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!
This hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃 text from the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 of Imhotep contains some really common hieroglyphic phrases and words! These phrases are short and easy to recognize, so once you learn them, you’ll be reading through some partial inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 in no time!
Some parts of this papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 are written in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, which is very cool because I can read it! I have not mastered Hieratic at all, which is what a lot of papyri 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛𓏦 and Books of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 are written in! Hieratic is pretty much short-hand hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! I really want to learn Hieratic, and it’s one of my long term goals, but there are a lack of books on the subject which has hindered me from learning!
Let’s break down the following text: 𓃹𓈖𓄤𓀭𓐙𓊤
𓃹𓈖 – It Is
𓄤 – Perfect/Beautiful
𓀭 – God
𓐙𓊤 – True of Voice/Justified
All together the text reads: “It is 𓃹𓈖 the perfect god 𓄤𓀭, true of voice 𓐙𓊤…”
The phrase “It is” can be written as 𓃹𓈖 or 𓃹𓈖𓈖 – both are grammatically correct, it’s just spacing that can become an issue which is why sometimes only one “𓈖” appears!
Let’s break down each of the symbols individually!
The “hare 𓃹” is normally used as a biliteral phonogram. The 𓃹 represents the sounds “wn.”
The “ripple of water 𓈖” is a uniliteral phonogram. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!”
The “heart and windpipe 𓄤” symbol is a triliteral phonogram that represents the sound “nfr” which in modern times we pronounce like “nefer.”
The “seated god 𓀭” symbol is a determinative for the word “God” or “King.”
The “platform 𓐙” symbol is a triliteral phonogram which represents the sound “m3ˁ” which would be pronounced like “mah.”
The “oar 𓊤” symbol is a triliteral phonogram and represents the sound “ḫrw.”
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.
This book was essential to me learning hieroglyphics 𓊹𓌃𓏪 as a child. My Nonno gave me this book – it was his long before it was mine. I loved the cover because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 was on it (and he’s my favorite), but what I didn’t know was how much this book was going to teach me.
I will be very honest – I never sat down and intensely studied Egyptian grammar. I never really learned too much Coptic either. I used this book to learn the relationships between symbols and Egyptian words/phrases and it kind of just “clicked” for me. The Book of the Dead is very repetitive, which is very helpful when learning. I also have many other books on reading hieroglyphics 𓊹𓌃𓏪 which were extremely helpful, but this book was probably the best one.
In my opinion, you can sit down and study vocabulary all you want, but unless you are actively engaging in the material and reading real Egyptian texts, you aren’t going to learn. I still use this book as a reference very often!
I also have a book 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 that is the complete Papyrus of Ani 𓄿𓈖𓏼𓇌𓀀 in pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏, and I would use both books side by side so I could actually see the real papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 as I was reading and learning the symbols.
If you want to learn hieroglyphics 𓊹𓌃𓏪, diving right into Egyptian religious text is the best way to do it (in my opinion – remember, I am completely self taught)!
This video shows my honest opinions! However, I am an Amazon Associate and if you use my links to purchase the books I recommended, I will earn a small commission. This helps me keep my website and educational materials free for everyone!
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to look at some writing in the Book of the Dead (known to the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 as the Book of Coming Forth By Day). This Book of the Dead belonged to a man named Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, who was a priest 𓊹𓍛 of Horus 𓅃𓀭. He lived during the early Ptolemaic Period (between 332-200 B.C.E.). This Book of the Dead is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.
This inscription is about the god 𓊹/𓀭 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭! Let’s just jump right into it – some of these words are vocabulary we have gone over previously (or variants of the words), so see if you can recognize the words or phrases before reading the translation!
Since the symbols point to the right, we are going to start reading from the top of the right column! Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are always read from top to bottom no matter what!
𓆓𓌃𓇋𓁹𓊨𓀭𓏃𓈖𓏏𓏏𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 “Words Spoken By 𓆓𓌃𓇋 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, Foremost of 𓏃𓈖𓏏𓏏 the West 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊…”
𓃹𓈖𓄤𓀭𓐙𓊤𓎟𓋂𓃀𓈋𓊖 “It is 𓃹𓈖 the perfect god 𓄤𓀭, true of voice 𓐙𓊤, Lord 𓎟 of Abydos 𓋂𓃀𓈋𓊖…”
𓎟𓎛𓇳𓎛𓋾𓈎𓏏𓆓𓏏𓈖𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀭 “Lord 𓎟 of Eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛, Ruler 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of His Own 𓆓𓏏𓈖, King 𓇓𓏏𓈖𓀭.”
This copy of the Book of the Dead (known to the Egyptians as the Book of Coming Forth By Day) belonged to a priest 𓊹𓍛 of Horus 𓅃𓀭 named Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪! Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, Priest 𓊹𓍛 of Horus 𓅃𓀭, lived during the early Ptolemaic Period (between 332-200 B.C.E.) Fun fact: the word priest 𓊹𓍛 actually translates to “god’s servant”!!!
Now, this is definitely not that Imhotep from “The Mummy” (1999), however, this is still a funny coincidence! I always get a laugh when I see this in the museum! The Book of the Dead was created for Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 so he could have a successful journey into the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The spells on the papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 were also meant to ensure his safety and well-being in the duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐(realm of the dead).
The Book of the Dead is interesting because it doesn’t follow a particular story. The spells do seem to be grouped by theme, and sometimes pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 can be representative of the spells as well. The scene shown here is the Weighing of the Heart, in which the deceased’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was weighed against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather. More details on that scene later in the post!
Imhotep’s version of the Book of the Dead is complete, and is over 70 feet long!
This page illustrates spell 110, which gives Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 the ability to enjoy various earthly activities. This takes place in the Field of Reeds, which is also known as The Field of Offerings. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is actually seen doing work in the field 𓇏𓏏𓈇 – he can be seen using a scythe to harvest grain, plowing the field, and doing other various activities. In the top left, there are hieroglyphs “𓃹𓈖𓈖𓆑𓄿𓇏𓏛𓐝𓏭𓏏” that translate to “it is he in the Field of Offerings.” The Field of Reeds could also be written as 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖
I have provided some close up images of some of the aspects of the image that I mentioned in the caption above!
Let’s take a look at some other portions of the Book of the Dead!
I only have the drawings in this photograph, but to the left of the images would be the Hieratic script which would spell out the Sun Hymns. The Sun Hymns would allow Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 to be turned into a spirit and join the Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 in the daily cycle of death and rebirth (rising and setting of the sun). During the night 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛, Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 would travel through the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 underworld/netherworld) and be born again the next morning in the form of ba 𓅡𓏺 (individual’s soul that was depicted as a human headed bird).
The top image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows the goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephytys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 attending to the sun god Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛, who is in the form of a scarab 𓆣. The middle image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows the sun 𓇳𓏺 in human form and is attended by two 𓏻 ba 𓅡𓏺 and baboons. The bottom image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 and his wife* receiving offerings.
*Since Imhotep’s 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 is mentioned a lot throughout his Book of the Dead, many people think that the woman who always accompanies Imhotep in the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 is his mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 and not his wife!
Fun fact! The words for “night 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛“ and “end 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓂝𓏛“ were very similar in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!!!
Now on to my favorite scene from the Book of the Dead (in more detail)!
While I have already posted a pic of the Weighing of the Heart, I wanted to post some alternative angles because this series of images is my absolute favorite – no matter whos Book of the Dead it is from!
Here, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 weighs the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 against Maat’s 𓌴𓐙𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather. If Anubis determines there’s balance between the two, then the deceased would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 by Horus 𓅃𓀭. Thoth 𓅤𓀭 records the findings. Ammit waits to eat the heart if it’s unworthy!
Here we can see that Imhotep’s 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 is balanced against the feather! There are some really cool images in this particular scene – instead of just being a feather on the scale, it is the hieroglyph determinative for Maat (𓁧). Also, in the last picture, Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is accompanied by a feather with a human body! This is probably a representation of Maat 𓌴𓐙𓂣𓏏𓁦, though she is usually depicted as a woman with a feather on her head and rarely as just a human body with a feather.
This is the last picture I have from Imhotep’s 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Book of the Dead. Due to the way that the papyri 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛𓏦 are displayed at the MET, it can be very difficult to get clear pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏥. I’m happy that I went back through my pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏥 because I had taken some better ones than I initially thought!
In this image, you can see some of the hieratic script that the Book of the Dead is written in – don’t ask me to translate, because I can’t read hieratic! I can only read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! I would love to learn hieratic though! Some of the hieratic is in black ink while some of it is in red. The red ink seems to symbolize either the beginning or the end 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓂝𓏛 of a spell, or it could highlight a word for a noun that was considered “bad” in Egyptian culture. However, sometimes even “offering table” could have been written/drawn in red and offering tables were not bad at all! So, some of the red ink seems kinda random.
Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is seen here with Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, who is seated on top of a shrine. As you all know, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is my favorite Egyptian god (he is the god of mummification and cemeteries) so I was very excited to see I got an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 with Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! I like this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 because it reminds me of the Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 shrine that was found in Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 tomb – that is one of my absolute favorite pieces of all time! The drawing is also like the hieroglyph determinative “𓃣” for Anubis!
Is this a beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐 or a cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒?! The answer is both because this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 from The Book of the Dead of Imhotep (at the MET) is of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡 in her cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 form!
Hathor 𓉡 is one of the most prominent goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 of the Egyptian pantheon, and her roles evolved over time. Along with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, she is regarded as the “divine mother” of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but is also the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of love, joy 𓄫𓏏𓄣, music 𓉔𓇌𓆸 (she was often depicted on sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪), and dance – basically the fun things in life 𓋹! Hathor is also mentioned as the the wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 of Horus 𓅃𓀭, and the daughter 𓅭𓏏of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛, though through times some of these relations have changed/evolved.
The name 𓂋𓈖 “Hathor 𓉡“ in Middle Egyptian translates to “House of Horus” which links Hathor 𓉡 to the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯 (because the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯 is where Horus 𓅃𓀭 dwells). Absorbing the roles of pre-dynastic deities, Hathor was associated with both the night 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛 sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯 and the Milky Way Galaxy 𓄟𓋴𓈎𓏏𓈊.
Another function that Hathor 𓉡 possessed that not many are aware of was that she was also a prominent funerary goddess 𓊹𓏏! One of her roles was to provide peace and solace to the souls 𓂓𓂓𓂓 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 as they entered the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. She was referred to as “Mistress of the West,” and could be found welcoming the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 with fresh water 𓈗. She also earned the title “Lady of the Sycamore,” and was also seen as a tree 𓆭𓅓𓆭 goddess 𓊹𓏏.
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.
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.”
Mummiform Coffin of Gautseshenu which contains the Weighing of the Heart and other funerary scenes at the Brooklyn Museum.
The Weighing of the Heart scene from the Book of the Dead is my absolute favorite type of religious art from ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. As a kid, I loved it because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 was the central god 𓊹 in the scene, and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 is my favorite Egyptian god 𓊹 . As an adult, I love what the scene represents and the symbolism behind it. While I have posted multiple versions of this scene from various Books of the Dead, this is the first time I saw it on a coffin and I was just in awe. It’s amazing how well preserved it is and how bright the colors are.
For those unfamiliar with the context of the scene, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 weighs the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 against Maat’s 𓌴𓐙𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather. If Anubis determines there’s balance between the two, then the deceased would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 by Horus 𓅃𓀭. This simplified version of the scene is missing Thoth 𓅤𓀭 and Amemet.
If you’re looking at the coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 from the front, you can see Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛(the winged beetle) and the Four Sons of Horus beneath him. I feel like this coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is the Sparks Notes version of the Book of the Dead – it kinda gives you some of the most important parts in a very small amount of space!
This coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to man named Gautseshenu and is made of cartonnage (ancient paper mache). It is dated to the 25th Dynasty (Third Intermediate Period). It was found in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖.
