Tag: shu

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Egyptian Artifacts

Shu

Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was the god π“ŠΉ of the air and atmosphere but was also associated with sunlight 𓆄𓅱𓇢! In the Egyptian creation myth, Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 raised the atmosphere from the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface, separating the two 𓏻 from each other!

Shu
A small faience statue of the god Shu in his characteristic pose!

Shu 𓇋𓅱 is usually depicted as a man standing or kneeling with both of his arms raised (like this hieroglyphic symbol – 𓁏). His arms are in this position to show that he is holding up the air/atmosphere above the ground! Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was often worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀒 by sailors, who were looking for favorable winds π“‡‹π“‡¬π“ˆ–π“…±π“Š‘π“¦!

Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was the consort of Tefnut π“π“†‘π“ˆ–π“π“†—, who is a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ associated with moisture. In some mythology, Shu 𓇋𓅱 and Tefnut π“π“†‘π“ˆ–π“π“†— produced Geb 𓅬𓃀𓀭 (god π“ŠΉ of the Earth 𓇾𓇾) and Nut π“Œπ“π“‡―π“€­ (goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of the sky π“Œπ“π“‡―). In the Pyramid Texts, the clouds are even mentioned as β€œthe bones of Shu.”  

The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– β€œShu 𓆄𓅱” can actually mean β€œHe Who Rises Up,” β€œEmptiness 𓆄𓅱𓅨,” or β€œSunlight 𓆄𓅱𓇢/𓆄𓅱𓇳” too! In Middle Egyptian, these words were also pronounced like β€œShu,” except they have different determinatives which changes the meaning of the word!

I’m fascinated by the fact that both β€œempty 𓆄𓅱𓅨” and β€œShu 𓆄𓅱” are the same because we can’t see the atmosphere so what is above/all around us appears to be empty 𓆄𓅱𓅨 but it’s not – and the ancient Egyptians knew that!Β It’s incredible the insight that mythology can give us into the thoughts of the ancient Egyptians!

This faience π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό piece is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (332–30 B.C.E.).Β 

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

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Shu in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! These hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ pictured spell out the name of the god β€œShu 𓆄𓅱.”

Shu in Hieroglyphs

Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was the god π“ŠΉ of the air and atmosphere. In the Egyptian creation myth, Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 raised the atmosphere from the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface, separating the two 𓏻.Β 

Shu in Hieroglyphs
Shu raising up the sky/atmosphere depicted on a sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum. Can you spot Shu’s name in the image?

Shu 𓇋𓅱 is usually depicted as a man standing or kneeling with both of his arms raised (like this hieroglyphic symbol – 𓁏). His arms are in this position to show that he is holding up the air/atmosphere above the ground! Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was often worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀒 by sailors, who were looking for favorable winds π“‡‹π“‡¬π“ˆ–π“…±π“Š‘π“¦!Β 

Shu in Hieroglyphs

Here are the two most common ways to write β€œShu” in hieroglyphs: 

𓆄𓅱

𓇋𓅱𓀭

Let’s break down each of the symbols! 

The β€œfeather 𓆄” is a biliteral symbol and is representative of the sound Ε‘w. β€œπ“†„β€ can also function as an ideogram for β€œfeather 𓆄𓏺,” and as a determinative for β€œMaat π“™π“Œ΄π“‚£π“π“†„.” So the β€œfeather 𓆄” symbol has many different uses! 

The β€œQuail Chick 𓅱” is a super popular symbol! It is a uniliteral phonogram that is representative of the sound w/u, and it is also an ideogram for the word β€œchick 𓅱𓏺.” It mostly appears as a uniliteral phonogram and is one of the hieroglyphs that appears the most in inscription! 

The β€œseated god 𓀭” is a determinative symbol and isn’t pronounced! It acts as β€œpunctuation” at the end of the name of a male god! 

Here are some other words that are similar to Shu 𓆄𓅱 – they are pronounced the same, but have different determinatives which changes the meaning of the word! What is so cool about these words is that they are related to the atmosphere/sky! 

𓆄𓅱𓅨 – Empty

𓆄𓅱𓇳, 𓆄𓅱𓇢 – sun, sunlight

I’m fascinated by the fact that both β€œempty 𓆄𓅱𓅨” and β€œShu 𓆄𓅱” are pronounced the same because we can’t see the atmosphere so what is above/all around us appears to be empty 𓆄𓅱𓅨 but it’s not and the ancient Egyptians knew that!Β 

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

Follow me @ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok to learn all about ancient Egypt, hieroglyphs, mythology, culture and more!

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Ancient Egyptian Earth Day!

Yesterday was Earth Day and I forgot about it but I have a good excuse I promise – I’m an Earth Science teacher and for me, everyday is Earth Day!!Β 

It’s incredible to me how much the ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ knew about our beautiful 𓄀𓆑𓂋 planet, and how that knowledge was reflected in their intricate mythology. The Earth 𓇾𓇾 itself is differentiated (interior is divided into layers), has an atmosphere, and that atmosphere fades and thins away until space is reached. We can see all of these different β€œlayers” in this art from a sarcophagus π“ŽŸπ“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“π“Š­ which is showing part of the creation myth! Let’s take a closer look!Β 

Earth Day
A close-up image of a sarcophagus at the Brooklyn Museum depicts (from top): Nut, Shu, Khnum and Geb!

The goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of the cosmos, Nut π“Œπ“π“‡―π“€­, is depicted as a woman 𓂑𓏏𓁐 arched over the rest of the figures, because as the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of the cosmos, she surrounds the Earth 𓇾𓇾 – just like space actually does! Directly underneath Nut π“Œπ“π“‡―π“€­ is Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭, the god π“ŠΉ of the atmosphere. Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭 is seen holding up the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯 (which is depicted as the sky 𓇯 hieroglyph). Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭 is responsible for raising the atmosphere from the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface! 

Underneath Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭 is Geb 𓅭𓃀𓀭, the god π“ŠΉ of the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface, which the ancient Egyptians called the Upper Earth. Tantanen (not pictured) is the god π“ŠΉ of the Lower Earth (aka Earth’s interior). I still think it’s amazing that the ancient Egyptians knew there was an interior to the Earth 𓇾𓇾, and the mythology is how they conceptualized that. 

Khnum π“ŽΈπ“€­/π“ŽΈπ“π“€­, the ram headed creator god, is also pictured. Khnum π“ŽΈπ“π“€­ is one of the oldest deities; he is the god π“ŠΉ of the source of the Nile π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί, fertility and was thought to have made humans out of clay from his potters wheel! 

Take a closer look at the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 and see if you can see the names π“‚‹π“ˆ–π“¦ of all of these gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ in the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! 

So in this beautiful 𓄀𓆑𓂋 image 𓏏𓅱𓏏, we have a representation of Space (Nut π“Œπ“π“‡―π“€­), the atmosphere (Shu 𓆄𓅱𓀭), the Earth’s surface (Geb 𓅭𓃀𓀭) and the source of the Nile (Khnum π“ŽΈπ“€­). This is how the Egyptians saw Earth 𓇾𓇾 and I think it’s incredible!! 

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

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Late Period Faience Amulets

These are some Late Period faience amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ! Amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ were protective symbols that could be used by either the living π“‹Ήπ“ˆ–π“ or the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and each amulet π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…† had its own power based on the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 it represented.Β 

The first amulet π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…† on the left is Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭, the god π“ŠΉ of the air and atmosphere. In the Egyptian creation myth, Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 raised the atmosphere from the Earth’s 𓇾𓇾 surface, separating the two 𓏻. Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 was often worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀒 by sailors, who were looking for favorable winds π“‡‹π“‡¬π“ˆ–π“…±π“Š‘π“¦! 

The next two 𓏻 amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ are different representations of the god π“ŠΉ Khnum π“ŽΈπ“π“€­. Khnum π“ŽΈπ“π“€­ is usually represented as a ram and is one of the oldest Egyptian deities π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ – evidence of worship 𓇼𓄿𓀒 dates back to the First Dynasty!! Khnum π“ŽΈπ“π“€­ is the god π“ŠΉ of the Nile River π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί and fertility. In the creation myth, Khnum π“ŽΈπ“π“€­ is said to have created all of the world’s people on his potter’s wheel. He is associated with Ptah π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“±, who created the heavens π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯 and Earth 𓇾𓇾 on a potter’s wheel. 

The next two 𓏻 amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ are a hare 𓃹𓏺 and an Apis Bull π“Ž›π“‘π“Šͺ𓃒. The hare 𓃹𓏺 amulet was thought to have regenerative powers, and in a funerary context, would help the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 be reborn π“„Ÿπ“Ώπ“…± in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The Apis Bull π“Ž›π“‘π“Šͺ𓃒 was associated with fertility and rebirth π“„Ÿπ“Ώπ“…± and was mostly worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀒 in Memphis π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“†‘π“‚‹π“‰΄π“Š–. 

Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 is a fierce Egyptian goddess π“ŠΉπ“ who is associated with childbirth. Women who were pregnant would wear amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ of Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 for protection. Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗 is always represented as a pregnant hippopotamus π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ― and was a household deity – she didn’t have any temples π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰π“ͺ dedicated to her specifically. 

Categories
Reading Hieroglyphs

Shu in Hieroglyphs

The name of the god “Shu” in Hieroglyphs from the coffin of Khnumnakht (The MET)

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! Once again, these hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ are from the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 Coffin π“‹΄π“…±π“Ž›π“π“†± of Khnumnakht, an individual who lived during the 12th-13th Dynasties (c. 1850-1750 B.C.E.).

These hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ pictured spell out the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of the god π“ŠΉ β€œShu 𓆄𓅱.” Shu 𓆄𓅱 is the god π“ŠΉ of the atmosphere/air and sunlight. The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– Shu can also mean β€œemptiness.” In this inscription, the determinative symbol is missing; Shu can also be written as β€œπ“†„π“…±π“€­.”

The β€œfeather 𓆄” is a biliteral symbol and is representative of the sound Ε‘w. β€œπ“†„β€ can also function as an ideogram for β€œfeather 𓆄𓏺,” and as a determinative for β€œMaat/Truth π“™π“Œ΄π“‚£π“π“†„.”

The β€œQuail Chick 𓅱” is a super popular symbol! It is a uniliteral symbol that is representative of the sound w/u, and it is also an ideogram for the word β€œchick 𓅱𓏺.”

Here are some other words that are similar to Shu 𓆄𓅱! What is so cool about all of the words is that they all have to do with the atmosphere!
𓆄𓅱𓅨 – Empty
𓆄𓅱𓇳, 𓆄𓅱𓇢 – sun, sunlight
𓆄𓅱𓇳 – be dry