Colossal Head of Thothmes III.
“In person Thothmes III. does not appear to have been very remarkable. His countenance was thoroughly Egyptian, but not characterised by any strong individuality. The long, well-shaped, but somewhat delicate nose, almost in a line with the forehead, gives a slightlyfeminine appearance to the face, which is generally represented as beardless and moderately plump. The eye, prominent, and larger than that of the ordinary Egyptian, has a pensive but resolute expression, and is suggestive of mental force. The mouth is somewhat too full for beauty, but is resolute, like the eye, and less sensual than that of most Egyptians. There is an appearance of weakness about the chin, which is short, and retreats slightly, thus helping to give the entire countenance a womanish look. Altogether, the face has less of strengthand determination than we should have expected, but is not wholly without indications of some of those qualities.”[5]
Thothmes III. died after a long and prosperous reign of fifty-four years, and when he was probably about sixty years old, his father having died when he was only an infant.
The Hieroglyphics of Thothmes III.
Translation of the First Side.
“The Horus, powerful Bull, crowned in Uas, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, ‘Ra-men-Kheper.’ He has made as it were monuments to his father Haremakhu; he has set up two great obelisks capped with gold at the first festival of Triakonteris. According to his wish he has done it, Son of the Sun, Thothmes, beloved of Haremakhu, ever-living.”
Hawk(bak)Horus. Horus is a solar deity, and represented the rising sun, or the sun in the horizon. Horus is here represented by a hawk, surmounted by the double crown of Egypt calledPSCHENT. The hawk flew higher than any other bird of Egypt, and therefore became the usual emblem of any solar deity, just as the eagle, from its lofty soaring, is an emblem of sublimity, and therefore an emblem ofSt. John. The double crown namedPSCHENTis composed of a conical hat calledHET, the crown and emblem of Upper Egypt, and theTESHER, or red crown, the emblem of Lower Egypt. The wearer of the double crown was supposed to exercise authority over the two Egypts. The oblong form upon the top of which the sacred hawk, the symbol of Horus, stands, is thought by some to be a representation of the standard of the monarch. Dr. Birch thinks it is the ground plan of a palace, and the avenue and approaches to the palace.Bull(Mnevis). TheMneviswas the name of the black bull, or sacred ox of Heliopolis. It was regarded as an avatar or incarnation of a solar deity. On the London Obelisk Mnevis appears twelve times on the palatial titles, and twice on the lateral columns of Rameses II.Arm with Stick(khu)powerful, is the common symbol of power. In the Bible also an arm stands for power. “The Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm” (Deut. xxvi. 8). There are twelve palatial titles on the obelisk, three on each face, and in eleven cases occurs the arm holding a stick in its hand. In each case this hieroglyph may be rendered by the wordpowerful. The same hieroglyph appears several times in both the central and lateral columns.Crown(kha)crowned, because placed on the head at the time of coronation. This hieroglyph is thought by some to be a part of a dress.Owl(em)in, is a preposition.Sceptre(Uas)Western Thebes. The sceptre here depicted is that carried in the left hand of Theban kings. It is composed of three parts, the top is the head of a greyhound, the shaft is the long stalk of some reed, perhaps that of the papyrus or lotus, while the curved bottom represents the claws of the crocodile, an animal common in Upper Egypt in ancient times. This sceptre, calledKAKUFA, was often represented by an ostrich feather, the common symbol of truth, and stands forUas, the name of that part of Thebes which stood on the western bank of the Nile. The sceptre as an ideograph means power, in the same manner as the sceptre carried by our monarch on state occasions is a badge of authority.
Hawk(bak)Horus. Horus is a solar deity, and represented the rising sun, or the sun in the horizon. Horus is here represented by a hawk, surmounted by the double crown of Egypt calledPSCHENT. The hawk flew higher than any other bird of Egypt, and therefore became the usual emblem of any solar deity, just as the eagle, from its lofty soaring, is an emblem of sublimity, and therefore an emblem ofSt. John. The double crown namedPSCHENTis composed of a conical hat calledHET, the crown and emblem of Upper Egypt, and theTESHER, or red crown, the emblem of Lower Egypt. The wearer of the double crown was supposed to exercise authority over the two Egypts. The oblong form upon the top of which the sacred hawk, the symbol of Horus, stands, is thought by some to be a representation of the standard of the monarch. Dr. Birch thinks it is the ground plan of a palace, and the avenue and approaches to the palace.
Bull(Mnevis). TheMneviswas the name of the black bull, or sacred ox of Heliopolis. It was regarded as an avatar or incarnation of a solar deity. On the London Obelisk Mnevis appears twelve times on the palatial titles, and twice on the lateral columns of Rameses II.
Arm with Stick(khu)powerful, is the common symbol of power. In the Bible also an arm stands for power. “The Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm” (Deut. xxvi. 8). There are twelve palatial titles on the obelisk, three on each face, and in eleven cases occurs the arm holding a stick in its hand. In each case this hieroglyph may be rendered by the wordpowerful. The same hieroglyph appears several times in both the central and lateral columns.
Crown(kha)crowned, because placed on the head at the time of coronation. This hieroglyph is thought by some to be a part of a dress.
Owl(em)in, is a preposition.
Sceptre(Uas)Western Thebes. The sceptre here depicted is that carried in the left hand of Theban kings. It is composed of three parts, the top is the head of a greyhound, the shaft is the long stalk of some reed, perhaps that of the papyrus or lotus, while the curved bottom represents the claws of the crocodile, an animal common in Upper Egypt in ancient times. This sceptre, calledKAKUFA, was often represented by an ostrich feather, the common symbol of truth, and stands forUas, the name of that part of Thebes which stood on the western bank of the Nile. The sceptre as an ideograph means power, in the same manner as the sceptre carried by our monarch on state occasions is a badge of authority.
Thus the palatial title may be rendered, “The powerful bull, crowned in Western Thebes.”
Above the cartouche will be noticed a group of fourhieroglyphs, namely, areed,bee, and twosemicircles. This group is usually placed above the cartouche containing the prenomen or sacred name of the king, and the four are descriptive of the authority exercised by the monarch. They may be thus explained:—
Reed(su) is the symbol of Upper Egypt, where reeds of this kind were probably common, especially by the banks of the Nile. A flower or plant is often used as the emblem of a nation.In ancient times the vine was the emblem of the king of Judah, and on the same principle the reed was the emblem of Upper Egypt. The semicircle below is calledtu, and here stands for king. The two hieroglyphs together are calledSUTEN, and may be rendered “king of Upper Egypt.”Bee(kheb) is the emblem of Lower Egypt.The four hieroglyphs are calledSUTEN-KHEB, and mean “king of Upper and Lower Egypt.”
Reed(su) is the symbol of Upper Egypt, where reeds of this kind were probably common, especially by the banks of the Nile. A flower or plant is often used as the emblem of a nation.
In ancient times the vine was the emblem of the king of Judah, and on the same principle the reed was the emblem of Upper Egypt. The semicircle below is calledtu, and here stands for king. The two hieroglyphs together are calledSUTEN, and may be rendered “king of Upper Egypt.”
Bee(kheb) is the emblem of Lower Egypt.
The four hieroglyphs are calledSUTEN-KHEB, and mean “king of Upper and Lower Egypt.”
The bee was an insect that received great attention among the ancient Egyptians. They were kept in hives which resembled our own, and when flowers were not numerous, the owners of bees often carried their hives in boats to various spots on the banks of the Nile where many flowers were blooming. The wild bees frequented the sunny banks and made their habitations in the clefts of the rocks. Moses says that God made His people to “suck honey out of the rock,” and the Psalmist repeats the same idea, when he says, “with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.”
Below this group of hieroglyphs stands what is called the cartouche of Thothmes III. The word was first used by Champollion, and signifies a scroll or label, orescutcheon on which the name of a king is inscribed. The oval form of the cartouche was probably taken from the scarabeus or sacred beetle, an emblem of the resurrection and immortality; and thus the very framework on which the king inscribed his name spoke of the eternity of a future state. The form, however, may be from a plate of armour. The cartouche is somewhat analogous to a heraldic shield bearing a coat of arms, and its object was probably to give prominence to the king’s name, just as an aureole in Christian art gives prominence to the figure it encloses.
The three hieroglyphs charged in this cartouche make up the divine name of Thothmes, and consist of a solar disk, chessboard, and beetle. Each monarch had two names, respectively called prenomen, or divine name, somewhat analogous to our Christian name, and the nomen, corresponding to our surname. The prenomen is called the divine name, because it contains the name of the god from whom the king claims his descent, and often the deities also by whom he is beloved, and with whom he claims relationship. The king not only claimed descent from the gods, but he was accounted by his subjects as a representation of the deity.
The title of Pharaoh applied to their kings is derived from Phaa or Ra, the midday sun, and the notion was taught that kingly power was derived from the supreme solar deity. The divine right of kings was thus an article of faith among the ancient Egyptians. He was the head of their religious system, defender of the faith;and in all matters, ecclesiastical as well as civil, the king was supreme. He was consequently instructed in the mysteries of the gods, the services of the temples, and the duties of the priesthood. The Theban kings claimed relationship with Amen, the supreme god of Thebes; and most kings also claimed Ra, the supreme solar deity, worshipped at Heliopolis, as their grand ancestor.
Sun’s Disk(aten) was the emblem of Ra, who was said to have in perfection all the attributes possessed by inferior deities. He was all in all; from him came, and to him return, the souls of men.Ra or Phra was, properly speaking, the mid-day sun; and as the sun shines with greatest power and brightness at mid-day, the attributes of majesty and authority were intimately associated with this deity. Amen-Ra, the god of Thebes, was supposed to possess the attributes of Amen and Ra.TheATENwas originally circular, and thus in shape resembled the sun’s disk, but in many inscriptions the shape is oval, or that of an oblate-spheroid, considerably flattened at top and bottom.Chessboard(men) is by many thought to be a battlemented wall, but it is probably a chessboard; for at Thebes a picture represents Rameses III. playing a game at chess, or some kindred game. What appears to be a battlement is really the chessmen on the board.Men, as part of the divine name of Thothmes, may be the shortened form of Amen, the supreme god of Thebes, just as Tum is the shortened form of Atum. Ptah was the supreme god of Memphis, and Ra the supreme god of Heliopolis. Amen literally means “the concealed one,” and was the name applied to the sun after it had sunk below the horizon. He was reputed to be the oldest and most venerable of deities, called the “dweller in eternity,” and the source of light and life.Before the creation he dwelt alone in the lower world, but on his saying “come,” the sun appeared, and drove away the darkness of night. Sometimes he is called Amen-Ra, and his principal temple was at Thebes. He is generally represented by the figure of a man with his face concealed under the head of a horned ram. The figure is coloured blue, the sacred colour of the source of life.Sacred Beetle(kheper) usually calledscarabeusorscarabee. It was thought that the beetle hid its eggs in the sand, where they remained until the young beetles broke forth to life. Thus the scarabeus became the symbol of the resurrection and a future life.According to Cooper, the sacred beetle was in the habit of laying its eggs in a ball of clay, which it kept rolling until the eggs were vivified by the heat of the sun. The beetle thus became the emblem of the sun, the vivifier, and was therefore consecrated to Ra, who is on that account called Ra-Kheper.When dedicated to Ra, the beetle holds the cosmic ball between its front legs. Sometimes it is an emblem of the world, and is then consecrated to Ptah, the creator of heaven and earth.The divine name, or prenomen, of Thothmes is thusRa-Men-Kheper, frequently readMen-Khepera-Ra, and is made up of three hieroglyphs, which stand for Ra, Amen, and Ptah, the supreme gods respectively worshipped at Heliopolis, Thebes, and Memphis. From these three great deities Thothmes thus claims his descent.
Sun’s Disk(aten) was the emblem of Ra, who was said to have in perfection all the attributes possessed by inferior deities. He was all in all; from him came, and to him return, the souls of men.
Ra or Phra was, properly speaking, the mid-day sun; and as the sun shines with greatest power and brightness at mid-day, the attributes of majesty and authority were intimately associated with this deity. Amen-Ra, the god of Thebes, was supposed to possess the attributes of Amen and Ra.
TheATENwas originally circular, and thus in shape resembled the sun’s disk, but in many inscriptions the shape is oval, or that of an oblate-spheroid, considerably flattened at top and bottom.
Chessboard(men) is by many thought to be a battlemented wall, but it is probably a chessboard; for at Thebes a picture represents Rameses III. playing a game at chess, or some kindred game. What appears to be a battlement is really the chessmen on the board.
Men, as part of the divine name of Thothmes, may be the shortened form of Amen, the supreme god of Thebes, just as Tum is the shortened form of Atum. Ptah was the supreme god of Memphis, and Ra the supreme god of Heliopolis. Amen literally means “the concealed one,” and was the name applied to the sun after it had sunk below the horizon. He was reputed to be the oldest and most venerable of deities, called the “dweller in eternity,” and the source of light and life.Before the creation he dwelt alone in the lower world, but on his saying “come,” the sun appeared, and drove away the darkness of night. Sometimes he is called Amen-Ra, and his principal temple was at Thebes. He is generally represented by the figure of a man with his face concealed under the head of a horned ram. The figure is coloured blue, the sacred colour of the source of life.
Sacred Beetle(kheper) usually calledscarabeusorscarabee. It was thought that the beetle hid its eggs in the sand, where they remained until the young beetles broke forth to life. Thus the scarabeus became the symbol of the resurrection and a future life.
According to Cooper, the sacred beetle was in the habit of laying its eggs in a ball of clay, which it kept rolling until the eggs were vivified by the heat of the sun. The beetle thus became the emblem of the sun, the vivifier, and was therefore consecrated to Ra, who is on that account called Ra-Kheper.
When dedicated to Ra, the beetle holds the cosmic ball between its front legs. Sometimes it is an emblem of the world, and is then consecrated to Ptah, the creator of heaven and earth.
The divine name, or prenomen, of Thothmes is thusRa-Men-Kheper, frequently readMen-Khepera-Ra, and is made up of three hieroglyphs, which stand for Ra, Amen, and Ptah, the supreme gods respectively worshipped at Heliopolis, Thebes, and Memphis. From these three great deities Thothmes thus claims his descent.
The cartouche with the divine name of Thothmes occurs four times on the obelisk, once on each side at the top of the central column of hieroglyphs. The sacred beetle occurs in two other places in the central columns of Thothmes, but never appears in the eight lateral columns of Rameses.
Eye(ar)made. As a verbarsignifies to make.Zigzag(en)has. After verbs the zigzag meanshas, and is therefore a sign of perfect.Horned Snake(ef)he. The usual personal pronoun.Owl(mu)as it were.Chessboard(men)monument.Vase(nu). The vase represents anampullaor bottle. The three vases in this place are used as a determinative tomen, monument; and being three in number, indicate plurality, makingMENintoMENU, monuments.Horned Snake(ef)his. This figure is often called cerastes. Standing by itself it usually stands for the possessive pronounhis.Zigzag(en)to. Used here as a preposition.SemicircleandCerastes(tef)father. The semicircle is here an alphabetic phonetic, equal tot, and withefmakesTEF, meaning father.Hawk(bak)Horus. The hawk alone stood for any solar deity. With the solar disk on the head and two ovals by the side, as in the present hieroglyph, it stood for Haremakhu, the sun in the horizon. The two ovals are calledKHU, and stand for the eastern and western horizons.
Eye(ar)made. As a verbarsignifies to make.
Zigzag(en)has. After verbs the zigzag meanshas, and is therefore a sign of perfect.
Horned Snake(ef)he. The usual personal pronoun.
Owl(mu)as it were.
Chessboard(men)monument.
Vase(nu). The vase represents anampullaor bottle. The three vases in this place are used as a determinative tomen, monument; and being three in number, indicate plurality, makingMENintoMENU, monuments.
Horned Snake(ef)his. This figure is often called cerastes. Standing by itself it usually stands for the possessive pronounhis.
Zigzag(en)to. Used here as a preposition.
SemicircleandCerastes(tef)father. The semicircle is here an alphabetic phonetic, equal tot, and withefmakesTEF, meaning father.
Hawk(bak)Horus. The hawk alone stood for any solar deity. With the solar disk on the head and two ovals by the side, as in the present hieroglyph, it stood for Haremakhu, the sun in the horizon. The two ovals are calledKHU, and stand for the eastern and western horizons.
Thothmes III. claims Horus as his father, and it is moreover evident from the above that the obelisk itself is dedicated to the rising sun. The great Sphinx at the pyramids of Ghizeh is also dedicated to Haremakhu, and this may account for the fact that the gigantic figure faces the east, the region of the rising sun.
Throne Back(es). This may be the back of a chair. It is the old hieroglyph for the letters.Reel(ha)set up. This hieroglyph is by some thought to be the leg of a stool.Zigzag(en)has.Horned Snake(ef)he.Obelisk(tekhen) is in this place an image or picture of the thing spoken of, namely obelisk. This hieroglyph is therefore an iconograph, or representation. Two obelisks are here depicted, to indicate that two were set up. According to Cooper the obelisk was an emblem of the sun—the clearest symbol of supreme deity. The Egyptian name wasTEKHEN, a word signifying mystery, and it was regarded among the initiated as the esoteric symbol of light and life. The obelisk was consequently dedicated to Horus, the god of the rising sun, while the pyramid, the house of the dead, was dedicated to Tum, or Atum, the god of the setting sun. Hence obelisks are found only on the east bank of the Nile, while pyramids are built on the west side, by the edge of the silent desert.Swallow(ur)great. The swallow is an emblem of greatness, and therefore may be called an ideograph, or symbolic hieroglyph.Two swallows are here depicted, because there are two obelisks, and the dual form extends to the adjective.Two Legs(bu)capped. There are two legs, to express duality, and thus agree with the preceding substantive, two obelisks. A human leg is the original alphabetic sign for letterb. The letteruis a plural termination.Semicircle(ta)the. Under the right leg is a semicircle, which is here the feminine article to agree with the little triangular hieroglyph below.Pyramidion.The summit of the obelisk, known as the pyramidion, from its resemblance to a small pyramid, is here represented by a small triangle. This hieroglyph represents the top or cap of the obelisk, and is a determinative tocapped.Owl(mu)with. Owl, as a preposition, has the same meaning as the prepositionswith,from,by—the usual signs of the ablative case.Bowl(neb)gold. Under this crater or bowl will be noticed three small dots, probably designed to represent grains of the metal intended.Sceptre(user) is here used as a determinative of metal; and some Egyptologists think that when it accompanies the bowl calledNEB, the metal referred to is not gold but copper.
Throne Back(es). This may be the back of a chair. It is the old hieroglyph for the letters.
Reel(ha)set up. This hieroglyph is by some thought to be the leg of a stool.
Zigzag(en)has.
Horned Snake(ef)he.
Obelisk(tekhen) is in this place an image or picture of the thing spoken of, namely obelisk. This hieroglyph is therefore an iconograph, or representation. Two obelisks are here depicted, to indicate that two were set up. According to Cooper the obelisk was an emblem of the sun—the clearest symbol of supreme deity. The Egyptian name wasTEKHEN, a word signifying mystery, and it was regarded among the initiated as the esoteric symbol of light and life. The obelisk was consequently dedicated to Horus, the god of the rising sun, while the pyramid, the house of the dead, was dedicated to Tum, or Atum, the god of the setting sun. Hence obelisks are found only on the east bank of the Nile, while pyramids are built on the west side, by the edge of the silent desert.
Swallow(ur)great. The swallow is an emblem of greatness, and therefore may be called an ideograph, or symbolic hieroglyph.
Two swallows are here depicted, because there are two obelisks, and the dual form extends to the adjective.
Two Legs(bu)capped. There are two legs, to express duality, and thus agree with the preceding substantive, two obelisks. A human leg is the original alphabetic sign for letterb. The letteruis a plural termination.
Semicircle(ta)the. Under the right leg is a semicircle, which is here the feminine article to agree with the little triangular hieroglyph below.
Pyramidion.The summit of the obelisk, known as the pyramidion, from its resemblance to a small pyramid, is here represented by a small triangle. This hieroglyph represents the top or cap of the obelisk, and is a determinative tocapped.
Owl(mu)with. Owl, as a preposition, has the same meaning as the prepositionswith,from,by—the usual signs of the ablative case.
Bowl(neb)gold. Under this crater or bowl will be noticed three small dots, probably designed to represent grains of the metal intended.
Sceptre(user) is here used as a determinative of metal; and some Egyptologists think that when it accompanies the bowl calledNEB, the metal referred to is not gold but copper.
Among the hieroglyphs on the London Obelisk may be found many ideographs or pictures of outward objects, each of which stands for an attribute or abstract idea. Thus arm stands for power, interior of a hall for festivity, lizard for multitude, beetle for immortality, sceptre for power, crook for authority, Anubis staff for plenty, vulture for queenly royalty, asp for kingly royalty, ostrich feather for truth, ankh or crux ansata for life, weight for equality, adze for approval, pike for power, horn for opposition, the bird called bennu for lustre, pyramous loaf for giving, hatchet called neter for god, lion’s head for victory, swallow for greatness.
In addition to the obelisk, the other iconographs or picture representations found on the London Obelisk are the sun, moon, star, heaven, pole, throne, abode, altar, tree.
From this hieroglyphic sentence we learn that the pyramidion of each obelisk was covered or capped with some metal, probably copper. This was done to protectthe monument from lightning and rain. Cooper draws attention to the fact that obelisks were capped with metals, and pyramids were covered with polished stones. The pyramidia of Hatasu’s obelisks at Karnak were covered with gold. The venerable obelisk still standing at Heliopolis had a cap of bronze, which remained until the Middle Ages, and was seen by an Arabian physician aboutA.D.1300.
The avarice of greed and the rapacity of war have long since stripped every obelisk of its metal covering.
Disk(aten)time. The solar disk is usually a symbol of Ra, but as the sun is the measurer of times and seasons, the disk sometimes stands for time, as it does here.The hieroglyphs following are defaced. Some think one hieroglyph is a cerastes, but Dr. Birch says the group probably consisted of a harpoon and three vertical lines—a common sign of plurality. Thus the preceding sentence would be “at time the first,” that is, “at the first time.”Owl(mu)in. Here a preposition governingtime.Palace(seḥ)Festival of the Triakonteris. This hieroglyph with three compartments probably represents the interior of a palace. It is the usual symbol for a festival. With two small thrones inside, as seen here, the hieroglyph probably represents the interior of a palace; and is the ideograph for the festival called triakonteris, because celebrated every thirty years. This cyclical festival was celebrated with great festivity. The space of time between two successive feasts was calleda triakontennial period. The thrones which distinguish the triakonteris from an ordinary festival indicates also the royal character of this great feast.Hall(seḥ) is the usual hieroglyph for an ordinary festival, and represents the interior of a hall. It consists of two compartments. The pole in the centre supporting the roof is here a carved post.Seḥis here used as a determinative to the preceding hieroglyph. The symbol for festival here stands on a large semicircle, with an inscribed diamond-shaped aperture. This semicircle with the diamond-shaped aperture is calledHEB, and often appears alone as the hieroglyph forfestival.
Disk(aten)time. The solar disk is usually a symbol of Ra, but as the sun is the measurer of times and seasons, the disk sometimes stands for time, as it does here.
The hieroglyphs following are defaced. Some think one hieroglyph is a cerastes, but Dr. Birch says the group probably consisted of a harpoon and three vertical lines—a common sign of plurality. Thus the preceding sentence would be “at time the first,” that is, “at the first time.”
Owl(mu)in. Here a preposition governingtime.
Palace(seḥ)Festival of the Triakonteris. This hieroglyph with three compartments probably represents the interior of a palace. It is the usual symbol for a festival. With two small thrones inside, as seen here, the hieroglyph probably represents the interior of a palace; and is the ideograph for the festival called triakonteris, because celebrated every thirty years. This cyclical festival was celebrated with great festivity. The space of time between two successive feasts was calleda triakontennial period. The thrones which distinguish the triakonteris from an ordinary festival indicates also the royal character of this great feast.
Hall(seḥ) is the usual hieroglyph for an ordinary festival, and represents the interior of a hall. It consists of two compartments. The pole in the centre supporting the roof is here a carved post.Seḥis here used as a determinative to the preceding hieroglyph. The symbol for festival here stands on a large semicircle, with an inscribed diamond-shaped aperture. This semicircle with the diamond-shaped aperture is calledHEB, and often appears alone as the hieroglyph forfestival.
Thothmes III. reigned fifty-four years, and therefore witnessed the beginning of two triakontennial periods. Probably he set up the two obelisks at the first triakonteris that happened during his reign.
The hieroglyphs following seem to be zigzag, line, semicircle, zigzag, hoe, mouth, mouth, cerastes, semicircle, two arms united, line, eye, zigzag, cerastes. These are defaced somewhat on the obelisk, and therefore doubtfully copied in the transcript. Dr. Birch translates them: “according to his wish he has done it.” The student should notice that the hieroglyphs hoe and mouth together meanwish.
Eye (ar) here meansdone; and zigzaghas, the usual sign of perfect.
The nomen is the family name or surname of the monarch. It may be made up of iconographs, ideographs, syllabic signs, and alphabetic phonetics; or the name may consist of a combination of all these. If it be composed of the first three, then the nomen corresponds to what in heraldry is called a rebus. The nameof Thothmes is made up of the well-known sacred bird calledibis, and the triple twig calledmes.
Goose(sa)son. The goose was a common article of food in Egypt, and as hieroglyphs for the most part are representations of common objects, we find the goose repeatedly figured on the inscriptions. Sometimes it stands forSeb, the father of the gods, theSaturnof classic mythology.Solar Disk(aten)the sun. It stands for Ra, the sun-god. The goose and disk mean “son of the sun,” and almost invariably precede the nomen of the king, because kings were thought to be lineal descendants of the supreme solar deity.Ibis.A common bird in Egypt, resembling the crane, phœnix, and bennu. It was sacred to, and an emblem of, Thoth, the god of letters, who is usually depicted with an ibis head. As Thoth represented both the visible and concealed moon, he was fitly represented by the sacred bird ibis, which on account of its mingled black and white feathers, was an effective emblem of both the dark and illumined side of the moon. The ibis alone on a standard, as depicted on the obelisk, stood for Thoth, the first syllable of the word Thothmes.Triple Twig(mes) meansborn, and is a symbol of birth. Thusibisandmestogether form the rebus Thothmes, which name thus means, “born of Thoth.”
Goose(sa)son. The goose was a common article of food in Egypt, and as hieroglyphs for the most part are representations of common objects, we find the goose repeatedly figured on the inscriptions. Sometimes it stands forSeb, the father of the gods, theSaturnof classic mythology.
Solar Disk(aten)the sun. It stands for Ra, the sun-god. The goose and disk mean “son of the sun,” and almost invariably precede the nomen of the king, because kings were thought to be lineal descendants of the supreme solar deity.
Ibis.A common bird in Egypt, resembling the crane, phœnix, and bennu. It was sacred to, and an emblem of, Thoth, the god of letters, who is usually depicted with an ibis head. As Thoth represented both the visible and concealed moon, he was fitly represented by the sacred bird ibis, which on account of its mingled black and white feathers, was an effective emblem of both the dark and illumined side of the moon. The ibis alone on a standard, as depicted on the obelisk, stood for Thoth, the first syllable of the word Thothmes.
Triple Twig(mes) meansborn, and is a symbol of birth. Thusibisandmestogether form the rebus Thothmes, which name thus means, “born of Thoth.”
In this particular cartouche will be noticed a small scarabeus or beetle, which is an emblem of existence and immortality, and probably indicates the self-existent nature and immortality of Thothmes; but this part of the obelisk is much defaced, and what follows is well nigh obliterated.
In ancient times kings and great persons were frequently named after the god they worshipped; thus among the Egyptians, Rameses from Ra, Amen-hotep from Amen, Seti from Set, etc. Similarly in Scripture we find Joshua, Jeremiah, Jesus, derived from Jehovah; Jerubbaal, Ethbaal, Jezebel, Belshazzar, and many others, from Baal or Bel, the sun-god; Elijah, Elisha, Elias, Elishama, etc., from El or Eloah, the true God. The same mode of deriving names from deities prevailed more or less among all ancient nations. On this principle Thothmes, the mighty Egyptian monarch, was named after the god Thoth.
What follows on this side of the obelisk is well nigh obliterated, but the hieroglyphs were probably the same as those following the cartouche of Thothmes at the bottom of the central column on the second and fourth sides of the obelisk, and therefore would mean, “Beloved of Haremakhu, ever living.”
Hawk(bak), as has been already explained, is the emblem of any solar deity, but surmounted by theatenor solar disk, and accompanied by two ovals calledkhu, which indicate the two horizons, in the east and west parts of the sky, the hawk, as here, stands for Horus, or Haremakhu, the sun in the horizon.The hoe, calledmerortore, is equal to the phoneticm, and was one of the commonest implements used in agriculture. It is sometimes spoken of as a hand-plough, or pick or spade, and probably it answered allthese purposes. In shape it somewhat resembled our capital letter A, as it consisted of two lines tied together about the centre with a twisted rope. One limb was of uniform thickness, and generally straight, and formed the head; while the other, curved inwards, and sometimes of considerable width, formed the handle. The hoe stands here for the phonetic sound ofm, the first letter of the wordmai, which meansbeloved.Two Reeds.One reed is equal toa, the double reed equals phonetici, and is generally a plural sign. Here the double reed is an intensive, so that the hoe and double reeds spellmai, which means “much beloved.”
Hawk(bak), as has been already explained, is the emblem of any solar deity, but surmounted by theatenor solar disk, and accompanied by two ovals calledkhu, which indicate the two horizons, in the east and west parts of the sky, the hawk, as here, stands for Horus, or Haremakhu, the sun in the horizon.
The hoe, calledmerortore, is equal to the phoneticm, and was one of the commonest implements used in agriculture. It is sometimes spoken of as a hand-plough, or pick or spade, and probably it answered allthese purposes. In shape it somewhat resembled our capital letter A, as it consisted of two lines tied together about the centre with a twisted rope. One limb was of uniform thickness, and generally straight, and formed the head; while the other, curved inwards, and sometimes of considerable width, formed the handle. The hoe stands here for the phonetic sound ofm, the first letter of the wordmai, which meansbeloved.
Two Reeds.One reed is equal toa, the double reed equals phonetici, and is generally a plural sign. Here the double reed is an intensive, so that the hoe and double reeds spellmai, which means “much beloved.”
These hieroglyphs, taken in the order in which they ought to be translated into English, consist of a hoe, two reeds, a hawk, two ovals, and a solar disk.
The last group of hieroglyphs consists of a long serpent, a semicircle, and a straight line. The long serpent is equal to the phonetict, orth, org. The semicircle, which represents the upper grindstone for bruising corn, equals phonetict. It is often called a muller or millstone. The straight line is a phonetic equal tota. The three hieroglyphs therefore form the wordgettaortetta, a term which means everlasting.
Gettaappears as the last group of hieroglyphs at the bottom of the central column on the third and fourth sides. They were probably at first at the end of the central column on the first and second sides also, although they have been obliterated on the two latter faces.
The Hieroglyphics of Thothmes III.
Translation of the Second Side.
“Horus, the powerful Bull, crowned by Truth, Lord of Upper and Lower Egypt, Ra-men-Kheper. The Lord of the Gods has multiplied Festivals to him upon the great Persea Tree within the Temple of the Phœnix; he is known as his son—a divine person, his limbs issuing in all places according to his wish. Son of the Sun, Thothmes, of Holy An, beloved of Haremakhu.”
Seated Figure(Ma)goddess of Truth. She was called Thmei or Ma, and was generally represented by a seated female, holding in one hand the ankh, the symbol of life, and on her head an ostrich feather. The ostrich feather alone is also the symbol of truth or justice, because of the equal length of the feathers. In courts of justice the chief judge wore a figure of Thmei suspended from his neck by a golden chain.Thmei or Ma is always represented as present at the dreadful balance in the hall of justice, where each soul was weighed against the symbol of divine truth.
Seated Figure(Ma)goddess of Truth. She was called Thmei or Ma, and was generally represented by a seated female, holding in one hand the ankh, the symbol of life, and on her head an ostrich feather. The ostrich feather alone is also the symbol of truth or justice, because of the equal length of the feathers. In courts of justice the chief judge wore a figure of Thmei suspended from his neck by a golden chain.
Thmei or Ma is always represented as present at the dreadful balance in the hall of justice, where each soul was weighed against the symbol of divine truth.
The above is the same as face one, the only new idea being that ofTruth, mentioned in the palatial title.
Lizard(as)multiplied.Asis the usual verb to multiply.With the zigzag line under the sign of the perfect, the two hieroglyphs meanhas multiplied.Back of Chair(s) phonetic hieroglyph. Is here the consonantal complement ofas, the preceding hieroglyph.Zigzag(en)to. A preposition here.Cerastes(ef)him. Personal pronoun.Basket(neb)lord. This hieroglyph might be thought to be a basin, but in painted hieroglyphs it appears as a wicker basket.Three Hatchets(neteru)gods. A hatchet or battle-axe was called neter, and was the usual symbol for a god. Plurality is often indicated by a hieroglyph being repeated three times. The letteruis a plural termination; thusneteris god,neterugods.Palace(seḥ)festival.Hall(seḥ)festival. Here used as a determinative to the preceding.
Lizard(as)multiplied.Asis the usual verb to multiply.
With the zigzag line under the sign of the perfect, the two hieroglyphs meanhas multiplied.
Back of Chair(s) phonetic hieroglyph. Is here the consonantal complement ofas, the preceding hieroglyph.
Zigzag(en)to. A preposition here.
Cerastes(ef)him. Personal pronoun.
Basket(neb)lord. This hieroglyph might be thought to be a basin, but in painted hieroglyphs it appears as a wicker basket.
Three Hatchets(neteru)gods. A hatchet or battle-axe was called neter, and was the usual symbol for a god. Plurality is often indicated by a hieroglyph being repeated three times. The letteruis a plural termination; thusneteris god,neterugods.
Palace(seḥ)festival.
Hall(seḥ)festival. Here used as a determinative to the preceding.
Every syllabic sign possesses an inherent vowel sound, or an inherent consonant sound, or both. The vowel sign is often placed before, and the consonant sign afterthe syllabic sign. Such alphabetic hieroglyphs are called complements, and are very frequently used in the inscriptions.
Human Head(Her)upon.The vertical line preceding is the masculine article. The defaced signs on the left were probably three short vertical lines, to indicate the plurality of festivals.Pool(shi). Here a phonetic united with succeeding hieroglyph.Hand(t) alphabetic phonetic. The two spellshit, the name ofpersea, a beautiful tree abounding in ancient Egypt, bearing pear-shaped fruit.Tree(persea)tree. A determinative to the preceding hieroglyphs. The tree here referred to may have been situated at Heliopolis; and it is worthy of notice that in a picture at Thebes, the god Tum appears in the act of writing the name of Thothmes on the fruit of the persea.Person on Throne(śep)great. The throne is a common symbol for greatness.Chair Back(s) alphabetic phonetic. Here an initial complement tosep.Owl(em)}The two formemkhen, the prepositionwithin.Decapitate Figure(khen)Semicircle(tu)the. Feminine article.Open Square(ha)house. The figure probably represents the ground plan of an ancient house.Large Square(ha)temple. This square is not open, but it encloses a smaller square in one corner, and thus resembles a stamped envelope. The god or sacred bird that dwells in this temple is depicted within the square. On the third face of the obelisk, right lateral column, the goddess Athor or Hathor—literally the abode of Horus, thus implying that she was Horus’ mother—is represented by a large square, enclosing a hawk, the emblem of Horus. Within the square hieroglyph now under consideration will be noticed the figure of a bird somewhat defaced, probably the crane or phœnix. The square itself is perhaps the ground plan of a temple, or adytum of a temple. Thus the sentence means, “within the house, the temple of the phœnix.” Cooper thinks the bird depicted is thebennu, the sacred bird of Heliopolis, and that the temple of the bennu, calledhabennu, is the great temple of the sun at Heliopolis.
Human Head(Her)upon.
The vertical line preceding is the masculine article. The defaced signs on the left were probably three short vertical lines, to indicate the plurality of festivals.
Pool(shi). Here a phonetic united with succeeding hieroglyph.
Hand(t) alphabetic phonetic. The two spellshit, the name ofpersea, a beautiful tree abounding in ancient Egypt, bearing pear-shaped fruit.
Tree(persea)tree. A determinative to the preceding hieroglyphs. The tree here referred to may have been situated at Heliopolis; and it is worthy of notice that in a picture at Thebes, the god Tum appears in the act of writing the name of Thothmes on the fruit of the persea.
Person on Throne(śep)great. The throne is a common symbol for greatness.
Chair Back(s) alphabetic phonetic. Here an initial complement tosep.
Semicircle(tu)the. Feminine article.
Open Square(ha)house. The figure probably represents the ground plan of an ancient house.
Large Square(ha)temple. This square is not open, but it encloses a smaller square in one corner, and thus resembles a stamped envelope. The god or sacred bird that dwells in this temple is depicted within the square. On the third face of the obelisk, right lateral column, the goddess Athor or Hathor—literally the abode of Horus, thus implying that she was Horus’ mother—is represented by a large square, enclosing a hawk, the emblem of Horus. Within the square hieroglyph now under consideration will be noticed the figure of a bird somewhat defaced, probably the crane or phœnix. The square itself is perhaps the ground plan of a temple, or adytum of a temple. Thus the sentence means, “within the house, the temple of the phœnix.” Cooper thinks the bird depicted is thebennu, the sacred bird of Heliopolis, and that the temple of the bennu, calledhabennu, is the great temple of the sun at Heliopolis.
Mouth(ru)}The two,ru-aten, equalknown.Circle(aten)Goose(sa) son.Cerastes(ef)he.Chick(u)is.Hatchet(neter)divine.Human Figureperson.Thothmes, in virtue of his royalty, styles himself a “divine person.”Twisted Cord(hi)limbs. The three dots represent fragments of his body, and form a determinative of limbs.House(p)}The two formper,issuing.Mouth(r)Owl(em)in.Mæander(ha)place.Basket(neb)all.Mouth(er)according to.Pool(mer)wish.Mouth(er)his.
Goose(sa) son.
Cerastes(ef)he.
Chick(u)is.
Hatchet(neter)divine.
Human Figureperson.
Thothmes, in virtue of his royalty, styles himself a “divine person.”
Twisted Cord(hi)limbs. The three dots represent fragments of his body, and form a determinative of limbs.
Owl(em)in.
Mæander(ha)place.
Basket(neb)all.
Mouth(er)according to.
Pool(mer)wish.
Mouth(er)his.
Then follows, “son of the sun, Thothmes of An,” etc., the same hieroglyphs as those already explained at the lower part of the first column. The only new hieroglyph is thepylon, renderedAnin the cartouche. It may be explained as follows:—
Pylon(An)Heliopolis. The sacred city of the sun must have been a city of obelisks, temples, and pylons, or colossal gateways. The latter must have formed a conspicuous feature of the place, inasmuch as the massive masonry of the gateways would tower high above the other buildings. This being so, it is not surprising that a pylon with a flagstaff should be the usual symbol for Heliopolis.
Pylon(An)Heliopolis. The sacred city of the sun must have been a city of obelisks, temples, and pylons, or colossal gateways. The latter must have formed a conspicuous feature of the place, inasmuch as the massive masonry of the gateways would tower high above the other buildings. This being so, it is not surprising that a pylon with a flagstaff should be the usual symbol for Heliopolis.
The hieroglyphs following the cartouche mean, “Beloved of Haremakhu,” etc., and have already been explained.
It ought to be observed that on three sides of the obelisk Thothmes’ columns of hieroglyphs ended alike, namely: face one, now almost obliterated in this part; face two, still distinct; and face four, more complete in its termination than any other side.
The Hieroglyphics of Thothmes III.
Translation of the Third Side.
“Horus, powerful Bull, beloved of Ra, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Ra-men-Kheper. His father Tum has set up for him a great name, with increase of royalty, in the precincts of Heliopolis, giving him the throne of Seb, the dignity of Kheper, Son of the Sun, Thothmes, the Holy, the Just, beloved of the Bennu of An, ever-living.”
The first part of the inscription, namely, “Horus, powerful bull, beloved of Ra, king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Ra-men-Kheper,” is the same as in the first and second side, the only new idea occurring in the lower part of the palatial title, namely, “beloved of Ra.”
Hand Plough(mer)beloved.Figure(Ra)sun-god. The seated figure has a hawk’s head, surmounted by the aten or solar disk. Ra being the supreme solar deity, the “beloved of Ra” was one of the favourite epithets of the king.
Hand Plough(mer)beloved.
Figure(Ra)sun-god. The seated figure has a hawk’s head, surmounted by the aten or solar disk. Ra being the supreme solar deity, the “beloved of Ra” was one of the favourite epithets of the king.
Chessboard(men)set up.Zigzag(en)has. After zigzag appears a thick line, which Dr. Birch thinks to be a papyrus roll, the usual sign of possession.Semicircle(t) with cerastes (ef) make up (tef)father.Semicircle(t) phonetic consonantal complement oftinTum.Sledge(tm)Tum. The setting sun, worshipped at Heliopolis, probably same as Atum. The god Tum appears on the four sides of the pyramidion, and some therefore think that the obelisk stood with its companion in front of the temple of Tum at Heliopolis.Mouth(ru)for.Zigzag(n)}The two form (nef)him.Cerastes(ef)Swallow(ur)great. This is the usual hieroglyph for greatness.Cartouche(khen)name. The cartouche is usually the oval form in which the king inscribed his name. Here it stands forname.Owl(em)with. The owl has generally the force of the ablative case.Twisted Cord(uah)increase. The top of this hieroglyph resembles papyrus flower, and ought therefore to be distinguished from the simple twisted cord.Reed(su)royalty.
Chessboard(men)set up.
Zigzag(en)has. After zigzag appears a thick line, which Dr. Birch thinks to be a papyrus roll, the usual sign of possession.
Semicircle(t) with cerastes (ef) make up (tef)father.
Semicircle(t) phonetic consonantal complement oftinTum.
Sledge(tm)Tum. The setting sun, worshipped at Heliopolis, probably same as Atum. The god Tum appears on the four sides of the pyramidion, and some therefore think that the obelisk stood with its companion in front of the temple of Tum at Heliopolis.
Mouth(ru)for.
Swallow(ur)great. This is the usual hieroglyph for greatness.
Cartouche(khen)name. The cartouche is usually the oval form in which the king inscribed his name. Here it stands forname.
Owl(em)with. The owl has generally the force of the ablative case.
Twisted Cord(uah)increase. The top of this hieroglyph resembles papyrus flower, and ought therefore to be distinguished from the simple twisted cord.
Reed(su)royalty.
Owl(em)m. Complement toam, preceding.Cross(am)in.Semicircle(ta)the.Oblong(hen)precincts. The usual hieroglyph for temple.Pylon(An)Heliopolis.CirclewithCross(nu) determinative of a city.Mouth(r)}The two phonetics formra,giving.Arm(a)Semicircle(ta)the.Cerastes(ef)him.Throne(kher)throne.Goose(s)}The two phonetics formsborSeb, name of a god. Sebwas the Chronos of the Greeks, the Saturn of the Latins.Leg(b)Horns on a Pole(aa)dignity. On the horns is a coiled rope.Zigzag(en)of.Beetle(khep)Kheper. The scarabeus or sacred beetle, dedicated to Ra and Ptah.
Owl(em)m. Complement toam, preceding.
Cross(am)in.
Semicircle(ta)the.
Oblong(hen)precincts. The usual hieroglyph for temple.
Pylon(An)Heliopolis.
CirclewithCross(nu) determinative of a city.
Semicircle(ta)the.
Cerastes(ef)him.
Throne(kher)throne.
Horns on a Pole(aa)dignity. On the horns is a coiled rope.
Zigzag(en)of.
Beetle(khep)Kheper. The scarabeus or sacred beetle, dedicated to Ra and Ptah.
The remaining hieroglyphs of this column havealready been explained (seep. 80), except the two small hieroglyphs beside the nomen Thothmes, and the termination of the column.