Tag: wepwawet

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Reading Hieroglyphs

Wepwawet in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! Today we are going to learn about another jackal god π“ŠΉ because Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 isn’t the only jackal in ancient Egypt! Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“π“₯ is likely the oldest god π“ŠΉ associated with the jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯ and we are going to learn how to read Wepwawet’s name in hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!

Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“π“₯𓃧 is associated with war and conquest, and leading ritual processions. Wepwawet’s π“„‹π“ˆπ“π“₯ name π“‚‹π“ˆ– translates to β€œOpener of the Ways,” which has many meanings. He was associated with clearing the path for the sun 𓇳𓏺 to rise in the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯, clearing the way for the armies in battle, and clearing the path for the deceased to enter the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. Statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ of Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“π“₯ were also carried in front of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 during processions for this reason!Β 

Wepwawet in Hieroglyphs
Wepwawet in Hieroglyphs and a small statue of Wepwawet that was most likely part of a standard (a staff used in ceremonies)

Let’s take a look at Wepwawet’s name π“‚‹π“ˆ– in hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! 

π“„‹π“ˆπ“π“₯ (this is the variant in the picture)

π“„‹π“ˆπ“π“₯𓃧

π“„‹π“ˆπ“π“₯𓁒

π“„‹π“ˆπ“ˆπ“ˆ

π“„‹π“ˆπ“ˆπ“ˆπ“€­

𓃧

Let’s break down the symbols! 

The β€œhorns 𓄋” symbol is a biliteral phonogram that has the sound of β€œwp.” 

The β€œpath with shrubs π“ˆβ€ symbol is an ideogram for the words β€œroad” and β€œway.” and represents the sound β€œw3t.” It can also be a determinative for β€œroad.” 

The β€œflat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound β€œt.” Here it is acting as a phonetic complement and emphasizing the β€œt” sound at the end of β€œw3t π“ˆ.” 

The β€œthree strokes π“₯” symbol is what makes β€œways” plural in Wepwawet’s name! The β€œthree strokes π“₯” is associated with the sound β€œw” when making a word plural. The β€œpath with shrubs π“ˆβ€ symbol can also be repeated three times to make it plural. 

The β€œjackal on a standard 𓃧” symbol is both an ideogram and a determinative for β€œWepwawet.” This is why Wepwawet’s name can be written with just the symbol! This is the most common determinative to see associated with his name.

Wepwawet in Hieroglyphs
A small bronze statue of the god Wepwawet, which was most likely part of a standard.

One way to tell Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“π“₯ and Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 apart is by how the jackal is standing: Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is usually shown in the recumbent position (𓃒, 𓃣, 𓃀) while Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 is usually shown standing up (𓃧, 𓃨).

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

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Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

“The Opener of the Ways”

Whenever people see an Egyptian artifact that looks like a jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯, they think it’s Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣, however, there are other canine deities π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ in the Egyptian pantheon! This small π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…© statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 depicts the god π“ŠΉ Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 who was known as “The Opener of the Ways!”Β 

The Opener of the Ways
Small statue of the god Wepwawet at the MET

Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 is associated with Abydos π“‹π“ƒ€π“ˆ‹π“Š– and is likely the oldest god π“ŠΉ associated with the jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯! Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 has been depicted on objects that even pre-date the Narmer 𓆒𓍋 Palette π“π“Šƒπ“π“†±! Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 is associated with war and conquest, and leading ritual processions. 

Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 was depicted as either a jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯ or a wolf π“ƒΉπ“ˆ–π“ˆ™π“‡‹π“²π“„› and one of the best ways to distinguish between Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 and Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is by looking for their names π“‚‹π“ˆ–π“¦ in hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ since they are artistically very similar looking! 

Another way to tell Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 and Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 apart is by how the jackal is standing: Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is usually shown in the recumbent position (𓃒, 𓃣, 𓃀) while Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 is usually shown standing up (𓃧, 𓃨).

Wepwawet’s π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– translates to β€œOpener of the Ways,” which has many meanings. He was associated with clearing the path for the sun 𓇳𓏺 to rise in the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯, clearing the way for the armies in battle, and clearing the path for the deceased to enter the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. Statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ of Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 were also carried in front of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 during processions for this reason! 

Other variants of Wepwawet’s name π“‚‹π“ˆ– include:

π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧

π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓁒

π“„‹π“ˆ

π“„‹π“ˆπ“ˆπ“ˆ

π“„‹π“ˆπ“ˆπ“ˆπ“€­

𓃧

This piece is dated to the Late Period–Ptolemaic Period (c. 664–30 B.C.E.). 

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

@ancientegyptblogΒ 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Wepwawet

Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 is not the only jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯-headed god π“ŠΉ in Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– and it can be easy to get some of them confused because they look similar! Even in ancient texts Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣 and Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 can be confused with each other but they are separate deities π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ! This is a bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ of the god π“ŠΉ Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧! While the head is cut off, the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 is in front of Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 on this piece!

This piece was likely used in a royal procession, as Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 was one of the symbols carried in front of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 during certain rituals/ceremonies. Wepwawet’s π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– translates to β€œopener of the ways,” and he was even associated with clearing the path for the sun 𓇳𓏺 to rise in the sky π“Šͺ𓏏𓇯! This is probably why he was carried in front of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 during processions!

Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 is associated with Abydos π“‹π“ƒ€π“ˆ‹π“Š– and is likely the oldest god π“ŠΉ associated with the jackal π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯! Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 has been depicted on objects that even pre-date the Narmer 𓆒𓍋 Palette π“π“Šƒπ“π“†±! Wepwawet π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 is associated with war and conquest, and leading ritual processions.

There are a couple of different variations of Wepwawet’s π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧 name π“‚‹π“ˆ– in hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ:
𓃧
π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓃧
π“„‹π“ˆπ“₯𓏏𓁒

The first way the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– is written is just the determinative symbol, while the other two 𓏻 ways show the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– spelled out the same, but the determinative at the end is different!

This piece is dated to the Late Period–Ptolemaic Period (c. 664–30 B.C.E.).