The image ๐๐ ฑ๐ of Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ feeding Horus ๐ ๐ญ as a baby is one of the most popular images ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ of the Third Intermediate Period, Late Period and even through the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods. This video examines the significance of the statues of Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ feeding Horus ๐ ๐ญ!
This image ๐๐ ฑ๐ appeared in bronze ๐๐ค๐๐ฆ, stone ๐๐๐๐ช, and even as small ๐๐๐ด๐ ฉ amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช! My Nonno would always point out these pieces of Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ feeding Horus ๐ ๐ญ as a baby because he felt they were so significant to the evolution of religious art through time.
While my Nonno loved Egyptian ๐๐๐๐ and Roman art, he also loved Christian/Biblical art, so these Egyptian ๐๐๐๐ statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช were kind of a natural connection between his area of interests! I always make sure to look for statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช like this in museums whenever I visit!
Symbolically, Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ was thought to be the mother ๐ฟ๐๐ of the pharaoh ๐๐ป, and was often associated with motherhood, the protection of women ๐๐๐๐๐, and a user of magic ๐๐๐ฟ๐. As Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ became a more popular religious figure, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans. Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ was widely worshipped during the Roman times, and Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ feeding Horus ๐ ๐ญ as a baby has even appeared on the back of Roman coins.
This image ๐๐ ฑ๐ of a mother ๐ฟ๐๐ holding a child ๐๐๐ is thought to have inspired the well known Catholic images of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus as a baby.
Today ๐๐๐๐ณ we are going to look at a symbol known as the Tyet Knot ๐ฌ or the Isis Knot ๐ฌ!
The Tyet Knot drawn in the Book of the Dead of Imhotep (the MET)
This particular Tyet Knot ๐ฌ is from the Book of the Dead of ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ Imhotep at the MET! Even though this Book of the Dead ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ is from the Ptolemaic Period, the origin of the Tyet Knot ๐ฌ from the First Dynasty/Early Dynastic Period! It always amazes me how the same religious symbols just persisted through Egyptian history!
The Tyet Knot ๐ฌ, also known as the Isis knot ๐ฌ, was considered a very strong symbol of protection ๐ ๐๐ก๐ and came to be associated with Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ. The Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช believed that knots ๐ฌ were able to bind and then release magic ๐๐๐ฟ๐. The Isis Knots ๐ฌ were also mostly used in a funerary context, such as amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ฆ (starting in the New Kingdom) placed on mummies ๐๐น๐ ฑ๐พ๐ช or as part of spells ๐๐๐๐ฆ in the Book of the Dead ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ.
In chapter 156 of the Book of the Dead ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ, it states that the Tyet Knot ๐ฌ amulet ๐๐ช๐ should be made of red ๐ง๐๐๐ jasper and placed on the neck of the mummy ๐๐น๐ ฑ๐พ! The spell states that the Tyet Knot ๐ฌ amulet ๐๐ช๐ โwill drive away whoever would commit a crime against him.โ
Letโs take a look at the hieroglyphic meaning! Called the โtie ๐ฌโ by Gardiner, this symbol is an ideogram for โTyet Knot ๐ฌโ or โIsis Knot ๐ฌโ and is associated with the sound โtjtโ which would be pronounced like โtyet.โ
This striking red granite ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ถ sarcophagus ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ belonged to the pharaoh ๐๐ป Rameses III ๐๐๐ด๐ด๐พ๐บ. Rameses III ๐ณ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ was the second pharaoh ๐๐ป of the 20th Dynasty and he ruled for 32 ๐๐๐๐ป tumultuous years. His reign was marked by political, economic, and military issues.
The most interesting part about Rameses IIIโs ๐๐๐ด๐ด๐พ๐บ reign for me is what is known as the โHarem Conspiracyโ โ Rameses IIIโs ๐ณ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ secondary wife, Tiye ๐๐๐ญ๐, plotted to have Rameses III ๐ณ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ killed so her son ๐ ญ Pentawer ๐ช๐๐๐ฟ๐ ฉ๐๐น could become pharaoh ๐๐ป instead of the chosen heir, Rameses IV ๐ณ๐๐๐. While Tiye ๐๐๐ญ๐ and her conspirators (other high officials) succeeded in killing Rameses III ๐๐๐ด๐ด๐พ๐บ, they did not succeed in establishing Pentawer ๐ช๐๐๐ฟ๐ ฉ๐๐น as pharaoh ๐๐ป. All of the conspirators were caught and put to death and Rameses IV ๐ณ๐๐๐ succeeded Rameses III ๐๐๐ด๐ด๐พ๐บ as the pharaoh ๐๐ป.
The red granite sarcophagus of Pharaoh Rameses III, which depicts the goddess Isis
Here, on the sarcophagus ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ of Rameses III ๐๐๐ด๐ด๐พ๐บ, Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ is depicted where the feet of the deceased would be placed. Isisโ ๐จ๐๐ฅ sister Nephthys ๐ ๐๐ is usually located where the deceasedโs head would be located. Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ is easily recognized in Egyptian art because she is normally shown with the headdress of a throne, ๐จ, which is also one of the hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช in her name ๐๐. Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ is shown with wings ๐ง๐ณ๐๐๐ฆ and sitting on the hieroglyph ๐น๐ for โgold ๐.โ
Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ is known as a devoted wife ๐๐๐ and mother ๐ ๐๐, but was also associated with resurrection ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ due to her role in piecing her brother/husband Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ back together after he was dismembered by their brother Seth ๐๐๐ก๐ฃ. She is the mother ๐ ๐๐ of Horus ๐ ๐ญ, who was magically conceived after Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ brought Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ back to life ๐น.
Happy 700 ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ posts to @ancientegyptblog ๐ฃ on Instagram!! Thank you ๐ด๐๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ข all ๐ for your continued support โ it means the world ๐พ๐พ to me!
Today ๐๐๐๐ณ for a special post, I wanted to share some of my absolute favorite Egyptian ๐๐๐๐ artifacts that I have seen in museums! Now, these objects arenโt the โbig ticketโ 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 ๐น๐๐ช โ itโs no secret that I love reading hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช, and I love seeing them no matter what object they appear on!
Me with the Kingโs List in the British Museum
Ushabtis ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ- my favorite little guys who perform tasks for the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ in the afterlife ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐! There are so many different types across various time periods of Egyptian history! I love them all!
The Ushabti display at the Brooklyn Museum
Imhotep ๐๐ ๐ต๐๐ช Statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช- Imhotep ๐๐ ๐ต๐๐ช was one of the only commoners to be deified, and he was the architect of Egyptโs ๐๐ ๐๐ first ๐ pyramid ๐๐ ๐๐ด! My Nonno loved Imhotep ๐๐ ๐ต๐๐ช, and I do too! This Imhotep ๐๐ ๐ต๐๐ช Statue ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ pictured is my favorite one at the Vatican!
My favorite Imhotep statue at the Vatican Museum โ Look at those ears!!
Book of the Dead ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ- better known to the Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช as the โBook of Going Forth By Day,โ this papyrus ๐ ๐๐๐ would provide spells needed for the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ to reach the afterlife ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐. This one pictured is the Papyrus of Hunefer, which contains my favorite โWeighing of the Heartโ scene.
The Weighing of the Heart Scene from the Book of the Dead of Hunefer at the British Museum
Wooden Sarcophagi ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ๐ช (with the Eyes) โ The eyes ๐น๐๐ฆ on this side of the sarcophagus ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ would allow the mummy ๐๐น๐ ฑ๐พ to see outside of it! My Nonno told me this every time we were in a museum and saw a sarcophagus ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ like this!
Middle Kingdom sarcophagus with the eyes! (the MET)
Anything Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ โ Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ, the god ๐น of mummification ๐ด๐ง๐๐ ฑ๐ and tombs, has been my favorite god ๐น, so I get excited every time I see him! Reliefs, sarcophagi ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ๐ช, statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช, amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช, โ you can find Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ all over!
My favorite relief of Anubis (from the Middle Kingdom) at the MET
Amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช- I love tiny ๐๐๐ด๐ ฉ things so of course I love amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช! Amulets ๐๐ช๐ ๐ช come in all different designs โ every day objects, deities ๐น๐น๐น, animals โ the list is endless! There are so many different types and functions, however their main function was protection of the living ๐ฃ๐๐๐ช or the dead ๐ ๐๐ฑ!
Various amulets on display at the MET โ including the winged scarab which is one of my favorites!
Hippos ๐๐๐ฏ๐ฆ โ I am obsessed with the Egyptian Hippo ๐๐๐ฏ statues! Hippos ๐๐๐ฏ๐ฆ were both feared and revered along the Nile ๐๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐บ! I always look to see if a museum has one of these!
William, the blue faience Egyptian hippo at the MET
I hope you enjoyed this highlight of some of my favorite Egyptian artifacts!
I have spoken a lot about Sekhmet ๐๐๐ ๐๐, because she is my Nonnoโs favorite goddess ๐น๐/religious figure in the Egyptian pantheon! Today we are going to look more into the Sekhmet ๐๐๐ ๐๐ statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช that can be found in museums all around the world ๐พ๐พ! These particular Sekhmet ๐๐๐ ๐๐ statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช I am with are at the British Museum, but there are a lot at The MET, Louvre, and Vatican Museums too!
Me with statues of Sekhmet, which were commissioned during the reign of pharaoh Amenhotep III at the British Museum.
During his reign ๐พ๐๐, the pharaoh ๐๐ป Amenhotep III ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐พ๐ had over 730 ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐๐ statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช of Sekhmet ๐๐๐ ๐๐ made! That is almost two statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช for every ๐ day ๐๐๐บ๐ณ of the year! Most of the Sekhmet ๐๐๐ ๐๐ statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช you see that look like the ones in my picture ๐๐ ฑ๐ above are from this time period!
So why Sekhmet ๐๐๐ ๐๐? This is where stuff gets really interesting โ Sekhmet ๐๐๐ ๐๐ was often referred to as the โEye of Ra,โ because she was created from the sun ๐ณ๐บ god ๐น Raโs ๐ณ๐บ๐ eye ๐น๐๐ค when he looked upon the Earth ๐พ๐พ. The obsession with solar deities ๐น๐น๐น didnโt just happen when Akhenaten ๐๐๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐ came to the throne โ Akhenaten ๐๐๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐ was most likely influenced by his father ๐๐๐, Amenhotep III ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐พ๐! The worship ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ข of the god ๐น Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐ (and gods ๐น๐น๐น like Sobek-Ra) hit its peak during the reign of Amenhotep III ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐พ๐.
All of the statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช of Sekhmet ๐๐๐ ๐๐ are made of black ๐๐ granodiorite ๐ ๐๐๐๐, which is not just a coincidence! In ancient Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐, the color black ๐๐ was associated with rebirth ๐๐ฟ๐ ฑ. These statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช were most likely connected to the jubilees ๐๐๐ด๐ง๐๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช (The Heb Sed festival), and contain various epithets on them, such as:
โThe son of Ra Amenhotep, ruler of Thebes beloved of Sekhmet, the great, mistress of the sky, for eternity.โ
Hathor ๐ก is one of the most prominent goddesses ๐น๐น๐น๐ of the Egyptian pantheon. Along with Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ, she is regarded as the โGodโs mother ๐ ๐๐นโ of the pharaoh ๐๐ป, but is also the goddess ๐น๐ of love ๐๐, joy ๐ซ๐ฃ๐, music ๐๐๐, and dance ๐๐ ฑ๐ป- basically the fun things in life!
Two sistrums with Hathorโs face on them at the Louvre
In some variations of Egyptian mythology, Hathor ๐ก is also the wife ๐๐๐ of Horus ๐ ๐ญ, and the daughter ๐ ญ๐ of Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐. Hathor ๐ก is usually associated with cows ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ช and can take the form of a cow ๐ค๐๐๐๐ in many forms of Egyptian art.
The piece above is a sistrum ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ, which is a musical instrument from ancient Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐. A sistrum ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ was a musical instrument that is similar to a modern rattle or tambourine. Since Hathor ๐ก was the goddess ๐น๐ of music ๐๐๐, she was portrayed on most sistrums ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ช in her human form! However, even though Hathor ๐ก is represented as a woman ๐๐๐๐๐, she is recognized easily because of her characteristic cow ๐ค๐๐๐๐ ears!
Music ๐๐๐ was essential to many religious rituals, so it was considered to be extremely important! There is even a word in Middle Egyptian just for โSistrum Player/Music Priest: ๐๐๐๐โ!!!
I love music ๐๐๐ and it is something that brings me so much joy ๐ซ๐ฃ๐! I love how Hathor ๐ก is associated with both of these things, because I do truly think that music ๐๐๐ and joy ๐ซ๐ฃ๐ are linked together ๐๐ โ and Iโm sure that the ancient Egyptian people did too!
BTS ๐๐๐ด and Il Volo ๐๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐ญ๐ฏ are my absolute favorite artists and I love ๐๐ listening to their music ๐๐๐! What I love ๐๐ about BTS ๐๐๐ด most are their lyrics โ they have written some truly beautiful ๐ค songs!
The โDjed Pillar ๐ฝโ is one of the most common symbols seen in Egyptian art and hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช! This particular Djed Pillar ๐ฝ is from the Book of the Dead of ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ Imhotep at the MET! Even though this Book of the Dead ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ is from the Ptolemaic Period, the origin of the Djed Pillar ๐ฝ is in the Predynastic Period!
The Djed Pillar ๐ฝ can be seen in inscriptions ๐๐๐ฅ as a hieroglyph ๐น๐, as an amulet ๐๐ช๐ for mummies ๐๐น๐ ฑ๐พ๐ช or the living ๐ฃ๐๐๐ช, in tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐ and temple ๐๐๐ art, statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช, and so much more! This is a wonderful symbol to understand the meaning of because it is everywhere!
In terms of religious symbolism, The Djed Pillar ๐ฝ is thought to represent the spine of Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ. When a person died ๐ ๐๐ฑ and became โThe Osiris,โ The Djed Pillar ๐ฝ was then thought to represent their spine! The spine was thought to keep Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ upright and able to function as the primary god ๐น of the dead ๐ ๐๐ฑ. This is even referenced in the The Book of the Dead: โRaise yourself up Osiris. You have your backbone once more, weary-hearted One; you have bones.โ
Letโs take a look at the hieroglyphic meaning! The โreed column ๐ฝโ more commonly known as the โDjed Pillarโ is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound โแธdโ which sounds like โDjed.โ It also functions as an ideogram for โStability.โ
There are many common words and phrases that have the Djed Pillar ๐ฝ in it:
๐๐น๐ฝ๐ โ Given Life, Stability, and Strength
Osirisโ ๐น๐จ๐ญ name ๐๐ in a cartouche ๐ ๐๐๐ท? Usually the name ๐๐ of a pharaoh ๐๐ป appears in a cartouche ๐ ๐๐๐ท! While this doesnโt happen often, there are instances where the name ๐๐ of a god ๐น will appear in the cartouche ๐ ๐๐๐ท!
This is a fragment of a beautifully ๐ค painted ๐จ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ธ๐ฆ sarcophagus ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ. I would estimate its from around the later New Kingdom period or later because thatโs when painted ๐จ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ธ๐ฆ sarcophagi ๐๐น๐๐๐ญ๐ช such as these became popular!
Osirisโ name in a cartouche on a sarcophagus fragment
I love this piece because of the cartouche ๐ ๐๐๐ท, but also because there is so much other stuff going on even though itโs small ๐๐๐ด๐ ฉ! The hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช are: ๐น๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ณ๐ which translates to โOsiris, Lord of Eternity.โ Letโs break down the symbols!
๐น๐จ๐ญ โ Osiris
๐ โ Lord
๐๐ณ๐ โ Eternity
I havenโt seen that many pieces like this, so I just found this one so cool! Usually the name ๐๐ of a pharaoh ๐๐ป is what appears in a cartouche ๐ ๐๐๐ท, but in this case itโs Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ and his title! The top of the cartouche ๐ ๐๐๐ท also has the Atef Crown ๐ on it, which is the crown that is associated with Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ.
The ancient Egyptians talked about โeternity ๐๐ณ๐โ a lot and were actually the civilization to derive the concept of โeternity ๐.โ There were two ๐ป very common ways they expressed the word for โeternityโ in hieroglyphic symbols:
๐๐ณ๐ โ Eternity
๐ โ Eternity/Everlasting
There are some other popular hieroglyphs ๐น๐๐ช that appear on this piece!! See if you can spot them!
๐๐ง๐๐ โ Edfu
๐น๐ผ โ Great God
Both of the phrases appear symmetrically on either side of the cartouche ๐ ๐๐๐ท which is something that is common on these types of pieces!
Letโs take a look at some of the deities ๐น๐น๐น that appear! If you look in the lower left, you can see part of the god ๐น Osiris ๐น๐จ๐ญ with a large table of offerings ๐ต๐๐ช๐๐๐ฆ in front of him. On the top left, below the winged ๐ง๐ณ๐๐ sun disk ๐ณ๐บ is a falcon ๐๐๐ก๐ which is representative of the god ๐น Horus ๐ ๐ญ. On the top right, there is an ibis ๐๐๐ ค which is representative of the god ๐น Thoth ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ญ.
On either side of the cartouche ๐ ๐๐๐ท, the god ๐น Hapi ๐๐๐ช๐ญ๐ (god ๐น of the Nile River ๐๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐บ/flooding of the Nile) is shown. There are two ๐ป of him because if you look closely, you can see both symbolically tying up papyrus ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ and lotus ๐ธ plants together. This was meant to represent the union of Upper ๐ and Lower ๐ค Egypt! You can easily recognize Hapi ๐๐๐ช๐ญ๐ because of the papyrus flowers ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ on his head!
The Weighing of the Heart (sometimes called the Judgement of Osiris ๐ฉ๐น) is my absolute favorite part of the Book of the Dead ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ. I love how each version is unique and not a single one is the same! I find this particular papyrus ๐ ๐๐๐ to be absolutely stunning.
In ancient Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐, the Book of the Dead was actually called โComing Forth By Day ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ,โ and it was a collection of magic spells ๐๐๐๐ฆ to help the deceased enter the Duat ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐, and eventually the Field of Reeds ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ ฑ๐ฐ๐.
The Book of the Dead ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ is interesting because it doesnโt follow a particular story. The spells ๐๐๐๐ฆ do seem to be grouped by theme, and sometimes pictures ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ can be representative of the spells ๐๐๐๐ฆ that are written!
This particular Book of the Dead ๐๐๐๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐บ๐ผ๐บ belonged to a woman ๐๐๐๐๐ named Nauny ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐ who lived during the 21st Dynasty reign of the pharaoh ๐๐ป Psusennes I ๐๐ ๐๐ป๐ ฎ๐ผ๐๐๐. Naunyโs ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐ ushabtis ๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ๐ช are also at the MET!
Isis (left) and Nauny (right)
Starting from the left: the goddess ๐น๐ Isis ๐จ๐๐ฅ is shown next to Nauny ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐, who is shown holding her eyes ๐น๐น and mouth ๐ in her hands. Naunyโs ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐ heart ๐๐๐ฃ is weighed by Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ against Maat ๐ฆ. Usually, Maatโs ๐ฆ feather ๐๐บ is used, but this time Maat ๐ฆ herself is shown on the scale, and is represented by the hieroglyph ๐น๐ that is used in her name ๐๐! Thoth ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ญ is shown on top of the scale, and his job is to record the findings. Osiris ๐ฉ๐น presides over the scene.
Anubis
Luckily for Nauny ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐, the scales are in balance which means that she lead a true ๐๐ด๐ฃ๐๐ and just ๐๐ด๐ฃ๐๐๐ life ๐น and is worthy enough to enter the Field of Reeds ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ ฑ๐ฐ๐ and enjoy eternal ๐ life ๐น with Osiris ๐ฉ๐น! Above the Weighing of the Heart scene, Nauny ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐ is seen standing by her own tomb ๐๐ซ๐๐ and worshipping ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ข Horus ๐ ๐ญ.
This limestone ๐๐๐๐ Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ statue ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ was found near the Sacred Animal Necropolis at Saqqara (Memphis ๐ ๐๐ค๐๐๐ด๐). The Sacred Animal Necropolis housed thousands ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ of mummified animals such as falcons ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ, baboons, ibises ๐๐๐ ค๐ฆ and bulls/cows ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ฆ. This piece is dated to the Late Period โ Ptolemaic Period (664โ30 B.C.E.).
Although mummified jackals ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ were not found in the area, statues ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ๐ช of Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ have been found most likely because Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ is the god ๐น of mummification ๐ด๐ง๐๐ ฑ๐ and embalming ๐ด๐ง๐๐ ฑ๐, so it would make sense that there would be statues ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ๐ช of him in the vicinity of this large necropolis. It is thought that Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ statues ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ๐ช such as this were used to guard embalming tents.
Interestingly, this piece was originally painted ๐๐ black ๐๐ , but through time it has lost its coloring! Itโs hard to see in my pictures ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ (the MET really needs better lighting โ the galleries are so dark) but you can still see remnants of some of the black ๐๐ paint ๐จ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ธ๐ฆ on the statue ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ!
I was very excited to see this statue ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ, because there is a similar one in the Petrie Museum in London! I love seeing similar pieces in different museums around the world! It is really cool to see pieces that are similar across museum collections โ I canโt explain why, but I just find it incredible! Also (no surprise), I love anything Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ, so of course I absolutely love this statue and I need to visit it every time I go to the MET!
Fun fact! There are no temples ๐๐๐๐ฆ dedicated to Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ because all tombs ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ and large burial areas were considered โtemplesโ to worship ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ข Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ in! It makes so much sense because he is the god ๐น of tombs ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ and mummification ๐ด๐ง๐๐ ฑ๐!
A picture of me with the Anubis statue!
This is my personal photograph, video and original text. DO NOT repost.
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