 and mouth 𓂋 in her hands. Nauny’s 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐 heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 is weighed by Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 against Maat 𓁦. Usually, Maat’s 𓁦 feather 𓆄𓏺 is used, but this time Maat 𓁦 herself is shown on the scale, and is represented by the hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 that is used in her name 𓂋𓈖! Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 is shown on top of the scale, and his job is to record the findings. Osiris 𓊩𓁹 presides over the scene.

Anubis

Luckily for Nauny 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐, the scales are in balance which means that she lead a true 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄 and just 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄𓏜 life 𓋹 and is worthy enough to enter the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖 and enjoy eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹 with Osiris 𓊩𓁹! Above the Weighing of the Heart scene, Nauny 𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐 is seen standing by her own tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 and worshipping 𓇼𓄿𓀢 Horus 𓅃𓀭.

Osiris

Tags anubis, artifact, book of the dead, gods and goddesses, horus, isis, osiris, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Cartouche Box of Shosenq II

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 10, 2023

This cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 shaped box is a small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 yet interesting piece at the MET! I stumbled upon this piece because it is in a display with lots of ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures! One of my absolute favorite Egyptian artifacts is Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 box, and while this is a smaller and less elaborate version of Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓, I still love it!

This cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 shaped box is dated to the Third Intermediate Period (c. 825-773 B.C.E.) which would be in the 22nd Dynasty! The box is also inscribed for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Shosenq II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏𓊹𓋾𓉺.

Cartouche Box of Shosenq II

Even though they may be difficult to see in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre setep en Ra (Throne Name)

𓊹𓋾𓉺 – God and Ruler of Heliopolis

𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏 – Shosenq II (Shoshenk, Son of Bastet, Beloved of Amun)

There are a lot of interesting things going on in this inscription! The first 𓏃 interesting thing is that Shosenq II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏𓊹𓋾𓉺 has the same throne name as the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓! The name 𓂋𓈖 “Usermaatre setep en Ra 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖” translates to “The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra.”

The second interesting thing is that all of the titles appear before both names 𓂋𓈖𓏦, instead of being broken up and appearing before either the throne name or the given/birth name!

Another interesting thing is that the part of Shosenq II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏𓊹𓋾𓉺 birth name, “God and Ruler of Heliopolis𓊹𓋾𓉺,” appears at the beginning of this birth name instead of at the end, hence why I broke it up in my translation! The name 𓂋𓈖 should appear like this in the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥: 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏𓊹𓋾𓉺, but instead appears as 𓊹𓋾𓉺𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓆷𓆷𓎯𓏏𓏏!

The fourth interesting part is that neither the birth name nor the throne name appear in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷! I guess the whole box is the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 so maybe the artist felt that the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 didn’t need a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥?!

Who knew such a small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 piece could hold so many interesting things! It’s amazing what can be discovered by just reading a couple of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Tags artifact, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, shosenq ii, the met

Video

Video – Anubis Statue

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 9, 2023

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was found near the Sacred Animal Necropolis at Saqqara (Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖). The Sacred Animal Necropolis housed thousands 𓏲𓏲𓏲 of mummified animals such as falcons 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄𓏦, baboons, ibises 𓉔𓃀𓅤𓏦 and bulls/cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦. This piece is dated to the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (664–30 B.C.E.).

Although mummified jackals 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥𓏦 were not found in the area, statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 have been found most likely because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and embalming 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, so it would make sense that there would be statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of him in the vicinity of this large necropolis. It is thought that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 such as this were used to guard embalming tents.

Interestingly, this piece was originally painted 𓏞𓏜 black 𓆎𓅓, but through time it has lost its coloring! It’s hard to see in my pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 (the MET really needs better lighting – the galleries are so dark) but you can still see remnants of some of the black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 on the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾!

I was very excited to see this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾, because there is a similar one in the Petrie Museum in London! I love seeing similar pieces in different museums around the world! It is really cool to see pieces that are similar across museum collections – I can’t explain why, but I just find it incredible! Also (no surprise), I love anything Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, so of course I absolutely love this statue and I need to visit it every time I go to the MET!

Fun fact! There are no temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦 dedicated to Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 because all tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and large burial areas were considered “temples” to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in! It makes so much sense because he is the god 𓊹 of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 and mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎!

A picture of me with the Anubis statue!

Tags anubis, artifact, gods and goddesses, the met, video

Egyptian Artifacts

Scarabs of Thutmosis III

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 8, 2023

Look at all 𓎟 of these scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪!

I love these displays at the MET because they have all 𓎟 of the scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 grouped by the name 𓂋𓈖 of the pharaoh that is inscribed on them! These scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 contain the throne name of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴! I also love tiny things, so these displays are some of my favorites!

The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is the personification is the god 𓊹 Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛. The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were said to be the most powerful of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 because the the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the dung beetle (which the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 was fashioned after) was capable of eternal regeneration.

The god 𓊹 Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 symbolizes a “life cycle” – birth 𓄟, death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and then rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This cycle was essential to Egyptian religious beliefs, as Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 spent their lives preparing for death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and entering the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife).

Can you see the throne name (𓇳𓏠𓆣) and variant of Thutmosis III’s throne name (𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓) in the picture?

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

The most common throne name spelling for Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴 is “Menkhepperra 𓇳𓏠𓆣.” The name 𓂋𓈖 Menkhepperra 𓇳𓏠𓆣 translates to “Lasting is the Manifestation of Ra.”

𓇳 – Ra

𓏠 – Lasting

𓆣 – Manifestation

One of Thutmosis III’s throne name variants appears on one of the scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪- it is rare to see this variant! This throne name variant is “Menkhepperkara 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓” which translates to “Lasting is the Manifestation of the Soul of Ra.” I love seeing the variants!

Can you spot any of the words in the text below in the picture above?

There are some other common phrases that accompany the name 𓂋𓈖 of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓 on these little scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪! See if you can spot them in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏:

𓎟 – Lord of/Everything/All

𓊹𓄤 – The Perfect God

𓏙𓋹 – Given Life

𓆖 – Eternity

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

Tags artifact, hieroglyphs, scarab, the met, thutmosis iii

Egyptian Artifacts

The Ushabtis of Nauny

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 7, 2023

Let’s look at some ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures! Gallery 126 at the MET has lot of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 on display and I LOVE being in this room!

These ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures and shabti boxes belong to a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Nauny, who lived during the 21st Dynasty reign of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Psusennes I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓅮𓇼𓈍𓈖𓊖.

Nauny was buried with a total of 393 ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figures that were divided amongst seven 𓐀 shabti boxes. The shabti boxes are made of sycamore 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭 wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 and painted 𓏞𓏜 with stucco. As demonstrated in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 below, the ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 are stored in an upright position in the box!

The Ushabtis of Nauny and the Ushabti boxes

The ushabti figures 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 that Nauny was buried with are made of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 and have featured and inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on them that are painted 𓏞𓏜 with black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦. The inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the front (and back) of the ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 reads:

The ushabti figures with the kilts are Overseer Ushabtis, while the ones with hieroglyphs on the front are Worker Ushabtis.

𓋴𓌉𓆓𓇶 – The Illuminated One

𓊩𓁹 – The Osiris

𓇓𓅭𓏏 – The King’s daughter

𓈖𓄿𓈖𓇌𓁐 – Nauny

𓐙𓊤 – True of Voice

“The Osiris 𓊩𓁹” part of the inscription means that Nauny, through the process of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, becomes 𓆣 like the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓊩𓁹 who is the main god 𓊹 of the dead. This means that Nauny will live on in the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife) just like Osiris 𓊩𓁹 has!

There are two 𓏻 different types of ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏: worker ushabtis and overseer ushabtis! Nauny originally had a total of 365 worker ushabtis, one for each day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 of the year. The worker ushabtis are identified by having the inscription on the front! The overseer ushabtis had the job of making sure that the worker ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were doing their job! The overseer ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 can be identified by the long kilt that they are wearing, and their inscription is located on the back!

Tags artifact, shabti, the met, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

The Apis Bull

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 6, 2023

This artifact is a seemingly bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of an Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 that is dated to either the Late Period or the Ptolemaic Period (c. 664 – 200 B.C.E.). The worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 of the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 can actually be traced back to as early as the First Dynasty!

The Apis Bull in statue form

The Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was associated with fertility and rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 and was mostly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖 near the Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 Temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐. People would travel from various locations to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 just to worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒, and the mother 𓅐𓏏 of the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒.

While Hathor 𓉡 is probably the most famous of the cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was also very widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 and represented eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛and the harmonious balance of the whole universe. The Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was usually associated with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 (hence why a lot of pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 were referred to as the “strong bull 𓂡𓃒”) were used to represent the strength 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 and vitality of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

Usually a live bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 was used to be worshipped, and the bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 needed to have special markings on it such as a triangle shape on its forehead, or patches that represented wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 on its body. When the bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 that was being worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 died, it was embalmed 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and buried elaborately. A new bull 𓂋𓈖𓈖𓃒 would then take its place.

One of the easiest ways to recognize the Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 in statuary is by looking for the sun disc 𓇳 on its head, and the elaborate cloth that is decorating the back of its body. You can easily see the details of this decorated cloth on this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 at the MET! See if you can spot the triangle on his forehead!

The Apis Bull in statue form

Tags apis bull, artifact, the met

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