Tag: gods and goddesses

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

The Sarcophagus of Artemidora

Details of the Winged Scarab on the Sarcophagus of Artemidora at The MET

This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows the details on a sarcophagus π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­ that belonged to a woman π“Šƒπ“π“‚‘π“π“ named π“‚‹π“ˆ– Artemidora who lived in Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– during the Roman Period (A.D 90-100). The gold π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰, glass, stone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“Šͺ, and painted 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 details on this sarcophagus π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­ are stunning π“„€!

One of my favorite pieces of imagery from Egyptian art is the Winged Scarab 𓐍π“Šͺ𓂋𓂋𓆣! The wings π“‚§π“Œ³π“π“†ƒπ“¦ allowed the scarab 𓐍π“Šͺ𓂋𓂋𓆣 to join the rising and setting of the sun 𓇳𓏺 each day – which to the ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ represented the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The cycle was central to the ancient Egyptian π“†Žπ“π“€€π“ religion! As a god π“ŠΉ who was constantly reborn, Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 was associated with resurrection! On this sarcophagus, we can see the sun 𓇳𓏺 represented above the scarab 𓐍π“Šͺ𓂋𓂋𓆣; this was because Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 used to carry the sun 𓇳𓏺 across the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯!

Below the winged π“‚§π“Œ³π“π“†ƒ scarab 𓐍π“Šͺ𓂋𓂋𓆣, we can see the shen 𓍢 symbol! The shen 𓍢 symbol is a circle of rope that is tied at the end. The tied rope symbolizes completeness, infinity/eternity π“Ž›π“‡³π“Ž›, and is also a symbol of protection π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ. The shen 𓍢 was first seen during the Old Kingdom, and was a very popular symbol throughout Egyptian history; Nekhbet π“‡‘π“ƒ€π“π“…π“ŽŸ and Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ are frequently seen holding them!

Cool Fact: the wings π“‚§π“Œ³π“π“†ƒπ“¦ on the scarab 𓐍π“Šͺ𓂋𓂋𓆣 are not those of a beetle, but are actually the wings π“‚§π“Œ³π“π“†ƒπ“¦ of a bird! Also, I just love the painted 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 details on these wings π“‚§π“Œ³π“π“†ƒπ“¦; it’s stunning π“„€!

(from Left) Nephthys, Anubis, Horus, and Isis on the Sarcophagus of Artemidora at The MET

I really like this scene because you can see Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 and Horus π“…ƒπ“€­ standing with the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 of the deceased who is laying on a bed with a lion design. Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 arms are raised, and Horus π“…ƒπ“€­ is holding the traditional crook π“‹Ύ and flail π“Œ…. Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is my favorite Egyptian god π“ŠΉ, and Horus π“…ƒπ“€­ is my sister’s π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“ favorite! I always like seeing Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 and Horus π“…ƒπ“€­ together π“ˆ–π“Š— for that reason – it reminds me of me and my sister π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“!

To the left of Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 and to the right of Horus π“…ƒπ“€­ is the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯. Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 are the actual sisters π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“π“¦ in Egyptian mythology and in funerary scenes are usually depicted together!

You can tell which goddess π“ŠΉπ“ is which based off of the crowns on their head 𓁢𓏺! The crown on Nephthys’ head is 𓉠 which is the hieroglyph π“ŠΉπ“Œƒ that’s part of her name π“‚‹π“ˆ–, and the crown on Isis’ head is π“Š¨ which also corresponds with her name π“‚‹π“ˆ–! If you also look at the text that is next to each of them, their names are also written – it’s almost like a caption!

See if you can spot Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯ and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 in the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Anubis and his Common Title

Here is a close up of an inscription π“Ÿπ“›π“₯ from a sarcophagus π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­ at the MET! While this is only part of the inscription π“Ÿπ“›π“₯, it is my favorite part! It’s my favorite because this is the part of the inscription that is the dedication to Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣! Whenever I see Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– in the inscriptions π“Ÿπ“›π“₯ I get really excited – as if I’m seeing a celebrity!

Lets’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!

π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓃣 – Anubis
𓁢π“Šͺπ“ˆ‹π“Ίπ“†‘ Upon His Hill

This inscription can also be written as: π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 π“Άπ“Ίπ“ˆ‹π“†‘. If you notice, on the sarcophagus π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­, Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– is missing the β€œπ“…±β€ hieroglyph π“ŠΉπ“Œƒ! Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– might have been pronounced β€œInpw,” but here it’s written just as β€œInp!”

Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– Can be written many different ways! Here are some common variations:
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓃣
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺπ“…±
π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓁒
𓃣
𓃀
𓁒

Much like in English and other languages, the same words could have different spellings! In ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, most of the time the different spellings had to do with the space that was available on the piece that was being inscribed!

β€œUpon His Hill 𓁢π“Šͺπ“ˆ‹π“Ίπ“†‘β€ refers to Anubis’ π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 role as the protector of the tombs and cemeteries. Most of the time, tombs/cemeteries we’re surrounded by cliffs, hence the title! It could also be translated as β€œUpon His Mountain.”