Tag: louvre

Tutankhamun and Amun

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date January 11, 2023

This diorite 𓏠𓈖𓏏𓏏𓊌 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 portrays Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 and the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖. Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 is credited with restoring the Cult of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖, after it was eradicated by his father Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 in order to solely worship the sun 𓇳𓏺 god 𓊹 Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳.

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is very interesting because it displays Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 very large, while Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 is very small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩. Since the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was considered a god 𓊹 on Earth 𓇾𓇾, they were usually depicted as large, intimidating, and regal figures. However, the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏪 were second to the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 themselves – especially Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 who was the king 𓇓 of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹. So in the presence of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 is very small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩.

The statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 has sustained damage, most notable is the fact that Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 head is missing. This is because this era of the 18th Dynasty was supposed to be ‘forgotten’ by history. The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏪 that came after Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 tried to erase all evidence of the Amarna era. Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 fell victim to this as well, even though he restored the traditional Egyptian pantheon. It was due to his familial relation to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 that he was also subjected to having his images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 destroyed.

A lot of Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 and statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏦 were usurped by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Horemheb 𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖, who was not only Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 general 𓀎𓏦, but was the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 18th Dynasty.

Tags amun, artifact, gods and goddesses, louvre, tutankhamun

Reading Hieroglyphs

“Rameses II Adoring the Sphinx at Giza”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date January 7, 2023

This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief is called “Rameses II adoring the Sphinx at Giza” and it is such a beautiful 𓄤 piece! Let’s take a closer look!

By the time Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 was pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, the Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 at Giza was already ancient (~1200 years old) – which is almost mind blowing to think about!!! During the 18th Dynasty (the dynasty before Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓) the cult of the Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 began to reach its peak in terms of religious importance.

During the first 𓏃 year of their reign 𓈎𓏏𓋾, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 would take a trip to the Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 as almost a right of passage. They would then build monuments 𓏠𓏍 to document the occasion. This relief is representative of that trip that Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 took!

The New Kingdom pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓐆 knew the Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 as Hor-em-Akhet 𓅃𓐝𓈌 which translates to “Horus in the Horizon.” The name 𓂋𓈖 most likely came from the fact that the Sphinx’s 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 head is seen in between Khufu 𓐍𓆑𓅱 and Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 pyramids 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴𓏪, and can appear like the sun disc 𓇳 when approached from a certain direction. It’s definitely a creative name 𓂋𓈖!

Let’s read some simple hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Here’s a breakdown of the name 𓂋𓈖 Horus in the Horizon 𓅃𓐝𓈌! Can you spot this on the relief?

𓅃 – Horus

𓐝 – em = in the

𓈌 – akhet = horizon

There are actually two 𓏻 different versions of this relief! If you look at the pictures above versus the pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 below, the reliefs are facing two 𓏻 different directions!

For a closer hieroglyphic study, we are going to be looking at the relief facing the left because I was able to get better pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on this one! Both reliefs are pretty much identical except for the direction that they face!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are going to look at the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 posted below. Some of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are missing, but I was able to infer what was being written:

𓏙 – Given

𓋹 – Life

𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances

𓇳𓁩𓄟𓋴𓋴𓌸 – Rameses II (Birth Name Variant) (this cartouche is too damaged for me to know which variant, so I made my best guess)

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre (Rameses II throne name)

𓊹𓄤 – Perfect God

𓎸𓅓(𓏲𓅆)(𓀭) – Khnum (these hieroglyphs are cut off, but my best guess is this is the start of the name of the god Khnum)

Here’s the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 translation for the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 posted below:

𓅃 – Horus

𓐝 – in the

𓈌 – Horizon

𓏙 – Given

𓋹 – Life

𓆑 – His

𓎟 – All

𓊽 – Stability

𓌀 – Strength

𓋴𓈖𓃀𓏜 – Health

𓄫𓄣𓏏 – Joy

𓎟 – All

𓇳𓏇 – Like Ra

𓇳𓎟 – Every day

This beautiful 𓄤 and unique relief is located at the Louvre in France!

Tags artifact, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, louvre, rameses ii

Egyptian Artifacts

The Board Game “Senet”

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date January 3, 2023

If an object has Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 name 𓂋𓈖 on it, I am going to get excited about it – no matter what the artifact is!

This piece is a type of ancient Egyptian board game called Senet 𓊃𓈖𓏏𓏠! Senet 𓊃𓈖𓏏𓏠 is the world’s oldest board game – there’s evidence of its existence all the way back to the First Dynasty (though this particular board is dated c. 1390-1353 B.C.E.).

During the New Kingdom, the game represented the journey of the Ka 𓂓 (soul) to the afterlife/Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The word “Senet” 𓊃𓈖𓏏𓏠 actually means passage or gateway (though there are other ways to write these words as well)! If you look really closely, you can see details of the “Ankh 𓋹,” which is the symbol that means “Life” along with the “Djed Pillar 𓊽” which means “Stability” painted on the side of the game! On both the left and right sides, you can also see the word 𓋴𓈖𓃀 which means “Health!” Such lovely messages on the side of a board game!

Senet 𓊃𓈖𓏏𓏠 is still a game that can be played today, though some of the rules are debatable! I find it so interesting that board games have been around for so long in history! Some things an about humanity have not changed!

The version of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 name 𓂋𓈖 that appears on the side of the Senet 𓊃𓈖𓏏𓏠 board is her throne name, which is the name she took when she became pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! Her throne name is “Maatkare 𓇳𓁦𓂓” which translates to “Truth is the Soul of Re.”

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, louvre

Egyptian Artifacts

Magical Stelae – “Cippus”

These pieces are known as Magical Stelae, or a Cippus.

The Cippus depicts Horus 𓅃𓀭 (or technically Harpokrates 𓅃𓀭𓅮𓄿𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭, the Greek version of Horus 𓅃𓀭) standing on two 𓏻 crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏥 and holding other dangerous animals such as snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 and scorpions 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫𓏪 in each hand. The god 𓊹 Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 also appears above Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 head 𓁶𓏺. Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 was known to ward off evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 and bad luck.

Normally, stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 were used to commemorate the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 so a Cippus is almost like a protective amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 in the form of a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸. This Cippus was used by the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. Since the Old Kingdom, Horus 𓅃𓀭 was called upon as a defender against snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘 or scorpion 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫 bites. Placing the Cippus on a wound would evoke its magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 and healing powers. Cippus stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 like this were usually kept in homes 𓉐𓏦 due to their protective nature.

Cippus pieces have also been found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪, so we can assume that the Egyptians thought it not only would help protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 , but the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 too.

One thing I love about this display at the Louvre is now all of the Cippus pieces are together 𓈖𓊗 in one single case! I also think the one in the middle, the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 holding a Cippus is very unique; this was the first time I saw a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 like that!

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, horus, louvre

Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Seti I and Hathor

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 28, 2022
3 Comments on Relief of Seti I and Hathor

This is such a beautiful 𓄤 relief and it is actually from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠! The tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 is the largest in the Valley of the Kings and it is also my Nonno’s favorite of all the tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪! This relief is now located at the Louvre in France.

The relief shows Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡. Hathor 𓉡 was known as the Lady of the West 𓎟𓏏𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 (the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐). The West 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 and the Underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 were equated by the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 because the sun 𓇳𓏺 set in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊! This is why all of the Egyptian tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 are located on the western 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 side of the Nile!

Here, Hathor 𓉡 is seen welcoming Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 into her domain, while offering him a menat necklace 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧, which was a symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. They are even holding hands 𓂧𓏏𓏺!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓉡 – Hathor
𓁶𓁷𓏏𓏏𓊖𓋆 – Chief one of Thebes
𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands
(𓇳𓁦𓏠) – Menmaatra (throne name – “Eternal is the Truth of Ra”)
𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances
(𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁵𓇌𓈘𓈖) – Seti, Beloved of Ptah (birth name – this is an uncommon variant that uses the Osiris 𓁵 symbol instead of the Seth 𓁣 symbol)
𓏙𓋹𓇳𓏇𓏺𓆖 – Given Eternal Life, Like Ra

Tags gods and goddesses, hathor, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, louvre, seti i

Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Pharaoh Seti I

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 11, 2022

Pharaoh Seti I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓇌𓁣𓈖 had over 700 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪! The typical number was around four hundred – 365 worker ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪, and the rest were overseer ushabtis. Most of Seti I’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓇌𓁣𓈖 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺- when Giovanni Belzoni discovered Seti I’s tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 in the Valley of the Kings in 1917, he used a lot of the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 as torches (this fact still haunts me – it was also one of my Nonno’s favorite stories to tell).

Besides the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabtis, Seti I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓇌𓁣𓈖 had many faience ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪. His faience ushabtis are such a beautiful blue color and are inscribed with hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. Seti I’s throne name, Maatmenra 𓇳𓁦𓏠, is clearly seen on the first line of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Tags artifact, louvre, seti i, shabti, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Bust of Akhenaten at the Louvre

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 4, 2022

Let’s take another look at an Amarna Period piece! This is a limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 bust of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 that is currently in the Louvre! While you all know Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is my favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is my second favorite! I always refer to Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 as “my favorite disaster” because I think that is quite the succinct way to describe his 17 𓎆𓐀 year rule 𓋾 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

While it can’t be seen in my pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦, some of the paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 is still preserved on the bust! One of the places that still has traces of paint is the Blue Crown (Khepresh) 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 that Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is wearing. Also, the ears and back of the neck still have traces of paint.

The Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 is missing from the front of the Blue Crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙, and it was probably lost in antiquity. The Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 symbolizes divine authority, royalty, supremacy, and also acted as protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Fun Fact: no example of the Blue Crown (Khepresh) 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 has been found by archaeologists!

The artistic style during Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 rule 𓋾 was very different than the traditional Egyptian art styles, which makes pieces like this bust so weird and wonderful in their own way! I will never get tired of studying Amarna art!

Tags akhenaten, artifact, louvre

Egyptian Artifacts

Museum Display at the Louvre

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date August 11, 2022

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).

Tags bes, gods and goddesses, hathor, louvre, sekhmet, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statues of Hathor, Amun and Osiris

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date August 11, 2022

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.

Tags amun, artifact, gods and goddesses, hator, louvre, osiris

Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Boat Models

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 1, 2022

I absolutely love the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 models. I could literally spend hours just looking at them!

Wooden Boat Models at the Louvre (featuring Nonno’s reflection)

Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models were very popular in the Middle Kingdom and were usually put in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐. The boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 were symbolic, and were meant to help the deceased on their journey in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. When a person died, their body was carried in a boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 across the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 in a symbolic representation of the journey of the soul 𓂓- from the land of the living to the land of the dead 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This directly mirrors Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 daily journey across the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯.

Tombs usually contained two 𓏻 boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦: one sailing in a northward direction, and one sailing in a southward direction.

So many wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 have been found because boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 were essential to daily Egyptian life along the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. Boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 were not only essential for transporting people, goods and construction materials, but also for the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and their journeys as well.

This particular boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is so beautiful 𓄤 because so many of the oarsmen are there! I also love this picture because my Nonno took it – you can even see his reflection in the glass 💙.

Tags artifact, louvre, nonno

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