Tag: petrie museum

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Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Fragment of Akhenaten

There are so many cool pieces in the Petrie Museum – while the pieces may not be as big or grand as the ones in the MET, Louvre, or British Museums, they are significant because they give a glimpse into the more subtle greatnesses in Egyptian society. Actually though, the “sister piece” to this one is actually in the MET!

This piece of limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 (dated c. 1353–1336 B.C.E.) is what is known as a “trial piece” – basically it was practice for the artist/sculptor before they made the real thing! This was found in the sculptor’s workshop at Amarna (in the southern 𓇔𓅱𓏏 part of the city). While Tell el-Amarna is the modem name for the area, Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 named his new capital “Akhetaton” or “Horizon of the Aten” – the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 was originally Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 before the big move.

Petrie spent a lot of time excavating that part of the city during his time there from 1891-1892. Most of what we initially learned about the city and it’s architecture came from Petrie’s excavations. Fun Fact: Howard Carter assisted Petrie on these digs!

The piece unmistakably depicts Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖. It is very easy to tell when Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is being shown because of his very distinct facial features (pointed chin, long neck/face). It would also make sense that most of the artwork that was found at the sculptors workshop in his capital would contain art that depicted him, Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭, the royal family, and the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳.

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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Cartouche of Thutmosis I

This fragment of a limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief shows part of the cartouche for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Thutmosis I 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓! Let’s take a look at his name 𓂋𓈖!

While Thutmosis I’s birth name is usually written as (𓅝𓄟𓋴) this particular cartouche shows a variant of this name 𓂋𓈖. The full variant would most likely read (𓈍𓅝𓄟𓋴𓄤𓏥𓊃) which means “Thoth is born, who has appeared perfectly.”

Another variant of his birth name is (𓈍𓅝𓇳𓄟𓏇𓊃) which means “Thoth is born, who has appeared like Ra.” The more popular variant of this birth name, (𓅝𓄟𓋴) simply means “Thoth is born.”

Thutmosis I 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓 (this is his throne name -“Great is the manifestation of the Soul of Ra”) was the third 𓏼 pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 18th Dynasty. Thutmosis I 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓 was responsible for many successful military campaigns and building projects, including additions to the Temple of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 at Karnak. Though, in my opinion, Thutmosis I’s 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓 most notable achievement is being Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 father 𓇋𓏏𓀀!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Anubis and Osiris – Cool Pieces at the Petrie Museum

This photo 𓏏𓅱𓏏 has two 𓏻 cool things: an interesting limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 piece that represents Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 (left) and a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 piece that represents Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 (right). While neither piece is “grand,” they pose some interesting questions because they are quite unique!

Let’s start with Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 (because he’s my favorite)! Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is seated on a shrine (very similar in style to one of his determinative “𓃣” hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪). The ears are strange here because they are beautifully 𓄤 carved, but the limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 between them was not cut away. Was this a stylistic choice or was the piece unfinished? We will probably never know! Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 was found at Saqqara and dates to the 26th Dynasty.

The Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 piece is also a bit strange. It is a large wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 figure that has been put into a base during modern times (to display easier). Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 is shown in his typical mummiform 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 way – wearing the Atef Crown 𓋚 and holding the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅 in his hands. What’s interesting is that the figure is very “blocky” – there are absolutely no fine details shown. Ancient Egyptian artists were known for fine details so again the question is: is the piece intended to look like this or is it incomplete? Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 is dated to the 30th Dynasty – Ptolemaic Period and was also found at Saqqara.

Also totally unrelated but you can see the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 necklace from my previous post in the background of this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏!!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Stick Ushabtis at the Petrie Museum

My Nonno 𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀always spoke very highly of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology at UCL in London. As a kid 𓐍𓇌𓀕, he would always tell me that they had “drawers and drawers full of ushabtis” and it just sounded so cool to me! When we got to visit together, I can confirm that it was most definitely VERY COOL! We spent hours at the museum going through everything and I spent the most time with the ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 (no surprise there)!!

These particular ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 that are in the drawer are called “stick ushabtis” by archaeologists. Stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 are made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺, have a roughly mummiform shape, no artistic details, and have an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the front. Most stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 are dated to the end of the 17th Dynasty to the beginning of the 18th Dynasty.

The function of these stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 also seem to be different than that of the regular ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 that are found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 whose function was to perform tasks for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 have only been found in Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖, in the above ground chapels that were found near tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦. They were usually placed in their own model coffins 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱.

The stick ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 represented the family members of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and were placed in the above ground chapel as a way to symbolize family members being close to their dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 loved one.

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Book Recommendations

Book Review – “The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology”

When my Nonno used to talk about taking me to the Petrie Museum, he would always tell me that he was excited to buy me the book that was at the museum! When we went there in 2015, he kept his promise and brought me the book “The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology.”

My Nonno gave me a lot of his books. He would buy a book, read it and then give it to me to read. We would then talk about the stuff we learned. He also always brought me a book when we went to a museum or Barnes & Noble together. My collection of books aren’t just books about Egypt; they are memories of things that my Nonno and I did together and that is why the books are so special/important to me. Having my Nonno’s books are so comforting to me because they were a part of him and he loved them so much. Having his books makes me feel like I still have a part of him here with me.

The book contains highlights of the museum’s collection and a history of how the museum came to be. Petrie had a huge influence on archaeology (he taught Howard Carter), so it’s interesting to see the history of Egypt and then the history of how archaeologists studied Egypt combined into a beautiful book. The pictures in it are beautiful and capture the uniqueness of this incredible place!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Husband and Wife

This is a beautiful 𓄤 limestone statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of husband 𓉔𓄿𓇌𓂺𓀀 and wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 that is dated to the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom). The names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the people depicted are not preserved in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that adorn the back of the statue, 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 but the funerary prayers are preserved.

It is assumed that these types of statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 are of husband 𓉔𓄿𓇌𓂺𓀀 and wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐, even though it’s not explicitly stated in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 because the family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 was held in such high regard in Egyptian culture. This is why entire families 𓂧𓈖𓏌𓏏𓅱𓀀𓏸𓏸𓏸 can be found buried in the same tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 – the family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 was to stay together 𓈖𓊗 forever 𓆖!!

Here are some fun facts about marriage in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! Marriages were not arranged/forced in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖; it was a personal choice between the couple! Also, there seems to be no official marriage ceremony; the couple decided they wanted to be together 𓈖𓊗 and let their friends and family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 know! The marriage seems to become “official” with a contract that allowed for the transfer of property. Divorce was a very common occurrence as was having four 𓏽 to seven 𓐀 children 𓐍𓇌𓀕𓏪!

Though the symbol “ 𓏦” is usually used to denote plural words, it is used in the singular term family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 because there are multiple members in a single family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 group! Instead, the Egyptians had a different word to represent multiple family groups (in English, families “𓂧𓈖𓏌𓏏𓅱𓀀𓏸𓏸𓏸”) and “𓏸𓏸𓏸” is used the pluralize it!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Amulet Necklace

This little string of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 is a necklace that was either worn by a living person or a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! No matter who was wearing it, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 had the same function: to invoke magical protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the wearer! Both rich and poor people had amulets, but the rich had higher quality ones.

Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were first used in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 during the pre-dynastic period and usually took the shape of animals. As the Egyptian civilization and their religious beliefs evolved, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 started to represent gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏, everyday objects, hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰, and many other things!

The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the type of magic that an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 possessed was based off of its shape! For example, an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 could invoke the power of a god 𓊹 that it was representative of! You can see the Eye of Horus 𓂀 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, and that was used for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 by both the living and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱!

I do not know the date of the amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, and I actually couldn’t find this piece in Petrie’s online catalogue when I went to look it up! I love amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 and I find this necklace to be very charming! I want one like it because of “how beautiful it is 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓇑𓇑.”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Stela of a Man Named Ihefy

This is a simple stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 that is painted in really nice bright colors on wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺! One of the reasons I like this piece so much is that it has retained its colors through time! This is dated between the 22nd and 25th Dynasties.

The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 depicts a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named Ihefy simply worshipping 𓇼𓄿𓀢/adoring the god 𓊹 Horus(?) 𓅃𓀭. While the museum description says the god 𓊹 is Horus 𓅃𓀭, I question that because of the sun disc 𓇳𓏤 appearing on the falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 head. Usually, Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 will appear as a falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 head wearing a sun disc 𓇳𓏤. Horus 𓅃𓀭 is usually depicted wearing the crown of Upper Egypt 𓋑, Lower Egypt 𓋔, or both 𓋖 (most common).

However, since this is a later time period, this could be the god 𓊹 Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤, who is a combination of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 and Horus 𓅃𓀭 into a single deity. I believe this is a depiction of Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 because of the sun-disc 𓇳𓏤 crown that has a Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 at the front, along with the fact that Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 is holding a flail 𓌅 and scepter 𓌀, which is another common way to depict him.

The main reason why I think this is a depiction of Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤? The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Ra-Horakhty’s 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 name 𓂋𓈖 appears right above him on the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸!

We know that Ihefy is worshipping 𓇼𓄿𓀢 Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 because his arms are in the raised position! The determinative for the word worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 is even a man with his arms raised 𓀢!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Bronze Blade with Hatshepsut’s Cartouche

Believe it or not, this seemingly plain piece was probably one of my favorite objects that I saw in the Petrie Museum. I was so excited when I saw it, because Hatshepsut’s 𓇳𓁦𓂓 throne name appears on it! Since I absolutely love anything to do with Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓, I was incredibly excited to see something with her name 𓂋𓈖 on it. I also think this piece is unpublished, so it was a total surprise for me to see that it even existed! Since her name 𓂋𓈖appears on the blade, it means that it was most certainly made during her time as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

While it doesn’t look like much, this piece is actually a bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 blade that was once attached to a handle.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓄤𓊹 – Great God

(𓇳𓁦𓂓) – Maatkare (Hatshepsut’s Throne Name – translates to “Truth 𓁦 is the Soul 𓂓 of Re 𓇳.”)

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

𓏃𓂦𓂦- Holiest of Holies (the name given to Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahri. It can also be written as 𓏃𓂦𓂦𓉐 or most commonly as 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐).

𓌺𓇌 – Beloved

Put together, the inscription reads: 𓄤𓊹(𓇳𓁦𓂓)𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏃𓂦𓂦𓌺𓇌 “The Great God Maatkare, Beloved of Amun, Holiest of Holies.”

Interestingly, Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is referred to as “The Great God 𓄤𓊹” instead of the “Great Goddess 𓄤𓊹𓏏” as she usually is in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥. I honestly think this is a spacing issue because the blade is so small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩. A lot of the words on this blade are the shortened version. For example, Amun is written as 𓇋𓏠𓈖 instead of 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭, and Holiest of Holies is very shortened to the point of almost being unrecognizable (𓏃𓂦𓂦 instead of 𓂦𓂋𓂦𓏥𓉐). There are also many variations of Beloved 𓌺𓇌, but this shortened version of the word is very commonly seen in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Amarna Art (Part 1)

One of the reasons I loved the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology so much was because of the amount of pieces from Amarna (the modern name of Akhenaten’s capital of Egypt) that are in the collection! While Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is my favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is my second favorite! I seem to like the “untraditional” pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 who didn’t play by the rules!

One of the many charms of the Petrie Museum is that most of the pieces aren’t considered striking or grand when you first look at them. This museum is for those who truly appreciate ancient Egyptian culture as a whole, not just the shiny gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 pieces or jewels.

This piece is a quartzite inlay or either Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 or Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭. Quartzite is a very difficult rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 to work with because it is so dense and strong. Quartzite is a metamorphic rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 that is formed when heat and pressure is applied to the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 sandstone 𓂋𓅱𓂧𓏏𓌗𓈙. A process called recrystallization occurs due to the heat and pressure, which causes the sand grains in the sandstone 𓂋𓅱𓂧𓏏𓌗𓈙 to increase in size and become more dense! As a person who knows her geology, always amazes me when the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 worked with quartzite! Quartzite is usually found in quarries 𓎛𓏏𓏏𓉐𓏦 in Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓊖, as is granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿!

Egyptologists can’t tell if the inlay was supposed to be Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 or Nefertiti 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇍𓏏𓏭 because they were usually represented very similarly; the style during Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 rule 𓋾 was very different than the traditional Egyptian art styles, which makes it so weird and wonderful in its own way! While this piece itself was an inlay, a stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪 was most likely supposed to go in the hole that represents the eye 𓁹𓏤! So this is two 𓏻 inlays in one 𓏺!