Ancient Egypt Memory Game

The jewelry of ancient Egypt can tell us a lot about what was important to ancient Egyptian people. Jewelry like diadems, rings, hairpins, necklaces, earrings, pendants, and bracelets often contained important symbols and images of gods and goddesses. By looking closely at these symbols and images, we are able to discover some of the ideas of the artists who made them, and learn about the hopes and beliefs of the ancient Egyptians who wore the jewelry.

Discover more about seven ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses, and other important symbols by playing the memory game and matching each picture to its description.

You can find out more about ancient Egyptian jewelry by visiting Glencairn Museum's online exhibit on Google Arts and Culture or booking a ticket to visit the Museum and exhibition in-person!

Instructions to make the game: 1. Print the cards on thick, plain paper or cardstock. 2. Cut out each card along the solid outline, and through the middle on the dotted line. 3. Color the images if you like!

Instructions to play the game: 1. You can play this game alone, or with others! 2. Shuffle all the cards and lay them out, face down. 3. Turn over any two cards. If you have found a matching image and description, keep the cards and go again. Keep going until they do not match. Use the answer sheet to check if needed. 4. If the cards do not match, flip them back over. It is the next player's turn. Watch and remember the cards that they flip. 5. The game is over when all the image cards have been matched to their descriptions. The player with the most matches wins!

ISIS OSIRIS Isis, Egypt's most popular The body of Osiris is shown goddess, was worshipped far and wrapped like a mummy. His wide. She was a protective and special crown, called the atef, caring wife for her husband and is adorned with two ostrich a nurturing mother to her child, plumes, horns and protective Horus. As mother to Horus, Isis uraei (rearing cobras.) was also thought of as a mother of the ruling king.

THOTH HORUS The god of wisdom, Thoth can The son of Isis and Osiris, Horus appear as an ibis, a baboon, or an was a god of kingship who is ibis-headed man. He was the usually shown as a man with a patron of scribes and was thought falcon head. to have invented hieroglyphic writing.

TAWERET SEKHMET A goddess with a bizarre A fierce goddess who takes the composite form, Taweret had the form of a lioness-headed woman, head of a hippo, the tail of a Sekhmet was a protective deity crocodile, and the legs of a who could ward off evil. Her lioness. Because she was made of gentle counterpart was the cat all these potentially dangerous goddess, Bastet, a protector of creatures, she had the power to house and home. ward off evil. She protected pregnant women and children.

BES Bes is an unusual looking god. Unlike most other deities, he appears frontally. He is small in stature, usually wears a feathered headdress, and has a fearsome expression. He often holds knives, and was responsible for scaring off evil, but especially protected the house and home. LOTUS FISH Certain flowers were of special Given the importance of the significance to the Egyptians. Nile River, it is not surprising The lotus (or more correctly, that fish imagery is found the water lily) was a symbol of among Egyptian amulets. The rebirth and regeneration. In tilapia was a symbol of some versions of the Egyptian rebirth and regeneration. creation myth, the sun god Fish amulets may also have appeared atop a lotus at the been worn to guard against moment of the creation of the drowning. world.

FLY SA The fly was a popular form The word sa in ancient for amulets. Given as a Egyptian means "protection." reward for brave service in This hieroglyph may represent battle, the fly may have a type of life preserver made represented a wish for of papyrus reeds. It frequently resilience. It is also possible appears in combination with that small fly amulets were images of the goddess worn in the hope of warding Taweret, who protected off pesky attacks from these pregnant mothers and bothersome creatures. children.

DJED WADJ The djed hieroglyph is a word Amulets of papyrus (or wadj) translated as "enduring" or columns were very popular in "stability." Djed pillar amulets ancient Egypt. Papyrus is a first appeared in the late Old riverine plant that thrived in Kingdom (ca. 2350 BCE), and were ancient times. This type of often placed within the wrappings amulet is usually made of a of a mummy to safeguard the material with a greenish color deceased. The symbol came to be that was emblematic of life and connected with the backbone of the potential for rebirth. the god Osiris.

NEFER TYET The word nefer means "happy" Similar in shape to the ankh or "beautiful." The sign depicts hieroglyph, which means "life," an animal's heart and the tyet sign was a symbol of Isis. windpipe. Nefer ornaments are It may have represented a frequently found on broad knotted female garment. This collars and are usually made of amulet is sometimes referred to gold. The word nefer is often as a "Girdle of Isis." Tyet amulets incorporated into ancient are usually fashioned from Egyptian names like Nefertiti, material with a red color. Nefertari, and Neferhotep. WEDJAT CARTOUCHE The wedjat eye, or "eye of Horus," In ancient Egypt a person's represents the eye of that god, name was of particular which had been damaged in a importance, and the battle with his uncle, the god remembrance and recitation Seth. The injured eye, restored by of it after death was a means of magic, became whole primary concern. Royal and healthy again. The word names were offered a special wedjat means "healthy" or sort of protection (and "sound," and this amulet was worn as a wish for protection and identification) by being health. placed inside a cartouche. Ancient Egypt Memory Game Answer Sheet

FISH ISIS Given the importance of the OSIRIS Isis, Egypt's most popular Nile River, it is not surprising The body of Osiris is shown goddess, was worshipped far and that fish imagery is found wrapped like a mummy. His wide. She was a protective and among Egyptian amulets. The special crown, called the atef, caring wife for her husband and tilapia was a symbol of is adorned with two ostrich a nurturing mother to her child, rebirth and regeneration. plumes, horns and protective Horus. As mother to Horus, Isis Fish amulets may also have uraei (rearing cobras.) was also thought of as a mother been worn to guard against of the ruling king. drowning.

SA The word sa in ancient THOTH Egyptian means "protection." HORUS The god of wisdom, Thoth can This hieroglyph may represent The son of Isis and Osiris, Horus appear as an ibis, a baboon, or an a type of life preserver made was a god of kingship who is ibis-headed man. He was the of papyrus reeds. It frequently usually shown as a man with a patron of scribes and was thought appears in combination with falcon head. to have invented hieroglyphic images of the goddess writing. Taweret, who protected pregnant mothers and children.

TAWERET WADJ SEKHMET A goddess with a bizarre Amulets of papyrus (or wadj) A fierce goddess who takes the composite form, Taweret had the columns were very popular in form of a lioness-headed woman, head of a hippo, the tail of a ancient Egypt. Papyrus is a Sekhmet was a protective deity crocodile, and the legs of a riverine plant that thrived in who could ward off evil. Her lioness. Because she was made of ancient times. This type of gentle counterpart was the cat all these potentially dangerous amulet is usually made of a goddess, Bastet, a protector of creatures, she had the power to material with a greenish color house and home. ward off evil. She protected that was emblematic of life and pregnant women and children. the potential for rebirth.

BES LOTUS TYET Bes is an unusual looking god. Certain flowers were of special Similar in shape to the ankh Unlike most other deities, he significance to the Egyptians. hieroglyph, which means "life," appears frontally. He is small The lotus (or more correctly, the tyet sign was a symbol of Isis. in stature, usually wears a the water lily) was a symbol of It may have represented a feathered headdress, and has a rebirth and regeneration. In knotted female garment. This fearsome expression. He often some versions of the Egyptian amulet is sometimes referred to holds knives, and was creation myth, the sun god as a "Girdle of Isis." Tyet amulets appeared atop a lotus at the responsible for scaring off evil, are usually fashioned from moment of the creation of the but especially protected the material with a red color. house and home. world.

FLY NEFER DJED The fly was a popular form The word nefer means "happy" The djed hieroglyph is a word for amulets. Given as a or "beautiful." The sign depicts translated as "enduring" or reward for brave service in an animal's heart and "stability." Djed pillar amulets battle, the fly may have windpipe. Nefer ornaments are first appeared in the late Old represented a wish for frequently found on broad Kingdom (ca. 2350 BCE), and were resilience. It is also possible often placed within the wrappings collars and are usually made of that small fly amulets were of a mummy to safeguard the gold. The word nefer is often worn in the hope of warding deceased. The symbol came to be incorporated into ancient off pesky attacks from these connected with the backbone of Egyptian names like Nefertiti, bothersome creatures. Nefertari, and Neferhotep. the god Osiris.

WEDJAT CARTOUCHE The wedjat eye, or "eye of Horus," In ancient Egypt a person's represents the eye of that god, name was of particular which had been damaged in a importance, and the battle with his uncle, the god remembrance and recitation Seth. The injured eye, restored by of it after death was a means of magic, became whole primary concern. Royal and healthy again. The word names were offered a special wedjat means "healthy" or sort of protection (and "sound," and this amulet was identification) by being worn as a wish for protection and placed inside a cartouche. health.