Branch (hieroglyph)
The ancient Egyptian Branch hieroglyph, also called a Stick, is a member of the trees and plants hieroglyphs. The branch is an Egyptian language biliteral with the value "(kh)t", (khet)-(ḫt); it is an ideogram-(determinative), for wood, tree, and the linear measure (=100 cubits). The hieroglyph is described as a branch without leaves. Iconographic usage. Pharaonic usage. Pharaoh Nectanebo II used the branch hieroglyph for his Nomen name of "Nakhthoreb", "Strong is His Lord, Beloved of Hathor". Pharaoh Nectanebo I's nomen was "Nekhtnebef", "Strong is His Lord." Old Kingdom usage. Two labels are known from the Old  Kingdom showing usage of the "branch hieroglyph", one by Pharaoh Den, one by Semerkhet. The usage on the labels shows the branch hieroglyph in a more archaic form. Rosetta Stone usage of branch--"khet". In the 198 BC, Rosetta Stone the "branch hieroglyph" is used six times, lines R1 combined with N23-(the Nubayrah Stele), R5, R6, R9, R13 and R14. The Rosetta Stone usage of the hieroglyph is somewhat distinctive: Variant forms. One common variant form of the branch hieroglyph is combined with the tree, M1, M1, and M3 in a ligature, Gardiner Aa40, Aa40, (there is also an Aa41 with  the tree). Example words. Ramses II at Abu Simbel. A wall relief inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel shows Ramses II smiting Libyans. Young Ramses in a chariot is shown on the left, bow drawn, charging into Syrian ranks. On the right he is standing over one prone Libyan fighter, and is smiting another with a mace-club in his right hand, while holding the Libyan fighter with his extended left arm. The extensive military scenes are commemorating his military victories, and the hieroglyphic text explains the specifics of the events. Above the clasped Libyan fighter is one column  of text, (out of a series of about 15 columns, variable in height), describing the "victory-buildings", the strongholds that the captives will be confined in. The text explains that Ramses and the Egyptian army went after three groups of rebels, and then confined them. Block statue of Bakenkhonsu. Ramesses II's 1st Order priest Bakenkhonsu, a High Priest of Amun-Ra of the 13th century BC has a nearly undamaged block statue. The statue presents four columns of hieroglyphs on its frontal face, and a horizontal inscription on the plinth. The vertical texts of hieroglyphs cover about fourteen vertical  compositional blocks. (see here ) The first column addresses the gods: Amun-Ra, Tem-(Atum), then Horus, Mut and Khonsu. Column 2 uses the "branch hieroglyph" to state the title he assumes. The sentence starts as follows: