Cartouche
shenu |
The name "cartouche" is relatively modern,
coined by soldiers of Napoleon. The Egyptian name means "to
encircle" and the earliest forms with the king's name written in
them were circular. The symbol is one of protection. |
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Cat
miu |
This is the domestic cat, long-eared, tailed and shown
squatting on its haunches with its tail curled around its leg. Often the
cat is shown holding a knife in its paw as it destroys the serpent that
threatens the cosmic tree, a symbol of the rising sun. Cat-headed
deities appear in representations of the Book of That Which Is in the
Underworld where they destroy malevolent beings in a similar manner. |
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Child
mes |
There are seven words in the Egyptian language for
"child" showing different stages of development from infant to
early adulthood. All share a common sign: that of a nude child sitting
with index finger held to the mouth. In addition the icon often depicted
the distinctive "side-lock" of youth on the head. In the Birth
Room, Luxor Temple, the gods Horus, Hekau and Hapi are shown presenting
the young Amenhotep III to the great god Amun-Re. |
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Clenched Hand
khefa |
The hand was used not only to represent concepts relating
to taking and holding but also as a symbol of action, creation or latent
creative power. The clenched hand, often with its forearm, was used
decoratively to hold the suspended elements on whisks or flails. |
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Clothing
menkhet |
The sign seems to represent either a horizontal strip of
linen cloth with two strands of fringe or two vertical strips of folded
cloth on a stand. The Egyptians excelled in weaving and produced many
varieties of fine linen that was used for garments and for the
bandage-like wrappings used in mummification. |
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Cobra
iaret |
The species Naja haje with its characteristic
dilated hood was associated from early times with the sun, the
Kingdom
of Lower Egypt, the person of the king and a number of deities. A gilded
wooden cobra inscribed with the name netcher-ankh or living god,
was found in the tomb of Tutankhamun and is representative of this
creature's associations with the underworld. |
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Crocodile
meseh |
In Ancient Egypt Crocodilus niloticus was a dual
personality creature. As a dangerous animal the reptile was viewed as a
symbol of cosmic disorder. But when the crocodile emerged from the
waters like the sun god himself, facing east to dry as if paying homage
to the god it was treated as a deity and worshipped in many localities. |
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