Tag: horemheb

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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Horemheb Before He Was Pharaoh

Before Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– became the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 18th Dynasty, he was a general π“€Žπ“¦ under the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻π“₯ Tutankamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ and Ay 𓇳𓆣𓆣π“ͺ𓁹𓐙𓏏. This large statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ (and a second similar one) would have been placed in a temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ – either the temple of Ptah π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“± at Memphis π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“†‘π“‚‹π“‰΄π“Š– or the temple of Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Ίπ“‡³ at Karnak.Β 

Statue of Horemheb
Me with a Statue of Horemheb seated with a papyrus from before he was pharaoh.

It was standard for high officials to show themselves in a seated position with a papyrus scroll 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 on their lap. In the Old Kingdom, the statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ usually showed the official reading, but in the New Kingdom, the statues usually showed the official writing π“Ÿπ“›π“₯. Horemheb π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŒΊπ“„Ώπ“‹”π“π“Ž± is writing π“Ÿπ“›π“₯ a hymn to the god π“ŠΉ Thoth π“…€π“€­(who is the god π“ŠΉ of writing π“Ÿπ“›π“₯).Β 

Statue of Horemheb
Statue of Horemheb seated with a papyrus from before he was pharaoh.

The hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ around the base of the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ mention Horemheb’s π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– many titles. The hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ on the β€œpapyrus” 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 that is on Horemheb’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŒΊπ“„Ώπ“‹”π“π“Ž± lap can actually be read, but it was so difficult to get a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏/actually read them because I could not get close enough to the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ!

It is really interesting to see a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 depicted in statuary before he became the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Most pharaohs 𓉐𓉻π“₯ were born into their role, but Horemheb π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŒΊπ“„Ώπ“‹”π“π“Ž± ascended to the throne through his status as general π“€Žπ“¦. What a way to end the 18th Dynasty!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Amun and Horemheb

This is a limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the god π“ŠΉ Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ–. This picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is special because my Nonno took it at the Museo Egizio in Torino, Italy.

Amun and Horemheb
Statue of Amun (left) and the pharaoh Horemheb (right) at the Museo Egizio in Torino, Italy

Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– was the final pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 18th Dynasty, having taken over the throne from Ay 𓇳𓆣𓆣π“ͺ𓁹𓐙𓏏. Before he was pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– was the commander of the army for the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“. He continued the restoration of traditional Egyptian religious practices that Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ began, and he also usurped a lot of monuments from both Ay 𓇳𓆣𓆣π“ͺ𓁹𓐙𓏏 and Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“. 

Let’s take a closer look at the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! The god π“ŠΉ Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ (left) is depicted larger than Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– (right) because the only person more important than the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 himself was another god π“ŠΉ! 

Amun and Horemheb
A closer view of the hieroglyphic inscription that appears on either side of Amun’s throne on the statue.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! We are going to start on the left side of Amun’s throne!Β 

π“ŠΉπ“„€ – The Perfect God 

π“ŽŸπ“‡Ώπ“‡Ώ – Lord of the Two Lands

π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– – Horemheb (Throne Name – The sacred one of the manifestations of Ra, chosen of Ra)

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί – Amun-Ra

π“ŒΊπ“‡Œ – Beloved

𓏙𓋹- Given Life

So all π“ŽŸ together π“ˆ–π“Š— the inscription π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž– reads: “The Perfect God, Lord of the Two Lands, Horemheb, Beloved of Amun-Ra, Given Life.”

Now let’s look at the left side of the throne: 

𓅭𓇳 – Son of Ra

π“ŽŸπ“ˆπ“₯ – Lord of Appearances 

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŒΊπ“„Ώπ“‹”π“π“Ž± – Horemheb (Birth Name – Horus in Jubilation, whom Amun has loved)

π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί – Amun-Ra

π“ŒΊπ“‡Œ – Beloved

𓏙𓋹- Given Life

So all π“ŽŸ together π“ˆ–π“Š— the inscription π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž– reads: “Son of Ra, Lord of Appearances, Horemheb, Beloved of Amun-Ra, Given Life.”

While the last part of the inscription π“Ž˜π“…±π“Ž– is the same on either side of the throne, the titles are different because of Horemheb’s birth name versus the throne name! Different titles in the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are associated with each name π“‚‹π“ˆ–!

Notice how the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are mirrored on either side of the throne! This makes it so all of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are facing Amun’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ legs! The ancient Egyptians loved to have symmetry in their art!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Pharaoh Horemheb with the God Amun

My Nonno took this picture!! This is a statue of the Pharaoh Horemheb π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŒΊπ“„Ώπ“‹”π“π“Ž± with the god π“ŠΉ Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–. Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– is pictured as larger than the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. The gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ were always depicted bigger to symbolize the fact that they were more important than the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. The only being a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 ever bowed to was a god, since the pharaohs themselves were gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ on Earth.

Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– was the King of the Gods (kind of like Zeus). As early as the 11th Dynasty, Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– was the patron god π“ŠΉ of Thebes. At the start of the 18th Dynasty, the god π“ŠΉ Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ– gained great national importance in the pantheon and this is illustrated with Amun’s fusion with the sun god Ra (Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Ίπ“‡³).

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!Β 

On the left side of the statue, the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ read: π“„€π“ŠΉ π“ŽŸπ“‡Ώπ“‡Ώ(π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ–)π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Ίπ“‡³ π“Œ»π“‡Œπ“™π“‹Ή – this translates to: β€œThe great god, lord of the two lands, Djeser Kheperu Re, beloved of Amun-Ra, given life.”

While on the right side, the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ read: 𓅭𓇳 π“ŽŸπ“ˆπ“₯(π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŒΊπ“„Ώπ“‹”π“π“Ž±) π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Ίπ“‡³ π“Œ»π“‡Œπ“™π“‹Ή -this translates to: β€œSon of Ra, lord of appearances, Horemheb, beloved of Amun-Ra, given life.”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Horemheb

Before Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– became the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 18th Dynasty, he was a general under the pharaohs Tutankamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ and Ay 𓇳𓆣𓆣π“ͺ𓁹𓐙𓏏.

This large statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ (and a second similar one) at the MET would have been placed in a temple – either the temple of Ptah π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“± at Memphis or the temple of Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Ίπ“‡³ at Karnak.

It was standard for high officials to show themselves in a seated position with a papyrus scroll 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 on their lap. In the Old Kingdom, the statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ usually showed the official reading, but in the New Kingdom, the statues always showed the official writing π“Ÿπ“›π“₯. Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– is writing π“Ÿπ“›π“₯ a hymn to the god Thoth π“…€π“€­(who is the god of writing π“Ÿπ“›π“₯).

The hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ around the base of the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ mention Horemheb’s π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– many titles. The hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ on the β€œpapyrus” 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 that is on Horemheb’s π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– lap can actually be read, but it was so difficult to get a picture𓏏𓅱𓏏/actually read them because I could not get close enough to the statue!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Limestone Statue of General Horemheb

Here I am with a limestone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“Œ‰ statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ of General Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– and one of his wives. Before he became the last pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of the 18th Dynasty, Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– was a general for both Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ and Ay’s 𓇳𓆣𓆣π“ͺ𓁹𓐙𓏏 military!

Here, Horemheb π“‡³π“‚¦π“†£π“Όπ“‡³π“‰π“ˆ– is depicted with one of his wives. They are both seated in chairs π“Ž›π“Š¨π“π“†±π“¦ that have lion 𓂋𓅱𓃭 paws on the legs. The details on this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ are beautiful π“„€ – the sandals 𓍿𓃀𓏏𓋸𓏦 on their feet almost look real! Interestingly, there are no hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ anywhere on the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ!

The β€œcouples statue” was a very common way to depict a husband π“‰”π“„Ώπ“‡Œπ“‚Ίπ“€€ and wife 𓂑𓏏𓁐 in Egyptian art! Fun fact: in ancient Egyptian culture, a couple was still considered to be singular even though they are two 𓏻 people – that is why the Egyptians use 𓏦 or π“ͺ to pluralize words! In ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, two 𓏻 was singular, and three 𓏼 was plural!