Tag: gods and goddesses

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bastet vs. Sekhmet

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows bronze statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of the beloved 𓌻𓂋𓇌 Egyptian goddess 𓊹𓏏 Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐. Here are some fun facts about Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐!!

The goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 and Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 were both depicted as cats 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠𓏪, however, Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 usually had the body of a woman while Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 usually had the body of a cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠.

However, when Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was depicted with the body of a woman, she was usually holding a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 in one hand! Since Hathor 𓉡 was usually seen with sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪, this shows a link between the two 𓏻 goddesses!

Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 and Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 were believed to be the two unpredictable personalities of the same goddess 𓊹𓏏. While Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 represented the destructive and unpredictable side, Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was the gentler and calmer side.

Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of pregnancy and childbirth and was considered to be the protective form of the goddess 𓊹𓏏.

Bastet’s 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 father was Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛! Which is why her alter ego Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 can be associated with the sun.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Late Period Faience Amulets

These are some Late Period faience amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪! Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were protective symbols that could be used by either the living 𓋹𓈖𓐍 or the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and each amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 had its own power based on the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 it represented. 

The first amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 on the left is Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭, the god 𓊹 of the air and atmosphere. In the Egyptian creation myth, Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 raised the atmosphere from the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface, separating the two 𓏻. Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was often worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 by sailors, who were looking for favorable winds 𓇋𓇬𓈖𓅱𓊡𓏦! 

The next two 𓏻 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are different representations of the god 𓊹 Khnum 𓎸𓏏𓀭. Khnum 𓎸𓏏𓀭 is usually represented as a ram and is one of the oldest Egyptian deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 – evidence of worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 dates back to the First Dynasty!! Khnum 𓎸𓏏𓀭 is the god 𓊹 of the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 and fertility. In the creation myth, Khnum 𓎸𓏏𓀭 is said to have created all of the world’s people on his potter’s wheel. He is associated with Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱, who created the heavens 𓊪𓏏𓇯 and Earth 𓇾𓇾 on a potter’s wheel. 

The next two 𓏻 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are a hare 𓃹𓏺 and an Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒. The hare 𓃹𓏺 amulet was thought to have regenerative powers, and in a funerary context, would help the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 be reborn 𓄟𓍿𓅱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The Apis Bull 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 was associated with fertility and rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 and was mostly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖. 

Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 is a fierce Egyptian goddess 𓊹𓏏 who is associated with childbirth. Women who were pregnant would wear amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 of Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 for protection. Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 is always represented as a pregnant hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯 and was a household deity – she didn’t have any temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪 dedicated to her specifically. 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Museum Display at the Louvre

I love the randomness of some museum displays – there’s always so much to look at! By “randomness,” I’m referring to the varying objects that can be grouped together, however they are from the same time period so the conglomeration of different objects can give you a sense of the varying objects common during that period! It also gives you a look into the art styles that were popular!

Starting from the left, you can see a figure of the god Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜. Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 didn’t become commonly worshipped until the beginning of the New Kingdom. He was the god of childbirth, protector of the household 𓉐𓏺, and defender of all that is good! He was considered to be a “demonic fighter,” and was also a war god.

There are two 𓏻 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures with beautiful hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 inscriptions. These little guys were buried with the deceased and were meant to be their servants in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. Most ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 are inscribed with a spell that tells you what their function was. When Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 called upon the deceased for labor, the deceased would say the spell on the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 and it would come to life and perform the labor in place of the deceased!

Next are the sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪! A sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 was almost like an ancient tambourine or rattle – while the part that makes the music is often not found intact, the handle with Hathor’s 𓉡 face usually is. Sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 can be found dating back to the Old Kingdom, but most that are found are usually from the Late – Graeco/Roman periods.

And lastly, a statue of the goddess Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐! Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was one of my Nonno’s favorite mythological figures. Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was a war goddess and was associated with the destructive aspects of the sun 𓇳𓏺 (like the unrelenting heat of the desert).

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statues of Hathor, Amun and Osiris

My Nonno always loved the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏! Bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statuary 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 became very popular starting around the Third Intermediate Period (26th Dynasty), and became very abundant in the Ptolemaic Period.

In this display at the Louvre, Hathor 𓉡, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭, and Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 are shown! 

Hathor 𓉡 is one of the most prominent goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 of the Egyptian pantheon. Along with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, she is regarded as the “divine mother” of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but is also the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of love, joy, music, and dance – basically the fun things in life! Hathor is also the wife of Horus 𓅃𓀭, and the daughter of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛. Hathor 𓉡 is usually associated with cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦 and can take the form of a cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 in many forms of Egyptian art.

Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is also considered to be one of the most important gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon and was first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts. Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 had many different roles and was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a creator god, solar god, fertility god, warrior god, and king of the gods. Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is also considered the “universal god” meaning that his power permeated the cosmos and all that the cosmos contained! 

Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was one of the main figures of Egyptian religion.  This is because Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was the god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and the ruler of the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, and Egyptians spent their entire time living preparing for their death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and meeting with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭.  When the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was alive, he was thought to be the living image 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹 of the God 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭, but more importantly when the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 died, he was thought to then become an Osiris-like figure. 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Relief of Sobek

I enjoyed talking about my friend Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 so here’s another piece that depicts Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋! This is a raised limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief of Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 from the Ptolemaic Period and is at the MET.

Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 is usually depicted as a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 sitting on a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 – just like this hieroglyph “𓆋,” or as a human body with a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 head 𓁶𓏺. 

Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 from the Old Kingdom through the Roman Periods, but his popularity seemed to have peaked during the Second Intermediate Period as many pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 of the 13th Dynasty had names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 that were associated with him. For example, the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 called “Sobekhotep 𓆋𓊵𓏏𓊪” translates to “Sobek is satisfied.” There were also many commoners whose name 𓂋𓈖 was also Sobekhotep 𓆋𓊵𓏏𓊪.

Fun fact! While “Sobekhotep 𓆋𓊵𓏏𓊪” can literally be written as “Sobek 𓆋” and “Hotep 𓊵𓏏𓊪” with the ideogram for “Sobek 𓆋” taking on the full meaning of the word, the name can also be written as “𓋴𓃀𓎡𓊵𓏏𓊪,” which also spells out Sobekhotep, but this time, only phonograms are used! I love seeing different variations of the same words in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Ostracon of the Crocodile God Sobek

This is an ostracon, which is basically either a broken piece of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 (in this case), pottery, a rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙, etc. that was used for drawing practice or even “To Do” lists! A lot of the ostraca from ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 were often used as “political cartoons” – where animals were depicted doing human things that were usually comments of society and the social hierarchy! Pieces of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 were often used because papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 was too expensive to practice on! 

This nice little ostracon pictured however, is just a lovely drawing of the crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 god 𓊹 Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋! This piece is dated to the New Kingdom (Ramesside – c. 1295–1070 B.C.E.) and was most likely found at Deir el-Medina! 

Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 was one of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 that was named in the Pyramid Texts, which makes him one of the oldest deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. He is often depicted as a human body with a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 head 𓁶𓏺. 

Some of the Egyptian legends state that Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 rose out of the primordial waters and created the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. Since Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 is associated with the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺, this makes him also associated with fertility (much like Taweret, the crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 goddess 𓊹𓏏 of fertility) since the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 associated the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 with fertility and rebirth. 

Sobek 𓋴𓃀𓎡𓆋 was both feared and revered due to him being a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌! He was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in order to ensure the fertility of both people and crops, but also to protect against crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 attacks. 

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Egyptian Artifacts

A Column that Looks like a Sistrum

This may look like a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣, but it’s actually a column from a temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐! 

A column that looks like a sistrum (with Hathor) at the MET

A sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 was a musical instrument (like a rattle/tambourine) that was associated with the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡. Sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 usually had Hathor’s 𓉡 head 𓁶𓏤 (complete with her cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 ears) on top of a long handle – just like this column!

While it is difficult to tell in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, some paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 is still left on the column! Based on scientific testing of the trace pigments left behind, Hathor’s 𓉡 hair would have been blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥! Fun fact: “Egyptian Blue” is the oldest synthetic color pigment in the whole world!

There are images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Hathor 𓉡 and inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on all four 𓏽 sides as well!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! This inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 is exciting because these are all phrases I have taught through my previous posts! See if you can read along before reading the translation!!!

𓊹𓄤 – The Great God 

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓆣𓂓 – Kheperkare (Nectanbo’s throne name)

How well did you do? We’re you able to read the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥? Let me know!!

This piece is dated to the Late Period, Dynasty 30, reign of Nectanebo I (c. 380–362 B.C.E.). 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Nehebukau

Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 is an Egyptian snake god 𓊹 whose name 𓂋𓈖 means “he who harnesses the spirits” and was he considered to be a helpful deity!  Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 is usually depicted as a snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 with human legs, and as a kid I always got a kick out of this!! 

Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 was a very popular god 𓊹 to see represented on amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 worn by the living (especially New Kingdom and later) because amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 of Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 were thought to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the wearer from snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 bites! 

Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 was thought to be the god 𓊹 that announced the new pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 to the other gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 at the beginning of his/her rule 𓋾.  When the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 died, it was Nehebukau’s 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 job to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 and feed the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 or other deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person. The drink that the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would be fed was called “The Milk of Light,” and it would protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 against bites from poisonous animals. Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 was one of the forty-two gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 who helped judge the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Hall of Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦. 

Nehebukau 𓅘𓎛𓃀𓏴𓂓𓏦 had no cult or priesthood associated with him because most would use magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 to invoke his protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜.  

This is another closeup image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 from Imhotep’s 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Book of the Dead (Early Ptolemaic Period) at the MET.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Osiris Statues at the Museo Egizio

This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 was taken by my Nonno at the Museo Egizio! While I have never been to the Museo Egizio, my Nonno always spoke so highly of the museum; he absolutely loved it there! He always brought me back books whenever he went! I always got an English and Italian version so I could practice my Italian too! 

These are three bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭! The statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 are dated to the Late Period. Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 Is typically depicted as a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 wearing the Atef crown 𓋚 and holding a crook 𓋾 and flail𓌅 . The crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅 are symbols associated with kingship. Bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 are highly abundant and have been associated with worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 in homes and temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏪 but have of course been found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪. 

Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was one of the main figures of Egyptian religion.  This is because Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was the god 𓊹 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and the ruler of the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. Egyptians spent their entire time living preparing for their death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and meeting with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭.  The deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 by Horus 𓅃𓀭 after the Weighing of the Heart ceremony; but only if their heart was in balance! 

When the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was alive, he was thought to be the living image 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹 of the God 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭, but more importantly when the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 died, he was thought to then become an Osiris-like figure. 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Anubis – drawing, hieroglyph or both?

This is another closeup image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 from Imhotep’s 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Book of the Dead (Early Ptolemaic Period) at the MET. While this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is not part of an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥, this is my favorite hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃; Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 on top of a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐! 

As many of you know, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is my favorite Egyptian god 𓊹 and he always has been! I get so excited whenever I see Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in any form of Egyptian art! 

There are two 𓏻 variations of this particular hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃: 𓃣 and 𓃤. Both can be used pretty much interchangeably and it was mostly style/aesthetics that determined which one was used in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥. 

Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 can be written a bunch of different ways in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪: 

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 or 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃤

𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 or 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃤

𓃣 or 𓃤

𓁢

Once again, style/aesthetics determined which variation was used in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥. This is not all of the variations of the name 𓂋𓈖, but the ones you will see the most! 

Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is commonly associated with shrines, because he is a god 𓊹 that is associated with themes surrounding death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 (mummification, places of burial). 

While the word in Middle Egyptian for shrine is 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐, shrines associated with Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 had their own word! A shrine associated with Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 was called 𓉱𓊹, or the “God’s Booth.” 

One of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 titles that commonly appears after his name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is: 𓏅𓊹𓉱 or “In front at the God’s Booth.”