While this may seem like a simple sketch of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 on limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉, I actually find it very interesting! This is easily recognizable as the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 because the lord 𓎟 of the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 is always depicted in the same way – as a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾, holding the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅 , and wearing the Atef crown 𓋚. The Atef crown is the White Crown of Upper Egypt 𓌉𓏏𓋑 with two 𓏻 feathers 𓆄𓏏𓏭𓋛 of Ma’at 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 adorning the sides.
Sketch of Osiris at the Brooklyn Museum
The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are as follows: 𓊨𓁹𓉼𓉼𓊹
It simply says “Osiris, the great god.” In this caption, Osiris is written “backwards” and without the determinative 𓀭 hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃. This was probably due to the fact that the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 would appear neater when written like this “𓊨𓁹” instead of like this “𓁹𓊨.”
Also, “great god” is written like this “𓉼𓉼𓊹” instead of this “𓉼𓊹.” It was either done to take up the appropriate amount of space (aesthetics were everything, and was much more important than proper spelling/grammar 😂) or to emphasize Osiris’ greatness. It could’ve even been for both reasons!
Another mummy mask?! Why not!! This mask of a woman is dated to the Late Period (1st Century B.C.E). It is also a cartonnage mask, which was a very popular type of material to use because it was easy to work with and the mask could be made relatively quickly. The colors on this mask are so bright and well preserved – especially the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝. I love how the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 used red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 and the blue/green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 color together 𓈖𓊗 a lot. I love that color combination!
I have also provided a close-up of the art on the wig that shows the goddesses Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 (left) and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇(right). Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 were sisters (which means their brothers are Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣). While Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 were also married, so were Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 and Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣. Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 are shown together quite frequently, Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 and Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 are rarely shown together in art because Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 was considered to be a positive figure instead of negative. She is usually depicted with either just Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, or with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭.
You can easily tell Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 apart from each other in Egyptian art based off of the crowns that they are wearing. The crowns correspond to the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that make up their names!
Isis (𓊨𓏏𓁥) wears “𓊨” as a crown! Nephthys (𓉠𓏏𓆇) wears “𓉠” as a crown!
One of the features of Egyptian funerary practices that persisted throughout time was the mummy masks. Mummy masks first appeared during the First Intermediate Period (~2181 BCE), and were last used during the Roman Period (~395 AD). While the styles certainly changed, their purpose of protecting the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 remained the same. The function of protection is made explicit by Spell 151 from the Book of the Dead. Spell 151 also restores the ability of the dead to see through the mask. Spell 151 even appears on the back of the mask of Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓!
Mummy Mask (Roman Period) at the Brooklyn Museum
This mask is from the Roman Period, and it’s always so interesting to see the merging of the two 𓏻 different styles. The mask is made of cartonnage (kind of like paper mache) and is covered in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf, which is typical of Ptolemaic/Roman masks. The mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is wearing a nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 style headdress, and Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 (the winged scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣) can be seen on the head 𓁶𓏺. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭 is a symbol of rebirth.
What makes this mask so beautiful 𓄤 are all of the small details in the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf. The most prominent is the deceased (as a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾) standing before 𓐍𓂋 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. The protective cobras 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 also adorn the mask. Daisies/Rosettes are seen as decoration along with the Wedjat-eyes 𓂀 on each side. Both of these are also symbols of rebirth!
During Roman times, masks were mass produced in workshops so it is unlikely that this mask represents a specific person.
When I saw this piece I really liked it because of how colorful it was! No matter how many times I see artifacts in museums, I’m always shocked by how bright the colors still are on some objects!
Coffin Fragment with Isis at the Brooklyn Museum
This is a coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 fragment (Late Period, Dynasties 26-31 c. 664-332 B.C.E.) that shows the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓆗 in mourning. Since in Egyptian mythology Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 assisted in the resurrection of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, it was believed that she would be instrumental in the rebirth of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. This is why she was always seen on coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 or sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏦.
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The inscription I have translated is on the right column: “𓆓𓇋𓈖𓊨𓏏𓆇𓆗𓅨𓂋𓊹𓅐”
𓆓𓇋𓈖 – Words Spoken By 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓆗 Isis (Isis is more commonly written like this “𓊨𓏏𓁥“ or “ 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓁥”) 𓅨𓂋 – the Great (greatness) 𓊹𓅐 – Goddess (can also be written as 𓊹𓏏)
Put together, the inscription reads:
“Words spoken by Isis, the great goddess…” The rest of the inscription is cut off.
This is definitely a unique piece! I had never seen one like it in another museum which is why I was so interested in it!
The Brooklyn Museum has it listed as a “Model of a Temple Gateway.” The actual function of the model is unclear because it is not a model that was used by an architect! It is listed as being “ceremonial” – which is archaeology speak for “we have no idea what this is for”!
The sunken reliefs around the base of the model show Pharaoh Seti I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓇌𓁣𓈖 in a kneeling position making offerings to several forms of the sun-god. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 (the rising sun), Ra-Horkathy 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 (sun at the highest point in the sky – known as the zenith), and Atum 𓇋𓏏𓂟𓀭 (the setting sun and one of the creation gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹) can all be seen.
The cartouche shown is one of the variations of Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 throne name. Usually it’s just written as 𓇳𓁦𓏠 (Eternal is the Truth of Ra) but here it’s shown as 𓇳𓏠𓁧𓂇𓇳 (Eternal is the Truth of Ra, the image of Ra).
One of the most popular types of jewelry amongst the elite – including the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and royal family is known as the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝. In Middle Egyptian, the word for broad collar was 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 (pronounced “wesekh) or simply just the determinative hieroglyph 𓋝 could be used for the whole word. This particular broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 was made during the late 18th Dynasty.
The broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 was the necklace of choice by both the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and it reached peak popularity during the 18th Dynasty. Broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝𓏦 could be made of many different types of materials, including gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉, but the one shown in this picture are made of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 beads. This broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is in almost perfect condition!
Underneath the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is actually a spoon! It is not a spoon that was used for eating, but instead used to hold ointment 𓋴𓎼𓈖𓈖. The top part of the spoon swivels open! It is fashioned after a pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭, and the spoon part itself is supposed to be a pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭 fruit. Fun fact: pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭 flowers and fruit never appear on the plant at the same time, so maybe the spoon is representative of the growth from flowers to fruit/the life cycle of the plant??!! We will never know!
This post will be about two statues from different museums that are very similar!
This is a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 dated from the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period. I am always amazed when wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 statues are in such great condition – even though the paint is chipping in some places, the statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 still retained much of its original color!
Wooden Statue of Nephthys at the Brooklyn Museum
Along with her sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 was a protector 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of the dead and this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was most likely used for funerary purposes. The crown on her head is one of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that is used in her name (𓉠), which makes Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 very easy to identify in tomb art/funerary art. Her hand/arm 𓂝𓏺 is raised in what is thought to me a mourning position, and this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was most likely placed in a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐.
Nephthys’ 𓉠𓏏𓆇 title was “Mistress of the House 𓎟𓏏𓉐𓏺.” Her name 𓂋𓈖 could also be written as 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓏒𓏯𓆗. The three 𓏼 symbols “𓎟𓏏𓉗” can be combined to make the “𓉠” symbol, which is not only the crown, but a space saver when writing out hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
Nephthys’ 𓉠𓏏𓆇 hair is blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 because it was supposed to be the same color as lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧! Lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧 is a stone (usually found in modern day Afghanistan) and was considered to be worth more than gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 by the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 because it had to be traded for! Many of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 were thought to have blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧 hair!
This is a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is dated from the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period. Once again, this wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 statue is in such great condition! When I saw the statue of Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 in the Brooklyn Museum, it immediately reminded me of this statue of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 at the Louvre!
Wooden Statue of Isis at the Louvre
Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was a protector 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of the dead and the wife to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. This statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was most likely used for funerary purposes. Her hands/arms 𓂝𓏦 are raised in what is thought to be a mourning position, and this statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 was most likely placed in a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐.
The crown on her head is one of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that is used in her name (𓊨), which makes Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 very easy to identify in tomb art/funerary art. Isis can also be written as 𓊨𓏏𓆗 or 𓄿𓊨𓏏𓁥, but no matter what, the “𓊨” always appears in her name 𓂋𓈖!
Much like the statue of Nephthys’ 𓉠𓏏𓆇 from the Brooklyn Museum, Isis’ 𓊨𓏏𓁥 hair is blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 because it was supposed to be the same color as lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧! Many of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 were thought to have blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧 hair!
This is a black granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 shows the god 𓊹 Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 in sunken relief. This stela is dated to the reign of Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴 (18th Dynasty). The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 originally belonged to a soldier named Amunemhat and he dedicated it to one of Sobek’s 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 temples. Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴 saw a lot of military victories, and that is probably how Anunemhat was able to pay for this small stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸.
On the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸, Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 is seen in crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 form standing on an altar 𓊵𓏏𓊪 with an elaborate headdress on his head. There is an offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 in front of him that contains bread 𓏏𓏔𓏐 and meat 𓇋𓅱𓆑𓄹, which were very common things to be left as offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏 𓏔𓏦 to either a god 𓊹 or the dead. Amunemhat is seen kneeling in the lower right corner of the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸. Due to the faded hieroglyphs it’s very hard for me to translate them though next to Amunemhat’s head 𓁶𓏺 you can see “ 𓇋𓏠𓈖” which is “Amun” and this the start of Amunemhat’s name 𓂋𓈖.
Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 had been worshipped since the Old Kingdom and is mentioned in the Pyramid Texts as being the son 𓅭 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Neith 𓈖𓏏𓋌𓀭. He was a water god 𓊹 , and also of areas such as marshes and rivers/riverbanks. Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 usually appears in art as a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 or as a man with a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 head. The elaborate headdress on his head is representative of the sun disk 𓇳𓏺 with tall plumes on either side.
I’m making another post with Hathor 𓉡 in it because why not?! Hathor 𓉡 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪, motherhood, joy, music 𓉔𓇌𓆸, happiness 𓄫𓅱𓏛, and a goddess 𓊹𓏏 of the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.
This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is dated to the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom). The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 was dedicated to Hathor 𓉡 and the 11th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 by a priest 𓊹𓍛 named An. On this stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸, Hathor 𓉡 appears in her cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 form, while the human figure (probably Montuhotep II) on the left is cut off. An is not pictured on the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸, which means it was probably already made and An just had his name 𓂋𓈖 added to it. It was most likely placed in a shrine at Deir el-Bahri, because both Hathor 𓉡 and Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 were both worshipped there. It was not uncommon for pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 to be worshipped long after they died.
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓊹𓄤𓎟𓇿𓇿(𓇳𓊤𓎟) – “The Great God, Lord of the Two Lands, Nebhapetra” (Nebhapetra is Montuhotep II’s throne name)
𓉡𓏏𓊓𓁷𓏏𓊖𓋆 – “Hathor, Chief one of Thebes” (Thebes can also be written as “𓌀𓏏𓊖” – I’m just copying the symbol directly from the stela, even though it may look “backwards”).
This is 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.). This stela is composed of the igneous rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 syenite, which is very similar to granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 except for the fact that it contains much less quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙. This property is what allows such beautiful 𓄤 color contrast between the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 itself versus the sunken relief. The contrast between the two 𓏻 makes this stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 particularly stunning in my opinion.
On the right side, we can see Irethoreru making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥. All three 𓏼 figures are standing underneath Horus the Behdetite (the winged solar disc with uraei 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗), which is a representation of Horus 𓅃𓀭 that was popular on stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪 and temple decorations throughout many Egyptian time periods.
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓊨𓏏𓆇 – Isis (Isis is more commonly written like this “𓊨𓏏𓁥“ or “ 𓊨𓏏𓆇𓁥”) 𓅨𓂋 – Great One 𓊹𓅐 – God’s Mother/Goddess
𓁹𓊨𓀭 – “Osiris” 𓊹𓉼 – “Great God” 𓎟𓇯 – “Lord of the Sky” (𓇯 by itself usually means “above,” but for this translation it’s just the word sky/heaven which is usually written as 𓊪𓏏𓇯. This is usually Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 title so it’s a little strange to see it associated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭!) 𓋾 – Ruler 𓆖 – Eternity
