Tag: mummy

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Mislabeled Canopic Jars

These canopic jars are very famous pieces from the British Museum! Any time you read a book on mummification or Egyptian funerary practices, these canopic jars will make an appearance! The first book on Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 my Nonno ever gave me was Carol Andrews’ book on the mummies at the British Museum, and of course these canopic jars were in the book! It was so exciting to see them in person! However, these are “dummy” canopic jars; they aren’t even totally hollow inside so they definitely weren’t used during the mummification process. 

But that’s not what is the most interesting here; what’s most interesting is in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Each canopic jar has a lid that represents one of the Four Sons of Horus. Each one has the task of protecting a specific organ 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹 of the deceased! 

From the left: 

-Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭 (falcon head) held the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼

-Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿𓀭 (human head) held the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸

-Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌𓀭 (baboon head) held the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺

-Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑𓀭 (jackal head) held the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻

Now, if you take a closer look at the inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the jars – Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭 is labeled with Duamutef’s 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑𓀭 name 𓂋𓈖 and vice versa! 

I’m not sure if it is an ancient mistake or a mistake by the museum! I’m always so amused when I come across stuff like this!

The inscription above the names is a common one that we have gone over before:

𓆓𓌃𓇋𓈖 – Words Spoken By

𓁹𓊨𓊹 – Osiris (the symbol for “god 𓊹” is used as the determinative here instead of the usual “𓀭” – I love seeing variation)!!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Gilded Sarcophagi


Here are some gilded sarcophagi 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 at the British Museum!

The British Museum has so many different sarcophagi 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 in their collection that it was almost overwhelming trying to see everything!!! Sarcophagi 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 such as these are usually made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 with a gold leaf overlay – it makes it look like the sarcophagus 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is made of pure gold when it is not! These are decorated beautifully 𓄤 with many of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 of the Egyptian pantheon! The sarcophagus 𓅱𓇋𓀾 on the left contains a dedication to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, which runs down the center of the lid!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Sarcophagus with Nephthys

This is the side of a beautifully 𓄤 painted sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum!

The goddess 𓊹𓏏 Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 is portrayed where the head of the deceased would be laid because she is regarded as a protector 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. This tradition began during the New Kingdom. Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 was Seth’s 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 wife, the sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, and during later parts of mythology the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 through a union with Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭.

Even though Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 is associated with Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, she is regarded as a positive figure in the later evolutions of Egyptian mythology, and she even helped Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 find Osiris’ 𓁹𓊨 scattered body pieces and put him back together after Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 cut him up!

One of her titles is “Mistress of the House.” She is often associated with vultures, hence why she is frequently depicted with wings. The headdress that she wears are the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 for her name! Something super interesting is that even though Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 are husband and wife they are rarely shown together. Instead, Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 is usually depicted with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Coffin of Nespanetjerenpere

Look at how gorgeous this is 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓇑𓇑!!!

I spent so long just trying to take in all of the beautiful 𓄤 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 images of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 that are on this Mummy Cartonnage at the Brooklyn Museum! Cartonnage is a material that is linen or papyrus mixed with plaster! This is from the Third Intermediate Period, and dates from the 22nd through 25th Dynasties.

This mummy case 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a priest 𓊹𓍛 named Nespanetjerenpere. While to many the images 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 may seem like random pictures of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, it is actually a collection of carefully selected religious symbols meant to help guide Nespanetjerenpere on his journey to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and associate him with and ensure divine resurrection.

The ram headed pendant on his chest is meant to represent the sun god’s journey across the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯 during the day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 – and through the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 at night 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛. The images 𓅱𓏏𓅱𓏪 of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 can almost be thought of as the picture-book version of the Book of the Dead.

On the back, Horus 𓅃𓀭 and Thoth 𓅤𓀭 are seen with a Djed pillar 𓊽, which is the symbol of stability. The Djed pillar 𓊽 is thought to be the spine of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, so it’s very cool that this image 𓅱𓏏𓅱 appears on the back of the mummy 𓅱𓇋𓀾!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Two Sides of the Same Coffin!

Dedication to Osiris on a coffin at the Brooklyn Museum

In the picture above, you can see a dedication to Osiris – 𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 𓁹𓊨𓀭 𓎟𓊽𓂧𓅱𓊖 – “An offering the king gives Osiris, Lord of Djedu”

Djedu 𓊽𓂧𓅱𓊖 refers to the birthplace of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 on this side of the sarcophagus would allow the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to see outside of it!

Dedication to Anubis on a coffin at the Brooklyn Museum

In the picture above, you can see a dedication to Anubis – 𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 𓁶𓏺𓈋 𓆑 – “An offering the king gives Anubis, upon his hill…”

“Upon his hill” is in reference to Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 being the god 𓊹 of cemeteries, and looking over cemeteries from the cliff or hill above it!

Why dedications to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣?! They are the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 most commonly associated with death!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Mummiform Coffin Lid

This limestone mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 lid is from the Ptolemaic Period! The New Kingdom is when stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 mummiform coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 first appeared, however the mummiform coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 from that period were usually made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺!

This sarcophagus 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a scribe 𓏟𓀀 named Pa-Di-Inpu. He is named after Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 (Anubis is the Greek name while Inpu is the Egyptian name) and served as a scribe 𓏟𓀀 in the cult of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣. Pa-Di-Inpu also served as a scribe 𓏟𓀀 and priest 𓊹𓍛 in the cult of Hathor 𓉡!

Limestone Mummiform Coffin Lid at the Brooklyn Museum (and me)!
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Egyptian Artifacts

Mummiform Coffin of Gautseshenu

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.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Cat Mummies!

Here are some cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 and animal mummies at the MET! Also on an unrelated note if you look to the far left, you can see the back of an Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statue! 

The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 made a lot of animal mummies – over four million ibis 𓉔𓃀𓅤 mummies and seven million dog 𓃛𓅱𓃛𓅱𓃥 mummies have been found in Saqqara alone! The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 actually never wrote down (at least in what archaeologists have found) the role that animal mummies played in religion or society. This leaves a lot of room for inferences! Although animal mummies are the most common form of Egyptian artifact, they are among the least understood of all objects. Maybe at some point an explanation will be found!

One of the possible explanations of the significance of animal mummies can be tied to the Egyptian cultural aspect surrounding animals. Believe it or not, there is no Middle Egyptian word for “animal” – there was the word 𓌚𓅓𓄛 but it translates more accurately to “beast” then all animals in general. Animals were usually referred to by their name 𓂋𓈖 instead of as a singular category. Their name 𓂋𓈖 was usually very similar to the sound the animal made! For example, the Middle Egyptian word for cat is 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 (miu) which can be pronounced like “meow.” The word for dog is 𓃛𓅱𓃛𓅱𓃥 (iwiw) which can almost sound like “woof woof.”

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 𓂓 that is active in this world and the spiritual world). They could become gods through death and mummification just like humans.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Another Cat Mummy!

While this may look like a statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐, it’s actually a cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 mummy!

There are many different ways that animal mummies have been found. Some are wrapped in linen 𓍱 while others are found in these elaborate statue-like coffins 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱. These types of mummy-wrappings were popular during the Late and Ptolemaic Periods.

Cats 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠𓏪 were sacred animals in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 because they were thought to represent the soul 𓂓 of Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 or Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐. Much like today, cats 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠𓏪 were also pets in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 mummies have been found in human tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 as well. The thought is that the cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 and the owner would be able to stay together 𓈖𓊗 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 if they were buried together 𓈖𓊗.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Mummy Mask of Hatnefer

This mask is dated to the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom c. 1492-1473 B.C.E). It is also made of catonnage, which is the ancient Egyptian version of paper-mache – cartonnage is usually made of up linen. Just like the Roman mask I posted yesterday, this mask is also overlaid with gold foil 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉. Gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 is a metallic element, and one of the properties of metallic elements is that they are malleable. This means that they can be hammered into very thin sheets. This made gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 very easy to work with!

Mummy Mask of Hatnefer at the MET

I love the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏥 of this mask! The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏥 are made of two different types of stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙. The white 𓌉𓆓𓇳 part is alabaster 𓍱𓈙𓊃, which is usually a form of the minerals calcite or gypsum. The black 𓆎𓅓 part is made of obsidian. Obsidian is an extrusive igneous rock which form when lava from a volcano cools instantaneously. This rapid cooling gives obsidian a glass-like appearance which is why obsidian is often referred to as volcanic glass.

This mask belonged to a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Hatnefer who died in her 70s. Hatnefer was able to get such a mask because her son 𓅭 was Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼, aka Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 most trusted advisor! Due to Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 rise in status, he was able to provide a nice burial and tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 for his mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐. Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 also used his mother’s 𓅐𓏏𓁐 death as an opportunity move his father 𓇋𓏏𓀀 from his original burial place into this tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐.

Hatnefer’s tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 was discovered in 1936, during the MET’s Egyptian Expedition.