CELESTIAL GRAFFITO From Lower Nubia

CELESTIAL GRAFFITO From Lower Nubia © 2014 by Lance Carlyle Carter

Abstract A rock inscription graffito from Lower Nubia appears to represent asterisms.

Keywords Graffito, pictograms, signs, hieroglyphs, asterisms, constellations, celestial.

Methods This study involves superimposing star maps on a rock inscription graffito. Star maps are calculated for 1950 BC, a time in the early 12th Dynasty during the rule of King Sesostris of Egypt. The observatory location used is Wadi Halfa in Lower Nubia in Sudan. Coordinates: 21°47′N, 31°22′E. Case Study: Star map for 1950 BC is superimposed over rock inscription graffito from Lower Nubia. The square / rectangular section of the bêt pictogram in the inscription is used as the key to the alignment to the square / rectangular configuration of stars in the constellation Ursae Minoris.

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Celestial Graffito by Lance Carlyle Carter

Contents Graffito from Lower Nubia

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Inscription Pictograms Overlay

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Star Map Superimposition

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Star Map over Graffito Close-up

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Star Map over Outline and Inscription

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Reference Star Map with Star Names

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Bêt Pictogram and 14 Ursae Minoris

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Graffito Outline over Star Map

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Man in the Stars

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Close-up of Upper Left Pictograms

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Close-up of Lower Left Pictograms

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Considerations

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Notes

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Bibliography

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Figures Figure 1: Graffito from Lower Nubia.

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Figure 2: Rock inscription pictograms overlay.

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Figure 3: Star map superimposition.

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Figure 4: Star map over graffito close-up.

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Figure 5: Star map over outline and inscription.

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Figure 6: Reference star map with star names.

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Figure 7: Bêt Pictogram and 14 Ursae Minoris.

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Figure 8: Graffito outline over star map.

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Figure 9: Man in the stars.

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Figure 10: Close-up of upper left pictograms.

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Figure 11: Close-up of lower left pictograms.

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Celestial Graffito by Lance Carlyle Carter

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Graffito from Lower Nubia

Figure 1: Graffito from Lower Nubia. Rock inscription on the left and the 1 equivalent Egyptian hieroglyphs are pictured on the right.

Inscription Pictograms Overlay

Figure 2: Inscription pictograms overlay. The next illustration shows a reference star chart with Ursae Minoris and nearby constellations including modern constellation line designations. The stars and patterns appear to fit the pictogram shapes on the rock inscription to some extent.

Celestial Graffito by Lance Carlyle Carter

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Star Map Superimposition Some of the pictograms, hieroglyphs, and graphical elements on this rock inscription appear to represent asterisms. A star chart with modern constellation lines is superimposed over the rock inscription using the bêt pictogram over Ursae Minoris as the key to set the star map:

Figure 3: Star map superimposition.

Star Map over Graffito Close-up

Figure 4: Star map over graffito close-up. Ursae Minoris is over bêt sign.

Celestial Graffito by Lance Carlyle Carter

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Star Map over Outline and Inscription

Figure 5: Star map over outline and inscription. Ursae Minoris is the square sign on middle left and the head of Draco is on right between the legs of the big standing man.

Reference Star Map with Star Names

Figure 6: Reference star map with star names. The orange arrows point to bright white marks for Theta and Eta Draconis, whose stars are circled in yellow on the star map, but the corresponding gouge is nearby.

Celestial Graffito by Lance Carlyle Carter

Bêt Pictogram and 14 Ursae Minoris

Figure 7: Bêt Pictogram and 14 Ursae Minoris. A close-up look at the bêt pictogram with white dot circled in yellow. The yellow circle around the gouge of the bêt pictogram corresponds to the star 14 Ursae Minoris.

Graffito Outline over Star Map

Figure 8: Graffito outline over star map. Ursae Minoris is seen as a rectangle with four bright stars.

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Celestial Graffito by Lance Carlyle Carter

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Man in the Stars

Figure 9: Man in the stars. A star map is superimposed over the outline of the big man in the picture who looks like he is holding a spear and a staff. This figure may represent an official because he holds a staff, but he may also represent a soldier because the staff line may also represent a shield and he may be holding a spear as well. Two small circles under the man were gouge marks on the rock inscription. The small circle in the crotch area contains a few stars in the center of the head of the modern constellation Draco. The lower circle is approximately where a brighter star is and was probably used for reference.

Celestial Graffito by Lance Carlyle Carter

Close-up of Upper Left Pictograms

Figure 10: Close-up of upper left pictograms. Star map is superimposed over outline of top left column. The crown-like pictogram has a resemblance to the Egyptian mn hieroglyph that represents those two consonants. Below that is the single consonant "n" or water hieroglyph. Below that appears the single consonant "t" or tethering rope hieroglyph.

Close-up of Lower Left Pictograms

Figure 11: Close-up of lower left pictograms. Bêt pictogram is on the left.

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Celestial Graffito by Lance Carlyle Carter

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Considerations The right facing bird appears to be the "w" quail chick hieroglyph, although it is facing the wrong direction. The bet pictogram appears on the left with an opening at the bottom. This bet pictogram may be a representation of the Egyptian determinative meaning "house", which is a rectangle with an opening on a long side. The square shape of Ursae Minoris is the reference for the bêt pictogram on the lower left. The square / rectangular section of Ursae Minoris was used as a shape reference key for the identification of the asterisms. To the right of the bet is what appears to be a the writing tablet, but is associated with the eye and seeing and the sign Ayin. To the right of the writing tablet is a man who appears to be the Egyptian determinative of "man, person." To the right of the sitting man appears a cross that may be the Egyptian determinative meaning "break, divide, cross."

Notes 1

CANAANITES READING HIEROGLYPHS* Horus is Hathor? – The Invention of the Alphabet in Sinai, Orly Goldwasser, 2006, p. 145, Fig. 24, Graffito from Lower Nubia mentioning a Mntw-htp (ZÁBA 1974: pl. CLXII, fig. 292, no. 170)

Bibliography ŽÁBA, Z. 1974 Rock Inscriptions of Lower Nubia (Czechoslovak Concession), Prague.