Tag: scarab

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Name of Thutmosis I or Thutmosis II?

Have you ever asked yourself “Are these hieroglyphs the name of Thutmosis I 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓 or Thutmosis II 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖?” The names are so similar, that if you’re reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, you probably have!

The discovery of the tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐 of Thutmosis II 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖 is so exciting and I cannot wait to learn more about this discovery!! The 18th Dynasty is my favorite time period, and Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 is my favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 so I am really excited about all of the new information that can be learned from this discovery!

In celebration of this wonderful discovery, Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Thutmosis I or Thutmosis II
A display of scarabs which show the names of the 18th Dynasty pharaohs Thutmosis I and Thutmosis II. This display is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Can you find the name of Thutmosis II amongst the Thutmosis I scarabs?

In this beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 display of scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 at the MET, there is a collection with the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 Thutmosis I 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓 and Thutmosis II 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖. Except there is a mistake in the display – one of the scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 in the Thutmosis I 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓 section actually belonged to Thutmosis II 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖!

Can you find it? Scroll below to see the answer once you’ve looked! 

Thutmosis I or Thutmosis II

It’s the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 in the bottom row, second from the left! The throne names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of Thutmosis I 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓 and Thutmosis II 𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖 are very similar to each other – there is only a one hieroglyph difference between the two! 

Let’s take a closer look at the names: 

𓇳𓉻𓆣𓂓 – “Great 𓉻 is the Manifestation 𓆣 of the soul 𓂓 of Ra 𓇳” (Thutmosis I)

𓇳𓉻𓆣𓈖 – “Great 𓉻 is the Manifestation 𓆣 of 𓈖 Ra 𓇳” (Thutmosis II) 

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

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Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

The Heart and Heart Scarab

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!

Since it’s Valentine’s Day, let’s talk about the Heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at the Heart Scarab! This particular Heart Scarab at the Brooklyn Museum is so cool because it is actually in the shape of a heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 instead of a Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣. The term “Heart Scarab” is a modern one used by archaeologists! 

In ancient Egyptian culture, the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not only the center of a person’s life 𓋹, but also thinking, memory, and moral values. The heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not removed during the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process, because the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person would need it on their journey through the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. 

The person’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 would be weighed against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather 𓆄𓏺 by Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, and that would determine if the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and then enter the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖, or eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹. This was called the “Weighing of the Heart,”  or the “Judgement of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭.” 

Heart Scarab
Two Heart Scarabs in the shape of a heart, with Chapter 30B of the Book of the Dead inscribed on it.

So how does the Heart Scarab play into this? In modern terms, the Heart Scarab could be seen as a “cheat code” for getting past the “Weighing of the Heart” – most are inscribed with the spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 from Chapter 30B from the Book of the Dead. In this spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 asks their own heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 to not betray them during the “Weighing of the Heart.” 

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 30B from the Papyrus of Ani: “O my heart of different ages! Do not stand up as a witness against me, do not be opposed to me in the tribunal, do not be hostile to me in the presence of the keeper of the balance, for you are my ka which was in my body, the protector who made my members hale.” 

Basically, the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 feared the outcome of their final judgement so they developed this amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 as a way to ensure a positive outcome to the scales!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Scarabs of Thutmosis III

Look at all 𓎟 of these scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪! 

Scarabs of Thutmosis III

I love these displays at the MET because they have all 𓎟 of the scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 grouped by the name 𓂋𓈖 of the pharaoh that is inscribed on them! These scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 contain the throne name of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴! I also love tiny things, so these displays are some of my favorites! 

The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is the personification is the god 𓊹 Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛. The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were said to be the most powerful of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 because the the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the dung beetle (which the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 was fashioned after) was capable of eternal regeneration. 

The god 𓊹 Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 symbolizes a “life cycle” – birth 𓄟, death 𓅓𓏏𓏱, and then rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This cycle was essential to Egyptian religious beliefs, as Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 spent their lives preparing for death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and entering the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife). 

Scarabs of Thutmosis III
Can you see the throne name (𓇳𓏠𓆣) and variant of Thutmosis III’s throne name (𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓) in the picture?

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

The most common throne name spelling for Thutmosis III 𓅝𓄠𓋴 is “Menkhepperra 𓇳𓏠𓆣.” The name 𓂋𓈖 Menkhepperra 𓇳𓏠𓆣 translates to “Lasting is the Manifestation of Ra.”

𓇳 – Ra

𓏠 – Lasting

𓆣 – Manifestation

One of Thutmosis III’s throne name variants appears on one of the scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪- it is rare to see this variant! This throne name variant is “Menkhepperkara 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓” which translates to “Lasting is the Manifestation of the Soul of Ra.” I love seeing the variants! 

Scarabs of Thutmosis III
Can you spot any of the words in the text below in the picture above?

There are some other common phrases that accompany the name 𓂋𓈖 of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓂓 on these little scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪! See if you can spot them in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏: 

𓎟 – Lord of/Everything/All

𓊹𓄤 – The Perfect God 

𓏙𓋹 – Given Life

𓆖 – Eternity

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Large Scarab at the British Museum

This is definitely the largest scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 that I have ever seen!  I was shocked when I saw just how big it was in the British Museum! I have honestly never seen anything like it in any of the other museums I have visited!

This scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 represented Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭 the god 𓊹 that was associated with the “rising of the sun 𓅃𓈌𓏏𓏭𓀭” (these hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 translate to “sun at dawn”) and thus he is associated with life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and rebirth. Scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 were extremely popular as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, and were considered to have the strongest 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 powers. 

The “scarab beetle 𓆣” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 symbol is a determinative, ideogram and phonogram symbol! It is associated with the sound ḫpr (like “Kheper”) is also used to write the words “evolve,” “manifestation,” and “become.”

From a geologic perspective, this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is made of the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 diorite.  Diorite is an intrusive igneous rock (meaning it forms underground from the solidification of magma). Diorite is an extremely durable rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 (one of the strongest found on Earth 𓇾𓇾), and is comparable to granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 in terms of strength and method of formation.  

However, diorite usually doesn’t contain a lot quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙, a very strong 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 mineral which is abundant in granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿, hence the difference between the two 𓏻 rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦. One of the reasons why this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is so well preserved, is probably due to the strength of the diorite!  Diorite, like granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿, was usually mined by the Egyptians in Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓌕𓊖

As you all know, ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 is one of my biggest passions, however I actually have degrees in Earth and Environmental science! I love combining my passions for Egyptian history and geology together 𓈖𓊗! 

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Heart Scarab

This special amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 is known as a Heart Scarab! This particular Heart Scarab belonged to Hatnefer 𓄂𓄤𓁐, who was the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼! Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 most trusted advisor (amongst other things 😉)! 

Heart Scarab of Hatnefer at the MET

In ancient Egyptian culture, the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not only the center of a person’s life 𓋹, but also thinking, memory, and moral values. The heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not removed during the mummification process, because the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person would need it on their journey through the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The person’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 would be weighed against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather 𓆄𓏺 by Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, and that would determine if the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and then enter the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖, or eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹. This was called the “Weighing of the Heart,” and it is something I have written extensively about!

So how does the Heart Scarab play into this? In modern terms, the Heart Scarab could be seen as a “cheat code” for getting past the “Weighing of the Heart” – this special scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is inscribed 𓎘𓅱𓎖 with Chapter 30A from the Book of the Dead (most are inscribed with Chapter 30B). In this spell, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 asks their own heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 to not betray them during the “Weighing of the Heart.” 

Basically, the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 feared the outcome of their final judgement so they developed this amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 as a way to ensure a positive outcome to the scales!

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 30A: “ Do not stand against me as witness beside the lords of the ritual, Do not say against me, he did do it, about my actions, Do not make a case against me beside the great god, Hail my heart, Hail my heart…”

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

More Scarabs of Hatshepsut

The MET was an integral part of the excavations of Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri. During the 1926-1927 dig season, 299 scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 and stamp seals were discovered near the eastern wall of the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐. Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were symbols of regeneration and rebirth.

On the scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, are various inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 with every title/name 𓂋𓈖 Hatshepsut has ever held. These three 𓏼 scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 have her birth name 𓂋𓈖 inscribed 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪. Her birth name 𓂋𓈖 cartouche translates to “United with Amun, Foremost of the Noble Women.”

If we were to only write the part that translates only to “Hatshepsut,” her cartouche would look like this: (𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪). Why is Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 mentioned in her name 𓂋𓈖? By adding Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 to her name, she directly linked herself to the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖. She claimed that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 was her father 𓇋𓏏𓀀, thus justifying her right to rule.

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Scarab Amulets of Hatshepsut

Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are some of the most abundant items excavated in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and I love them! I think they’re cute, but they also hold a lot of meaning for the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪. Scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were symbols of regeneration and rebirth, which was one of the main aspects of the religion.

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on these two 𓏻 scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪, while at first glance may look very similar but actually mean different things!

Scarab Amulets of Hatshepsut at the MET

The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 on the left says “𓎟𓇿𓇿 𓇳𓁦𓂓” which translates to “Lord of the two lands, Maatkare.” The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 on the right says “𓎟𓏏𓇿𓇿 𓇳𓁦𓂓” which translates to “Lady of the two lands, Maatkare.” When a “𓏏” glyph is added to words, it makes the word feminine.

While a very tiny difference, it is interesting because one of the misconceptions about Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 I see a lot was that she was “trying to be a man” – she wasn’t trying to be a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤, she was just traditionally representing herself as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, as all other pharaohs did. The pharaonic representations just tended to have male characteristics because most pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 were men. Most of her art contains the feminine form of titles in the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, which is why I find these two 𓏻 scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 interesting. It’s not common to see her use the male form of words/titles.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Scarabs of Hatshepsut

Here are some more scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 from the MET! The MET has so many of these beautiful 𓄤 scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 and I honestly love looking at them! I really like tiny things, so scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 and other amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are some of my favorite pieces to see in museums!

These two 𓏻 scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 both show Hatshepsut’s throne name Maatkare 𓇳𓁦𓂓 in between the Red Crown of Lower Egypt 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔. The name 𓂋𓈖 Maatkare 𓇳𓁦𓂓 translates to “Truth is the Soul of Ra.”

The Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 is also known as the Deshret, which can also translate to “red land 𓅠𓂋𓏏𓈊.” The word Deshret 𓅠𓂋𓏏𓈊 referred to both the crown (𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔) and the desert (𓅠𓂋𓏏𓈊) on either side of the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. While the words are written differently in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, they are pronounced the same.

The fertile soil along the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 was referred to as Kemet 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, or “black land.”

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Marriage Scarab and Senet

I love this display at the Brooklyn Museum because it’s so blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 – blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 is my favorite color (and it was a favorite of the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 too – for various religious reasons)! Both of these pieces are dated to the reign of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 (Dynasty 18).

The first piece is a scarab 𓆣 that is known as a “Marriage Scarab,” even though it doesn’t mention marriage! During his reign 𓋾, Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 commissioned the production of her 200 𓏲𓏲 scarabs 𓆣𓆣𓆣 that recorded important events. Fifty-six 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓏿 of the scarabs 𓆣𓆣𓆣, like this one pictured, contained information such as Amenhotep III’s 𓇳𓁧𓎠 complete list of names/titles, the boundaries of the empire and Queen Tiye’s official names and titles/the names of her parents. The mention of Queen Tiye and her relation to Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 is what led Egyptologists to call these the “marriage scarabs.”

Senet 𓊃𓏏𓈖𓏠 is the world’s oldest board game – there’s evidence of its existence all the way back to the First Dynasty (though this particular board is dated c. 1390-1353 B.C.E.). During the New Kingdom, the game represented the journey of the Ka 𓂓 (soul) to the afterlife/Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The word “Senet” 𓊃𓏏𓈖𓏠 actually means passage or gateway! If you look really closely, you can see details of the Djed Pillar 𓊽 and the Tyet 𓎬 (Isis Knot) painted on the sides!

Senet 𓊃𓏏𓈖𓏠 is still a game that can be played today, though some of the rules are debatable! I find it so interesting that board games have been around for so long in history! Some things a about humanity have not changed!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Scarab Amulets

The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is the personification is the god 𓊹 Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛. The scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were said to be the most powerful of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 because the the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the dung beetle (which the scarab was fashioned after) was capable of eternal regeneration. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 was considered to be the god 𓊹 of the morning sun 𓇳𓏺, and was usually depicted as a scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣, or as a human body with a scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 for a head 𓁶𓏺! Due to his ties with the sun 𓇳𓏺, Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 was considered to be an aspect of the sun 𓇳𓏺 god 𓊹 Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛!

The god 𓊹 Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 symbolizes a “life cycle” – birth, death, and then rebirth in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This cycle was essential to Egyptian religious beliefs, as Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 spent their lives preparing for death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and entering the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (afterlife).

One of the best things about the MET are these little galleries that are offshoots of the main galleries – there are some real treasures (such as this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 display) hidden away here! Honestly I love these little galleries more than the main areas – it’s almost like having a private museum!