.gif)
Incense burner: pot (hieroglyph)
Encyclopedia
The ancient Egyptian
Censor pot, (the Incense burner: pot) is most commonly seen in Ancient Egypt
ian iconography
as an offering, held in hand by the offering person or god. Many pots are offered in hands, or a single hand with offerings of oil
s, a liquid-(water
), or other item in the pot.
An alternative, a censor pot is shown with a burning flame, or a flickering cone of smoke above; the censor pot is trapezoidal in shape often, and also often with curved-inward sides, (a flared-out flat top).
The other common form of a censor in Ancient Egypt, as an offering, is a horizontal 'arm with upraised palm
', with the palm being the incense
burning area.
As a hieroglyph, the censor pot hieroglyph is more common in texts.
The other common type of hieroglyph for the burning of incense, is the incense burner: arm (hieroglyph)
. In later periods of Ancient Egypt it was often made of bronze
. In portrayed scenes with the arm, the offerer, most often the pharaoh
offering to the god
, is shown adding incense pellets from a small storage box at the base of the arm.
has a long history in Ancient Egypt, as well as the Mesopotamia
n cultures. Iconographic examples, and the literature of offerings performed, attest to the rituals of both cultures and a cultural evolution of their usages.
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
Censor pot, (the Incense burner: pot) is most commonly seen in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian iconography
Iconography
Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Greek "image" and "to write". A secondary meaning is the painting of icons in the...
as an offering, held in hand by the offering person or god. Many pots are offered in hands, or a single hand with offerings of oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
s, a liquid-(water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
), or other item in the pot.
An alternative, a censor pot is shown with a burning flame, or a flickering cone of smoke above; the censor pot is trapezoidal in shape often, and also often with curved-inward sides, (a flared-out flat top).
The other common form of a censor in Ancient Egypt, as an offering, is a horizontal 'arm with upraised palm
Incense burner: arm (hieroglyph)
The ancient Egyptian Incense burner: arm is a horizontal hieroglyph representing various types of horizontal tools used to offer, and burn incense...
', with the palm being the incense
Incense
Incense is composed of aromatic biotic materials, which release fragrant smoke when burned. The term "incense" refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces. It is used in religious ceremonies, ritual purification, aromatherapy, meditation, for creating a mood, and for...
burning area.
Ostracon--incense pot with flame hieroglyph
The other common type of hieroglyph for the burning of incense, is the incense burner: arm (hieroglyph)
Incense burner: arm (hieroglyph)
The ancient Egyptian Incense burner: arm is a horizontal hieroglyph representing various types of horizontal tools used to offer, and burn incense...
. In later periods of Ancient Egypt it was often made of bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
. In portrayed scenes with the arm, the offerer, most often the pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
offering to the god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, is shown adding incense pellets from a small storage box at the base of the arm.
Incense
IncenseIncense
Incense is composed of aromatic biotic materials, which release fragrant smoke when burned. The term "incense" refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces. It is used in religious ceremonies, ritual purification, aromatherapy, meditation, for creating a mood, and for...
has a long history in Ancient Egypt, as well as the Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
n cultures. Iconographic examples, and the literature of offerings performed, attest to the rituals of both cultures and a cultural evolution of their usages.
See also
- IncenseIncenseIncense is composed of aromatic biotic materials, which release fragrant smoke when burned. The term "incense" refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces. It is used in religious ceremonies, ritual purification, aromatherapy, meditation, for creating a mood, and for...
- CenserCenserCensers are any type of vessels made for burning incense. These vessels vary greatly in size, form, and material of construction. They may consist of simple earthenware bowls or fire pots to intricately carved silver or gold vessels, small table top objects a few centimetres tall to as many as...
- Incense burner: arm (hieroglyph)Incense burner: arm (hieroglyph)The ancient Egyptian Incense burner: arm is a horizontal hieroglyph representing various types of horizontal tools used to offer, and burn incense...
- Gardiner's Sign List#R. Temple Furniture and Sacred Emblems