Tag: the met

Water Clocks

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date March 2, 2024

“What time is it” is such a common question and the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 wondered it too! The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 were masters of math and science 𓂋𓐍𓏏𓏜 and one of their long lasting contributions to the world was the first clock – which was a sundial 𓍬𓏏𓊌 (also known as a shadow clock)! The sundial 𓍬𓏏𓊌 was the first portable time keeping device!

These two pieces pictured are also clocks except these are known as water clocks 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻. The water clock 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻 is the first clock that didn’t depend on an astronomical object to tell the time! The oldest water clock 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻 known was found in the tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪(c. 1500 B.C.E.). The Greeks even adopted the use of water clocks 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻𓏪 around 325 B.C.E. and named them “clepsydras” which translates to “water thieves.”

A water clock 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻 is a vessel/vase that has a hole at the bottom that allowed water 𓈗 to drip through at a slow pace. Water clocks 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻𓏪 were usually used to tell time at night 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛, but they might have been used during the day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 too. The water 𓈗 was drained from the vessel after twelve 𓎆𓏻 hours, and then it could be refilled and be used again! Markings on the side helped to keep more accurate time!

These two water clocks 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻𓏪 were probably used in a temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐. They both depict baboons because the god 𓊹 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 could take the form of a baboon. Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 was not only the inventor of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and the god 𓊹 of knowledge 𓂋𓐍𓏏𓏜, but his many other duties included being an overseer of measurement!

Both of the water clocks 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻𓏪 are made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼. The blue/green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 one dated to the 4th Century B.C.E. (Late Period) while the tan colored one is dated to 664–30 B.C.E. (Late-Ptolemaic Periods).

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags artifact, the met, thoth

Egyptian Artifacts

The Amarna Letters

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date March 2, 2024

The “Amarna Letters” is the modern designation for a group of over 300 𓏲𓏲𓏲 clay tablets that were found at Tell el-Amarna, Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 in the 1880s. Amarna as it is commonly called, is the modern name for “Akhetaten 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖.” “Akhetaten 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖” was the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 during the reign 𓋾 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖.

Two of the clay tablets, designed as the “Amarna Letters” on display at the MET.

The “Amarna Letters” are written on clay tablets in cuneiform script, which was a type of Mesopotamian script! Cuneiform could be used to write many languages, but the language on the “Amarna Letters’” tablets is Akkadian. This is significant because it shows the reach that cuneiform/Akkadian had throughout the ancient world! Akkadian was probably the lingua franca (common language/trade language) of the time!

Most of the letters are written from rulers outside of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, and they document diplomatic relations between these territories and Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖.

The Amarna Letter on the left is from Ashur-uballit the king of Assyria. In this letter he offers gifts to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 in order to open communications between the two countries!

The Amarna Letter on the right is from Abi-milku of Tyre to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖 . Abi-milku was asking Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 for protection in return for his loyalty to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅞𓐍𓈖!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags amarna, artifact, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

One Thousand in Hieroglyphs!

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 21, 2024

Happy 1,000 𓆼 Posts to my Instagram @ancientegyptblog ! To celebrate this momentous occasion, let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the “lotus plant 𓆼” symbol! The “lotus plant 𓆼” has many functions in Middle Egyptian and it is a symbol you will see a lot!

The “Lotus Plant” symbol which is used to write the number one thousand in hieroglyphs!

The most common way you will see the “lotus plant 𓆼” symbol used is when it is used as an ideogram to represent the number “one thousand 𓆼.”

For example:

𓆼 – 1,000

𓆼𓆼 – 2,000

𓆼𓆼𓆼 – 3,000

How many times do you see “one thousand” written in the inscription above? Read to the bottom of the post to see the answer!

Used in a sentence (the Offering Formula), it looks like this:

𓉓𓆼𓏐𓏊𓆼𓃾𓅿𓆼𓍱𓋲

“ A voice offering 𓉓 (of) a thousand 𓆼 bread 𓏐 and beer 𓏊, a thousand 𓆼 ox 𓃾 and fowl 𓅿, a thousand 𓆼 alabaster 𓍱 and linen 𓋲.”

The Offering Formula on stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏦 and False Doors will be the most common way you will see this symbol in inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥!

The “lotus plant 𓆼” is a biliteral phonogram and represents the sound “ḫ3.” The “lotus plant 𓆼” symbol can also be simply used as an ideogram for the word “lotus plant 𓆼𓏺.”

Some words that can be written with the “lotus plant 𓆼” are:

𓆼𓅡𓋴𓇼𓇼𓇼 – Starry Sky

𓆼𓏏𓉐𓏭 – Office

𓐍𓆼𓄿𓏏𓁣 – Illness/Disease

𓋴𓆼𓄿𓀁 – To Remember

I cannot believe it’s been almost four 𓏽 years since I stated this account, let alone the fact that I have written 1,000 𓆼 posts about ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! That’s a lot of “Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪,” mythology, art, pharaohs, and talking about my Nonno!

Pharaoh Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 was buried with over 1,000 𓆼 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 so now I have as many posts as Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 had ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾!

The answer to the question above is: four times!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Necklace of Princess Sithathoryuet

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 20, 2024

This beautiful 𓄤 necklace 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓋝 belonged to the princess Sithathoryunet, who is thought to be the daughter 𓅭𓏏 of the 12th Dynasty (c. 1887–1813 B.C.E) Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Senwosret II 𓄊𓋴𓂋𓏏𓊃𓈖. She is thought to be his daughter 𓅭𓏏 because her tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 is linked to his pyramid.

The Necklace of Princess Sithathoryuet

Flinders Petrie was actually the one to discover her tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐. Despite being robbed in antiquity, the tomb robbers left a chest full of beautiful 𓄤 jewelry 𓂝𓏏𓍢 behind!

The necklace 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓋝 is made out of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉, carnelian (stone with a red color), lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧, turquoise 𓅓𓆑𓂓𓏏𓈓, green feldspar, and garnet 𓄑𓏛𓈎𓄿𓌳𓄿𓅓𓏲𓈒𓏦!

Let’s take a look at all of the beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 symbolism and imagery 𓏏𓅱𓏏 that is compressed into this piece!

A closeup of the Necklace of Princess Sithathoryuet highlighting the intricate design.

The necklace 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓋝 is centered around the throne name cartouche of Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Senwosret II 𓇳𓈍𓆣.

Each side is symmetrical, and if we start by looking at the outermost part, the Falcon represents the sun 𓇳𓏺 god 𓊹 Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 and he is is holding a shen 𓍶 symbol. The shen 𓍶 symbol is a circle of rope that is tied at the end. The tied rope symbolizes the completeness and eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛 of the reign of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻.

There are two Ankh 𓋹 symbols that are hanging on two cobras 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 who are representative of Nekhbet 𓇑𓃀𓏏𓅐𓎟 and Wadjet 𓇅𓇌𓏏𓆘, two traditional goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 who are protectors of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Underneath the cartouche is the god 𓊹 Heh 𓁨, who is the personification of infinity and eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛. His hieroglyphic symbol is actually the symbol for the number “one million 𓁨,” thus ensuring that the king’s rule is eternal 𓆖.

Underneath the god 𓊹 Heh 𓁨, are stones arranged to look like the “ripple of water 𓈖” hieroglyph, which is representative of the primordial waters that the land came from in the Egyptian creation myth. Much like the water 𓈗 of the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 supported Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, the primordial waters support this piece!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags artifact, senwosret ii, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Maned Sphinx of Hatshepsut

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 19, 2024

A couple of weeks ago I asked on my Instagram if there was an object people wanted to see more of, and someone suggested the Maned Sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭 of Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓, so here it is!

I took a selfie with the Maned Sphinx of Hatshepsut!

Pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 were commonly represented as sphinxes 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏦 in ancient Egyptian art for many reasons. A sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭 is a mythical creature that has the body of a lion 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛 and the head of a human. In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, lions 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛𓏪 have been associated with kingship 𓇓𓇌 since prehistoric times due to their strength 𓌀 and ferocity. The sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭 was the perfect representation of the strength 𓌀 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 due to its lion 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛 body, while the face still preserved the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the king 𓇓 himself/herself.

A closeup of the hieroglyphs on the Maned Sphinx of Hatshepsut.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

(𓇳𓁦𓂓) – Maatkare

𓇋𓏠𓈖 – Amun

𓌺𓏏𓇌 – Beloved

𓋹𓏏𓏙- Life Given

𓆖 – Eternity

“Maatkare, Beloved of Amun, Given Life for Eternity.”

I know this is strange, but “Given Life” is actually written backwards! It should be “𓏙𓋹” not “𓋹𓏙” as it’s written (this inscription is read from right to left, because that’s the way the directional symbols are pointing).

There’s also an added 𓏏, which makes it the feminine form! There’s a second sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 just like this one in the Cairo Museum, and on that sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤, there is no added 𓏏! Why would one sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤 use the feminine form and one use the masculine?! We will probably never know!

The hieroglyphs on the Maned Sphinx of Hatshepsut with their English translation next to them!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags artifact, hatshepsut, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Fragment of Akhenaten

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 19, 2024

This is a fragment of what used to be a limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the pharaoh Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖! This (and many others like it) were found during Flinders Petrie and Howard Carter’s excavation at present-day Amarna in 1891, which in ancient times was called Akhetaten 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖. Akhetaten 𓈌𓏏𓉐𓇋𓏏𓈖𓊖 was the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 during the reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖.

A Fragment of Akhenaten – many of Akhenaten’s statues were intentionally destroyed after his reign

Many of Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 not only have the faces destroyed, but are also in hundreds of pieces. This deliberate destruction of his statuary was an attempt to destroy his image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 so he would be forgotten from history. Images/statues of a person, and the name 𓂋𓈖 of a person held immense power in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 so if a name 𓂋𓈖 and image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 was destroyed, its power was removed!

A Fragment of Akhenaten – a front view of the statue where the extent of the damage to his face can be clearly seen.

Why did Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 successors want his image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 destroyed? Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is infamous for completely changing the Egyptian pantheon from polytheistic worship of the traditional gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 to the monotheistic worship of the Aten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳 and people definitely did not like that! When Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 son, Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 became the pharaoh, he reinstated the old religion and moved the capital of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 back to Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖.

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags akhenaten, amarna, artifact, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Tyet Knot and Djed Pillar

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 19, 2024

This beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 art is from a Roman Period mummy mask of a woman and is dated to 60 – 70 A.D. It’s always incredible to me how art that is just about 2000 years old has paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 and colors that still look brand new! This art shows two Tyet Knots 𓎬 and a Djed Pillar 𓊽 (middle).

Two Tyet Knots (right and left) and a Djed Pillar (middle) on a Roman mummy mask

The origin of the Djed Pillar 𓊽 is most likely from the predynastic times while Tyet Knot 𓎬 is from the First Dynasty/Early Dynastic Period. This means that these symbols were over 3000 years old when this mask was made! It always amazes me how the same religious symbols just persisted through Egyptian history!

The Tyet Knot 𓎬, also known as the Isis knot 𓎬, was considered a very strong symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 and came to be associated with Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥. The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that knots 𓎬 were able to bind and then release magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜.

The Djed Pillar 𓊽 represents the word and concept of Stability in ancient Egypt. The Djed pillar 𓊽 is thought to be the spine 𓇋𓄿𓏏𓄦 of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, hence why it takes on the meaning of “stability.”

The Isis Knots 𓎬 and the Djed Pillar 𓊽 were also mostly used in a funerary context, such as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏦 that were placed on mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 or as part of spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 in the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺.

While both the Tyet Knot 𓎬 and Djed Pillar appear in art frequently, they are also both hieroglyphic symbols and appear in inscriptions!

The “reed column 𓊽” more commonly known as the “Djed Pillar” is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound “ḏd” which sounds like “Djed.” It also functions as an ideogram for “Stability.”

The “tie 𓎬” is an ideogram for “Tyet Knot 𓎬” or “Isis Knot 𓎬” and is a triliteral phonogram associated with the sound “tjt” which would be pronounced like “tyet.”

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags artifact, roman, the met

Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

Sistrums with Hathor

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 7, 2024

Music 𓉔𓇌𓆸 and musicians were highly regarded in ancient Egyptian culture. I love music 𓉔𓇌𓆸, and music 𓇋𓎛𓇌 is something that I cannot live without! This is a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣, which is a musical instrument from ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 that is similar to a modern rattle or tambourine.

A faience sistrum with Hathor from the Ptolemaic Period

Since Hathor 𓉡 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of music 𓇋𓎛𓇌, she was portrayed on most sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 in her human form! However, even though Hathor 𓉡 is represented as a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐, she is recognized easily because of her characteristic cow 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒 ears!

A closeup view of the sistrum with Hathor’s face! See if you can spot her cow ears!

I love these two sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 pictured below because while they are both from the Ptolemaic Period, they look so different! One of the sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 is made of blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 while the other is made of silver 𓌉𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉.

A blue faience sistrum (front) and a silver sistrum (back) both with Hathor’s face on it from the Ptolemaic Period.

Fun fact: in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, silver 𓌉𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 was actually considered to be more valuable because it was harder to obtain through trade! Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 does not naturally have a lot of silver 𓌉𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉!

The silver 𓌉𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 has hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the handle, however they are very hard to read due to cracks and natural wear. The blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 one has hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that are much easier to read!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

𓎟𓈍𓈍𓈍 – Lord of Appearances

𓊪𓏏𓍯𓃭𓐝𓇌𓋴 – Ptolemaios (Ptolemy I)

𓋹 – Life

𓏇 – Like

𓇳𓏺 – Ra

𓎛𓇳𓎛 – Eternity

𓆖 – Eternity

When 𓎛𓇳𓎛 and 𓆖 are used in the same phrase, it’s usually translated as “Everlasting Eternity” instead of “Eternity Eternity.”

Another way to write “Lord of Appearances” is like this – 𓎟𓈍𓏥 – using three strokes “𓏥” instead of repeating the “sun over the horizon 𓎟𓈍𓈍𓈍” hieroglyph three times! Both of these ways are the correct way to write the phrase, however the three strokes “𓏥” is usually used more because it takes up less space!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, hathor, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Model Boat

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 7, 2024

This is my favorite wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 model that I have seen in any museum!

Wooden Model Boat of Ukhotep at the MET

This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 model boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of a man named 𓂋𓈖 Ukhhotep 𓋂𓊵𓏏𓊪. Ukhotep 𓋂𓊵𓏏𓊪 was the chief treasurer 𓋨𓅱, which is why he probably received such gorgeous 𓄤 funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭.

This is one of two 𓏻 funerary boats that were found in his tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 – most Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 that had wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models always contained two 𓏻 boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦. In the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, one boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 was oriented to the north 𓎔𓏏 and the other towards the south 𓇔𓅱𓏏.

During the actual funeral, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would take one last journey across the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. Models of boats 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞𓏦 (usually funerary boats), were usually found in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 as a way to symbolically bring the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 into the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.

Wooden Model Boat of Ukhotep at the MET showing the mummy and the two women on either side representing Isis and Nephthys.

I really love this model because of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 that you can see underneath the canopy! As a kid I always loved that! The canopy also has a leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin on the top, and the details on the leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 are just gorgeous!

Wooden Model Boat of Ukhotep at the MET showing the priests wearing leopard skins.

The mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 is accompanied by two 𓏻 women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐𓏪 mourners – they are probably meant to represent Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇. There is also a priest 𓊹𓍛 (dressed in the leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin) who holds a scroll 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 with a funerary offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 on it. There is a second priest 𓊹𓍛, also dressed in leopard 𓍋𓃀𓇌𓃮 skin with his arm 𓂝𓏺 extended outward in a mourning gesture.

Wooden Model Boat of Ukhotep at the MET highlighting the detailed leopard on the canopy.

Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 models were very popular amongst Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦. This particular boat 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞 is dated to the 12th Dynasty (c. 1981–1802 B.C.E.)

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags artifact, the met, wooden models

Egyptian Artifacts

Clay Donkey

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date February 7, 2024

This little 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 donkey 𓃘𓏺 is easy to miss in the display cabinets of the galleries at the MET, but he is just so cute!

This piece was is very rudimentary but I love how it shows a different level of ancient Egyptian artistry. There are four little sticks in the donkey 𓃘𓏺 which are used to hold the little clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 balls which are probably representing sacks of grain 𓈎𓄿𓅱𓏸𓏦. This little 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 donkey 𓃘𓏺 was actually found by Howard Carter when he was excavating near Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple!

While horses 𓋴𓋴𓅓𓏏𓃗𓏪 weren’t introduced into Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 until the Second Intermediate Period (around 1600 B.C.E.), donkeys 𓃘𓃘𓃘 seem to have been in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 since around 4500 B.C.E. (based on bone evidence). However, the first artistic representation of a donkey 𓆄𓅱𓃘 is from a palette dated to 3100 B.C.E., which is around the end of the Predynastic Period and the start of the Archaic Period (1st and 2nd Dynasties).

Another distinction between donkeys 𓃘𓃘𓃘 and horses 𓋴𓋴𓅓𓏏𓃗𓏪 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 were that donkeys 𓃘𓏪 were used mainly for work and for hauling goods/materials in carts (as seen in this clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 representation) while horses 𓋴𓋴𓅓𓏏𓃗𓏪 were only used for pulling chariots 𓅨𓂋𓂋𓏏𓌝𓏦 and were reserved solely for the military and pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥.

This piece is dated to the Second Intermediate Period – Early New Kingdom (13th-18th Dynasties, 1991–1450 B.C.E.).

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Tags artifact, the met

Recent Posts

Archives

Categories