Userhat, also called Neferhabef, lived during the reigns of Horemheb and Ramesses I and died during the reign of Seti I in c. 1294-1279 BC. He was a wab-priest with the title of “first prophet of the royal Ka of Thutmosis I” and served in the Temple of Thutmosis I. This was dedicated to continuing the funerary cult of the king that had died 200 years earlier, and Userhat’s hereditary position profited him greatly. He was able to afford a sumptuously decorated tomb in Thebes (TT51), the decoration of which is considered some of the finest examples of Dynasty 19 art known. Object Details Type: Tomb painting Date: Dynasty 19, reign of Seti I (c. 1294-1279 BC) Findspot: Tomb of Userhat (TT51), Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, Thebes Print Reference: DP57 The paintings in the Tomb of Userhat have degraded significantly due to vandalism, so this reproduction was made using a watercolour done by Norman de Garis Davies in the 1930s, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Overview In this scene, the deceased Userhat meets Nut, the goddess of the sycamore tree. He sits with his wife and mother sit in the shade of a colourful sycamore tree and is receiving the water Nut is pouring for them in three golden vessels. Before them is a table laden with offerings of fruit, vegetables and flowers, whilst their souls in the form of Ba-birds fly above their heads and stand on a T-shaped pool. Nut, the Goddess Often represented as a tree with arms, here the feminine spirit of the tree, Nut, is shown in human form standing upon a rectangular pool of water. Identified by the sycamore tree on her head, Nut wears a tight-fitting red dress decorated with blue and gold beads. In her right hand, she holds a vase, which she uses to pour water into the vessels held by the three figures. In her left hand, she holds out a mat upon which are loaves of bread, grapes, figs, a pomegranate, a melon, and a bouquet of lotus flowers and buds. In Userhat’s tomb, the registers for the hieroglyphs to accompany this scene are blank, but we can get a sense of what would have been here from a similar scene in the Tomb of Paser in Thebes (TT106): The speech of Nut, the great one, working wonders in her name of the sycamore: 'I have presented you with this cool water that your heart may be thereby refreshed - this water, which comes from your pool in the necropolis on the west of Thebes. You have received small and tasty food in the fruit which springs from my limbs. Your bird-soul sits in my shade and drinks water to its heart's content’. Userhat, the Deceased The main subject of the image is Userhat himself, dressed in a white pleated garment with beaded cross-straps and white sandals on his feet. He is seated on an elaborate ebony chair inlaid with gold and with lion feet. In one hand, Userhat holds a vessel to receive the nourishing water of Nut whilst the other reaches towards the platter of fruit she is also offering. He wears a red ribbon and a gold fillet around his head as well as a tall cone of perfumed wax on top, a symbol used in festival scenes to indicate the person was purified and sweet-smelling. Along with his floral collar and jewelled bracelets, he also wears an amulet around his neck combining the djed symbol of stability and the tiet knot of security. Hatshepsut and Tausret Two women are sitting on fine chairs with Userhat in the shade of the leafy sycamore tree with their hands resting on Userhat’s shoulder and arm. They too are receiving water from the goddess in golden vessels. In the foreground is “His wife, Mistress of the House and Chantress of Amun, Hatshepsut”, and tucked behind her is “His mother, Chantress of Amun, Tausret”. It is unusual to find the mother and wife seated together and the women are painted with an unusual degree of naturalness, particularly when compared to the formal figure of the goddess. The bare-footed women wear long white dresses, broad colourful necklaces, and jewelled bracelets on their arms. Upon their elaborately braided hair are floral garlands and a tall cone of perfumed wax. Under the seats of the two women is a plant goblet containing fruits and cucumbers and a floral collar with more lotus flowers. The Ba-Birds Between Userhat and Nut is a T-shaped pool of water with two birds standing upon it with human heads. These are the souls of Userhat and his wife, who are scooping up water with their hands and eating from a basket of food before them. A sycamore tree forms the backdrop for Userhat and his family and its dense foliage is dotted with fruits at varying stages of maturity and three small sparrows. The soul birds of Hatshepsut and Tausret flutter above them within the branches. Similar Depictions Tomb of Nakhtamon (TT341) Tomb of Panehesy (TT16) Tomb of Peser (TT106) Further Reading Overview of tomb: TT51, the tomb of Userhat Digitised book: Two Ramesside tombs at Thebes (Davies, 1927) Paper: The Sycamore in Ancient Egypt: Textual, Iconographic and Archaeopalynological Thoughts (Azzazy and Ezzat, 2016)

Painted tomb of Nebamun These wall paintings are from an 18th Dynasty tomb chapel located in the Theban Necropolis located on the west bank of the Nile at Thebes. The tomb chapel belonged to Nebamun, a middle-ranking official scribe and grain counter at the temple complex in Thebes. The tomb’s plastered walls were richly and skilfully decorated with lively fresco paintings, depicting idealised views of Nebamun’s life and activities. An entire wall of the tomb-chapel showed a feast in honour of Nebamun. Naked serving-girls and servants wait on his friends and relatives and all the guests wear elaborate linen clothes painted as if it were transparent, to show that it is very fine. Nebamun’s cattle, Tomb-chapel of Nebamun This fragment is part of a wall showing Nebamun inspecting flocks of geese and herds of cattle. Hieroglyphs describe the scene and record what the people say as they squabble in the queue, with the herdsman telling the farmer in front of him: Come on! Get away! Don’t speak in the presence of the praised one! He detests people talking… Pass on in quiet and in order… He knows all affairs, does the scribe and counter of grain of Amun, Nebamun. Details Date: c. 1350 BCE Period: 18th Dynasty Materials: Paint on plaster Findspot: Tomb Chapel of Nebamun, Thebes Location: British Museum, Room 61 Museum number: EA37986 (feast) Registration Number: .37986 #18thDynasty #AncientEgypt #Museum #Photography

My reproduction is based on a wall painting from an 18th Dynasty tomb chapel located in the Theban Necropolis on the west bank of the Nile in Egypt. It belonged to Nebamun, a wealthy, middle-ranking official scribe and grain counter at the temple complex in Thebes. The tomb’s plastered walls were richly and skilfully decorated with lively fresco paintings, depicting idealised views of Nebamun’s life and activities. One shows a banquet in honour of the deceased Nebamun. Naked serving-girls and servants wait on his friends, colleagues and relatives, who are entertained by musicians and dancers. Some of the guests are indicated to already be dead, suggesting the scene shows an idealised image of family celebration and support across time. The women wear elaborate linen clothes painted as if they were transparent to show that they were exceptionally fine as well as unique jewellery, collars, and headdresses. Tall cones of white perfumed unguent sit atop their heads, a visual convention used to indicate they are wearing perfume. The floral garlands in their hair and the lotus flowers and buds they grasp are symbolic of the idea of birth and renewal. A table is piled high with offerings of food and flowers for the deceased Nebamun which include earthenware wine amphorae, bunches of grapes, a plucked fowl, round and oval loaves of bread, patterned baskets of grapes, a basket of yellow sycamore figs, an animals heart, the skinned leg of an ox and a basket of mandrake fruit. The original can be seen in Room 61 of the British Museum in London. Object Number: EA37986

Reproduction Details Object Type: Tomb painting Material: Fresco, paint on plaster Date: c. 1350 BC Dimensions: 98 x 115 x 22 cm (Fragment 1) Period: Dynasty 18, New Kingdom Findspot: Tomb Chapel of Nebamun (unknown location), Theban Necropolis Current Location: Fragment 1 - British Museum EA37977, on display in Room 61. Fragments 2 and 3 – Current location unknown, known only from photographs. Print Reference: DP81A This reconstruction is based on a wall painting from an 18th Dynasty tomb chapel located in ancient Egypt's Theban Necropolis on the west bank of the Nile in Egypt. It belonged to Nebamun, a wealthy, middle-ranking official scribe and grain counter at the temple complex in Thebes. Nebamun’s tomb chapel was a place for people to come and commemorate him and his wife after his death with prayers and offerings. Its plastered walls were richly and skilfully decorated with lively fresco paintings, showing visitors how Nebamun wanted his life to be remembered and what he aspired to do in the afterlife. In this fragment, Nebamun is shown twice, hunting birds with a throwing stick and spearing fish from reed boats in the marshes of the Nile. He is accompanied by his wife Hatshepsut and their young children and surrounded by the flora and fauna of the wetlands. This magnificent fresco is a testament to the significance of hunting and leisure activities in ancient Egyptian society. The intricate details and vivid colours offer a glimpse into the opulence and joy that once filled Nebamun's life, capturing a timeless moment of pleasure and abundance he wanted to last forever. Jump to Symbolism and history of marsh hunting scenes Step-by-step guide to reconstructing the Nebamun scene The ‘Hunting in the Marshes’ fresco is just one of several famous pieces of ancient Egyptian art from this tomb, the precise location of which has been lost. Hacked out of the walls of the tomb by unscrupulous archaeologists and antiquities dealers, the fragments of the chapel’s decoration hint at the magnificence and opulence of the original decoration. This reconstruction is based on three fragments which Egyptologists have suggested coming from the same painting: Fragment 1 – Purchased from Henry Salt in 1821 for the British Museum collection. It is now on display in Room 61. It measures 98 x 115 x 22 cm, museum number EA37977) Fragments 2 & 3 – Acquired from antiquities dealers by Moïse Lévy de Benzion, whose collection was sold after his death and then confiscated by the Egyptian government. They were stored in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo but their current location is unknown. They are now only known from catalogue photographs taken in the 1950s. Symbolism in Ancient Egypt Nebamun's tomb contains what is perhaps the most iconic rendition of the 'marsh hunting’ scene within the rich tapestry of ancient Egyptian funerary art. Found on the walls of tombs and tomb chapels, these depictions connected the deceased with the afterlife, emphasised the importance of the natural world and its cycles, and demonstrated control over the chaotic forces of nature. The marshes and wetlands of the Nile were vital for Egypt's fertility, with the annual Nile floods replenishing fields with nutrient-rich silt, ensuring bountiful harvests. In art, the marshes are depicted as fish- and plant-filled waterways surrounded by lush green vegetation bursting with life. Creatures were depicted in lively, naturalistic poses which give scenes a sense of bustling movement, contrasting sharply with the still form of the hunter in the classic smiting pose, conforming to every rule of proportion and artistic order. The origins of these hunting scenes can be traced back to the Predynastic period (c. 6000-3100 BC) when they were often depicted on pottery, palettes, and small artefacts that were commonly placed in graves. While these early portrayals were relatively straightforward, they underscored the integral role of hunting and the natural environment in daily life. Explore my reconstructions of the ‘Hippo Hunter’ and ‘Three Hippos’ pre-dynastic bowls to delve deeper into the predynastic art and culture of ancient Egypt. The production of marsh hunting scenes continued for thousands of years, evolving in style and symbolism over time. The marshes were associated with the primaeval waters of creation, and hunting in such an environment symbolised the deceased person's journey through the chaos of death toward rebirth and eternal life. These scenes were particularly common in tomb paintings and reliefs of the Old and Middle Kingdom (c. 2686-1759 BC) and persisted well into the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1070 BC). Beyond their symbolic weight, these scenes also provided glimpses into the daily lives and activities of society's most privileged members. Hunting was a pastime reserved for the affluent, and these public tomb chapel depictions served to underscore the high social status of the tomb's owner. They represented not only wealth but also the leisure pursuits of the individual, adding a personal touch to the tomb's narrative. By the Late Period (c. 664-332 BC) and the Ptolemaic period (c. 332-30 BC) when Egypt came under foreign rule, there was a noticeable decline in the production of traditional tomb art. The art of these later periods often reflected a fusion of Egyptian and Hellenistic influences, resulting in new artistic styles and themes. The focus on traditional hunting scenes in the marshes diminished as the culture and art of Egypt changed. Reconstructing The Scene Research I was inspired to start the project whilst reading Richard Parkinson’s invaluable guide ‘The Painted Tomb-Chapel of Nebamun’ (2009), which contained the tantalising fact that two further fragments of the same scene might be known. He created a line drawing (on page 130) reconstructing the Hunting in the Marshes scene incorporating these fragments, which is the major inspiration for this piece. I created a reproduction of Fragment 1 several years ago when I was first starting on my journey into Egyptian art. I didn’t have the confidence to fill in the missing pieces back then, but after several years of practice honing my skills, and armed with Richard Parkinson’s drawing, I thought I was ready to give it a go! Along with Richard Parkinson’s book, I used the museum’s online collection record (museum number EA37986) for high-quality images. I was also lucky enough to visit the British Museum to see the object first-hand and was able to take detailed close-up photographs of the original fragment and study the paint marks and colours used. Comparisons As this reconstruction required me to fill in more than half of the canvas with reconstructed art, I spent some time reviewing other marsh scenes from the same period or location, to see what themes and decorative elements are commonly used. Tomb-chapel of Menna (TT69), 1 mid-8th Dynasty, Theban Necropolis (Metropolitan Museum 30.4.48). Tomb-chapel of Nakht (TT52), mid-18th Dynasty, Theban Necropolis. Tomb-chapel of Neferhotep (TT A5), mid-18th Dynasty, Theban Necropolis (Louvre Museum E 13101). Tomb-chapel of Suemniut (TT92), mid-18th Dynasty, Theban Necropolis Tomb-chapel of Sabni (QH26), 6th Dynasty, Aswan. Tomb-chapel of Khnumhotep II (BH3), 12th Dynasty, Beni Hassan From these examples I saw, several common themes emerged. The scenes are usually symmetrical and mirrored down the central axis, with a clump of papyrus in the centre and a boat on either side of it. The water is always shown as a band across the bottom and is filled with fish, flowers and reeds, as well as the occasional hippo or crocodile. The figure of the deceased in the boat is shown fishing with a spear and hunting with a throwing stick, and the birds are shown in a state of flight or movement. Other creatures including cats, rats, mongoose and butterflies can be seen within the foliage. Organising The Fragments The first step of the reconstruction was to organise the three fragments onto my digital canvas in Adobe Photoshop. Each fragment was added as a transparent layer, which allowed me to move it around the canvas to find where it fits. Knowing the missing right side was essentially going to be a mirror image of the major elements of the left side made visualising the final layout easier. Baselines One of the fundamental principles of ancient Egyptian art is the organisation of space. Scenes are organised with reference to an underlying baseline, with horizontal guidelines used to order scenes. In this example, I was lucky enough to have the waterline in Fragment 1, which served as the horizontal baseline for the image. From this, I was able to approximate the height and width of the final design. Guidelines The second fundamental principle is the convention employed to depict the standing human form, whereby the feet are planted on a baseline, and up to eight parallel guidelines pass through the body at equal intervals to align features (hairline, shoulders, elbow, lower buttock, knee, calf and sole). By using the full figures of Nebamun, Hatshepsut and their daughter in Fragment 1, I was able to create these parallel guidelines to show where the figures in Fragments 2 and 3 would be positioned. The spear being held by Nebamun in Fragment 2 is just visible in the corner of Fragment 3, which enabled me to align the three fragments horizontally and vertically. Drawing I use a simple black pencil tool to create the lines for each figure on a new layer in Photoshop. I zoom in as close as I can to achieve the precision the original artists employed in their paintings. For highly detailed parts such as the birds, I add background layers containing high-resolution closeup photographs, enabling me to recreate the remaining details. When it came to filling in the missing details on the left of the picture, I was able to make extensive use of the mirror tool in Photoshop. This was particularly useful for working out the location of items missing on the left when compared to the right of the picture. For example, I was able to see how big the thicket of papyrus was in the centre of the picture, by mirroring the right side to the left. As the ancient Egyptians used heavily stylised and standardised ways of drawing most things, it is possible to recreate quite accurately the missing elements if the size and location are known. It wasn’t possible (or desirable) to fully mirror the right side as the left Nebamun is engaged in a different activity to the right one, and the creatures around him would be reacting differently. I took inspiration from the birds, butterflies and fish in Fragment 1 to fill in the scene, and inserted a little mouse creeping along one of the reeds to balance the cat on the other side. This is a direct copy of the mouse in the marsh hunting scene from the Tomb of Menna. Adding Colour Ancient Egyptian art uses polychromy, filling in the outlines with solid blocks of contrasting colours which were chosen as much for their symbolic meaning as they were to accurately illustrate the subject. They utilised standard colours and patterns for most of their depictions and hieroglyphs, so even when the paint layer has been lost or faded, we have a good idea of what colour the original was. For this reproduction, I could look at the colours and painting styles used in other scenes within the tomb and create a reference board to ensure I selected the right colours and patterns. In this period, we see more shading and layers of paint to produce special effects, like the transparent linen of Hateshepsut’s dress or the speckled feathers of the birds. To add colour to my reproduction, I select the spaces between my lines and add a colour fill to a layer beneath my line drawing. This enables me to save a monochrome line drawing of the finished artwork, as well as a full-colour version. Just like the ancient Egyptians, I have my standard palette of colours I use for each of my pieces.

This week's episode 187 of The History of Egypt Podcast "Sety in Abydos Part 2" is an in-depth dive into the Abydos King List and features my reproduction of the scene. I am a massive fan of Dominic Perry's podcast and have been following his wonderfully told (and excellently researched) story of ancient Egypt's history for several years now. It's humbling to be included in the show in a small way and help contribute to sharing that story. Dominic contacted me about another project and happened to mention that he was planning an episode on the Kings List and that he would love to see it brought to life in the same way. The challenge was accepted and my reproduction took around 45 hours of very painstaking work to complete! The Abydos King List featured 76 different cartouches, as well as extensive hieroglyphic texts, which was a challenge to recreate in full colour based on only photographs and reports of the list in its present-day state. Read on to find out the process I used to recreate this epic scene. My artwork features on the cover of the podcast, on The History of Egypt Podcast website and within the episode guide he creates for his Patreon supporters. If you'd like your copy of the Abydos King List, you can make use of the code EGYPTPODCAST in my Etsy Shop for a discount. Listen to the full episode Recreating the Abydos King List Research The starting point for all my reproductions is research. To create accurate reproductions it's important to understand the context of the original artwork - where it was found, the period it was made in, and most importantly, the purpose of the artwork. I gathered as many references and articles from reputable sources as I can, and scoured archaeological reports and modern-day photographs for the details I needed. For this reproduction, I had three key sources: Reference photographs of the current site found on Wikimedia Amice Calverley’s 1933 colour reproductions from ‘The Temple of King Sethos I at Abydos Vol 1-3’ Rosalie David’s book Temple Ritual at Abydos, which provided transliterations and translations of hieroglyphics A 3D model made by David Anderson helped me visualise the space. It is often useful to look at other people's reproductions, especially sketches and drawings made by early travellers as well as archaeologists. These often preserve details that have been lost as sites become damaged after discovery and help clarify things it's difficult to discern from photographs. Below is a small selection of other people's reproductions of the same scene I found during my research: Organising the baselines and registers One of the fundamental principles of ancient Egyptian art is the organisation of space. Scenes are organised with reference to an underlying baseline, with horizontal guidelines used to order scenes. The Abydos King List follows this principle, utilising regularly spaced registers in a grid to hold the cartouche of each king and a baseline to anchor the figures of Seti I and Ramesses II. I set the proportions of my digital canvas in Photoshop and began drawing the baselines and registers. I often employ the ancient's technique of using red for the first draft of my guidelines, which I later trace over in black and eventually delete. I use transparent photographs of the current King List below my main canvas as a guide to make sure everything is laid out in proportion to each other. I have to be aware of lens curvature in modern cameras, which distort proportions, and compensate for it when setting up my frames. Drawing I use a simple black pencil tool to create the lines for each figure, inscription and cartouche on a new layer in Photoshop. I zoom in as close as I can to achieve the precision the original artists employed in their stone carving. For highly detailed parts such as the figures of Seti and Ramesses, I add background layers containing high-resolution closeup photographs of them, enabling me to recreate the remaining detail in the carved surface. Both of the figures' faces have been chiselled away in antiquity, so I used other depictions of them from the temple to recreate their distinctive visages. Adding colour Ancient Egyptian art uses polychromy, filling in the outlines with solid blocks of contrasting colours which were chosen as much for their symbolic meaning as they were to accurately illustrate the subject. They utilised standard colours and patterns for most of their depictions and hieroglyphs, so even when the paint layer has been lost, we have a good idea of what colour the original was. For this reproduction, I could look at the colours and painting styles used in other scenes within the Great Temple of Abydos which still retain traces of their colour. Amice Calverley’s 1933 colour reproductions from ‘The Temple of King Sethos I at Abydos Vol 1-3’ provided the best source of information. I created a reference board of the painted inscriptions from the temple that I used to ensure I selected the right colours and patterns for each sign and symbol. To add colour to my reproduction, I select the spaces between my lines and add a colour fill to a layer beneath my line drawing. This enables me to save a monochrome line drawing of the finished artwork, as well as a full-colour version. Just like the ancient Egyptians, I have my own standard palette of colours I use for each of my pieces.

Reproduction Details Object Type: Tomb painting Date: c. 1315–1314 BC Period: Dynasty 19, New Kingdom Findspot: Tomb of Ramesses I, Valley of the Kings Print Reference: DP17B My reproduction of a scene from the ancient Egyptian Book of Gates features the creation god Atum repelling the serpent of chaos, Apep (Apophis). It is based on a wall painting from the tomb of Ramesses I in the Valley of the Kings (KV16). The Book of Gates is a funerary text dating from the New Kingdom. It narrates the passage of a newly deceased soul into the next world, corresponding to the journey of the sun through the underworld during the hours of the night. During the soul’s journey, they face many dangers and challenges, including attack from the serpent god of chaos and evil, Apep. Atum, a creator god, is shown protecting the deceased from the snake, surrounded by the words from the Third Hour of the Book of Gates. Translation What Atum has done for Ra to glorify the god to overthrow the rebel. (Spoken by Atum) “You are upside down so you can't stand You are bewitched so that you can't find yourself My father has triumphed over you, I have triumphed against you I have driven you away on behalf of Ra I have punished you on behalf of Akhty" 𓁹𓏏𓈖𓏏𓍃𓈖𓇳𓏤𓀭 What Atum has done for Ra 𓊃𓅜𓐍𓏏𓏛𓊹𓏤 to glorify the god 𓊃𓐍𓂋𓏏𓀒 𓋴𓃀𓐨𓆙 to overthrow the rebel. 𓊃𓐍𓂧𓂻𓎡𓂜𓏏𓅱𓅪 𓊢𓂝𓂻𓎡 (Spoken by Atum) “You are upside down so you can't stand 𓎛𓂓𓀁 𓎡𓂜𓏏𓅱𓅠𓐝𓎡 You are bewitched so that you can't find yourself 𓐙𓌳𓂝(𓊤)𓇋𓏏𓆑 𓀀𓀭𓂋𓎡 "my father has triumphed over you, 𓐙𓌳𓂝𓊤𓀀𓂋𓎡 I have triumphed against you 𓂧𓂋𓂡𓀀𓏏𓏲𓈖𓂋𓁚 I have driven you away on behalf of Ra 𓊃𓊃𓃹𓈖𓅪𓀀𓏏𓅱𓈖𓈌𓏏𓏭 I have punished you on behalf of Akhty" 𓏏𓍃𓐝 =Atum 𓉻𓊪𓊪 = Apep or Apophis 𓊃𓌉𓆓𓇳𓆑𓎡𓎡𓇰 = he illuminates the darkness

Type 'ancient Egyptian art' into Google and you'll get over 72 million hits, so knowing where to find the really useful information is a real challenge. I've compiled a reading list on a variety of topics which will help you start interpreting art for yourself. There are also some tips for getting started, so you can direct your interest and not get too overwhelmed! Skip to the Reading list Skip to books on Ancient Egyptian Art Skip to books on Art Styles by Period Skip to books on Symbolism Skip to books on Learning hieroglyphics These are my personal choices based on my preferences, and the help of my fellow #Egyptology tweeters, but I'd love to hear your recommendations and keep the list growing! Tips for getting started Understand how the grid system and proportions were employed to create art Learn to recognise gods, goddesses, and religious symbols Have a basic grasp of the meaning of hieroglyphics Explore the work of the scholars and artists who have specialised in ancient Egyptian art Explore the online collections in museums across the world and follow your curiosity Gods, Goddesses and Religious Symbolism Much of the ancient Egyptian art we find so fascinating comes from religious or funerary sites, so a working knowledge of the common gods, goddesses and symbols is invaluable. The internet is a minefield of misinformation, myth and modern retellings, so investing in a good encyclopaedia from a trustworthy source is really important. In my opinion, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt by Richard Wilkinson (2003) is the go-to book when it comes to getting the detailed information you need. This comprehensive dictionary features hundreds of gods and goddesses and covers all aspects of their evolution, worship, depiction, symbolism, and mythology. The reason it's so good is that it contains information on really obscure deities and myths which you won't come across in the usual top-10 lists or Wikipedia pages. Recognising Hieroglyphs Hieroglyphs are symbolic pieces of art in themselves, so being able to recognise signs is a great way to interpret art because the same pictorial language is being used. A brilliant little book to get started with is Reading Egyptian Art: A Hieroglyphic Guide to Ancient Egyptian Painting and Sculpture by Richard Wilkinson (1994). It takes the most commonly used hieroglyphic signs, explains their origin and use and gives examples of them being used on real objects and monuments. Without being able to translate hieroglyphics, you will be able to begin ‘reading’ pieces of art and understand its general meaning. Learning an ancient language is a long process, but it is possible to get to a basic level quite quickly, and incredibly rewarding. If you want to take that first step, I'd recommend Egyptian Hieroglyphs for Complete Beginners: The Revolutionary New Approach to Reading the Monuments by Bill Manley (2012). I'm not a natural linguist and struggled with other teach- yourself texts, but found this book perfectly pitched and highly enjoyable to work through. It spends a few chapters giving you the basics of signs and sounds, using monuments and objects so you get the thrill of translating something real. It slowly builds up the lessons, with more complex inscriptions, but has easy-to-do exercises at each stage. It's aimed at those who want to be able to apply their knowledge practically by translating common phrases and texts seen in museums or online. Another option is How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A step-by-step guide to teach yourself by Mark Collier and Bill Manley (2nd edition 2010). This is one of the most recommended books you'll see and with good reason, it's another great primer and provides a comprehensive course in reading and translating, with a reference section of sign lists and a short dictionary at the end. Understanding the Grid System and Proportions For those who really want to delve deep into the maths behind the squared grid systems used by the ancient artists to proportion standing, sitting and kneeling human figures, Proportion and style in ancient Egyptian art by Gay Robins (1993) is a must-have. Her exhaustive study of art provided the first chronological account of proportional variations in male and female figures from the Early Dynastic to the Ptolemaic period. It also demonstrated that far from being a static art form mimicked over millennia, innovation and stylistic variation always played a significant role in ancient Egyptian art. Learn From the Specialists Explore the work of the people who have specialised in the study of ancient Egyptian art: Cyril Aldred Gay Robins Jan Assman Delve into the work of illustrators and travellers whose own reproductions have preserved many of the sites lost or damaged. Of the many hundreds of unsung heroes, there are a few stand-out artists whose work is worth exploring: (Henri) Édouard Naville (1844-1926) Amice Mary Calverley (1896-1959) Howard Carter (1874-1939) Sir John Gardner Wilkinson (1797-1875) Nina de Garis Davies (1881-1965) Nora Griffith (1870-1937) Norman de Garis Davies (1865-1941) Reading List Ancient Egyptian Art Reading Egyptian Art: A Hieroglyphic Guide to Ancient Egyptian Painting and Sculpture by Richard H. Wilkinson (1994) The Art of Ancient Egypt by Gay Robins (2008) Proportion and style in ancient Egyptian art by Gay Robins (1993) Art Styles by Period Predynastic: Dawn of Egyptian Art by Diana Craig Patch (2012) Old Kingdom: Egyptian Art In The Age Of The Pyramids by James Allen (1999) Symbolism The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt by Richard H. Wilkinson (2003) Learning Hieroglyphics Egyptian Hieroglyphs for Complete Beginners: The Revolutionary New Approach to Reading the Monuments by Bill Manley (2012) How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A step-by-step guide to teach yourself by Mark Collier and Bill Manley (2nd edition 2010)

Tomb QV66 located in the Valley of the Queens is one of the largest and most lavishly decorated in Egypt’s history. It was built as the final resting place for the favourite queen of Ramesses II, Nefertari Meritenmut (“Beautiful Companion, Beloved of the Goddess Mut”), who lived around 1279-1213 BC. She held the title of “King’s Great Wife”, meaning she was favoured of Ramesses eight wives, who described her as “the one for whom the sun shines”. Within her tomb, Nefertari is shown being welcomed by the gods of Egypt, who guide her to the afterlife by giving directions and performing ceremonies and tests from the Book of the Dead. The scenes describe the journey from her death up until the end when she is reborn and emerges from the eastern horizon like a sun disc. In this scene from the northeast wall of the vestibule, Nefertari is being led by the goddess Isis, who says: "By my hand, come, Great Wife of the King, Nefertari Meritenmut, true of voice, to a place in the sacred land”. She is being presented to the beetle-headed sun-god Khepri who says: "I give to you eternity like Ra, I give to you the appearance of Ra in heaven, I give to you a place in the sacred land”. Queen Nefertari Queen Nefertari wears a long and semi-transparent white dress typical of the elaborate fashions of the Ramesside court at the time, tied at the middle with a red sash. Around her neck, Nefertari wears a broad collar of gold, faience, carnelian and turquoise, and her wrists are decorated with blue and white bracelets. On top of her tripartite wig, she wears her characteristic headdress featuring a gold Nekhbet vulture holding the shen symbol in its claws representing eternity. Above this is a red mortar surmounted by two tall gold feathers with a solar disc at the centre. The hieroglyphs surrounding her are essentially a label identifying Nefertari by her name contained within a cartouch, and describing what she is doing (read from top right and down columns to left): Hm.t nsw.t wr.t nb.t tA.wy (Nfr.t-iry mr(y).t n Mw.t)| mAa(.t)-xrw xr Wsir nTr aA "Great Wife of the King, Lady of the Two Lands, Nefertari Meritenmut, true of voice, in the presence of Osiris, the great god." Goddess Isis Nefertari is being led by the hand by the goddess Isis, who is shown wearing the sun-disk and cow horn headdress more typically associated with the goddess Hathor, which has a uraeus cobra symbolising divine authority. This is emphasised by the was-sceptre she holds in her left hand, which symbolises power and is often depicted as being carried by gods, kings, and priests. Her arms are decorated with bracelets made of carnelian and turquoise set in gold and around her neck is a broad necklace with a counterweight that hangs down her back, known as a menat. These were held in the hand by the counterpoise and used as a rattle by the priestesses of Hathor and were also worn in life to foster fruitfulness and good health, and in death to provide protection in the afterlife. Isis wears a tight-fitting, red dress with a lozenge pattern which is thought to represent a bead-net dress. The beads are cylinders of blue or green faience, which was either sewn onto a linen dress or worked into a separate net worn over the linen. In art, bead-net dresses are fairly common in the Old and Middle Kingdoms but decline in number during the New Kingdom. The hieroglyphics surrounding her describe the words Isis is speaking to Nefertari: Dd mdw in As.t m-a i ir.t Hm.t nsw.t wr.t (Nfr.t-iry mr(y).t n Mw.t)| [mAa(.t)-xrw] n S.t m tA Dsr "Words spoken by Isis: By my hand, come, Great Wife of the King, Nefertari Meritenmut, true of voice, to a place in the sacred land." God Khepri Isis and Nefertari are standing before a beetle-headed god who sits upon a colourful throne. This is Khepri, a god who represented the rising or morning sun, and by extension, the creation and the renewal of life. The throne upon which Khepri sits features a sema-tawy symbol in the bottom right-hand corner, combining a knotted papyrus plant representing Upper Egypt and a sedge plant representing lower Egypt to signify the unity of the two lands. The throne itself sits upon a reed mat, which in turn sits upon a dais which forms the shape of the hieroglyph for Maat which embodies the concepts of truth, balance and order. In his right hand, he holds the same was-sceptre as Isis and a colourful artificial tail was also attached to his belt. In his left hand, he holds an ankh, the symbol for life, a reference which is reinforced by the small tyet symbol, or Isis knot, which is tucked into Kehpri’s belt. The hieroglyphics above his head give his name and title, and those to the left record his words to Nefertari: Column 1: Dd mdw Di.n[=i] n[=T] nHH mi-Ra Words Spoken: “I have given to you eternity, like Re” Column 2: Dd mdw Di.n[=i] n[=T] xaa Ra m p.t Words Spoken: “I have given to you the appearance of Re in Heaven.” Column 3: Dd mdw Di.n[=i] n[=T] s.t m tA Dsr Words Spoken: “I have given to you a place in the sacred land.” Column 4 and 5: xpri Hr(y)-ib dp.t=f nTr aA Khepri, who dwells in his boat, the great god. Nefertari and the God Ptah In this scene from the west wall of the first eastern annexe, Nefertari is making offerings of linen to the god Ptah, who stands in a golden shrine. Whilst it does not feature in the Book of the Dead, this depiction was included to ensure Nefertari would be well provisioned in the afterlife, with the blessing of the god Ptah. The linen which the queen offers on a platter is in the shape of the hieroglyph for clothing, or ‘menkhet’, and more can be seen on the golden table in front of her. Linen was considered to be an important item for a happy afterlife and was often included in the funerary goods buried with the dead. The hieroglyphics above the table read: "Giving cloth to the Lord of Truth on the sacred land" Ptah, the creator god of weaving and crafts, stands upon a dais in the shape of a Maat sign, meaning ‘truth’ or ‘order’. He stands inside a golden shrine with a curved roof and open wooden door, supported by poles. Ptah is portrayed in human form, with a tight-fitting skull cap and a large artificial beard. His green skin and the tight white linen shroud he wears show that he is taking the form of a mummy. Green hands emerge from the bandages to hold a golden staff which combines several important symbols; a was-sceptre (‘power’), a djed pillar (‘stability’) and a shen-sign (‘eternity’). Behind the shrine stands a large djed pillar, a symbol associated with both Ptah and Osiris, the god of the underworld. Its shape is thought to be inspired by the human spine and had the meaning of ‘stability’. In other parts of the tomb the djed pillar also featured arms or took the place of the head in depictions of Osiris. Goddess Maat On a lintel in the tomb is an elaborate depiction of the winged goddess Maat. The Ancient Egyptians believed the balance of the universe was determined by the presence or absence of maat, which had the meaning of rightness, truth, justice and order. Without maat, there was isfet or chaos. Maat wears an ostrich feather on her head, which could be used alone as the symbol for her name, and is often shown with protective wings. Explore the Tomb Further Reading Osiris.net: The tomb of Nefertari Merytmut, QV66

Reproduction Details Object Type: Wall relief/block Material: Limestone Date: c. 1294-1279 BC Period: 19th Dynasty, reign of Seti I Findspot: KV17 tomb of Seti I, Valley of the Kings, West Thebes Dimensions: height 226.5cm, width 105cm Inventory number: B7, N 124, Champollion No. 1 Current location: Room 641, Musée du Louvre, Paris, France Print Reference: DP01C This beautiful relief was part of the decoration of the tomb well-preserved tomb of King Seti I (KV17) in the Valley of the Kings. It depicts Seti walking towards the still figure of the goddess Hathor, who played an important role in welcoming the dead to the underworld and accompanying them into the afterlife. Hathor, Lady of the West, is shown welcoming Seti into her domain and holds out her menat necklace as a symbol of her protection. On the goddess's wig are the horns of a cow, her sacred animal, and a solar disk showing she is the daughter of Ra. She is named in the hieroglyphic text above using the symbol of a falcon in a building or temple, which reads Hwt-Hr meaning ‘House of Horus’. Seti is distinguishable by the royal uraeus cobra which stands out in front of his forehead, and by two of his royal names given in cartouches. The left reads Men Maat Ra, meaning ‘Eternal is the Truth of Ra’ and the right reads Wesiri Seti, mer en Ptah, meaning ‘Osiris Seti, beloved of Ptah’. Their jewellery has the colours of the precious materials from which it was made, including gold, silver, lapis lazuli, turquoise and carnelian. The characters' finery reflects the refinement and elegance of the art from this period and retains some elements of the Amarna style developed fifty years earlier during Akhenaten’s reign. The original is now in the Musee de Louvre, Paris. Translation Hathor, Chief of Thebes Mistress of the West Lord of the Two Lands, Menmaatre (Eternal is the Justice of Re) Lord of Appearances, the Osiris Merenptah Giving life like Re forever ... My Reproduction

Photograph by Brian Brake of the Tomb of Peshedu from a series on ancient Egypt for ‘Life’ in 1966. From collection of Museum of New Zealand, object number CT.043890. Located in the necropolis of the worker's village of Deir el-Medina lies the tomb of Pashedu (TT 3), a stonemason and later foreman who lived during the reigns of Ramesses II and Seti I in Dynasty 19. During his life, he held the title of "Servant in the Place of Truth on the West of Thebes" and was responsible for cutting the corridors, chambers, and pillared halls of the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Pashedu’s own tomb had a simple layout which was largely undecorated except for the corridor and burial chamber, which showed images of the gods receiving offerings and guiding him into the afterlife. The corridor is guarded by a large painting on either wall of the god Anubis in the form of a black jackal, sitting alert on a shrine with cavetto cornices. Since the first dynasty of Egypt’s history in c. 3100 BC, Anubis was being depicted as a protector of graves and was associated with death, mummification, embalming, the afterlife, cemeteries, tombs, and the Underworld. Between Anubis' hind paws he holds a nekhakha, or flail, a symbol of power originally associated with Osiris, the god of the dead and the underworld. The red background Anubis sits against is decorated with beads and this pattern is often used in Egyptian art to represent the beadnet dresses worn by elite women and goddesses such as Hathor. Above the swathe of red cloth, another sheet of white decorated cloth hangs, separated by a floral garland. It gives the impression of Anubis sitting within a pavilion draped in colourful cloth. Further Reading The Tomb of Pashedu in the Deir el-Medina Necropolis (Tour Egypt)

Reproduction Details Object Type: Penitential stela Material: Limestone Date: c. 1279-1213 BC Period: 19th Dynasty, reign of Ramesses II Findspot: Deir el-Medina, Egypt Dimensions: H. 48.0 cm x W. 33.0 cm x D. 3.5 cm Inventory number: Cat 1592 (Turin N 50046) Current location: Muzeo Egizio, Turin (Sala 6, Vetrina 8) Print Reference: DP60A Description My reproduction of an illustration from a stone stela praising the healing power of the god Iah-Thoth, who is shown as an ibis-headed man, riding on the solar barque through the night sky. The god is being presented with a wadjet, or Eye of Horus, by the baboon-form of Thoth, which represents the healing power and protection of the god. The illustration sits in a lunette above the hieroglyphic text, which was dedicated to the deceased spirit of Neferrenpet, a sculptor from the workman’s village, Dier el-Medina, in c. 1279-1213 BC. It describes Thoth as holding life and health as objects in his hands which he can pass to the dedicator of the stela, Neferrenpet in the same way that any other object may be passed from one to another. Iah-Thoth The ibis-headed god Thoth (also known as Djehuty) is shown in his form of Iah-Thoth, or the God of the New Moon, indicated by the lunar disk on his head. As early as the Old Kingdom, Thoth was worshipped as a god of the moon along with Iah and Khonsu, and he was thought to embody the moon's dynamic nature. As this is a funerary stela, Iah-Thoth is shown in the white shroud of underworld deities and the hieroglyphs below describe him as “the merciful one”. The Barque of a Million Years Iah-Thoth is sitting on a boat made from papyrus with a net draped over one end and an elaborate prow taking the shape of the renpet hieroglyph meaning ‘year’ at the other. This hieroglyph takes the form of a notched palm frond, which was used by Thoth to count and record the years and is a visual clue to the name of the boat “the barque of a million years”. This is the vessel which the gods travel across the heavens at night in and ferry the souls to the afterlife, and it is floating on a blue pet hieroglyph, meaning “sky”. The Baboon and the Eye of Horus In the Old Kingdom the baboon became associated with Thoth as the god of writing and patron of the scribal arts. They featured in many of the myths surrounding the underworld, appearing as guardians to gates, protectors of organs and witnesses to the soul’s final judgement. Here the baboon represents another form of Thoth, associated with his powers for healing by the wadjet, or Eye of Horus symbol, he holds. This image is based on the myth of the destruction of one of the falcon-headed god Horus's eyes by the god Seth and its restoration by the god Thoth. It symbolised good health, restoration, and the ongoing victory of stability over the forces of chaos. Neferrenpet Neferrenpet, son of Piay, was a 'sculptor in the Place of Truth' at Deir el-Medina during the reign of Ramessess II. He was buried in TT 336 with his wife Huynofret and their tomb contains depictions of them receiving offerings from their wider family, including their sons Piay, Huy, Pashedu, Nefermenu, and daughter Tabaki. This stela, which was not from the tomb but would have been placed in a rock-cut shrine, was dedicated to Neferrenpet, his wife and his other daughter, Werel. For more information see Who's Who at Deir el-Medina by Benedict Davies (1999, p.183). Translation The vertical columns of hieroglyphs go from left to right and should be read from top to bottom. The following translation comes from J.M. Galan's Seeing darkness (1999): Praising to Iah-Thoth, kissing the ground for the merciful one. I praise him up to heaven: “I exalt your gentleness, (so that) you may be merciful to me and I may see your mercy, I may witness the greatness of your [mercy], You cause that I see the darkness that you create. Enlighten me, (so that) I may see you. Health and life are in your hand, And is alive by what you give to him.” For the Ka of the [sculptor] of Deir el-Medina, [Nefer]renpet – justified, well in peace – His beloved sister, mistress of the house, Huynefret – justified, And her daughter Werel, for her lord. Key Sources Davies, B. G. (1999). Who's who at Deir el-Medina: a prosopographic study of the royal workmen's community. Leiden, Nederlands Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten. Galan, J. M. (1999). Seeing darkness. Chronique d'Egypte, 74(147), 18–30. Potter, D.M. (2016). Linguistic Understanding of Divine Interaction in Ramesside Egypt. PhD thesis, University of Liverpool. Tosi, Mario, Roccati, (1972). Stele e altre epigrafi di Deir el Medina: n. 50001 - n. 50262 (Catalogo del Museo Eg. di Torino - Serie II. - Collezioni 1), Torino, pp. 80-81, tav. p. 280 Further Reading “Catalogue de la collect. d'antiq. de mons. le chev. Drovetti, a 1822”, in Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione (a cura di), Documenti inediti per servire alla storia dei Musei d'Italia, vol. 3, Firenze - Roma 1880, p. 226, n. 63 Andreu, Guillemette (a cura di), Gli artisti del faraone: Deir el-Medina e le Valli dei Re e delle Regine, Milano 2003, p. 275 Assmann, Jan, Ägyptische Hymnen und Gebete: Übersetzt, kommentiert und eingeleitet. Zweite, verbesserte und erweiterte Auflage (Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis - Sonderband), Fribourg-Göttingen 1999, pp. 384-5, n° 157 Davies, Benedict G., Ramesside inscriptions, translated and annotated: notes and comments, volume III. Ramesses II, his contemporaries, Malden – Oxford 2013, pp. 490-491 Kitchen, Kenneth A., Ramesside inscriptions, translated & annotated. Translations, volume III: Ramesses II, his contemporaries, Oxford 2000, p. 452 Kitchen, Kenneth A., Ramesside Inscriptions: historical and biographical, III (3), Oxford 1980, pp. 668-669 Lanzone, Ridolfo Vittorio, Dizionario di mitologia egizia, Amsterdam 1881-1884, p. 90, tav. XXXVIII Leospo, Enrichetta, Mario Tosi, Vivere nell'antico Egitto : Deir El-Medina, il villaggio degli artefici delle tombe dei re, Firenze 1998, pp. 75-6 Luiselli, Maria Michela, Die Suche nach Gottesnähe: Untersuchungen zur persönlichen Frömmigkeit in Ägypten von der 1. Zwischenzeit bis zum Ende des Neuen Reiches (Ägypten und Altes Testament 73), Wiesbaden 2011, pp. 99, 164, 172, 330 (nota 47), 391-393 Orcurti, Pier Camillo, Catalogo illustrato dei monumenti egizi del R. Museo Egizio di Torino, Torino 1855, p. 109, n. 211 Petersen, Lars, Nicole Kehrer (Hrsg.), Ramses: göttlicher Herrscher am Nil, Karlsruhe 2016, p. 225 Tiradritti, Francesco (a cura di), Il cammino di Harwa: l'uomo di fronte al mistero: l'Egitto [mostra: Brescia, Mus. Diocesano ott. 1999-gen. 2000], Milano 1999, p. 57 e 164, fig. a p. 57

Reproduction Details Type: Painted papyrus Date: c. 1250 BC, Dynasty 19, reign of Ramesses II Findspot: Tomb of Ani, Thebes Materials: Papyrus Size: Width 42cm (including modern frame); Length 61.2cm (including modern frame) Current location: British Museum, London Object number: EA10470,2 Reproduction Print Reference: DP06B Details This is the first vignette that appears in the 24m long copy of the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead buried with Ani, a Royal Scribe and Granary Overseer, who died during the reign of Ramesses II in around 1250 BC. It illustrates the words of the ‘Hymn to Ra’ and represents the beginning of the sun’s daily journey through the sky. Across the top of the scene stretches a blue, arched form of the hieroglyph pet “sky”, beneath which is the ankh symbol for “life” with two arms lifting a red sun disk into the heavens. The ankh stands upon a djed, a pillar-like symbol linked to the god Osiris and the concept of stability. Combined, the sun disk, ankh and djed create a signal motif embodying the concept of “endurance” and merges the gods Osiris and Ra together to create the deity Osiris-Ra. On either side of the Osiris-Ra motif are the goddesses Isis and Nephthys, kneeling in a posture of adoration upon the hieroglyph nub “gold”. The goddesses and their thrones are nestled within the hieroglyph dju “mountain”, and the entire vignette is framed by a representation of the desert. Six baboons can be seen in this desert region worshipping the rising sun. The association of baboons with the rising sun comes from the observations of the animals barking at and basking in the morning sun to warm up. Further Information Translation of the Hymn to Ra British Museum Collections Record The Egyptian Book of the Dead The Book of Going Forth by Day (Goelet et al, 2015) Gallery