Tag: gods and goddesses

Wepwawet in Hieroglyphs

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 21, 2023

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today we are going to learn about another jackal god 𓊹 because Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 isn’t the only jackal in ancient Egypt! Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏏𓏥 is likely the oldest god 𓊹 associated with the jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 and we are going to learn how to read Wepwawet’s name in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏏𓏥𓃧 is associated with war and conquest, and leading ritual processions. Wepwawet’s 𓄋𓈐𓏏𓏥 name 𓂋𓈖 translates to “Opener of the Ways,” which has many meanings. He was associated with clearing the path for the sun 𓇳𓏺 to rise in the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯, clearing the way for the armies in battle, and clearing the path for the deceased to enter the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. Statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏏𓏥 were also carried in front of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 during processions for this reason!

Wepwawet in Hieroglyphs and a small statue of Wepwawet that was most likely part of a standard (a staff used in ceremonies)

Let’s take a look at Wepwawet’s name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓄋𓈐𓏏𓏥 (this is the variant in the picture)

𓄋𓈐𓏏𓏥𓃧

𓄋𓈐𓏏𓏥𓁢

𓄋𓈐𓈐𓈐

𓄋𓈐𓈐𓈐𓀭

𓃧

Let’s break down the symbols!

The “horns 𓄋” symbol is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound of “wp.”

The “path with shrubs 𓈐” symbol is an ideogram for the words “road” and “way.” and represents the sound “w3t.” It can also be a determinative for “road.”

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.” Here it is acting as a phonetic complement and emphasizing the “t” sound at the end of “w3t 𓈐.”

The “three strokes 𓏥” symbol is what makes “ways” plural in Wepwawet’s name! The “three strokes 𓏥” is associated with the sound “w” when making a word plural. The “path with shrubs 𓈐” symbol can also be repeated three times to make it plural.

The “jackal on a standard 𓃧” symbol is both an ideogram and a determinative for “Wepwawet.” This is why Wepwawet’s name can be written with just the symbol! This is the most common determinative to see associated with his name.

A small bronze statue of the god Wepwawet, which was most likely part of a standard.

One way to tell Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏏𓏥 and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 apart is by how the jackal is standing: Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is usually shown in the recumbent position (𓃢, 𓃣, 𓃤) while Wepwawet 𓄋𓈐𓏥𓏏𓃧 is usually shown standing up (𓃧, 𓃨).

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, wepwawet

Reading Hieroglyphs

Geb in Hieroglyphs

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 15, 2023

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to learn about the god 𓊹 “Geb 𓅬𓃀𓀭!”

These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 pictured below spell out the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 “Geb 𓅬𓃀𓀭.” Geb 𓅬𓃀𓀭 is the god 𓊹 of the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface, which the ancient Egyptians called the Upper Earth. Anything that occurred on the Earth’s surface was considered to be Geb’s 𓅬𓃀𓀭 domain! For example, it is said that Geb’s 𓅬𓃀𓀭 laughter is what caused earthquakes to happen! Geb 𓅬𓃀𓀭 was also responsible for allowing crops to grow!

The name of the god Geb in Hieroglyphs on a sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum

Here are the two most common ways to write Geb’s name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:

𓅬𓃀𓀭

𓅬𓃀

Let’s break down each of the symbols!

The “goose 𓅬” is a biliteral phonogram that represents the sound “gb” which would have possibly been pronounced like “Geb.” It can also act as a determinative in certain cases.

The “foot 𓃀” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram that represents the sound “b.” Here, the “foot 𓃀” symbol is acting as a phonetic complement, meaning it’s emphasizing the “b” sound from the previous symbol, and was most likely not pronounced.

The “seated god 𓀭” is a determinative symbol and isn’t pronounced! It acts as “punctuation” at the end of the name of a male god!

The hardest part about some of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 is distinguishing them from each other! The “goose 𓅬” and the very popular “pintail duck 𓅭” symbols are almost indistinguishable from each other! Not going to lie, sometimes I have difficulty telling the two symbols apart!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags geb, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs

Reading Hieroglyphs

Shu in Hieroglyphs

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 13, 2023

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 pictured spell out the name of the god “Shu 𓆄𓅱.”

Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was 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 raising up the sky/atmosphere depicted on a sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum. Can you spot Shu’s name in the image?

Shu 𓇋𓅱 is usually depicted as a man standing or kneeling with both of his arms raised (like this hieroglyphic symbol – 𓁏). His arms are in this position to show that he is holding up the air/atmosphere above the ground! Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was often worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 by sailors, who were looking for favorable winds 𓇋𓇬𓈖𓅱𓊡𓏦!

Here are the two most common ways to write “Shu” in hieroglyphs:

𓆄𓅱

𓇋𓅱𓀭

Let’s break down each of the symbols!

The “feather 𓆄” is a biliteral symbol and is representative of the sound šw. “𓆄” can also function as an ideogram for “feather 𓆄𓏺,” and as a determinative for “Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄.” So the “feather 𓆄” symbol has many different uses!

The “Quail Chick 𓅱” is a super popular symbol! It is a uniliteral phonogram that is representative of the sound w/u, and it is also an ideogram for the word “chick 𓅱𓏺.” It mostly appears as a uniliteral phonogram and is one of the hieroglyphs that appears the most in inscription!

The “seated god 𓀭” is a determinative symbol and isn’t pronounced! It acts as “punctuation” at the end of the name of a male god!

Here are some other words that are similar to Shu 𓆄𓅱 – they are pronounced the same, but have different determinatives which changes the meaning of the word! What is so cool about these words is that they are related to the atmosphere/sky!

𓆄𓅱𓅨 – Empty

𓆄𓅱𓇳, 𓆄𓅱𓇶 – sun, sunlight

I’m fascinated by the fact that both “empty 𓆄𓅱𓅨” and “Shu 𓆄𓅱” are pronounced the same because we can’t see the atmosphere so what is above/all around us appears to be empty 𓆄𓅱𓅨 but it’s not and the ancient Egyptians knew that!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, shu

Egyptian Artifacts

Magical Stela or Cippus

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 4, 2023

This magnificent piece is known as a “Magical Stela,” or a “Cippus of Horus.” Normally, stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 were used to commemorate the dead but Cippus pieces are like a protective amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 in the shape of a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸.

Me with the Cippus at the MET

This cippus was used by the living for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. Since the Old Kingdom, Horus 𓅃𓀭 was called upon as a defender against snake or scorpion bites. Placing the cippus on a wound would evoke its magical and healing powers.

Smaller versions of Cippus stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 were usually kept in homes 𓉐𓏺, but this one here at the MET is a lot more elaborate and was actually commissioned by a priest 𓊹𓍛 to be displayed in public! It’s difficult to see in pictures, but the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are carved so exquisitely and I love just looking at them!

A closeup of the top of the Cippus at the MET

The top panel on the front of the Cippus depicts Horus 𓅃𓀭 standing on two 𓏻 crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏥 and holding other dangerous animals such as snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪, a lion 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛, an antelope 𓃲𓏺 and scorpions 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫𓏪 in each hand. Surrounding Horus 𓅃𓀭 are other deities. On Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 left there is Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤, and then on Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 right is Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭. The god 𓊹 Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 also appears above Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 head 𓁶𓏺. Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 was known to ward off evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 and bad luck.

This piece is dated to the Late Period (30th Dynasty). Considering everything, I figured this would be a fitting post for today!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, the met

Blog

God’s Mother

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 14, 2023

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! What does the popular Middle Egyptian phrase “God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐” mean? Before we delve into the meaning, let’s break down the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

“God’s Mother” in raised relief on display at the MET

“God’s Mother” can be written three ways in hieroglyphs:

𓊹𓏏𓅐

𓊹𓅐𓏏

𓊹𓅐

This phrase is a combination of two different words: the word “God 𓊹” and the word “Mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐/𓅐𓁐/𓏏𓅐𓁐.”

The “cloth on a pole 𓊹“ hieroglyph is an ideogram for the word god. 𓊹 is also a triliteral phonogram, and represents the letters “ntr” which may have been pronounced like “neter” or “netjer.” 𓊹 Is also a determinative for “god.” So the “cloth on a pole 𓊹“ symbol can function as all three types of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! If you see this symbol, you are most likely looking at a word that has to do with the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹!

The “vulture 𓅐” is a triliteral phonogram and represents the sounds “mjt/mwt” which we infer would be pronounced like “mut.”

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.”

The phrase “God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐” can have two different (but related) meanings in Middle Egyptian inscriptions. It can be used to refer to the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and will usually appear after her name 𓂋𓈖 in inscriptions. This is in reference to the fact that Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Horus 𓅃𓀭, who is the mythological ruler of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was thought to be a representation of Horus 𓅃𓀭 on Earth.

This brings us to the next meaning of this phrase! The phrase “God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐” was an honorific title held by the woman who gave birth to the current pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! Since the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was a god on Earth, the woman who gave birth to him/her was quite literally the God’s Mother 𓊹𓅐!

Another variant of “God’s Mother” painted on a piece of a sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, isis, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Animals in Ancient Egypt

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 4, 2023

Happy World Animal Day! Let’s learn about the significance of Animals in Ancient Egypt!

Me with a blue faience hippo at the Brooklyn Museum! The blue faience hippos are one of my absolute favorite types of artifacts!

Believe it or not, there is no Middle Egyptian word for “animal” – there was the word “𓌚𓅓𓄛” but it translates more accurately to “beast” than to all animals in general. What I love about language 𓂋𓏺 is that even a small detail such as this can show us so much about the culture of the people who spoke it!

An ibis on display at the MET

In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, Animals were usually referred to by their name 𓂋𓈖 instead of as a singular category. What I love about Middle Egyptian is that the name 𓂋𓈖 the animal was given was sometimes very similar to the sound the animal made! For example, the Middle Egyptian word for cat is 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 (miu) which can be pronounced similarly to “meow.” The word for dog is 𓃛𓅱𓃛𓅱𓃥 (iwiw) which can almost sound like “woof woof.”

A cat mummy on display at the MET

Why is this significant? It shows that the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 didn’t regard animals as different from humans or less than humans (unlike the Greeks and Romans, and eventually Western cultures). Animals were living things that contained a ba 𓅡𓏺 (part of the soul that is active in this world and the spiritual world). They could become gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 through death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 just like humans.

Hathor in her cow form from the Book of the Dead of Imhotep at the MET

Animals like cats 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠𓏪, ibises 𓉔𓃀𓅤𓏪, cows 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒𓏦, snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪, hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦, and many others were held in high regard due to the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 who could take the form of those animals!

A fish bowl on display at the Brooklyn Museum

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, the met

Video

Cow, Beautiful Woman, or Both? – Video

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 23, 2023

Did you know that the word for “cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒” and “beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐” are the same in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪/the Middle Egyptian language? Well now you do! This is one of my absolute favorite “fun facts” about hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and it has been since I was a little girl!

Cow and Beautiful Woman hieroglyphs video on YouTube!

The root of both of these words is “𓄤𓆑𓂋” which would probably be pronounced like “nefer.” This word could mean perfect, beautiful, or good in Middle Egyptian! Adding the “𓏏” to the end of the word makes it feminine, and then the determinative symbol distinguishes the meaning! So “𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏” could also mean a beautiful woman or beautiful/perfect!

Both “cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒” and “beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐” would have probably been pronounced like “neferet” due to the addition of the uniliteral phonogram of “𓏏” which would have been pronounced like a “t.” In order to make words pronounceable in modern times, a lot of Egyptologists/linguists will add a soft “e” sound in between the consonants!

I love learning little things like this about the culture of ancient Egypt! It’s incredible what a language can tell us!

You can also watch the video on TikTok!

@ancientegyptblog
Did you know that the word for “cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒” and “beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐” are the same in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪/the Middle Egyptian language? Well now you do! This is one of my absolute favorite “fun facts” about hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and it has been since I was a little girl! The root of both of these words is “𓄤𓆑𓂋” which would probably be pronounced like “nefer.” This word could mean perfect, beautiful, or good in Middle Egyptian! Adding the “𓏏” to the end of the word makes it feminine, and then the determinative symbol distinguishes the meaning! So “𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏” could also mean a beautiful woman or beautiful/perfect! Both “cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒” and “beautiful woman 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐” would have probably been pronounced like “neferet” due to the addition of the uniliteral phonogram of “𓏏” which would have been pronounced like a “t.” In order to make words pronounceable in modern times, a lot of Egyptologists/linguists will add a soft “e” sound in between the consonants! This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost. #ancientegypt #egyptianhistory #egyptologist #letsreadsomehieroglyphs #hieroglyphs #hieroglyphics #languagelearning #egypt #hathor #metropolitanmuseumofart #historytok
♬ original sound – ancientegyptblog Nicole Lesar

This is my personal video and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, hathor, hieroglyphs, the met, video

Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statue of Ptah

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 15, 2023

This bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the god 𓊹 Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 from the Third Intermediate Period is striking to see in person not just because of its wonderful state of preservation, but its size as well!

Bronze Statue of Ptah on display at the MET

For a bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾, it is quite large! In antiquity, this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 would have been covered in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf, and it’s amazing that you can still see some of the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 on the statue! Imagine how magnificent it would have looked in all gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉! I also love how the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 are still perfectly preserved; they really stand out among the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 and the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉!

The staff that Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 is holding in his hands is actually a merging of the Djed Pillar 𓊽 and the Was Scepter 𓌀. The hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 for Djed 𓊽 means “stability” while the hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 for the Was Scepter 𓌀 means “strength,” and this staff exemplifies Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 representation of both!

One of the epithets that follows Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 name 𓂋𓈖 in inscriptions is “The One of Fair Face 𓄤𓁷𓏤𓀭” and I think that description totally fits with how beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 this particular statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 represents him! That epithet could also be translated as “Kindly of Face 𓄤𓁷𓏤𓀭” and can also be written as “𓄤𓆑𓂋𓁷𓏤𓀭.”

Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 was not created; he existed before anyone else and anything. In short, he was the creator of the other creator gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, like Atum 𓇋𓏏𓂟𓀭. Due to Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 creativity, he is also the designated god 𓊹 of all forms of craftsman such as carpenters , shipbuilders, potters, metalworkers, and sculptors.

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 would have been housed in a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 and would have received offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 from priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪.

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, ptah, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

The Four Sons of Horus on a Sarcophagus

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 8, 2023

This beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 at the Brooklyn Museum shows the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Nephthys 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓆇 with the Four Sons of Horus! The Four Sons of Horus were an integral part of ancient Egyptian religion – usually in a funerary aspect so it makes sense that they would appear on a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭!

The Four Sons of Horus usually appeared as the lids of canopic jars, which were the jars used to store the organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of a deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person during the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process. When they appears as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 or on sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏥, the Four Sons of Horus served as protectors 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱.

The Four Sons of Horus are easy to recognize because they usually appear together in funerary art! Another way to recognize them is by reading their names 𓂋𓈖𓏦!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Something interesting about this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is the way the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the Four Sons of Horus are spelled! The spellings of the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 here are some interesting variants that aren’t seen too often! We will start reading from the left!

Hapi 𓐑𓊪𓇌(can also be spelled 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌𓀭) had the head of a baboon and he protected the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺.

Imseti 𓐝𓊃𓍿 (can also be spelled 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿𓀭/𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋 ) had the head of a human and he protected the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸.

Duamutef 𓇼𓂟𓅐𓏏𓈖𓆑(can also be spelled 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑𓀭/𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑) had the head of a jackal and he protected the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻.

Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓈖𓈖𓈖𓌢𓏏𓏥𓆑(can also be spelled 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭) had the head of a Falcon and he protected the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼.

Can you spot all of the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 in the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖?

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, nephthys, sons of horus

Egyptian Artifacts

Lord of the Nine Bows

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 6, 2023

Did you know that Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 was referred to as the “Lord 𓎟 of the Nine Bows 𓐀𓏺𓏏” in certain religious texts? The most famous example of the use of this title for Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is from the Pyramid Texts! Let’s take a closer look at what this means!

The “nine bows 𓐀𓏺𓏏” was a phrase that was used to refer to the enemies of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. Egyptologists and historians actually still don’t know the exact countries or territories were represented by the nine bows 𓐀𓏺𓏏, but they are agreed to be foreign lands.

Anubis, the Lord of the Nine Bows on a scarab/seal on display at the MET.

In statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 can be depicted standing on nine bows 𓐀𓏺𓏏, however on scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 or seals such as this one pictured, the nine bows 𓐀𓏺𓏏 are represented by the images of nine captives with their hands tied behind their backs. A recumbent jackal (aka Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣) is seen presiding over the nine captives.

Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is most commonly known as the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎, however, in many early myths he had proven himself in battle hence why he was given the title “Lord 𓎟 of the Nine Bows 𓐀𓏺𓏏.”

Seals such as these were popular in the Theban necropolis during the 18th Dynasty. This is such a small piece, but one that contains so much meaning. I of course love it because I look for any representation of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 that I can find!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Tags anubis, artifact, gods and goddesses, the met

Recent Posts

Archives

Categories