Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Module 2: Chapters 1-4

“A cartouche, an oval frame around the glyph of an important figure, is also the French word for “bullet,” the frame’s shape.” (Meggs Kindle Locations 417-418)

Egyptian pharaohs were given several names, including the Horus name, the Nebti name, the Golden Horus name, the prenomen, and the nomen. The cartouche wasn't used until the 4th Dynasty, and was only primarily for the prenomen, and occasionally for the nomen.

Development of pharaoh names:
  • The Horus name was given beginning in the Pre-Dynasty; also called banner name or Ka-name; the name was framed by a serekh (a representation of a palace facade) (2)
    • The serekh is the precursor to the cartouche.
    • Pharaoh gained this name when they ascended the throne; not their birth name
  • The Nebti (or nebty) name was given to pharaohs after Upper and Lower Egypt were unified.
    • No serekh or cartouche is used
  • The Horus of gold name (or Golden Horus Name) may have signified the triumph of Horus over Seth, or it may have signified the eternal life of the pharaoh
    • Gold represents eternity in Ancient Egypt
    • Horus is used as a representation of the pharaoh, the god-king
  • The throne name, or prenomen, is the pharaoh's name in a cartouche
    • Official royal name
    • First came to prominence in the Third Dynasty
    • accompanied by hieroglyphics that indicate the name belonged to a ruler of both Upper and Lower Egypt
  • The personal name, or nomen, was given to pharaohs at birth
    • use started in Fourth Dynasty
    • indicated the relationship between pharaoh and god
  • Full title of pharaoh will include Horus name, Nebti name, Golden Horus name, prenomen, and nomen (where applicable; earlier titulary for pharaohs will have been less elaborate).

Full name of Thutmose III
Image courtesy of wikipedia.org
Full name of Thutmose III: 
  • Horus name - Kanakht Khaemwaset - Horus Mighty Bull, Arising in Thebes 
  • nebty name - Wahnesytmireempet - He of the Two Ladies, Enduring in kingship like Re in heaven
  • Horus of Gold - Sekhempahtydjeserkhaw - Horus of Gold Powerful of strength, Sacred of appearance 
  • praenomen - Menkheperre - He of the Sedge and the Bee, Enduring of form is Re 
  • nomen - Thutmose Neferkheperu - Son of Ra, Thutmose, beautiful of forms (1) 

  • Hatshepsut: pharaoh of Ancient Egypt in the 18th Dynasty, was referred to as both male and female in full titulary (3)
  • The cartouche came from the elongation of the shen ring (4).
  • The shen ring “derives its name from the root shenu (to encircle), it was almost always a symbol of eternity” (5); also a symbol of protection (5).
  • “In the Eighteenth Dynasty, royal sarcophagi were constructed in the shape of the cartouche” (4).


The symbolism used in writing the names of pharaohs, who were seen as gods-on-earth to rule in Egypt, indicates that writing was seen as a powerful tool, not only to keep records. That the prenomen, the throne name (and possibly the most important name given to a pharaoh), was enclosed in a cartouche (shenu is the Egyptian word for the oblong enclosure) tells us that ancient Egyptians probably thought that the written word held power in the real world—more so than the modern idea of changing minds with words. The cartouche protects the name of the king, and by extension is supposed to protect the king.

This suggests that the words used for people, places, and things weren't seen as abstractions of the things (as we commonly viewed words today), but were seen as stand-ins for the things in question. This is reminiscent of cave paintings—markings indicating that spears or some such tool were thrust at the paintings have been found on paintings of hunted animals. The representation of the animal seems to have been linked in these ancient people's minds with the actual animal. In a similar fashion, I don't think it's a stretch to speculate that ancient Egyptians considered the names of their pharaohs to be more than abstract representations of their god-king; that is to say, the name is the thing, and the thing is the name.

Grain of salt moment: Unless (or until) we develop the technology to travel back in time, all such speculation of the motivations of ancient peoples is purely speculation. We can't be certain of how ancient peoples saw their world, and any speculation upon their mental processes is going to be rife with a modern bias. But, boy is it fun.

Citations:
Resources:
  1. Meggs, Philip B.; Purvis, Alston W. (2011-11-02). Meggs' History of Graphic Design 5th Edition. John Wiley and Sons. Kindle Edition.
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