The Digital Library Of Inscriptions and Calligraphies

Pierced faience plaque

General Information

Faience plaque with part of a hieroglyphic inscription. The piercing at the corner suggests that the object was suspended or attached to a larger votive item.

Number	1904:540
Storing Place	National Museum of Ireland - Dublin - Ireland
Material	Faience
Type	Plaque
Type of Script	Hieroglyphic
Discovery Place	Deir El-Bahari Temple - Luxor - Egypt
Width	3.3 cm
Historical Period	The Eighteenth Dynasty – The New Kingdom

General Comments

In clearing the temple of Hatshepsut of the 18th Dynasty, the Egypt Exploration Fund discovered large numbers of votive offerings placed as prayers or thanks to the goddess Hathor. The majority of these offerings seems to have been made by women, and was probably intended to guarantee fertility and safe birth. Those making offerings to Hathor at Deir el-Bahari evidently included members of every level of society, up to and including the royal family.

Inscriptions on the Monument

The text

Transliteration

( If the Hieroglyphic,Demotic or Hieratic text is not appearing clear, install this file )

sAt nswt mr[t-]

Translation

[king's ?] beloved daughter [..] OR king's daughter Mer[et-..]

Scientific Publishing

M. Murray, National Museum of Science and Art, General Guide III, (Dublin, 1910), 60.