Tag: brooklyn museum

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Sati

This is the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Sati, and the Brooklyn Museum has two 𓏻 of them! The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 dates to the New Kingdom Dynasty 18 (c. 1390-1352 B.C.E.). 

Ushabti of Sati
The Ushabti of Sati at the Brooklyn Museum. The hieroglyphs on this Ushabti are the “Shabti Spell”

Sati was not royal nor a high-ranking official so these ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were clearly a royal gift just due to the craftsmanship that went into making it. Sati’s only title that appears on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is “mistress of the house 𓎟𓏏𓉐𓏺.” 

This piece is unique because of the six different colors on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 – most were not this colorful. I really love the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 accents and extreme attention to detail on this piece. If you look closely, the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are painted so beautifully on to the body of the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾. These hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are the standard “Shabti Spell,” from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. This spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 gives the ushabti 𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 the power to complete tasks (farming, manual labor, etc) for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖.

The “Shabti Spell” usually starts off with the following phrase: 

𓋴𓌉𓆓𓇶 – The Illuminated One

𓁹𓊩𓀭 – The Osiris

Then the “Shabti Spell” will usually list the deceased’s 𓅓𓏏𓏱 job/titles: 

𓎟𓏏𓉐𓏺 – Mistress of the House

This ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is made out of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 and is mummiform in appearance, with the arms 𓂝𓏦 crossed along the chest. In each hand 𓂝𓏺, the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is holding a hoe and a basket. This indicates that the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 was meant to do some type of agricultural labor for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (as per the Shabti Spell)! The ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 is also wearing a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝.

Ushabti of Sati
Me with the Ushabti of Sati at the Brooklyn Museum!
Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Vase of Woman Holding Anubis

On my most recent trip to the Brooklyn Museum, I saw this piece for the first 𓏃 time and it caught my eye immediately! I don’t remember ever really seeing a piece like this in a museum before and I think it’s stunning! 

Vase of Woman Holding Anubis

This is a clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 which depicts a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 holding a jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 or dog 𓃀𓎛𓈖𓃡! Some Egyptologists think that this vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 depicts a servant woman holding the pet dog 𓃀𓎛𓈖𓃡 of her master or mistress. 

During the 18th Dynasty, when this piece was made, a certain group of potters 𓇋𓐪𓂧𓏏𓏭𓀨𓇋𓏲𓏭𓏜𓀜𓈖𓆓𓊃𓏏𓏰𓅩𓏦 (possibly all people from the same workshop) made vases 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏪 in the form of humans 𓇬𓈋𓏏𓅱𓀀𓁐𓏦 and animals! This would have been a complex process, and the potters 𓇋𓐪𓂧𓏏𓏭𓀨𓇋𓏲𓏭𓏜𓀜𓈖𓆓𓊃𓏏𓏰𓅩𓏦 would have had to make both halves of the piece separately using a mold for each and then join them together! 

I really like it because I just see a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 holding what looks to be a recumbent jackal – aka Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is my absolute favorite Egyptian deity 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and my first thought when I saw this piece was that I could see Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 in the woman’s 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 arms! I think this piece is so beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 and I think the little Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the cutest thing! This piece was made between the reigns of Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 (c. 1479-1352 B.C.E.) and was found at Saqqara (Memphis 𓏠𓈖𓄤𓆑𓂋𓉴𓊖).

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Broad Collar and Pomegranate Spoon

Here I am at the Brooklyn Museum with a beautiful 𓄤 Broad Collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 and Pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭 Spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔! Let’s learn some more about these beautiful 𓄤 pieces!

Broad Collar and Pomegranate Spoon
Me with the Broad Collar and Pomegranate Spoon at the Brooklyn Museum!

One of the most popular types of jewelry 𓂝𓏏𓍢 amongst the elite – including the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and royal family is known as the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝. In Middle Egyptian, the word for broad collar was “𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 wesekh.” The last symbol of the word (the determinative hieroglyph) could also act as an ideogram be be used to represent the whole word “𓋝 wesekh.” 

This particular broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 was made during the late 18th Dynasty, which is when this style reached peak popularity. Broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝𓏦 could be made of many different types of materials, including gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉, but the one shown in this picture are made of blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 beads 𓋴𓅓𓂧𓏏𓏯𓏸𓏦. This broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is in almost perfect condition! 

A closer view of the Broad Collar and Pomegranate Spoon at the Brooklyn Museum!

Underneath the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is actually a spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔! It is not a spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 that was used for eating, but instead used to hold ointment 𓋴𓎼𓈖𓈖. The top part of the spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 swivels open! It is fashioned after a pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭, and the spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 part itself is supposed to be a pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭 fruit. 

The Middle Egyptian word for “spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔,” is actually translated as “incense spoon” or “cosmetic spoon,” which is what the function of this object seems to be! 

Fun fact: pomegranate 𓇋𓈖𓉔𓏠𓆭 flowers and fruit never appear on the plant 𓇐𓅓𓆰 at the same time, so maybe the spoon 𓂝𓂝𓃀𓎺𓈙𓆑𓂧𓅱𓈔 is representative of the growth from flowers 𓆼𓅱𓆰𓏦 to fruit or the life cycle of the plant 𓇐𓅓𓆰? We will never know! 

Categories
Blog

Let’s Play #IFoundImhotep

Imhotep Statue
The bronze statue of Imhotep at the Brooklyn Museum

My Nonno always made going to museums so much fun and I’m sure this is why I have always loved going to museums! 

One of our favorite things to see in a museum were the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪! My Nonno would always point out Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 and tell me about all of the incredible things he did (like being the architect behind Djoser’s 𓂦 Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴)! I have always been fascinated by Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪! 

My Nonno turned finding the Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 into a game, and I want to play the game with everyone!! Tag me in your photos or use the hashtag #IFoundImhotep on Instagram to show me your pictures of the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 that are in your local museums! 

Let’s keep my Nonno’s game alive!

𓏙𓋹𓆖𓎛𓇳𓎛

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Partial Relief with Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at an incomplete piece of a limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief! This piece at the Brooklyn Museum is so beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 because even though it is just a fragment, the colors are so striking and I just love looking at it! Blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 has always been my favorite color, and the blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 on this relief is still so bright even after thousands of years! 

Partial Relief with Hieroglyphs
Partial Relief with Hieroglyphs at the Brooklyn Museum

Since the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are pointing to the left, we are going to start reading the symbols from the left! 

The “Quail Chick 𓅱” is a super common symbol that you will see in a lot of inscriptions! It is a uniliteral phonogram sign, which means it has the sound of a single consonant. The “𓅱” is representative of the sound “w” or “u.” This symbol is also an ideogram for the word “chick 𓅱𓏺.”

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is also a uniliteral phonogram! The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” The “𓈖” has many grammatical functions on its own, and it can mean “to,” “of,” “for,” “we/us/our,” “in,” “because,” “through,” and some others! How do we know which word it is? Context clues! In the case of this inscription, too much is missing for us to know what the word is! 

The “tall loaf of bread 𓏑” symbol is an ideogram for “bread 𓏑,” which usually appears in offering formulas. Surprisingly, it can also be used as an ideogram for “Thoth” as well! 

The “hobble for cattle 𓎂” symbol is a biliteral phonogram which means it is associated with the sound of two consonants. The “𓎂” is associated with the sound “z3” (pronounced like “zah”) and is usually used in words such as “protection 𓎂𓏦/𓎂𓏛” and other related phrases.

The “forepart of lion 𓄂” symbol is an ideogram for the word “front” and “foremost.” It is associated with the sound “h3t” which would be pronounced like “hat.” 

The last word all the way on the right I can actually see in full – this is the name 𓂋𓈖of the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭! 

Categories
Blog Egyptian Artifacts

My Favorite Egyptian Artifacts

Happy 700 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲 posts to @ancientegyptblog 𓃣 on Instagram!! Thank you 𓋴𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢 all 𓎟 for your continued support – it means the world 𓇾𓇾 to me!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 for a special post, I wanted to share some of my absolute favorite Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 artifacts that I have seen in museums! Now, these objects aren’t the “big ticket” items, or objects that most people run and see, however, these are the ones that I love and items that you can probably see at your local museums! 

Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 – it’s no secret that I love reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, and I love seeing them no matter what object they appear on! 

Hieroglyphs King's List
Me with the King’s List in the British Museum

Ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾- my favorite little guys who perform tasks for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! There are so many different types across various time periods of Egyptian history! I love them all! 

Ushabtis
The Ushabti display at the Brooklyn Museum

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪- Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was one of the only commoners to be deified, and he was the architect of Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 first 𓏃 pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴! My Nonno loved Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, and I do too! This Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 pictured is my favorite one at the Vatican!

My favorite Imhotep statue at the Vatican Museum – Look at those ears!!

Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺- better known to the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 as the “Book of Going Forth By Day,” this papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 would provide spells needed for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to reach the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This one pictured is the Papyrus of Hunefer, which contains my favorite “Weighing of the Heart” scene. 

Book of the Dead of Hunefer
The Weighing of the Heart Scene from the Book of the Dead of Hunefer at the British Museum

Wooden Sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪  (with the Eyes) – The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 on this side of the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 would allow the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to see outside of it! My Nonno told me this every time we were in a museum and saw a sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 like this! 

Middle Kingdom Sarcophagus
Middle Kingdom sarcophagus with the eyes! (the MET)

Anything Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 – Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, the god 𓊹 of mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 and tombs, has been my favorite god 𓊹, so I get excited every time I see him! Reliefs, sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪, statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, – you can find Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 all over! 

Anubis relief
My favorite relief of Anubis (from the Middle Kingdom) at the MET

Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪- I love tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 things so of course I love amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪! Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 come in all different designs – every day objects, deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, animals – the list is endless! There are so many different types and functions, however their main function was protection of the living 𓆣𓂋𓀀𓏪 or the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱! 

Amulets
Various amulets on display at the MET – including the winged scarab which is one of my favorites!

Hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 – I am obsessed with the Egyptian Hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 statues! Hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 were both feared and revered along the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺! I always look to see if a museum has one of these! 

William the Hippo
William, the blue faience Egyptian hippo at the MET

I hope you enjoyed this highlight of some of my favorite Egyptian artifacts!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

The Heart and Heart Scarab

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!

Since it’s Valentine’s Day, let’s talk about the Heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the Heart Scarab! This particular Heart Scarab at the Brooklyn Museum is so cool because it is actually in the shape of a heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 instead of a Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣. The term “Heart Scarab” is a modern one used by archaeologists! 

In ancient Egyptian culture, the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not only the center of a person’s life 𓋹, but also thinking, memory, and moral values. The heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not removed during the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process, because the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person would need it on their journey through the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. 

The person’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 would be weighed against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather 𓆄𓏺 by Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, and that would determine if the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and then enter the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖, or eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹. This was called the “Weighing of the Heart,”  or the “Judgement of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭.” 

Heart Scarab
Two Heart Scarabs in the shape of a heart, with Chapter 30B of the Book of the Dead inscribed on it.

So how does the Heart Scarab play into this? In modern terms, the Heart Scarab could be seen as a “cheat code” for getting past the “Weighing of the Heart” – most are inscribed with the spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 from Chapter 30B from the Book of the Dead. In this spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 asks their own heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 to not betray them during the “Weighing of the Heart.” 

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 30B from the Papyrus of Ani: “O my heart of different ages! Do not stand up as a witness against me, do not be opposed to me in the tribunal, do not be hostile to me in the presence of the keeper of the balance, for you are my ka which was in my body, the protector who made my members hale.” 

Basically, the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 feared the outcome of their final judgement so they developed this amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 as a way to ensure a positive outcome to the scales!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Kohl Tube of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 Tube! Kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 was a type of eye paint (makeup) that was very popular amongst the ancient Egyptians! This tube would have contained the kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀, and then a wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 or faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 stick would have been used to apply it! The kohl 𓆓𓂝𓌠𓃀 tube itself is also made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, hence the gorgeous blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 color! This piece is dated to the 18th Dynasty (c. 1390-1353 B.C.E.).

For me, the most interesting part of an artifact is always going to be the inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 on the object! Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓊹𓄤 – Perfect God 

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

𓇳𓁧𓎠 – Nebmaatra (Amenhotep III’s Throne Name)

𓇓𓈞𓏏 – King’s Great Wife

𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 – Tiye

𓋹𓍘 – May She Live!

Some of you may notice when looking at this inscription that Queen Tiye’s 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 name 𓂋𓈖 is in a cartouche too! Sometimes, the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the queens who held the title of the “King’s Great Wife 𓇓𓈞𓏏” also appeared in cartouches to demonstrate their importance to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 was actually the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 grandmother! Tiye 𓍘𓇌𓏭𓁗 and Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 seem to have been married by the second year of his reign. The reign of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 was an extremely prosperous and successful one, because it was at this time that Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 had reached its peak artistic and international power (even though Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 only participated in one military battle himself). His success had been set up by the works of the previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦, such as Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 and then Amenhotep III’s 𓇳𓁧𓎠 own father, Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼. 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Colorful Hieroglyph Relief

A lot of the time, the pieces that catch my eye in the museums are the unassuming limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 fragments that contain colorful hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. Once upon a time, most Egyptian reliefs were as colorful as this piece, however with the passage of time, most of the colors faded. It’s so cool to almost catch a glimpse of what the colors were like thousands 𓏲𓏲𓏲 of years ago!

Let’s read some (very fragmented) hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 – or at least examine the symbols that we can! We are going to start from the left, since the symbols are pointing to the left!

𓁟 – the “ibis headed god” symbol is both an ideogram and determinative for “Thoth” and is associated with the sound “ḏḥwtj.” 

𓎟 – the “basket 𓎟” symbol is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound “nb” (pronounced like “neb”). Can be used to represent the words Lord, All, Every, and many others! 

𓊹𓉼 – This word means “Great God.” “𓊹” is the triliteral symbol for God and has the sound “ntr” which would be pronounced like “neter.” “𓉼” is the symbol for “Great,” which is a biliteral phonogram and has the sound of “ˁ3” which would be pronounced like “ah.”  

𓂧𓏏𓏥 – the first symbol 𓂧 looks like the uniliteral phonogram “d,” the second symbol 𓏏 is the uniliteral phonogram “t” and then the third symbol 𓏦 is the “three strokes” symbol which can be used to make a word plural, but can also mean they, them, their, of, three, and much more. This word might mean “hands,” or “handful,” but I don’t have a full inscription so I don’t know! 

𓎛𓏭𓅱 – this word means “would that” or “please” and can also be written as “𓎛𓅱𓏭.” It is associated with the sound “hwy.” 

𓀭𓀭 – the “seated god” symbol acts as a determinative for the words God or King, and can even be used as the pronoun “I” when the God or King is speaking! 

𓏃 – the “water jars in a rack 𓏃” symbol is most commonly used as a triliteral phonogram, and is associated with the sound ḫnt. This symbol usually is used for the prepositional phrase “In Front Of” but can also be used to mean “First.”

This relief is from an 18th-19th Dynasty tomb wall. The 18th-19th Dynasty was part of the New Kingdom Period of ancient Egypt, and is my favorite time period to study!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Reading Hieroglyphs – Stela of Irethoreru

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 for a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named Irethoreru and it is dated to the 25th Dynasty (Third Intermediate Period, c. 775-663 B.C.E.). I have posted about the full stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 in the past, but today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to take a closer look at some of the inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on it! I like to highlight the titles/epithets associated with Gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and Goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏, because they are inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that you can easily recognize a lot! 

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! We are starting right underneath the solar disc! 

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris

𓉼𓊹 – Great God (this is actually written backwards and should be “𓊹𓉼”)

𓎟 – Lord

𓇯 – Sky

𓋾 – Ruler

𓆖 – Eternity

All 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, this reads: “Osiris, the Great God, Lord of the Sky, Ruler of Eternity.” “Lord of the Sky 𓎟𓇯” is usually Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 title, so it’s interesting to see it associated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 here! Also, “𓇯” can mean the word “above,” as “sky” is more commonly written as “𓊪𓏏𓇯.” 

Here’s the next inscription: 

𓊨𓏏𓆇 – Isis

𓅨𓂋 – Great One

𓊹𓅐 – God’s Mother/Goddess

All 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, this reads: “Isis, the Great One, the God’s Mother.” 

Next to each Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗, the name 𓂋𓈖 of the city “Behdet 𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖” (modern day Edfu) is written. Behdet 𓄑𓂧𓏏𓊖 is an Egyptian city 𓊖𓏺 in Upper Egypt 𓇓. Horus of the Winged Disc or “Behdetite” was the chief god 𓊹 of the city 𓊖𓏺.