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Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

The Pyramid Texts of Pepy I

This small relief on display at the Petrie Museum is a section of “The Pyramid Texts” which is the oldest known funerary/religious writings in the world. The original text dates back to the Old Kingdom. 

The Pyramid Texts of Pepy I
A small relief which contains the Pyramid Texts of Pepy I

The Pyramid Texts can be thought of as a precursor to both the Coffin Texts and the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺! The main differences between these religious texts are that the Pyramid Texts were only accessible to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 because they were only carved inside of the pyramids 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴𓏦. Also, the Pyramid Texts were also not illustrated!

This particular section of the Pyramid Texts contains a spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 that Pepy I 𓊪𓇋𓊪𓇋 would say that would provide him with food and drink for eternity 𓆖! Here is a piece of the leftmost column that I could translate (a lot is cut off): 

𓇋𓅱 – My/I

𓇬𓈎𓈎 – Eat

𓏏𓏐- Bread

𓏊- Beer

The cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 of the 6th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Pepy I 𓊪𓇋𓊪𓇋 was one of the first cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 I learned to read/recognize because it’s written with only uniliteral hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! A lot of the Old Kingdom pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 have names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 spelled with uniliteral signs, which makes them great for beginners to read/learn! One of the ways I started learning hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 was by practicing reading the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥! 

Let’s take a closer look at the symbols in Pepy’s 𓊪𓇋𓊪𓇋 cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷: 

The “stool 𓊪” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “p,” and does not have any other grammatical functions!

The “reed 𓇋” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram and most commonly represents the sound of “ı͗,” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.” 

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

@ancientegyptblog 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Funerary Cones

I love Gallery 117 at the MET so much! The objects in here may not look like much to the average person (they probably just look like a bunch of rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦), but to me they are a beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 piece in the story of ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! 

Funerary Cones
Me in Gallery 117 at the MET – the Funerary Cones are in a display behind me!

While not as artistically decorated as most of the artifacts in the Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 collections of museums, these “funerary cones” were always something my Nonno pointed out to me! He thought they were so interesting and now every time I go to museums, I actively seek these out as a way to remember my Nonno! He loved this little gallery at the MET solely because of the funerary cones! 

Funerary cones (a modern name given to these objects) are made of clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 and usually found at the openings of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 at Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 (almost exclusively). They were used primarily during the 18th Dynasty (though there are examples that date to the 11th Dynasty or as late as the 19th-20th Dynasties).

While the exact usage of the funerary cones is not known, but they are inferred to be architectural decorations, tomb labels, symbolic offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦, or even as passports to the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! Thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of these cones have been excavated to date! Every museum I have been to has a collection of these funerary cones!

The end of the funerary cone is usually circular in shape and usually contains an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 with the name of the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 occupant as well as a god 𓊹.

An example inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that is common on a funerary cone would be something like: “Venerated before Osiris, Son of ____, Name of Deceased.” 

𓄪𓐍𓇌 – Venerated 

𓐍𓂋 – Before

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris

𓅭 – Son

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

@ancientegyptblog 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Stela of Rameses II

This is a large sandstone stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 of Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 on display at the Brooklyn Museum.  

Stela of Rameses II
Stela of Rameses II on display at the Brooklyn Museum!

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 talk about how Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 founded the town of Meriamun, and how he established the cult of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 there. The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 was a way to commemorate Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 presenting statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳. 

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows (from left to right) Mut 𓏏𓄿𓀭, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖, and Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓. Rameses II can be seen wearing the blue crown, also known as the khepresh 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 crown which was very popular among New Kingdom pharaohs 𓉐𓉻! 

Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 is receiving symbols of kingship (the crook 𓋾) from the god 𓊹 Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳. This is meant to represent that Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 saw Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 as a legitimate and rightful ruler! The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 believed that they were direct descendants of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 (in the 18th – 19th Dynasties Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖/Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 kind of replaces Horus 𓅃𓀭 in popularity as king 𓇓 of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹) and that they were gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on Earth. 

It was also really cool that five 𓏾 of Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 appear on this stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! These names appear on the top two rows of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Here are Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 five 𓏾 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦: 

𓃒𓂡𓇳𓏺𓀭𓌸𓇌 – Horus 𓅃 Name (The Strong Bull, Beloved of Ra) 

𓅖𓎡𓆎𓏏𓊖𓅱𓂝𓆑𓏲𓂡𓈊𓏏𓏦 – Nebty 𓅒 Name (Protector of Egypt Who Curbs Foreign Lands”)

𓌂𓐝𓂡𓄘𓂧𓂋𓂡𓌔𓏏𓐀𓏻 – Golden Horus 𓅉 Name (“Powerful of Arm, He Who Has Subdued the Nine Bows”)

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Throne Name (“The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra”)

𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Birth Name (“Ra has fashioned him, beloved of Amun”)

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

@ancientegyptblog 

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Video

Objects from Malqata – Video

This video shows a gallery at the Metropolitan Museum of Art which displays objects from Malqata!

In order to celebrate his Heb Sed Festival 𓎛𓃀𓋴𓂧𓏏𓎱𓇳𓏪, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 built a new palace 𓂝𓎛𓏏𓉥𓉐 which was referred to as “The House of Rejoicing” at present day Malqata in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. The Heb Sed Festival 𓎛𓃀𓋴𓂧𓏏𓎱𓇳𓏪, also known as the “30 Year Jubilee,” was meant to celebrate the 30th year of a pharaoh’s 𓉐𓉻 reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏. 

In this display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there are many different amphoras 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏪! Amphoras 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏪 are a special type of pottery 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 that have a pointed bottom and two 𓏻 handles that were used for the storage and transport of various things in the ancient world! 

Ancient Egyptian amphoras 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋𓏪, such as these one found at Malqata, were usually made of red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 and then covered with a cream colored coat. They were then painted 𓏞𓏜 with blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥, red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟, or black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦.

You can also see various wall paintings that once adorned the palace 𓂝𓎛𓏏𓉥𓉐 walls at Malqata! I can’t even imagine how beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 and colorful this palace 𓂝𓎛𓏏𓉥𓉐 once was! I hope you enjoyed seeing these objects from Malqata!

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

@ancientegyptblog 

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Blog

“It’s A Small World” Hippo

The first time I ever went to Disney World, I went with my Nonno and Nonna when I was four years old! When we went on “It’s a Small World,” I fell in love with the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 that winks at you! The hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 became my favorite part of the ride, and even to this day, I look forward to seeing the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯! And yes I’m sure this is an unpopular opinion but I LOVE going on “It’s a Small World!” It’s one of my favorites! I’m not going to lie – I still to this day will wink back at the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯! 

"It's A Small World" Hippo
The hippo from “It’s a Small World” (top) and an ancient Egyptian hippo from the Brooklyn Museum

When I started studying ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 with my Nonno around when I was six years old, I always loved the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 because they reminded me of the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 on “It’s a Small World!” It’s amazing how I loved the hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 even before I started studying ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! 

A lot of the hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 from ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 have lotus flowers 𓆸𓏪 painted all over them to associate them with rejuvenation! The hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦 are most likely painted blue/green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 to represent the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 and rebirth. What’s really cool is that the “It’s a Small World” hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯 also has flowers painted on it and is also that blue/green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 color! 

"It's A Small World"
A girl sitting on a “solar barge” in “It’s A Small World” at Walt Disney World!

I have also included the other scene that represents Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 in the ride – there’s a girl sitting in a boat that resembles Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 solar barge 𓂧𓊪𓏏𓊞, pyramids 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴𓏦 and a sphinx 𓎛𓅱𓃭𓏤! 

"It's A Small World"
The sphinx and pyramids in “It’s A Small World” at Walt Disney World!

 I hope you’re enjoying my “Ancient Egypt in Disney” series!

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

@ancientegyptblog 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statue of Bastet

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows a bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of the beloved 𓌻𓂋𓇌 Egyptian goddess 𓊹𓏏 Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐! This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is dated to the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (c. 664–30 B.C.E.).

Bronze Statue of Bastet
Bronze Statue of Bastet on display at the MET

The goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 and Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 were both depicted as cats 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠𓏪, however, Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 usually had the body of a woman 𓂑𓏏𓁐 while Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 usually had the body of a cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠. Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 is also usually distinguished from Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 by the sun disc 𓇳𓏺 that usually appears on her head!

However, when Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was depicted with the body of a woman 𓂑𓏏𓁐 (like in this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾), she was usually holding a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 in one hand! Since Hathor 𓉡 was usually seen with sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪, this shows a link between the two 𓏻 goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏!

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 also shows Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 holding a basket 𓂝𓂋𓂝𓂋𓎅 in her elbow/arm (opposite the sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣) and a lion-headed aegis in the same arm. An aegis is an object that has the head of a deity 𓊹 (in this case a lion) with a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 underneath it! The aegis itself was a protective 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 symbol associated with Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 and was used in rituals and festivals! The basket 𓂝𓂋𓂝𓂋𓎅 is thought to possibly hold kittens, but that is just an inference by historians and Egyptologists!

Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of pregnancy and childbirth and was considered to be the protective 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 form of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 so it is very fitting for her to be holding the aegis!

Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 and Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 were believed to be the two 𓏻 unpredictable personalities of the same goddess 𓊹𓏏. While Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 represented the destructive and unpredictable side, Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was the gentler and calmer side. 

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

@ancientegyptblog 

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Egyptian Artifacts

A Predynastic Safari

Let’s go on a Predynastic Safari!

I love art from the Predynastic and Early Dynastic periods because the objects usually contain a lot of animals! This is a “Hair Comb Decorated with Rows of Wild Animals” and it is dated to the Predynastic Period (c. 3200 – 3100 B.C.E.). This piece is made of ivory 𓍋𓃀𓅱𓌟. 

A Predynastic Safari
While this piece is called “Hair Comb Decorated with Rows of Wild Animals” I like to refer to it as “A Predynastic Safari” since it shows so many different animals!

Archaeologists believe that it is a comb because the remnants of the teeth of the comb can still be seen along the bottom! It is thought that this was some type of ceremonial object and not just a regular comb due to the incredible details on it! I wonder if it was part of a burial?

The animals on this comb are arranged into five 𓏾 rows in raised relief and the incredible details show just how talented the Egyptian artists were even at the beginning of the civilization! It’s also interesting to see each row of animals facing in opposite directions! 

The top row shows elephants 𓍋𓃀𓅱𓃰𓏪 standing on top of snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪, which suggests some type of religious/cultural symbolism that we don’t know much about! The fact that this is the top row may also have some significance! While seeing snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 is super common in Egyptian art and mythology, elephants 𓍋𓃀𓅱𓃰𓏪 are not so it’s very cool to see a depiction of them!

The second row shows birds (they look like pelicans 𓊪𓋴𓆓𓏏𓅞𓏪 to me) and a giraffe 𓅓𓂝𓅓𓂝𓃱! Giraffes 𓅓𓂝𓅓𓂝𓃱𓏪 are one of my absolute favorite animals and they do not appear often in Egyptian art even though they are native to the African Continent! During the Predynastic times, giraffes 𓅓𓂝𓅓𓂝𓃱𓏪 and the Egyptians did occupy the same areas, however, as the climate became drier, the giraffes 𓅓𓂝𓅓𓂝𓃱𓏪 migrated out of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 which is probably why they do not appear in the art/mythology as often!  

The third row shows hyenas 𓅓𓅓𓃡𓏦, the fourth row shows cattle 𓃒𓏦 and the fifth row shows boars 𓂋𓂋𓇋𓃟𓏦! 

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

@ancientegyptblog 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Thutmosis III – The Greatest Pharaoh?

I have a very complex relationship with Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 (this is probably the first time you’ve read that sentence)! Many people will probably not agree with me on this (that’s okay), but I think that Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 was Egypt’s 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 greatest pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! He ruled 𓋾 Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 for 54 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓏽 years, and was a very accomplished general 𓀎𓏦, having led troops into battle himself. Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴 has been rumored to have never lost a battle! 

Thutmosis III - The Greatest Pharaoh?
Me with a limestone statue of Thutmosis III – was he the greatest pharaoh?

So why my complex feelings about Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣? It all has to do with Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪! Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴 was only three 𓏼 years old when his father Thutmosis II 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖 passed away, and was a co-regent with Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 before she completely took over the throne. During her rule 𓋾, Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 was a member of the military and gained valuable experience that allowed him to be such a successful pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. I believe that Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 successful rule set Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 up for his extremely successful reign. 

About 25 𓎆𓎆𓏾 years after Hatshepsut’s 𓇳𓁦𓂓 death, Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 went on a campaign to have her statuary destroyed and her name 𓂋𓈖 taken off of monuments 𓏠𓏍. No one knows why this occurred or the events that lead up to Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 doing this! This is where my complex feelings come in because Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is my absolute favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 and I believe that she is also one of the greatest rulers that Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 ever had! 

I find this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 to be so beautiful 𓄤 because the white 𓌉𓆓𓇳 limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 (it honestly looks like marble to me – but marble is metamorphosed limestone) contrasts so well with the black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 on the nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 head cloth and the eyes 𓁹𓏦. Some red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 can even still be seen on the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 that is on Thutmosis III’s 𓅝𓄠𓋴 forehead!

Thutmosis III - The Greatest Pharaoh?
White Limestone statue of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh Thutmosis III

The face of this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is not the original, it is a cast; the original face is in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo! The MET then made a cast of the torso of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾, and that is now at the Egyptian Museum as well! So each museum has a real part of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾, and a cast of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! The face and torso of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 were not found at the same time, hence why they ended up in different places! 

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

@ancientegyptblog 

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Video

Wooden Ushabti of Rameses II – Video

Wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 Ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 (New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, c. 1292-1190 B.C.E.). 

The text 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is a version of the “Shabti Spell” from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead. This spell gives the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 the power to complete tasks (farming, manual labor, etc) for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖. 

Wooden Ushabti of Rameses II
Me with the Wooden Ushabti of Rameses II at the Brooklyn Museum

This ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is mummiform meaning that it looks like a mummy/the god 𓊹 Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭! The ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is holding a holding the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅 and is wearing the  nemes head cloth 𓈖𓅓𓋴. 

Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 was plundered in the 20th Dynasty, and only three 𓏼 of his wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures remain! 

In 1049 B.C.E., the High Priest of Amun ordered Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 be moved from his original tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 and to the Royal Cache, a place where many royal 𓋾 mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 were re-buried in order to protect the mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 from tomb robbers. 

While the provenance of this ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is unknown, it is assumed that it was originally from Rameses II’s 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 original tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 (KV 7). 

Wooden Ushabti of Rameses II
Wooden Ushabti of Rameses II on display at the Brooklyn Museum

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

@ancientegyptblog

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Lintel of Amenhotep II

My sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏𓁐, my brother 𓌢𓈖𓀀 and I are with a red granite 𓅓𓌳𓏏𓎶 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 relief, titled “Lintel of Amenhotep II!” This is a really interesting piece that contains so much history! 

Lintel of Amenhotep II
My sister (left), brother (middle) and me (right) with the Lintel of Amenhotep II at the British Museum

This piece was originally carved for the 18th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪. Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪 was the son 𓅭 of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 and he even co-ruled with his father! It was during the co-reign of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 and Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪 that the destruction of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 monuments 𓏠𓏍 began. 

This relief shows mirrored scenes of Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪 wearing the khepresh crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 (also known as the blue crown) presenting nemset jars 𓏌𓏌𓏌 (containing either wine or water ) to the god 𓊹 Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺.

Over fifty 𓎊 years after this relief was carved, many of the figures (see the left side) and the name 𓂋𓈖 of the god 𓊹 Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 were destroyed by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 in an attempt to erase images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the old religion. 

Then, many years after Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 during the 19th Dynasty, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖 had some of the damage repaired – most of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪 and Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺 were actually recarved! How can Egyptologists tell it was recarved? The sunken relief is deeper in the rock! 

In order to show that it was he, pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖 who restored this piece, he had his cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 and a record of the restoration carved in between the two 𓏻 images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓇳𓏺! Can you spot Seti I’s throne name (𓇳𓁦𓏠) and birth name (𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖) cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏? 

The description of this piece from the British Museum gave a short timeline of the history of this fascinating piece! I remember being confused by seeing the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of both Amenhotep II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪 and Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖 on the same relief because they are pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 from different dynasties! What’s even more interesting is that this is not a case of the more common “usurping of monuments 𓏠𓏍” from previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦!

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

@ancientegyptblog