Tag: british museum

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Rosetta Stone

Happy (late) Anniversary to the deciphering of Egyptian Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Seeing the Rosetta Stone in person was a dream come true for me! When I saw the Rosetta Stone all I could thing was “this rock is the reason I can read hieroglyphs” and I was just in awe. 

The Rosetta Stone
My sister and I with the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum!

Jean-François Champollion was just a teenager in September 1822 when he began to decipher hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 based off of the Rosetta Stone!

The Rosetta Stone is actually a decree issued by priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪 in 196 B.C.E. that affirmed the cult of Ptolemy V 𓊪𓏏𓍯𓃭𓐝𓇌𓋴. Identical decrees were supposed to be placed in every temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

During the Christian period in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, the use of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 began to wane and finally disappeared at the beginning of the 4th Century. The Rosetta Stone contains three 𓏼 languages 𓂋𓏦: Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, Greek and Demotic. Since Greek was a known language 𓂋𓏺, scholars began to try to use the Greek section of the Rosetta Stone to translate the portion in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. 

Thomas Young was the first person to show that the name 𓂋𓈖 in the cartouche (𓊪𓏏𓍯𓃭𓐝𓇌𓋴) actually spelled out “Ptolemy,” however, Champollion gets the credit for deciphering hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 because he showed that the phonetic symbols were also used for Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 and not just foreign names 𓂋𓈖𓏦. With his extensive knowledge of Coptic, Champollion was able to begin reading the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 more fully! 

The Rosetta Stone
My sister and I with the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum

I am thankful for the early works of scholars like Champollion because I would not be reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 without it! The work that these people did to further the understanding of the Egyptian language, and thus the civilization as a whole is nothing short of incredible! 

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Ramessu Mery Amun

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at one of the many cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖! This time, we are going to look at his birth name cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷, which is the name 𓂋𓈖 that he was given when he was born! 

Ramessu Mery Amun
The birth name cartouche of pharaoh Rameses II, Ramessu Mery Amun, on a column at the British museum

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Ramessu Mery Amun 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓” translates to “Ra has fashioned him, beloved of Amun.” The name 𓂋𓈖 could also be translated as “Ra Bore Him, Beloved of Amun.” 

Let’s look at the name 𓂋𓈖 more closely! The names of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are written first due to honorific transposition!

𓁩 – Amun

𓁛 – Ra

𓈘 – Beloved

𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Bore Him/Fashioned Him/Born Of

Let’s break down each of the symbols: 

The “falcon with the sun disc 𓁛” symbol is both a determinative and ideogram for “Ra.” 

The “Amun figure 𓁩” symbol is both a determinative and ideogram for “Amun.” 

The “canal 𓈘” symbol is a biliteral phonogram for the sound “mr” and can also be “shorthand” for the word “mery” which means beloved. 

The “three fox skins 𓄟” symbol is a biliteral phonogram for the sounds “ms.” 

The “folded cloth 𓋴” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “s.”

The “sedge 𓇓” symbol can be a biliteral phonogram, ideogram (for sedge) and determinative (for king), but here it is representing the sound “sw.”

Ramessu Mery Amun
The birth name cartouche of pharaoh Rameses II, Ramessu Mery Amun, on a column at the British museum

Rameses II’s birth name cartouche has many variants and can also be written like this: 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓. Certain symbols can be substituted for each other because 𓇋𓏠𓈖 and 𓁩 both mean Amun 𓁜 and 𓇳𓏺 both mean Ra. 

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok!

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Usermaatre Setep En Ra

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at one of the many cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖! This cartouche is his throne name cartouche, which is the name 𓂋𓈖 Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 took when he became the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! 

Usermaatre Setep En Ra
The throne name cartouche of Rameses II which reads Usermaatre Setep En Ra on display at the British Museum

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Usermaatre setep en Ra 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖” translates to “The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra.” Let’s look at the name 𓂋𓈖 more closely:

𓇳 – Ra

𓄊 – Powerful

𓁧 – Justice (Maat)

𓇳 – Ra

𓍉𓈖 – Chosen

Usermaatre Setep En Ra
The throne name cartouche of Rameses II which reads Usermaatre Setep En Ra on display at the British Museum

Let’s break down each of the symbols: 

The “𓇳 sun disc” symbol is an ideogram for “ra” or “re,” but can also be a determinative in words such as sun, day, and time. The single symbol alone (like in cartouches) would be pronounced like “ra” or “re.”

The “head and neck of jackal 𓄊” symbol is a triliteral phonogram for the sounds “wsr” which means “powerful” or “strong.” 

The “goddess with a feather 𓁧” symbol is a determinative for “Maat” and is also an ideogram for the same. The word “Maat” can refer to the goddess or the word “Justice.” 

The “adze and block of wood 𓍉” symbol is a triliteral phonogram for the sound “stp.”

The “ripple of water 𓈖” is a uniliteral phonogram. The “𓈖” is associated with the sound of “n!” 

This cartouche is part of the King’s List, which is on display at the British Museum.

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

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok!

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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 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Book of the Dead of Hunefer

The Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 of Hunefer 𓉔𓅱𓄤𓀽 is my favorite version of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 due to the incredibly detailed drawings and beautiful script 𓄤𓆑𓂋. It was a dream come true to see it in person at the British Museum!

The text was clearly written by an expert scribe 𓏟𓀀, and since Hunefer 𓉔𓅱𓄤𓀽 was a scribe 𓏟𓀀, was it possible that he wrote his own Book of the Dead?

Book of the Dead of Hunefer
Me with the Book of the Dead of Hunefer at the British Museum

The script in Hunefer’s 𓉔𓅱𓄤𓀽 Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 is known as “Cursive Hieroglyphs” or “Hieroglyphic Book Hand” and I can read it because it’s not in Hieratic like a lot of papyri 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛𓏦 are! 

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

The “Weighing of the Heart,” or the “Judgement of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭” is my favorite part! In this scene, Hunefer’s 𓉔𓅱𓄤𓀽 heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 is being weighed against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather 𓆄𓏺 by Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣.  If Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 determines there’s balance between the two, then Hunefer 𓉔𓅱𓄤𓀽 would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 by Horus 𓅃𓀭. Thoth 𓅤𓀭 records the findings.

In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, the Book of the Dead was actually referred to as the “Book of Coming Forth by Day” which is what the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 “𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺” translate to!

Let’s take a closer look: 

𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻 – Coming Forth

𓅓 – By

𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺 – Day

𓍼𓏺 – Determinative for papyrus scroll (which is where “book” comes from) 

In its simplest form, The Book of the Dead is a collection of magic spells 𓎛𓂓𓏛𓏦 to help the deceased enter the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, and eventually the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖. 

The Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺 of Hunefer 𓉔𓅱𓄤𓀽 is dated to the 19th Dynasty. 

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

@ancientegyptblog 

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Blog

British Museum Trip

In July 2015, I was so lucky to go on a vacation to London with my whole family, including Nonno and Nonna! This trip was so special because it included an afternoon at the British Museum!

British Museum
Nonno and I in front of the British Museum
British Museum
Nonno and I with the stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 of Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽

When our plane landed in London July 5th, we checked into the hotel and then rushed over to the British Museum because I literally couldn’t wait any longer to go. I had been waiting my whole life to go to the British Museum with my Nonno. It makes me both sad and happy to look back on these pictures because while I’m so incredibly grateful we all got to do this together, I’m so sad that it’ll never happen again. 

British Museum
My sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 and I with the Rosetta Stone
British Museum
Nonno and I with Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓

The first book my Nonno ever gave me on Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 was Carol Andrews’ book on the British Museum. It was incredible to see these artifacts that I had been reading about for years in person. I cannot believe that this was eight years ago already. I wish I could go back in time and re-live this day because even though we were all exhausted, it was an incredible day. 

British Museum
Nonno and I with more stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪
British Museum
Me with the King’s List!

These are my personal photographs and original text. DO NOT repost. 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Gilded Wooden Coffin

The British Museum has so many different sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏦 in their collection that it was almost overwhelming trying to see everything! I loved getting to see all of the different types of coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪/sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏦!

Gilded Wooden Coffin
A wooden coffin at the British Museum that was once fully covered in gold leaf. This was a popular way to make coffins seem like they were made of solid gold in ancient Egypt!

This particular sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭, or it is better defined as a “mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾” due to its human appearance instead of an oval or rectangular shape. These mummiform coffins 𓅱𓇋𓀾𓏪 are usually made of wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 with a gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf overlay. This is a really cool ancient Egyptian “trick” because the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf makes it look like the sarcophagus 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is made of pure gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 when it is not! Gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 is classified as a metal which means it is extremely malleable. Malleability is the ability of a metal to be hammered into very thin sheets. The gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf overlaying this sarcophagus 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is probably thinner than aluminum foil! 

I love pieces like this that are a little “worn” because it allows you a deeper look into the processes by which they were made! There is a hole in the forehead, which is where the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 would be and the missing gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf allows the underlying wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 to be seen. The eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 have stood the test of time and are still striking! 

There are three 𓏼 common ways to write “coffin” or “sarcophagus” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. There are definitely other variants, but this is what I have come across most often! 

𓅱𓇋𓀾 – The Mummiform Coffin, which usually takes on a human shape

𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 – A coffin, usually made of wood (hence the determinative for “wood 𓆱” in the word) 

𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 – A sarcophagus, usually made of stone in a rectangular or oval shape. 

This is where translating English and Middle Egyptian together can be a tiny bit difficult because we tend to use all of these words interchangeably in English!

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Egyptian Artifacts

False Door of Tjetji and Debet

This is an incomplete False Door (right and left panels) and a door jamb (upper panel) from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 and his wife Debet. False Doors are an extremely important part of ancient Egyptian funerary practices. False Doors served as ways for the living relatives to make offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The False Door acted as a link between the land of the living and the land of the dead.

False Door of Tjetji and Debet
False Door of Tjetji (left) and Debet (right) with their door jamb (top) at the British Museum.

This Large piece is from the 4th Dynasty reign of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑. Khafre 𓇳𓈍𓆑 is one of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 that built the Great Pyramids at Giza, and Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 was clearly part of the action! 

The top panel shows Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 and Debet sitting at an offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃. The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 underneath the offering table show that bread 𓏐,  beer 𓏊, linen 𓋲 and alabaster 𓍱 were offered to them. On either side of the offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 is a palace-facade, which still shows some signs of red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 and black 𓆎𓅓 paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦. 

Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 (left) has the title of “King’s Acquaintance 𓇓𓂋𓐍𓏏.” The title “King’s Acquaintance 𓇓𓂋𓐍𓏏“ is taken to mean that the person was close to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 is also referred to as the “Overseer of the Pyramid of Khafre 𓅓𓂋(𓇳𓈍𓆑)𓅨𓉴,” so clearly Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 had a lot going on! This is probably why Tjetji 𓍿𓍿𓇋 and his wife Debet got such a nice burial! 

On the side with Debet (right) their children’s names 𓂋𓈖𓏥 are all written out! 

Can you spot Khafre’s 𓇳𓈍𓆑 cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the relief? It shows up quite a few times!! 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Amenhotep III

Here I am at the British Museum with a beautifully 𓄤𓆑𓂋 preserved granodiorite 𓏠𓈖𓏏𓏏𓊌 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠! This particular statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 was found at his temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖. 

Statue of Amenhotep III
Me with a Statue of Amenhotep III at the British Museum

In this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾, Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 is depicted in the typical fashion of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! He is wearing the nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 head cloth on his head, and there is a Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 on the forehead of the nemes 𓈖𓅓𓋴 head cloth. A Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 is usually depicted as an upright snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 and is a symbol of sovereignty, royalty, and divine authority in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 – all characteristics usually associated with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! While a lot of the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 has been broken off (probably just due to the passage of time), it is clear that it was once there! 

Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 is also wearing the false beard 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸, which is another common accessory that the statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 wore! Why did the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 wear false beards 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸𓏦 though?! Many of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 had beards 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸𓏦 so it was considered to be a godly trait.  By imitating the appearance of a god 𓊹, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 not only linked themselves to the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, but also made themselves seen as gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on Earth 𓇾𓇾. A false beard 𓐍𓃀𓊃𓅱𓏏𓁸 was only worn by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻- no one else could wear it because no on else was a god 𓊹!

Fun fact: more statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 exist of Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 than of any other pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 (sorry Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓) and over 250 𓏲𓏲𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆 have been currently identified. I’m sure more will be found during excavations, and I am excited to see what will be unearthed in Egypt!

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Blog Egyptian Artifacts

My Favorite Egyptian Artifacts

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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!