Tag: amenhotep ii

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Ushabti Friends

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis – Ushabti Friends

As part of my β€œUshabti Friends” series, I am teaching you how to look at the different characteristics of ushabtis π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ and how those characteristics can help you to narrow down the age/time period that the ushabti π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ is from! Today we are going to look at Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis!

All of the ushabtis π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ we are going to look at today π“‡π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‡³ are royal ushabtis π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ that all belonged to pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 from the 18th Dynasty! The 18th Dynasty is almost the β€œgolden age” of ushabtis π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ because these little guys undergo much development during this time period and have so many different characteristics!Β 

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
The wooden ushabti of Amenhotep III

The wooden ushabti π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ of Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž  is very interesting because it has a very distinct characteristic of 18th Dynasty ushabtis π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ that is not just one found on royal ushabtis π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ!

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
A closeup of the wooden ushabti of Amenhotep III to highlight where a hoe or other tools would have been placed in his hands!

There is a space in the hands where tools would have been inserted – such as a hoe π“ŒΈ. Tools that were attached separately were only found in the 18th Dynasty!

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
The Shabti Spell on the ushabti of Amenhotep III

The β€œShabti Spell” is also on the ushabti π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ!Β 

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
Limestone ushabti of Amenhotep II

The rock based ushabtis π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ of Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ and Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– are all seen holding Ankh symbols in their hands which are crossed over their chest in a mummiform fashion.

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
Ushabti of Akhenaten holding Ankhs in each hand

I have only seen royal ushabtis π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ with Ankhs π“‹Ή! I find this to be commentary on the religion because a deceased pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 would not have to be doing work anyway – he probably was buried with ushabtis π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ just in case! This is probably why some of the royal ushabtis π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ have Ankhs π“‹Ή and not tools!Β 

Royal 18th Dynasty Ushabtis
Ushabti of Akhenaten holding Ankhs in each hand

These ushabtis π“…±π“ˆ™π“ƒ€π“π“­π“€Ύ also have false beards and are wearing some type of royal crown to distinguish that they are pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦!

Ushabti of Akhenaten wearing a royal crown and false beard

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

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Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Lintel of Amenhotep II

My sister π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“π“, my brother π“Œ’π“ˆ–π“€€ and I are with a red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ relief, titled β€œLintel of Amenhotep II!” This is a really interesting piece that contains so much history!Β 

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 π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ. Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ was the son π“…­ 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 π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ that the destruction of Hatshepsut’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ monuments 𓏠𓏍 began.Β 

This relief shows mirrored scenes of Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ wearing the khepresh crown π“†£π“‚‹π“ˆ™π“‹™ (also known as the blue crown) presenting nemset jars π“Œπ“Œπ“Œ (containing either wine or water ) to the god π“ŠΉ Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί.

Over fifty π“ŽŠ years after this relief was carved, many of the figures (see the left side) and the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of the god π“ŠΉ Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί were destroyed by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– in an attempt to erase images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the old religion. 

Then, many years after Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– during the 19th Dynasty, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“£π“‡Œπ“ŒΈπ“ˆ– had some of the damage repaired – most of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ and the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ and Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί 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 π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“£π“‡Œπ“ŒΈπ“ˆ– who restored this piece, he had his cartouches π“ π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“·π“¦ and a record of the restoration carved in between the two 𓏻 images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί! Can you spot Seti I’s throne name (𓇳𓁦𓏠) and birth name (π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“£π“‡Œπ“ŒΈπ“ˆ–) cartouches π“ π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“·π“¦ 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 π“ π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“·π“¦ of both Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ and Seti I π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“£π“‡Œπ“ŒΈπ“ˆ– 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 β€œusurping of monuments 𓏠𓏍” from previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦!

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

@ancientegyptblogΒ 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Sphinx of Amenhotep II

This is a sandstone π“‚‹π“…±π“‚§π“π“Œ—π“ˆ™ Sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ of Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ! Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ was pharaoh 𓉐𓉻π“₯ during the 18th Dynasty and was the son π“…­ of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣. He ruled π“‹Ύπ“ˆŽπ“ Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– for about 26 π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ώ years and the first two 𓏻 years of his rule might have been a co-reign with his father 𓇋𓏏𓀀.Β 

Sphinx of Amenhotep II
A small sandstone Sphinx of Amenhotep II

Why do so many pharaohs 𓉐𓉻π“₯ represent themselves as sphinxes π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“¦? A sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ is a mythical creature and is the combination of a lion π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„› (the body) and a human (the head 𓁢𓏺).  In ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, lions π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„›π“ͺ have been associated with kingship π“‡“π“‡Œ since prehistoric times due to their strength π“Œ€ and ferocity. The sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­ was the perfect representation of the strength π“Œ€ of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 due to its lion π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„› body, while the face still preserved the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the king 𓇓 himself. 

Sphinxes π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“¦ are incredibly powerful creatures because not only do they represent the physical strength 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 of a lion π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„›, but also the power of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ loved to portray himself as powerful (as all pharaohs 𓉐𓉻π“₯ did), but Amenhotep II π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ is actually most known for his athletic abilities! Many depictions show him as an accomplished archer!

Amenhotep II’s birth name is actually the same as Amenhotep I, which is π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ. Let’s break down the meaning of the name:

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– – Amun

π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ – Satisfied

So the name translates to β€œAmun is Satisfied.”

We can tell pharaohs 𓉐𓉻π“₯ with the same name apart based on their throne name! Amenhotep II’s throne name is β€œAakheperura 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓏦!” Let’s break down the meaning of the name:

𓇳 – Ra

𓉻 – Great 

𓆣𓏦 – Manifestations

The name translates to β€œThe Great Manifestations of Ra.” 

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