Posts tagged ‘ancient Egypt’
Games, swords and jewelry from the life of Isis
All of us have seen beautiful works of art from ancient Egypt. Here I’d like to share some photos I’ve taken that give you a feeling for the daily life of my Isis of The Red Mirror. These are actual artifacts, thousands of years old.
If you’re like me, you love to imagine the hands that poured jasmine oil from glass flasks – or shaved heads and mounds with copper blades. Each object has a story – tales of love and disappointment, tragedy and triumph. And each object has a history that begins with the man who wrought it into being and those who used or wore it, then continues through the lives of all who have held the object in their own hands over the centuries – and finally to those who gaze upon it in wonder today.
Isis wears a beaded dress to the Khent-min market. This version was worn by a 12-year old concubine of a Pharaoh. Petrie Museum
Detail of a beaded dress British Museum
The curled hair and beard of another Persian General. British Museum
A faience beaded necklace that Isis could have worn. British Museum
Egyptian game Isis might have played on her barge to pass the time. British Museum
Sit-Hathor could have worn this wig. Cairo Museum
The Vulture with outstretched wings painted on temple door lintels. Valley of the Kings tomb
Glass flasks like these held the oils that Maia poured into Isis’ bath. Petrie Museum
Sistrum with Head of Hathor. British Museum
Copper blades like these shaved Isis’ head. Petrie Museum
Sedge rope to lash Isis’ barge to the stone quay. British Museum
Antinous drew one of these swords when confronting Hetmus. Petrie Museum
From Antinous to Isidora. Greek style jewelry. All gold and no stones. British Museum
Isis would never have worn the plain sandals of a common Egyptian. Petrie Museum
The Isis story embellished with my photos
I’m posting a few of my Egypt photos here in hopes that I can bring the Isis story even more to life for my readers. Click on the image to enlarge. Look for more Sandra Gore photos in upcoming posts  🙂
Some of the following pictures are from one of my visits to Egypt. Some of the shots are from the British Museum in London, while a few precious ones are from the wonderful Petrie Museum just a short walk away. What a reservoir of history is the Petrie, and not just the ancient artifacts of pre-dynastic times – of which there is an abundant and rich display. The Petrie is a step back in time to the  first days of true Egyptology.
Isis might have seen this fisherman casting his net on the glassy Nile.
When Isis sees wings painted on the lintels above her head, they might have looked something like this.
Example of painted open Papyriform capitals. Imagine the jewels colors when they were new! Taken at Ramesseum outside Luxor, Egypt.
A piece of sedge rope that would have tied Isis barge to the quay in Sais. British Museum
Example of Aramaic writing. Aramaic was the lingua franca spoken by Eben, the Kabbalist and among the Persians soldiers. Isis spoke Aramaic with the General.
Here is the cow-eared goddess Hathor. The same face would have topped the pillars in the Hathor Temple. Known as the Queen’s Boat Hathor Head, British Museum.
Beaded “fishnet dress” similar to one Isis wore on her visit to the Temple of Min in Khent-min. Petrie Museum.
Glass vials like these might have held medicines, oils or the poisons designed to terminate Isis’ pregnancy – or even her life if captured. Petrie Museum.
The curled hair and beard of a Persian man. British Museum.
Example of how hieroglyphs were painted in colors. This was taken in the tomb of the sons of Ramses III in the Valley of the Kings, Luxor Egypt
Isis had a chest of precious papyri like this. British Museum.
Sit-hathor might have worn a wig like this when she summoned Isis to the temple to tell her of the mission. Cairo Museum
Egyptian swords and dagger from the Petrie Museum.
Heavy gold bracelets like these adorned Ankh-hor’s arms when he feted Isis and Qeb-ha at the feast in Hermopolis. British Museum.
These eyes are made with faience, the process somewhat between ceramic and glass, of which the amulets were made that Isis traded for goods in the market. British Museum
Palm-fiber sandals from 18th dynasty (more than 3000 years old). Petrie Museum.
Sacred Sistrum with head of Hathor that Isis might have used in the temple scene with the Crown Prince and Setne the Scribe. British Museum
Persian lion shield ornament. This would have adorned the leather vests of the Persian soldiers in the desert. British Museum.
A strand of polished Carnelian beads as might have been “strung on long ropes” in the marketplace of Khent-min. Petrie Museum.
Gold pieces from an Egyptian necklace. Most likely would have been strung with beads made from faience or semi-precious stone such as turquoise or carnelian. British Museum.
Egyptian “board game.” Not senet, but would have been played in similar fashion. British Museum
This could have been done in mosaics on the floor of Isis’ villa. British Museum.
Faience and gold amulets, cartouche, pendant. Any of these would have been commonplace in Isis’ world. Petrie Museum.
Egyptian glass fish showing millefiori glass technique. Isis would have stored her precious scented oil in vials made of this glass. British Museum.
S. L. Gore 