Akhenaten's Devotional Hymns and Prayers

Akhenaten, or Amenhotep IV, the famous ancient Egyptian pharaoh who reigned during the 18th Dynasty. He is primarily remembered for his religious reforms, which centered around the worship of the sun god Aten to the exclusion of other deities. While there are no surviving supplications or prayers directly attributed to Akhenaten, the hymns discovered in the city of Amarna provide insights into the monotheistic religious beliefs of his reign. 

Amenhotep IV or Akhenaten

Here is an example of a poetic supplication inspired by Akhenaten's religious ideology:

O Aten, radiant and mighty,
The one true god, source of all life.
To you, I raise my voice in praise,
For your rays bring warmth and sustenance.

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You are the creator of all things,

From the smallest insect to the towering mountains.
Your presence fills the sky and the earth,
Guiding us with your divine light.

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In your presence, all darkness fades,

And the world is bathed in your golden glow.
You bless us with abundance and prosperity,
As we bask in your eternal love.

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O Aten, hear my humble prayer,
Grant me wisdom and understanding.
Guide me on the path of righteousness,
That I may honor you in all I do.

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Though the world may change and kingdoms crumble,
Your light remains unyielding and eternal.
May I be a faithful servant in your divine plan,
And find solace in your everlasting embrace.

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O Aten, the sole god of heaven and earth,
Accept my supplication, my humble plea.
Grant me your grace and blessings,
And let your radiance shine upon me.

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While the exact words of Akhenaten's prayers may be lost to history, this supplication captures the essence of the monotheistic worship of Aten during his reign.

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Manal Raafat

Hello everybody!

Starting from tomorrow I will be back to arts of photos blog with new nice topics.
I am happy to be with you again.

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AVIF, WebP, and JPEG: A Comprehensive Guide

It is so important to know the differences between the most used image format in the sites to be light enough to load fast.

AVIF and WebP are modern image formats that offer several advantages and disadvantages compared to the older JPEG format. 

Here's a comparison of the three formats:

Advantages of AVIF:

1. Higher compression efficiency: AVIF generally provides better compression efficiency than JPEG, resulting in smaller file sizes while maintaining high image quality. This can lead to faster loading times and reduced bandwidth usage.
2. Support for high dynamic range (HDR): AVIF supports HDR images, allowing for a wider range of colors and better representation of contrast and lighting conditions.
3. Lossless and lossy compression: AVIF supports both lossless and lossy compression, providing flexibility based on the specific requirements of the image.
4. Wide browser support: AVIF is gaining support among major web browsers, making it increasingly compatible with a wide range of devices and platforms.

Disadvantages of AVIF:

1. Limited support in older browsers: AVIF is a relatively new format, so older web browsers and software may not fully support it. This can lead to compatibility issues for some users.
2. Encoding and decoding complexity: AVIF encoding and decoding processes can be computationally intensive, requiring more processing power and time compared to JPEG.
3. Longer encoding times: Due to its complexity, encoding AVIF images can take longer compared to other formats, which may be a consideration for time-sensitive applications.

Advantages and disadvantages of AVIF and WebP image format against jpeg format

Advantages of WebP:

1. Good compression efficiency: WebP generally offers better compression compared to JPEG, resulting in smaller file sizes without significant loss of image quality. This can lead to faster page loading times and reduced bandwidth usage.
2. Support for transparency: WebP supports both lossy and lossless compression with transparency, making it suitable for images with transparent backgrounds, such as logos or graphics.
3. Wide browser support: WebP has gained significant support among major web browsers, making it widely compatible with various devices and platforms.
4. Animation support: WebP supports animated images, allowing for the creation of lightweight animations with relatively small file sizes.

Disadvantages of WebP:

1. Limited support in some software: While web browser support for WebP is widespread, some image editing software or older applications may not fully support the format.
2. Lossy compression artifacts: Like any lossy format, aggressive compression in WebP can introduce compression artifacts that may affect image quality, particularly in complex or high-detail images.

JPEG remains a widely supported and compatible format, but AVIF and WebP offer advantages in terms of higher compression efficiency and additional features. When choosing between these formats, it's important to consider factors such as target audience, browser support requirements, and the specific characteristics of the images being used.

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By Manal Raafat

AVIF and WebP: The Future of Image Compression on the Web

AVIF and WebP: Next-Gen Image Formats for Smaller File Sizes and Better Image Quality

AVIF and WebP are image formats that are designed to replace JPEG, the traditional image format used on the web. Both formats offer significant improvements in terms of file size and image quality.

AVIF is based on the AV1 video codec, while WebP is based on the VP8 video codec. AVIF is the newer of the two formats, and it offers slightly better image quality and compression than WebP. However, WebP is more widely supported by browsers and devices.

WebP photo of New Alamein-Egypt

Here are the benefits of using AVIF and WebP images:

• Smaller file size: AVIF and WebP images can be up to 50% and 34% smaller than JPEG images of similar quality, respectively. This can lead to faster loading times for websites and web applications.
• Improved image quality: AVIF and WebP images can offer better image quality than JPEG images, especially for high-resolution images.
• Wide support: AVIF and WebP images are supported by all major browsers.

Which format to choose depends on your specific needs. If you need the best possible image quality and file size reduction, and you can afford to sacrifice some browser support, then AVIF is the better choice. If you need to support older browsers, or you need to use a format that is supported by all major social media platforms, then WebP is a better choice.

Here are some tips for using AVIF and WebP images:

• Use a content delivery network (CDN): A CDN can help to distribute your AVIF and WebP images to users around the world with fast and reliable delivery.
• Use a responsive image library: A responsive image library can help you to serve the appropriate image format to each user based on their browser and device.
• Use lazy loading: Lazy loading can help to improve page loading times by deferring the loading of images until they are needed.

By using AVIF and WebP images, you can improve the performance and user experience of your website or web application.

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By Manal Raafat

Amenhotep III, Ancient Egypt Pharaoh.

Manfred Renner Amenhotep III ( Amenophis III / Amāna-Ḥātpa, meaning Amun is Satisfied ) = Nebmaatre, also known as Amenhotep the Magnificent, was the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. According to different authors, he ruled Egypt from June 1386 to 1349 BC, or from June 1388 BC to December 1351 BC/1350 BC, after his father Thutmose IV died. Amenhotep III was Thutmose IV's son by a minor wife, Mutemwiya. Amenhotep III appears in the tomb of his tutor Heqaerneheh ( TT64 ), and on two Konosso graffiti.Four ancient Egyptian pharaohs, thought to have suffered from a disabling form of arthritis, may have been misdiagnosed. In a paper published online today in Arthritis & Rheumatology, researchers propose that Amenhotep III ( portrayed in an ancient relief above ) and three other pharaohs had an often asymptomatic form of arthritis known as diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis ( DISH ), rather than the more debilitating ankylosing spondylitis ( AS ) originally deduced from x-rays taken of their mummies in 1980. 

Amenhotep III, Ancient Egypt Pharaoh.

The new findings are based on an examination of more detailed CT scans of the mummies of 13 Egyptian pharaohs and queens who lived between 1492 and 1153 B.C.E. In today’s study, the researchers spotted no sign of the erosion of the sacroiliac joints or fused facet joints, which are hallmarks of AS. Instead, in the mummies of Amenhotep III and three other pharaohs, they detected all the standard criteria for DISH, including a distinctive pattern of ossification along the vertebral bodies. The average age at death of these four rulers was a relatively old 63 by ancient Egyptian standards, making a DISH diagnosis especially plausible: The disease is most common among people over the age of 40 and afflicts twice as many men as women. The symptoms of AS, by contrast, generally begin in early adulthood. Amenhotep III, who died at age 50, was likely little-bothered by DISH. He had no signs of spinal deformity or involvement of the disease in his cervical spine, suggesting that he was either asymptomatic or experienced only mild back stiffness when he got up in the morning.
Amenhotep III’s Sed Festival :
Amenhotep wanted his Sed Festivals to be far more spectacular than those of the past. He served as king for 38 years celebrating three Sed Festivals during his reign. Rameses II set the record for Sed Festivals with 14 during his 67-year reign. Amenhotep III appointed Amenhotep, son of Hapu, as the official to plan the ceremony. Amenhotep-Hapu was one of the few courtiers alive to serve at last Sed Festival ( Amenhotep II ). One of the major highlights of the Festival was the king’s dual coronation. He is enthroned separately for Upper and Lower Egypt. For Upper Egypt, Amenhotep wears the white crown but changes to the red crown for the Lower Egypt coronation. After the Sed Festival, Amenhotep III transcended from being a near-god to one divine. Few Egyptian kings lived long enough for their own celebration. Those who survived used the celebration as the affirmation of transition to divinity.



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King Aménophis IV / Akhénaton

King Aménophis IV / Akhénaton. Louvre Antiquites Egyptian

Le roi Aménophis IV/Akhénaton. Louvre antiquites egyptienne

Akhénaton

You may like to read more about Akhénaton'family



Queen Tiye

Pharaoh Amenhotep III. and Colossi of Memnon.Add Your Touch To Your Photos


Queen Tiye The Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep III


Colossi of Memnon of Pharaoh Amenhotep III...With Photoshop Lesson


Akhenaten The King The Consolidated


Queen Nefertiti and How to Adjust Here Photo With Photoshop


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Simple notes about searching the blog

Welcome to my blog.

For the new readers, I will explain some issues to help you enjoy reading my blog.

*I had collected my informations from different resources to make it almost complete. 

* I tried to add my own pictures.   

*To see the photos clear please click it.

* To continue reading please click read more.

* You can search my blog by labels, by time of publishing (archive), or popular posts.

* You can also leave your comment if you like, and I will replay . 

Thank you

  

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Manal Raafat

The aim of my blog

Hi, good morning everybody.
 I am reminding you of the aim of my blog.

I am interested in all the photo's arts. I am interested in learning and designing for beginners. I will help you to learn Photoshop, Illustrator. Learning with illustrations and videos. Learn tips and tricks of Photo-shop and Illustrator,design your own cards and fix your pictures, change your picture's background, color and express yourself and feelings and add your feelings to your designs.

You can also find topics about many things ,and increase your general  knowledge. Read also about science,history ,and different things.

Arts of photos

I am fond of the pictures and photo's art, so I Will show you many photos, ancient and recent.

Arts of photos

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Manal Raafat

Sacred barque of Osiris at Abydos.

*Abydos is one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, and also of the eighth nome in Upper Egypt, of which it was the capital city.
Abydos considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt, the sacred city of Abydos was the site of many ancient temples

Sacred barque of Osiris at Abydos.
The north wall of the Osiris Chapel in the Seti Temple at Abydos is decorated with a relief showing the sacred portable barque of Osiris. The barque, called “Nechmet”, would have been used to carry the fetish of Osiris around the temple during festival processions.

Sacred barque of Osiris at Abydos.

The fetish was housed amidships in a shrine which was partially concealed from profane eyes by a white linen cloth. 

Nevertheless, the upper part of the fetish is visible in this image as it is emerging above the roof of the shrine. It consisted of a pole which was surmounted by a box in the shape of a beehive inlaid with blue beads and crowned with two tall feathers. It may have been the intention that it resembled a wig (blue was the favoured hair colour of the gods) and in some cases an actual face is depicted, as we see there is here. 

The wig-like box is thought to have been a reliquary which held the head of Osiris. According to Egyptian mythology Seth cut up the body of his brother Osiris and scattered the parts all over Egypt. Osiris’ head ended up in Abydos making it the prime cult centre of the god, where each year his resurrection was celebrated in a festival.

The portable barque is “crewed” by a number of (probably wooden) statuettes, some of which are wearing pharaonic crowns. There is a statuette manipulating the steering oars at the stern and amidships two kneeling figures are steadying the sides of the shrine. On the roof of the shrine two other kneeling statuettes are clasping the pole of the fetish. They are accompanied by small figures of Isis and Nephtys who raise up their arms in an adoring gesture towards the reliquary box.

The prow of the barque is decorated with a finial in the form of an Osiris head emerging from a papyrus flower. The prow below the flower is conspicuously vertical and may be reminiscent of the pole of the fetish. The ornate collar beneath it is depicted in a frontal view but would have been turned ninety degrees in reality.

The barque is placed on carrying poles that would have been supported by priests’ shoulders during a procession. But in this image the poles rest on a pedestal. Beside the pedestal we see offerings of flowers and vases.
The barque is placed in a large gilded shrine, the top of which is decorated with a row of uraeuses.

As said, this relief can be found on the north wall in the Chapel of Osiris, one of the seven chapels that are located directly west of the Second Hypostyle Hall . Unlike the other six chapels, the Osiris Chapel acted as a gangway, leading to the Inner Osiris Hall deeper in the temple. Thus, there was probably no room here for Osiris’ barque and it must have been placed elsewhere in the temple.

For other images of the Osiris fetish in Abydos, see photos 29906, 29907 and 29951.
The Seti Temple at Abydos was begun by Seti I and completed by his son Ramses II in the 13th century BC.

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Manal Raafat

'Osiris as personification of the moon at Dendera.'

*Dendera is a small town and former bishopric in Egypt situated on the west bank of the Nile, about 5 kilometres (3 mi) south of Qena.

* Dendera Temple complex

It is one of the best-preserved temple complexes in Egypt. The area was used as the sixth Nome of Upper Egypt, south of Abydos.

 'Osiris as personification of the moon at Dendera.'Seated on a throne Osiris sails across the sky as personification of the full moon on the astronomical ceiling in the outer hypostyle hall of the Hathor Temple at Dendera.

 'Osiris as personification of the moon at Dendera.'

The astronomical ceiling consists of seven separate strips but here we are looking at a detail of the FIRST STRIP WEST from centre.
The deities in this picture form part of a panel that deals with the full moon and which is located at the southern end of the strip.

Osiris is accompanied by the seated goddesses Nephtys (left) and Isis, while Maat stands near the bow of the ship. The caption above the ship tells us that Osiris has entered the eye of the moon on the 15th day of the month (that is, during full moon).

The starry sky on which the moon boat sails is supported by the four goddesses of the cardinal points (from left to right): west, north, south and east.

The kneeling falcon-headed figures on the right are the Souls of Pe and those kneeling on the left, with jackal heads, are the Souls of Nekhen. The Souls of Pe (a town in Lower Egypt) and Nekhen (a town in Upper Egypt) represent the mythological ancestral kings of Egypt from the predynastic period. They were seen as guardians of Lower and Upper Egypt and were thought to walk beside the pharaoh as spirits during certain festivals.

On the far left we see two frog-headed gods who belong to the Ogdoad (eight gods) of Hermopolis and who ruled the cosmos before the creation of the world. The upper one personifies the primeval waters and the lower one is associated with darkness.
For an overview of the entire strip see picture 29561.

This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the Roman period (first century AD)
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Manal Raafat

Stela depicts the infant Horus

The scene on this stela depicts the infant Horus standing on crocodiles and holding ferocious, little beasts in each hand. 

The stela is also inscribed with a set of thirteen spells against poison and illness. 

The inscription around the base contains a portion of the myth of Isis and Osiris, describing how the infant Horus was cured of poison by Thoth in the Delta marshes.

The scene on this stela depicts the infant Horus

The stela was carved for the priest Datum during the reign of Nectanebo ll. It was placed in the temple of Osiris Mnevis in Heliopolis.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Manal Raafat

Deir el-Bahari

Deir el-Bahari, Thebes-West: The royal temple of Queen Hatshepsut (18th dynasty, 1490 - 1468 BC), hieroglyphic inscription and King's name card Thutmose III. (King 1490 - 1438 BC, until 1468 BC co-regent of his stepmother Hatshepsut, 18th dynasty). At Luxor (Egypt, Upper Egypt). Deir el-Bahari, Upper Egypt, Egypt.

💝💝💝💝💝💝

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Ahmose I [ Born of Iah ] *** The Pharaoh

Ahmose I was one of the most important Pharaohs in the history of Pharaonic Egypt so the article is little bit long, sorry for that.
   
The Name Ahmose I: 
sometimes written Amosis I, "Amenes" and "Aahmes" and meaning Born of Iah.

The meaning of the name:  The name Ahmose is a combination of the theophoric syllable 'Ah' and the combining form '-moses'. The theophoric syllable 'Ah' refers to the deity Iah.

Note: Iah is a god of the moon in ancient Egyptian religion. His name simply means moon.

His family:Ahmose I, was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt and the founder of the Eighteenth dynasty. He was a member of the Theban royal house, the son of pharaoh Seqenenre Tao and brother of the last pharaoh of the Seventeenth dynasty, King Kamose. 

AhmoseI-Statue Head Metropolitan Museum

His life:
During the reign of his father or grandfather, Thebes rebelled against the Hyksos, the rulers of Lower Egypt. When he was seven his father was killed, and he was about ten when his brother died of unknown causes, after reigning only three years. Ahmose I assumed the throne after the death of his brother, and upon coronation became known as Neb-Pehty-Re (The Lord of Strength is Re).

During his reign, he completed the conquest and expulsion of the Hyksos from the delta region, restored Theban rule over the whole of Egypt and successfully reasserted Egyptian power in its formerly subject territories of Nubia and Canaan. He then reorganized the administration of the country, reopened quarries, mines and trade routes and began massive construction projects of a type that had not been undertaken since the time of the Middle Kingdom. This building program culminated in the construction of the last pyramid built by native Egyptian rulers. 

Ahmose's reign laid the foundations for the New Kingdom, under which Egyptian power reached its peak. His reign is usually dated to the mid-16th century BC.

Dates and length of reign
Ahmose's reign can be fairly accurately dated using the Heliacal rise of Sirius in his successor's reign, but because of disputes over from where the observation was made, he has been assigned a reign from 1570–1546, 1560–1537 and 1551–1527 by various sources. Manetho gives Ahmose a reign of 25 years and 4 months; this figure is supported by a 'Year 22' inscription from his reign at the stone quarries of Tura. A medical examination of his mummy indicates that he died when he was about thirty-five, supporting a 25-year reign if he came to the throne at the age of 10. The radiocarbon date range for the start of his reign is 1570–1544 BC, the mean point of which is 1557 BC.

Art and monumental constructions

• With the re-unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under Ahmose, a renewal of royal support for the arts and monumental construction occurred. Ahmose reportedly devoted a tenth of all the productive output towards the service of the traditional gods, reviving massive monumental constructions as well as the arts. However, as the defeat of the Hyksos occurred relatively late in Ahmose's reign, his subsequent building program likely lasted no more than seven years, and much of what was started was probably finished by his son and successor Amenhotep I.
• Work from Ahmose's reign is made of much finer material than anything from the Second Intermediate Period, though the craftsmanship from his reign does not always match the best work from either the Old or Middle Kingdoms.
• The art of glass making is thought to have developed during Ahmose's reign.One of the earliest glass beads found contains the names of both Ahmose and Amenhotep I, written in a style dated to about the time of their reigns.
• Ahmose resumed large construction projects like those before the second intermediate period.[The Second Intermediate Period marks a period when Ancient Egypt fell into disarray for a second time, between the end of the Middle Kingdom and the start of the New Kingdom. It is best known as the period when the Hyksos made their appearance in Egypt and whose reign comprised the Fifteenth dynasties.]
• Excavations at the site of Avaris by Manfred Bietak have shown that Ahmose had a palace constructed on the site of the former Hyksos capital city's fortifications. Bietak found fragmentary Minoan-style remains of the frescoes that once covered the walls of the palace; there has subsequently been much speculation as to what role this Aegean civilization may have played in terms of trade and in the arts.
• Perhaps the most important shift was a religious one: Thebes effectively became the religious as well as the political center of the country, its local god Amun credited with inspiring Ahmose in his victories over the Hyksos. The importance of the temple complex at Karnak (on the east bank of the Nile north of Thebes) grew and the importance of the previous cult of Ra based in Heliopolis diminished.
• Several stelae detailing the work done by Ahmose were found at Karnak, two of which depict him as a benefactor to the temple. In one of these stelae, known as the "Tempest Stele", he claims to have rebuilt the pyramids of his predecessors at Thebes that had been destroyed by a major storm The Thera eruption in the Aegean has been implicated by some scholars as the source of this damage, but similar claims are common in the propagandistic writings of other pharaohs, showing them overcoming the powers of darkness.

Pyramid of Ahmose I

The Pyramid of Ahmose I was built not as a tomb, but a cenotaph for pharaoh Ahmose I at the necropolis of Abydos, Egypt. It was the only royal pyramid built in this area. Today only a pile of rubble remains, reaching a height of about 10 m.

The pyramid was constructed from sand and rubble and only the usual limestone casing kept the building in shape. It had a base length of 52 m and was about 40 m high. The inclination of the sides was 60°.

It did not feature any chambers for burial. Around the pyramid were a number of temples and also a small cenotaph pyramid for his grandmother Tetisheri.

This pyramid was the last pyramid ever built as part of a mortuary complex in Egypt.

Ahmose I 's Mummy
Ahmose I's mummy was discovered in 1881 within the Deir el-Bahri Cache, located in the hills directly above the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. 
He was  interred along with the mummies of other 18th and 19th dynasty leaders Amenhotep I, Thutmose I, Thutmose II, Thutmose III, Ramesses I, Seti I, Ramesses II and Ramesses IX, as well as the 21st dynasty pharaohs Pinedjem I, Pinedjem II and Siamun.

The mummified head of Ahmose I

Ahmose I's mummy was found within a coffin that bore his name in hieroglyphs, and on his bandages his name was again written in hieratic script. 
While the cedarwood coffin's style dates it squarely to the time of the 18th dynasty, it was neither of royal style nor craftsmanship, and any gilding or inlays may have been stripped in antiquity. 

He had evidently been moved from his original burial place, re-wrapped and placed within the cache at Deir el-Bahri during the reign of the 21st dynasty priest-king Pinedjum II, whose name also appeared on the mummy's wrappings. 

Around his neck a garland of delphinium flowers had been placed. The body bore signs of having been plundered by ancient grave-robbers, his head having been broken off from his body and his nose smashed.

The body was 1.63 m in height. The mummy had a small face with no defining features, though he had slightly prominent front teeth; this may have been an inherited family trait, as this feature can be seen in some female mummies of the same family, as well as the mummy of his descendant, Thutmose II.

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Manal Raafat

Sayings that I liked

I liked those sayings; so I had copied it for you.

*** One fake friend, can do more harm than ten real enemies.

*** In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away.

*** Never tell your problems to anyone...20% don't care, and the other 80% are glad you have them.

*** Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

*** "I always knew looking back on the tears would make me laugh, but I never knew looking back on the laughs would make me cry."

*** Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt and dance like no one is watching.


*** "Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't."

*** When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us.

*** Live with no excuses and love with no regrets.

*** "You can close your eyes to things you don't
want to see, but you can't close your heart to
the things you don't want to feel."

*** You've got to take the good with the bad, smile with the sad, love what you've got, and remember what you had. Always forgive, but never forget. Learn from mistakes, but never regret.

*** Feelings change - memories don't.

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Manal Raafat

Words that I Liked it

Strong People stand up for themselves.
But Strongest People stand up for others.

Each moment in a day has its own value.
Morning brings HOPE,
Afternoon brings FAITH,
Evening brings LOVE,
Night brings REST,
Hope you will have all of them everyday.

****************

With all the Rose's Perfume
& with all the lights in the world
& with all the children Smiles...
I Wish U that your all dreams comes True..

****************

A birth certificate shows you were born.
A photo album shows you have lived.
A death certificate shows you have died.

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Manal Raafat