This piece is known as an “Ovoid Stone” or a “Hammering Stone” and was probably used as a type of tool during building construction. Also, it’s two 𓏻 of my favorite things: rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦 and Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪! It seems like such a random and underwhelming piece, but most of the time those are my favorites!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓊹𓏏𓄤(𓇳𓁦𓂓)𓁹𓈖𓊃𓅓𓏠𓏧𓊃𓏛𓆑𓊃𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 –
“The Great Goddess, Maatkare, she made the monument for her father, Amun-Re…”
𓏸𓆑𓏸𓍱𓈙𓁷𓏸𓇋𓏠𓈖𓂦𓏛𓂦𓅱𓉐𓁹𓈖𓋹𓍘
“…at the stretching of the cord 𓍱 over the Holiest of Holies Amun, May She Live!”
The “Stretching of the Cord” was part of the foundation ritual that occurred when a building was constructed in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. It involved nailing four stakes into the ground at the four corners of the building and then linking them with a cord.
Some of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 were hard to see in my picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 so I hope this translation accurate!
Ushabti at The MET. The black text going down the center of the figure is the Shabti Spell
I have always loved and will always love ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures!! They are one of my absolute favorite things to see in museums, and that is probably because my Nonno loved ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 so much! He used to tell my sister and I stories about the ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 and I became enthralled with them so let’s take a look at this little guy!!
This style of ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is very common in the Third Intermediate Period. The figure is made of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 with details in black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦. Most ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures contained hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on them that were part of the “Shabti Spell,” which is taken from chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead. The spell was very formulaic and appears on many different ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪! Since space is very limited on these small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪, this is a very shortened version of the spell!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓊩𓁹 – The Osiris 𓎟𓅄 – Nb-Hrw 𓐙𓊤 – Justified (or “True of Voice”)
All together 𓈖𓊗, hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 read: “The Osiris, Nb-Hrw, Justified.”
The name 𓂋𓈖 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, which in this case is “Nb-Hrw 𓎟𓅄,” will always follow the epithet “The Osiris 𓊩𓁹.” The reason why the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 is referred to as “The Osiris 𓊩𓁹” is because the ancient Egyptians wanted to live forever 𓎛𓇳𓎛 in the afterlife/Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, just like Osiris 𓊩𓁹! “Justified/True of Voice 𓐙𓊤,” meant that the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 lived an honest and true life 𓋹!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are from the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 Coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 of Khnumnakht, an individual who lived during the 12th-13th Dynasties (c. 1850-1750 B.C.E.)
Here is what the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 says: 𓋹𓍘 – May He Live 𓇳𓏺𓎟 – Every Day 𓏇𓇳𓏺 – Like Ra
The little “strokes 𓏺” are not technically part of the words and they are not pronounced! They are there for aesthetic purposes to make sure all of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are spaced out correctly and appear even/in lines on the coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱!
I have posted a bunch of inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 from this coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 because it is just so beautiful 𓄤! The wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 coffins 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 from the Middle Kingdom are truly something else! The paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 and the colors are just exquisite and have really stood the test of time!
The name of the god “Shu” in Hieroglyphs from the coffin of Khnumnakht (The MET)
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Once again, these hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are from the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 Coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 of Khnumnakht, an individual who lived during the 12th-13th Dynasties (c. 1850-1750 B.C.E.).
These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 pictured spell out the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 “Shu 𓆄𓅱.” Shu 𓆄𓅱 is the god 𓊹 of the atmosphere/air and sunlight. The name 𓂋𓈖 Shu can also mean “emptiness.” In this inscription, the determinative symbol is missing; Shu can also be written as “𓆄𓅱𓀭.”
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/Truth 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄.”
The “Quail Chick 𓅱” is a super popular symbol! It is a uniliteral symbol that is representative of the sound w/u, and it is also an ideogram for the word “chick 𓅱𓏺.”
Here are some other words that are similar to Shu 𓆄𓅱! What is so cool about all of the words is that they all have to do with the atmosphere! 𓆄𓅱𓅨 – Empty 𓆄𓅱𓇳, 𓆄𓅱𓇶 – sun, sunlight 𓆄𓅱𓇳 – be dry
The name of the goddess “Nephthys” from the coffin of Khnumnakht
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are from the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 Coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 of Khnumnakht, an individual who lived during the 12th-13th Dynasties (c. 1850-1750 B.C.E.).
Today, our inscription very simply reads “𓉠,” which is the shortened version of the name 𓂋𓈖 of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Nephthys 𓉠!
This type of symbol that is used in Nephthys’ 𓉠 name 𓂋𓈖 is called a Composite Hieroglyph. A Composite Hieroglyphic symbol is a symbol that is the combination of multiple symbols into a single glyph.
The three 𓏼 symbols “𓎟𓏏𓉗” can be combined to make the “𓉠” symbol, which is not only the crown that Nephthys wears 𓉠, but a space saver when writing out hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
Nephthys’ 𓉠 title was “Mistress of the House 𓎟𓏏𓉐𓏺.” If you look, even the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 for “Mistress of the House 𓎟𓏏𓉐𓏺,” are very similar to her name (𓉠)! Both 𓉐and 𓉗 are part of the symbols that relate to “Structures and their Parts;” I love when it is all connected!
Her name 𓂋𓈖 could also be written as 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓏒𓏯𓆗 or more commonly as 𓉠𓏏𓆇.
In statuary and funerary art, the crown on her head 𓁶𓏺 is one of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that is used in her name (𓉠), which makes Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 very easy to identify in tomb art/funerary art.
Details of the Winged Scarab on the Sarcophagus of Artemidora at The MET
This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows the details on a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 that belonged to a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named 𓂋𓈖 Artemidora who lived in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 during the Roman Period (A.D 90-100). The gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉, glass, stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪, and painted 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 details on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 are stunning 𓄤!
One of my favorite pieces of imagery from Egyptian art is the Winged Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣! The wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 allowed the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 to join the rising and setting of the sun 𓇳𓏺 each day – which to the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 represented the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The cycle was central to the ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 religion! As a god 𓊹 who was constantly reborn, Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 was associated with resurrection! On this sarcophagus, we can see the sun 𓇳𓏺 represented above the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣; this was because Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 used to carry the sun 𓇳𓏺 across the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯!
Below the winged 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃 scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣, we can see the shen 𓍶 symbol! The shen 𓍶 symbol is a circle of rope that is tied at the end. The tied rope symbolizes completeness, infinity/eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛, and is also a symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. The shen 𓍶 was first seen during the Old Kingdom, and was a very popular symbol throughout Egyptian history; Nekhbet 𓇑𓃀𓏏𓅐𓎟 and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 are frequently seen holding them!
Cool Fact: the wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 on the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 are not those of a beetle, but are actually the wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦 of a bird! Also, I just love the painted 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 details on these wings 𓂧𓌳𓏏𓆃𓏦; it’s stunning 𓄤!
(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 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 and Horus 𓅃𓀭 standing with the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 of the deceased who is laying on a bed with a lion design. Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 arms are raised, and Horus 𓅃𓀭 is holding the traditional crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅. Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is my favorite Egyptian god 𓊹, and Horus 𓅃𓀭 is my sister’s 𓌢𓈖𓏏 favorite! I always like seeing Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 and Horus 𓅃𓀭 together 𓈖𓊗 for that reason – it reminds me of me and my sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏!
To the left of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 and to the right of Horus 𓅃𓀭 is the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥. Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 are the actual sisters 𓌢𓈖𓏏𓏦 in Egyptian mythology and in funerary scenes are usually depicted together!
You can tell which goddess 𓊹𓏏 is which based off of the crowns on their head 𓁶𓏺! The crown on Nephthys’ head is 𓉠 which is the hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 that’s part of her name 𓂋𓈖, and the crown on Isis’ head is 𓊨 which also corresponds with her name 𓂋𓈖! 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 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!! These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that we will be looking at are from a Canopic Jar Case, which was put in a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐! It’s function was to hold all four 𓏽 of the Canopic Jars together in one place! This case is gorgeous 𓄤 – I mean, look at those stars 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼𓏦!!! The star 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼 design is a favorite of mine; it’s even my phone case!
Since the directional symbols are pointing towards the right, we will start reading from the right! The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the top line of the case say:
𓇋𓄪𓐍𓇌 – Venerated/Revered 𓐍𓂋 – Before 𓏌𓏏𓇯 – Nut 𓋂𓊵 – Ukhotep 𓐙𓊤 – True of Voice (Justified)
Nut can also be written as “𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭” – in the inscription above, the determinative is missing! “𓏌𓏏𓇯” could also be translated as “sky,” but in the case of this inscription, translating “ 𓏌𓏏𓇯” as the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Nut 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭 makes more sense. Also, considering the star 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼 decorations, mentioning the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of the sky 𓏌𓏏𓇯 also makes perfect sense!
The symbol “𓊵” has many uses and meanings; it can be used alone to represent words/ideas, part of names, but it can also be combined with other symbols to also represent those same words/ideas. For example, the more complete way to write “ Satisfied, Content, At Peace, Offering” is “𓊵𓏏𓊪.“
Here is a close up of an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 from a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 at the MET! While this is only part of the inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥, it is my favorite part! It’s my favorite because this is the part of the inscription that is the dedication to Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! Whenever I see Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖 in the inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 I get really excited – as if I’m seeing a celebrity!
Lets’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 – Anubis 𓁶𓊪𓈋𓏺𓆑 Upon His Hill
This inscription can also be written as: 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 𓁶𓏺𓈋𓆑. If you notice, on the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭, Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖 is missing the “𓅱” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃! Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖 might have been pronounced “Inpw,” but here it’s written just as “Inp!”
Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 name 𓂋𓈖 Can be written many different ways! Here are some common variations: 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓃣 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 𓃣 𓃤 𓁢
Much like in English and other languages, the same words could have different spellings! In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, most of the time the different spellings had to do with the space that was available on the piece that was being inscribed!
“Upon His Hill 𓁶𓊪𓈋𓏺𓆑” refers to Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 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 “Upon His Mountain.”
The Emperor Augustus depicted on the Temple of Dendur at the MET
Here is the Emperor Augustus 𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋! He doesn’t look like an Emperor though – he looks like a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! Augustus is seen wearing the Atef crown 𓋚, a false beard, a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝, armlets 𓄟𓋴𓎡𓏏𓅱𓏦, and bracelets 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛𓏦. These are all features that are associated with Egyptian pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦, even though Augustus was Roman.
In this sunken relief, Augustus 𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋 is making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 of Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 to another god 𓊹. Augustus had many temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦 constructed that adhered to Egyptian religion and culture instead of the Roman/Hellenistic ways. This was a strategy that Augustus used to legitimize himself as the ruler of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and gain the respect 𓈙𓆑𓄅 of the local population. This particular image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is from the Temple of Dendur, which is at the MET.
To me, what is most interesting though are the cartouches of Augustus! Unlike the Greek rulers of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 that spelled out their names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 using phonogram symbols, Augustus went a different route when having his name 𓂋𓈖 represented in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. In this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 you can see two 𓏻 (of his three 𓏼) cartouches:
𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋 Augustus (Autokrator) 𓈎𓇌𓊃𓂋𓊃𓋹𓆖 Augustus (Kaisaros)
“Autokrator” is the Greek word for “Emperor,” while “Kaisaros” is the Greek word for “Caesar.”
Augustus chose to have various words for “ruler” as his name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. Again, this was probably a way to assert his power as the first Emperor of the Roman Empire. He didn’t want anyone to question his right to rule!
A close-up of Augustus’ cartouche on the Temple of Dendur at the MET
Here is another variant of Augustus’ cartouche: 𓉐𓉻𓀀
This cartouche I have always found so fascinating because it is literally the word for pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 in Middle Egyptian plus the determinative sign 𓀀. Most names (even when spelled out with phonograms) are followed by a determinative for a male 𓀀 person or female 𓁐 person. By choosing to have his name depicted in this way, Augustus was literally calling himself the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!
In Middle Egyptian the word for pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 literally translates to “Great House. “ this is a direct reference to the palace where the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 resided during his/her rule.
𓉐 – House 𓉻 – Great
Augustus chose to have various synonyms for “ruler 𓋾” as his name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (Emperor, Caesar, Pharaoh). Again, this was probably a way to assert his power as the first Emperor of the Roman Empire. He didn’t want anyone to question his right to rule!
The Great God 𓊹𓄤 or The Perfect God 𓊹𓄤 is another extremely common phrase you will find in hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 across all different types of artifacts and monuments. It is definitely a good one to know and recognize because it is so common!
The Great God 𓊹𓄤 is usually found before 𓐍𓂋 the titles that accompany the prenomen (throne name) cartouche of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Another popular title that often accompanies the prenomen is 𓎟𓇿𓇿 , which translates to “Lord of the Two Lands.” Sometimes both titles will appear together!
Whether or not “𓊹𓄤” is translated as “The Great God” or “The Perfect God” is really up to the translator – I have equally seen it both ways in fantastic books!! I just tend to translate it as “The Great God” for some reason!
Let’s break this down: 𓊹𓄤 𓊹 – God 𓄤 – Good/Beautiful/Perfect
For a female pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, the title would look like this: 𓊹𓏏𓄤 which would translate to “The Perfect Goddess.” Adding a “𓏏” to the word 𓊹 makes it the feminine version!
𓄤 on its own in inscriptions translates to “beautiful” and appears often as well! This is another great word/symbol to be on the lookout for!
I hope you all are enjoying these little hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃𓏪 phrase posts! It’s different from other things I have done but I have enjoyed going through my photos and making them!
