Tag: moon knight

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Egyptian Artifacts

Amulets of Taweret

Here are some faience π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ of the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗! More people are now familiar with Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 because of Moon Knight, but let’s dive into some history/information about her!

While the ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ both feared and revered π“‡‹π“Œ΄π“„ͺ hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ due to their strength and power, Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 was a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ who was a protector π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ of women π“Šƒπ“π“‚‘π“π“π“ͺ and children π“π“‡Œπ“€•π“ͺ! The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 actually means β€œthe great (female) one!” That is certainly a name π“‚‹π“ˆ– that suits her!

While many amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ were usually placed on mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾π“ͺ to help the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 on their journey to the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife), amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ of Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 were usually found in homes because she was a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ who was essential to family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 life. The family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 unit was an incredibly important feature not only in daily life π“‹Ή, but in religious observances as well. The amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ of Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 would provide protection π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ in the home, especially during childbirth, which was quite deadly for mothers 𓄿𓏏𓁐π“ͺ at the time. For this reason, Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 was usually worshipped in the home instead of in temples π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰π“ͺ!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Khonsu

Let’s talk about Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€―!

The god π“ŠΉ Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€― is definitely getting some media attention due to Moon Knight! While this gold π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰ pendant may look like Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 at quick glance, this is actually the god π“ŠΉ Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€―! When they are both in their falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„ form, they might be mistaken with each other, especially since Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 is represented with the sun disk 𓇳𓏺 on his head 𓁢𓏺, while Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€― is represented with the moon π“‡‹π“‚π“Ž›π“‡Ή on his head 𓁢𓏺 – since both are circles, they do look similar!

Khonsu’s π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€― role in the pantheon has changed throughout time, and he was quite the bloodthirsty god π“ŠΉ in the Pyramid Texts, however in the New Kingdom he was a more peaceful god π“ŠΉ of the moon π“‡‹π“‚π“Ž›π“‡Ή. He was considered to be the son π“…­ of Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­ and Mut 𓏏𓄿𓀭, and together the three of them made up the Theban triad.

While Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€― does take the form of a falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„, he is usually represented as a man π“Šƒπ“€€π“€ wrapped in mummy bandages and wearing a crescent 𓇹 shaped necklace! He can also be depicted with his hands/arms 𓂝𓏦 restrained. That representation sounds familiar, doesn’t it?! The anthropomorphic form of Khonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€― definitely inspired parts of the Moon Knight comics and tv show!

The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– β€œKhonsu π“π“ˆ–π“‡“π“…±π“€―β€œ is thought to come from the verb β€œto traverse” and it means β€œhe who traverses (the sky).” This piece is dated to the 19th-20th Dynasties (c. 1295–1070 B.C.E).

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Egyptian Artifacts

Ammit – The Devourer

Ammit in the Book of the Dead of Imhotep at The MET

Never did I think I would see the day where Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was the main villain on a Marvel tv show but here we are! Let’s learn a bit about the Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 from Egyptian π“†Žπ“π“€€π“ mythology – there are some similarities to the Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 we saw on Moon Knight! In ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was not formally worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀒 in any formal cult (unlike on Moon Knight) and the Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ saw her as a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ to be feared and overcome!

Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was a combination of animals that were most feared by the ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ: she had the head 𓁢𓏺 of a crocodile π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œ, the neck and mane of a lion π“Œ³π“Ήπ“„Ώπ“„›, and the rear of a hippopotamus π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―! Since she was the combination of both land and marine animals there was no escaping Ammit’s 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 wrath no matter where you went!

Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 was known as β€œthe devourer” or β€œeater of hearts” and her name π“‚‹π“ˆ– means β€œfemale devourer” or β€œfemale devourer of the dead.” That is in reference to Ammit’s 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 role in the Weighing of the Heart of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱; if the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 led a life full of bad deeds, Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 would eat their heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 when it weighed more than Maat’s π“™π“Œ΄π“‚£π“π“¦ feather. When Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 eat their heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would not be granted access to the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife).

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Ammit 𓂝𓅓𓅓𓏏 is from the Book of the Dead of Imhotep (Early Ptolemaic Period) at the MET!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

The Goddess Taweret

Taweret at The MET (photo by Amanda)

Here is a gorgeous π“„€ (and ADORABLE) faience π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό amulet π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†/statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ of the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗! More people are now familiar with Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 because of Moon Knight, but let’s dive into some history/information about her because I think she’s an amazing figure in the Egyptian pantheon!

While the ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ both feared and revered π“‡‹π“Œ΄π“„ͺ hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ due to their strength and power, Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 was a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ who was a protector π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ of women π“Šƒπ“π“‚‘π“π“π“ͺ and children π“π“‡Œπ“€•π“ͺ! The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 actually means β€œthe great (female) one!” That is certainly a name π“‚‹π“ˆ– that suits her!

While many amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ were usually placed on mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾π“ͺ to help the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 on their journey to the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife), amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ of Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 were usually found in homes because she was a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ who was essential to family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 life.

The amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ of Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 would provide protection π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ in the home, especially during childbirth, which was quite deadly for mothers 𓅐𓏏𓁐π“ͺ at the time. For this reason, Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 was usually worshipped in the home instead of in temples π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰π“ͺ!

Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 was a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ who was also associated with the inundation of the Nile River π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί. Since the Nile River π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί needed to flood in order for the soil to be fertile enough for crops to grow, and Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 was a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of fertility, this association is perfect!

Taweret at The MET (photo by Amanda)