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FireVerseCeramics In reply to Valtronics [2015-03-04 15:21:11 +0000 UTC]

Hi Valtronics,

Thanks for showing interest, always nice to meet another Egyptian history enthusiast.   
Nice work on the hieroglyphs, they're always one of the most challenging parts.  I see you've decorated your canopic jar with Tutankhamun's praenomen.      I once spent an entire afternoon composing a sentence in glyphs that said "We'll all get along fine as soon as you learn to worship me" (I have an odd sense of humour).  I made this to fill in the damaged corner of a stele from Akhenaton's reign, though haven't gotten around to carving that one yet.

The carving of Horemheb took approximately a week, working from morning to evening.  I wasn't taking note of the time back then like I am now, but it was fairly intensive.  The glyphs in particular took a good deal of time, so I've since made up a set of around 100 glyph stamps that I can use to make things a bit easier - I'll post photos of Egyptian clay tablets I've made using those soon.  

As for the symbolism of Tutankhamun's death mask, the most prominent is the Two Goddesses in the form of the vulture and serpent upon his brow.  Often when royalty is shown with a single serpent on their forehead it's the uraeus, a snake-protector that keeps them from harm.  But in this case I believe it to be Wadjet (also called Buto), and the associated goddess Nekhebet (the vulture).  Together they were seen as the patron goddesses of unified Egypt, so it was in the Pharaoh's interest to remind people that he was upholding their will by ruling both Upper and Lower Egypt.

Next, the materials used most likely were meant to draw comparison between the description of Re (sometimes 'Ra') the sun god, who was said to have skin of gold and hair of lapis lazuli (though in that particular myth it was used to indicate that Re was of great age and his hair was greying, something the populace was becoming disrespectful about). 

I could be wrong, but the inner sections of his necklace bears great resemblance to one of the most prized 'medals' that could be earned, the Gold of Valour.  This necklace was made up of hundreds of discs of gold slotted against each other, and was generally only given to great military commanders.  I believe examples have survived in the archaeological record, and if I remember correctly from my old university days, one was said to weigh in the region of 8kgs!  
Lastly, the false beard.  As far as I know this one's never been properly explained.  Osiris in death often wears one, but not often in life.  Presumably Pharaohs wore one whenever they wanted to emphasise their relationship with that god (particularly on post-mortem representations of themselves, like death masks), but goodness knows why Osiris himself was ever shown with one as I don't recall any image of him with genuine facial hair.  It did, however, lead to a rather interesting conundrum with the first official female Pharaoh (with the possible exception of Neithhotep II).  Hatshepsut chose to wear all the regalia commonly worn by male Pharaohs to help solidify her claim, which included the false beard - and in the process became the first recorded transvestite in history.  Lol

Don't mind me, I like to ramble. 

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Valtronics In reply to FireVerseCeramics [2015-03-04 21:16:38 +0000 UTC]

Basically Tutankhamun's step mother had predestined arrangements for the boy's death and passage to the underworld since he was sickly possibly stricken with polio and other illnesses.  So, everything done on the mask was meant to falsify the boy's greatness like no other before or after him to ensure a seat at the right side of Osiris. They boy did change his name to Tutankhamen to signify a closeness to the one and only god Amunra, heresy started by his brother (I believe is not his father as others believe) Akhenaten.
You got most of it, and your right the first time mentioning the cobra, king of all serpants being there as a protector over the great king and showing royalty.  The two animals on the brow is to represent his greatness to heights reaching as close to the gods as possible, almost like being being close to the gods with a special connection.  He did not have a beard (He was a boy for god sakes), for that matter none the kings had this beard real, they either added or all fake.  Now Nefertiti, her stuff was real, but that's another discussion. LOL
All the treasures and gold were to show him to be rich beyond kings and a humble ruler lighter than a feather, to buy what he needs and to past the test of entry into the underworld.

The necklace is a special message like another proclamation of a great pharaoh that was always protected and watched over by the great falcon Horus.
You missed the shoulder piece of the necklace, the falcon head of the all seeing eye of Horus.  Maybe the angle of the mask is bad, sorry if that one is my fault. And I don't think you can see his seal or name above the necklace a small stamp looking glyph outlined, almost oval shaped.
I love that you got the serpent, vulture, beard, headdress and lapus lazula (very important).  You are a true historian, you even guessed the jar's scarab definition, unfortunately I got the picture from the movie the mummy.  Otherwise, everything on the mask is done correctly "I think" even the facing of the horace and the placement of the serpent and bird where people make this mistake all the damn time (Blasphamers).  LOL

However I do believe that Hatshepsut was long before Tutank by a thousand years I think.  She was the one that found Moses and raised him, now Rameses was not a king but two places where they lived during the years of building this city.  I believe Hatshepsut ruled and was looked at as a far better ruler then many and gained the trust of the people.  All this during the campaign of her son Thutmose III a great commander who she kept sending out so she could rule as the first lady with a beard.  He destroyed both their existence except a hidden room in the necrochamber, again I think, its been a while. 
I agree, I don't remember facial hair explained during Osiris' reign before he died.

Facts is not rambling. LOL  Don't mind me, I laugh too much.

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