ANT 309 / ARH 409:

Egypt in the Age of the Pyramids

(Predyn.–Second Intermediate Period: 5,000-1550 BC)

Lecture 19: *(non-period specific)

Ancient Egyptian Perspectives

regarding their surrounding world/universe.© Notes & images compiled by Gregory Mumford 2014

Some questions regarding how Ancient Egyptians viewed their universe:

• How did the Anc. Egyptians view their visible world: i.e., landscape & skies?

• What religious & related concepts did they assign to their world’s meaning?

• How did they draw upon things from their known world to explain the unknown?

• How did they conceive, represent & carry out architectural & other ventures?

• How did they represent the world around them in art? i.e., 2-dimensional art.

• How did they portray long distances & spatial relationships to others?

• Did such “guide maps” appear in other aspects of life? i.e., Religion? Afterlife?

• How did they view the heavens? Is there evidence for star-watching?

• How did they view the planets, stars & constellations? The passage of time?

• Did they incorporate var. astronomical features into architectural designs?

• Can one extrapolate astronomical significance from var. ancient structures?

• Can one extrapolate too far? i.e., Exhibiting caution regarding speculations.

• How did Anc. Egyptians incorporate geographical significance in buildings?

• How did royalty and the elite incorporate the cosmos into their tombs?

Summing up some of the major Egyptian concepts regarding time & space.

The Ancient

Egyptian Cosmos:

Perceptions regarding

their immediate

surroundings.

SOUTH =

source of

the Nile

Ancient Egyptian universe:

Top of “maps”/world = SOUTH:

• Today, all official maps place

NORTH at the top of a sheet.

• Anc. Egyptians recognized

that the Nile was their source

of life, civilization, etc.

• The Nile originated from the

(unknown) far SOUTH.

Ancient Egyptian universe:

Sun rose in East & set in West:

• The sun, a visible provider of

life, light, etc., crossed Egypt

E-W by day: sky-voyage of Ra

• The sun re-emerged in the

East, after apparently going

underground from W-E:

Underworld voyage of Ra.

E W“Birth”

&

“Re-birth”

“Death”

&

“Dying

again”Continuous cycle

Dendera Temple: celestial voyage of the sun in solar-boat etc.

Horus

Living King

Deceased King

Osiris

EAST

Re-birth

WEST

Death

Solar day

Solar night

Heavens: Re.

Underworld: Osiris.

Abstract depiction of the 4 pillars of the earth & heavens:

Pt = heavens (blue sky = river)

Ta = earth

=

W3s-sceptre

Two items really representing 4 pillars,

which are shown in some representations

Heliopolitan Creation Myth:Anthropomorphising the main elements composing the world:

Nut = sky-goddess; Geb = ground; Shu = air-god; Tefnut = moisture

The Sky

(“heavens”)

= also shown

as the

Heavenly

cow-deity:

HATHOR

Stars & constellations

RIGHT (Rays)

Eye of Horus

= the Sun

(also = Re)

LEFT (Lunar)

Eye of Horus

= the Moon

(also = Khonsu)

Celestial bodies: “Sun” & “Moon” often = Eyes of Horus

Nature: other aspects of duality ...

• The Ancient Egyptians (& others)

observed various opposing / dual

aspects in their specific and

overall environment:

• They transferred such concepts

into all aspects of their culture

Black land vs. Red land

(Kemet) (Deshret)

i.e., fertile silt i.e., sterile desert

East (life/rebirth) West (Death)

North (LE) South (UE)

Heavens Earth

Order (maat) Chaos (isfet)

Summer (low Nile) Winter (High Nile)

Other elements of duality pervaded the Ancient Egyptian universe/world.

Duality and the unification of the

Two Lands (Upper & Lower Egypt):

• Windpipe and lungs symbol for the

verb sm3 “to unite”

• Two figures symbolizing North & South

using a stem from

(a) the emblematic plant of

Lower Egypt (North; Delta)

= papyrus plant

(b) the emblematic plant of

Upper Egypt (South; Nile Valley)

= sedge plant

to bind together symbolically the

Two Lands.

• The message provided is that the

“Two Lands” are indeed distinct,

but are joined together as ONE

via the living Horus: i.e., pharaoh.

The world beyond Egypt contained Isfet (chaos), the enemy of Maat (order):

i.e., Egypt’s traditional enemies stereotyped as bound prisoners (nullified).

Libyan Nubian Asiatic Shasu-Bedu Hittite

Another concept = regarding the four cardinal points of the universe

= represent main foreigners outside Egypt (king fires arrows at Sed-festival)

Anc. Egyptian

Planning:

Architectural plans and

models for constructing

diverse buildings

New Kingdom stone slab (ostracon) bearing a ground plan for royal tomb R-9

Planning: Spatial layout & conventions for planning a rock-cut structure …

Top plan of Ramesses IX’s unfinished tomb: i.e., burial chamber finished quickly.

Planning: Spatial layout & conventions for planning a rock-cut structure …

Papyrus plan

Top plan of Ramesses IV’s tomb

Ramesses IV’s tomb

A series of nested gilded shrines are attested in

- Tutankhamun’s tomb: i.e., physical remains.

- Ramesses IV’s tomb: i.e., papyrus plan.

- Thutmose IV and other NK rulers likely had them.

Plan layout of

4 nested shrines

and a frame canopy

Tut

Planning: Builder’s? model for a monumental gateway of Sety I: reconstr.

Mapping

human figures:

• In Egyptian art,

major figures

(deities, kings, &

tomb owners) are

laid out according

to more rigid

conventions:

• i.e., a Canon of

proportions.

• The 18-square

grid is used most

commonly for

figures, but earlier

and later periods

exhibit other

systems.

i.e., O.K. has less

formal guidelines

Techniques in Painting,

Relief work, & Statuary:Walls & Statuary:

• Preparation of wall-face or block

using guide-lines / squared grids.

- Square = proportional to a fist

- Usually for major figures.

• Initial outline of figure in red

• Correction of master artist in black

Anc. Egyptian

Portrayal of structures:

Conventions for

showing structural

profiles and interiors.

Portraying buildings: 3-D model may appear as a profile in 2-D

2-dimensional renditions: normally combined top & side views

i.e., Portraying the most recognizable features

2-dimensional renditions: normally combined top & side views

Symbolism of colour in gylphs:

Many hieroglyphs represented an

item from life, which was associated

with a colour.

E.g., Green = baskets, vegetation,

E.g., Red = wood, male skin colour

E.g., Yellow = linen, pale animals

E.g., Blue = water, sky, etc.

Placement of colour as background:

E.g., N.K. king’s burial chamber was

called “the house of gold” in the

New Kingdom.

It is often painted with a gold

background.

Terra Nova:

guide maps to

peripheral

regions:

New Kingdom: 1550-1069 BC

• Turin Papyrus mining map

of Wadi Hammamat in the

reign of Ramesses IV.

• From Dr. el-Medineh tomb

(Drovetti find: 1814-1821)

• The map has many notes,

including a shrine: “Amun

of the Pure Mountains.”

• It appears to show a 15 km

portion of Wadi Hammamat

• Map top oriented SOUTH

• Scale 1 cm = 50 - 100 m

(cartographer Amenakhte?)

Amun shrine

Sety I stela

Gold mining

settlement

Well

Mountain with quartz veins & gold

Road to

sea

Road to

sea

Main route through Wadi Hammamat (from Nile Valley)

New Kingdom military:

Papyrus Anastasi I (Late Dyn.19):

Hori continues to the royal command-

writing scribe of the army, Amenemope:

Outlining the knowledge required of

a true soldier-scribe:

• “You have not journeyed to the land

of Khatti (Syria-Anatolia) nor have you

visited the land of Upe (Syria).

As for Khadum (Qedem), you do [not]

know its topography, nor that of

Yagadiya either.

What is the Simya of Sesi, l.p.h., like?

In which direction from it lies the city

of Aleppo?

What is its river like? …”

Etc.

Pp.98-110 in Wente, 1990. Letters from Ancient Egypt.

New Kingdom,

Dyn.20, Ramesses II:

Depiction of the city

& environs of Kadesh

during Ramesses II

battle against Hittites.

Ca. 1300 BCE.

New Kingdom military camp – in hostile territory whilst on campaign.

Dynasty 19, year 5 of Ramesses II (early 13th cent. BCE)

Oxen for wagons

Unloading draught animals

R.II’s pet lion

Perimeter wall (shields?)

Egyptians interrogating captured Hittites

Ramesses II

campaign tent

Officers’

tents

Wagons?

Terra Incognita:

guide maps to

the Afterlife:i.e., Guide maps to aid deceased in navigating new terrain.

Middle Kingdom coffin: -Guide to Netherworld at base of coffin (2 Ways)

(early MK late MK decline) -Coffin Texts along lower part of coffin sides

-Frieze of objects along upper part of coffin sides

MK COFFIN TEXTS: Book of the Two Ways (2 versions = earliest cosmography)

• Found on coffins of nomarchs & high officials in Hare nome (Middle Egypt)

• Related knowledge for dead to navigate successfully through Netherworld

• Texts directed to Dead, with guide map, assisting in orientation & travel.

(1) Begins at sunrise (eastern horizon) journeying through day

(2) Dangers: Circle of fire (“fiery court”) surrounding sun

Threatening guardians at gates

Obstacles such as walls of darkness & flame, Apophis

Labyrinth/maze of paths

(3) Objectives: Region of Rosetau at the boundary of the sky (holding Osiris)

(i.e., whoever gazes upon the deceased Osiris cannot die)

Field of Offerings/Reeds (paradise of plenty)

Plurality of skies

Middle Kingdom Book of Two Ways: guide map to navigating through the Underworld

to attain one’s destination(s) safely using various spells to bypass diverse hazards.

New Kingdom Book of the Dead: papyrus overview map to the “Field of Reeds.”

Burial chamber: Map of deceased couple depicted in netherworld scenes,Field of Reeds

(Iaru): harvesting grain for food and harvesting flax for linen clothing.

Astronomy:installations

for observing

the heavens.

Nabta Playa: Early Neolithic “calendar circle” (6000 BP / 4000 BC +/- 60 yrs)

• 4 pairs of larger stones an alignment 70 degrees East of North

• = sunrise at summer solstice in 4000 BC.

• Is this reconstruction plausible? or coincidental?

Sothic calendar poss. in Dyn.1:

• A Dyn.1 ivory docket of King Djer

bears a writing that might represent

an early appearance of Sothic calendar:

- Cow Sek-hathor = Sothis/Sopdet (Sirius)

- A Shu-feather symbol between horns

- An Akhet-sign below

“Opening of the year” (i.e., New Year).

i.e., Beginning of Sothic cycle (July 19).

Dendera Temple: Ptolemaic-Roman roof-top Hathor chapel for star-watchers.

Astronomy:Charting the

planets, stars,

& constellations

MOON: Astronomical mapping and observations.

The Egyptians had a lunar calendar which yielded a 354-day lunar year.

Each lunar month is actually closer to 29½ days in length (roughly 30 days)

The lunar calendar was used for temple feast days and related rituals.

MOON: Charting the lunar cycle.

• The lunar cycle displays 12 shorter

lunar months within the lunar year

(354 days): 29 ½ day months.

• The Egyptians designated the var.

phases of the moon:

(a). Invisibility (black moon) Feast

i.e., = New Moon

(c). 1st quarter (feast of 6th day)

(e). Full moon (Feast of 15th day)

(g). Last quarter (feast of …)

(a). Invisibility (black moon) Feast

i.e., New Moon.

• Each day of the ascendant moon is

represented by a step in a 14-step

stairway with a deity per steps rising

to the Full Moon disk (Sound Eye):

the Eye of Horus healed by Thoth.

• The waning moon is equated with

deity Osiris (less commonly noted).

Ptolemaic Temple of Dendera: ascendant phases of moon

Tomb of Sety I: two clusters of lunar deities converging.

PLANETS: Other astronomical mapping and observations.

The Egyptians noticed 5 planets: Mercury, Venus * Mars, Jupiter & Saturn

Egyptian astronomers noticed 5 planets:

• The planets are designated by the same word

as stars, namely sb3 …

• However, the planets are known to be different

from stars via their movements within the sky

and are isolated accordingly (in depictions):

- internal (planets)

- external (planets).

SebegBenw Hor akhty“the W star which

crosses the sky.”Southern

Star

Gliding civil / solar calendar:• The Egyptian 365-day year = subdivided

into 3 seasons (following the three sets

of 120-day visible decans); also lunar!

(a). Flood season: 120 days

(b). Growing season: 120 days

(c). Harvest season: 120 days

• These three seasons are subdivided

into four months each of 30 days:

1. 1st month of flooding: July

2. 2nd month of flooding: Aug.

3. 3rd month of flooding: Sept.

4. 4th month of flooding: Oct.

5. 1st month of growing (winter): Nov.

6. 2nd month of growing (winter): Dec.

7. 3rd month of growing (winter): Jan.

8. 4th month of growing (winter): Feb.

9. 1st month of harvest (summer): March

10. 2nd month of harvest (summer) April

11. 3rd month of harvest (summer): May

12. 4th month of harvest (summer): June

• 5 external days = placed at end of year

An “imperfect”(?) calendar:Disadvantage of solar calendar:

• The Egyptian solar civil calendar

of 365 days had the disadvantage

that it lost a ¼ day each year.

• This meant losing one day every

four years with the seasons slowly

shifting out of sequence.

• Maximum discrepancy occurred

in 730 years, after which the civil

calendar slowly returned to normal

over the next 730 years: 1,460 years.

• In 3,500+ years of history, such

things were definitely noticed.

• However, the Egyptians had already

found an accurate alternate calendar

accurate to 365¼ days, poss. By Dyn.1

• Hence, the mobile nature of the solar

calendar was recognized early, but =

purposefully retained (by decree!).Sothic calendar (a decanal star)

The 36 decans:

E.g., Tomb ceiling of Sety I

Depicting and naming each of the 36 decans (stars)

including the forms of the deities each represent.

Map of the 36

decanal stars:

Tomb ceiling of

Senmut(mid-Dynasty 18)

Mapping the stars:Dyn.18: Senmut “star chart” of constellations

Sopdet (left) & Orion (right) in celestial boats

Orion

Mapping the stars:Middle Kingdom “star chart” of constellations with Sopdet (left) and Orion (right)

Sirius is sometimes labeled Isis Sopdet; Orion-Osiris wears a triple star-crown.

Sopdet (Sirius) & Orion; actual chart of these constellations.

Finding Sirius & sothic year:

•Sothic calendar in essence

revolves around the annual

re-appearance of exceptionally

bright dog star Sirius (Egyptian

Sopdet):

• prt špdt = the “coming out of

Sopdet” marking New Year

(during summer solstice).

• It re-appears in Egypt consistently

at the advent of the Nile flood

(around July 19/20), presumably

being sighted from the same latitude

(just before dawn):

• its actual heliacal rise is not really

visible to the naked eye for a while:

i.e., sun’s radiance obscures visibility.

NEED only observe its rising ea. year!

Finding Sirius & sothic year:

• As the year progresses,

Sirius becomes visible earlier

& earlier throughout the night,

until it disappears once again

about 120 days later (1 season):

• It stays in a “one” hour slot

for 10 days before moving to

an earlier hour slot, and so

forth over the course of 12

“night”-hours.

• It forms one of 36 decans,

each of which are visible in

three clusters of 12 for the

three 4-month seasons

of the year. Night hour-12

(10 days)

Night hour-11

(10 days)

Problems in recon. Ancient dates:

• Presumably the Sothic sightings were

taken at a set latitude (Elephantine?),

since the date of Sirius’ rising will vary

by one day per 1 degree latitude,

= a difference of 4-7 days from S-N.

E.g., T-III temple of Satet at Elephantine

Satet assimilates with Sopdet

Map of the sequence of 12 decanal stars through one night:36 decans progress through a 360-day year (5 epagomenal days = external)

Decan = 60 minutes re: earth rotation gave rise to 24-hour clock.

By-product of star charts: Egyptian time-keeping water clock:Karnak Temple water clock dating to Amenhotep III (late Dyn.18; 14th cent. BC).

The oldest known clepsydrae (water clocks): Unequal nights equal 12 hours.

By-product of astronomy: Egyptian time-keeping shadow clockA shadow clock designed for northern Egypt: hours 1-6 indicated for daytime.

(such clocks had different month-settings to accommodate celestial changes).

Finding Sirius & sothic year:• The advantage of using Sopdet

(the dog-star Sirius) in a calendar

is that its annual cycle is precisely

365.2500 mean days.

• Other decanal stars = 365.2563.

• Hence, Sopdet (Sothis/Sirius) very

closely matches the real solar

tropical year: 365.242192643 days.

(rounded off to 365.2422).

Why didn’t they adjust the civil yr?

• Classical authors note an Egyptian

decree forbade an adjustment to the

civil/solar calendar: i.e.,the Egyptians

knew it was out by a ¼ year.

• It is possible the Anc. Egyptians felt

they shouldn’t correct a divine system,

but instead worked within it: …

- Using 29½ lunar month calendar

- Using solar calendar (with decans)

Translating

concepts into

architecture:Aligning, designing, & adorning

various structures with diverse

and spatially significant features.

OLD KINGDOM: Laying out the

base of the royal pyramid:

- Old Kingdom pyramids = aligned

exceedingly accurately with each

face towards a main bearing:

North, East, South, West.

i.e., Less than 1/15 of 1 degree

off: 0.19% error.

- The north side and entryway aimed

at True North (& circumpolar stars):

- Possibly established via taking

astronomical sightings:

I. E. S. Edwards suggests that

the halfway point observed

between rising & setting stars

would have obtained this direction.

- Other ideas include solar sightings:

LP “the shadow” & “stride of Ra”

i.e., sun rises & sets perpendicular

to True North: used gnomon pole?

OLD KINGDOM: Aligning the pyramid entry

and sides to True North• Circumpolar stars (“the imperishable ones”)

• Techniques for establishing “true north”

Main destination

for deceased

king.

Determin

-ative for

pyramid

Dyn.2 image

of Benu-bird

TRANSITION IN BELIEFS:

Symbolic & functional in

engineering rebirth:

Late Dyn.5 – Dyn. 8:

Pyramid Texts:

The king ascends to the

heavens/sky using steps,

a ladder, sun’s rays, etc.

OK = yellow

wagtail

Later = heron

DYN.4+

pyramids

Charting

underlying

significance

in architecture:

Dyn.11: Montuhotep III

• Two diff. phases of temple

construction = aligned with

the heliac rising of Sirius

*(coincides with Nile Flood):

• Astronomer Maria Firneis

(Univ. Observatory Vienna)

calculated its rise at Thebes:

- 3000 BC: July 11 at Thebes

- 2000 BC: 2 deg. 17’ shift to

north.

Explains shift in temple.

Dyn.19: Ramesses II.

Abu Simbel:

-Year 24: two rock-cut temples at

Abu Simbel (70 km. N of 2nd Ct).

- Great Temple (royal cult)

a. R-II as a deity

b. Amun

c. Re-Horakhty

d. Ptah (actually not struck by sun)

- Temple oriented to the sun,

allowing sun's rays to strike

inner 4 statues (60 m inside)

on the equinox: Feb.22; Oct.22.

Stretching

the point:

Less convincing

to more bizarre theories

Deriving meaning: did the Giza pyramids replicate the “belt of Orion”

One step too many? i.e., finding significance where it may not/cannot exist.

i.e., Pyramids built by 3 kings over several decades with other kings in-between.

Other symbolic

geographic elements

within typical MK+

Egyptian temples:Replicating aspects of the

cosmos within Egyptian temples

(i.e., sympathetic magic)

EGYPTIAN CREATION MYTHS :

• Many different creation myths

and variants within and between

different cult centres through time:

• Different cities claim to be site of

primordial mound.

• Priestly syncretization of different myths

reveals a belief in their symbolism

rather than a literal meaning.

• Over time they admitted the existence

of multiple divine beings, but attempted

to explain the act of creation via

a single creative force or divinity.

• Their observations & creation myths revealed

a. An underlying “order” in the universe

b. Continuity (nat. cycle) in the universe

c. A balance between “order” & “chaos”

d. Optimism regarding maat vs. isfet Primordial mound

Heliopolis

Memphis

ThebesCoptos

Amarna

Hermopolis

Early links between a Creation Myth (“the primordial mound”)

and augmenting rebirth in the afterlife via symbolic architecture.

Arms of Geb (earth deity)

and Horus (kingship deity)

lifting up & supporting mound

Lotus, = “rebirth”

Horus falcon (kingship deity)

perched on lotus.

Maat-feather of truth

(symbolizing order in universe)

IMAGE: Dyn.25 King Taharqa: NK rites of the

mound of Jemme = creation myth.

primordial mound

Thebes as the place of creation:Dynasty 19 text (temp. Ramesses II)

“Thebes is normal beyond every other city.

The water and land were in her

from the first times.

(Then) sand came to delimit the fields

and to create her ground on the hillock;

thus earth came into being.

Then men came into being in her,

to found every city with her real name,

for their name is called “city” (only) under

the oversight of Thebes, the Eye of Re.

…

“How rich she is,” they say about her,

“in her name of Thebes!”

…

“Every other city is under (her) shadow,

To magnify themselves through Thebes.

She is the norm.”

Thebes

Egyptian Temples:

Egyptian gods and their cults

• Triad -Amun-Re (chief deity)

-Mut (wife)

-Khonsu (offspring)

Montu

Theban war-god

MK - *New Kingdom temples (with continuity into Greco-Roman period):

• Now kings focusing on being patrons for building cult temples (esp. stone)

• “Standard plan” appears (Thebes): Pylon, courtyard, hypostyle hall, sanctuary.

• BUT, many variants, and far fewer NK temples survive in northern Egypt.

• Decoration in each chamber reflects function: e.g., treasury; sanctuary, etc.

• King provides bulk wealth to Amun-Re: syncretism of “hidden one” & solar deity

Pylon

Courtyard

Hypostyle hall:

(raised centre

columns) Sanctuary

Ground rises & ceiling lowers towards sanctuary:

i.e., represents primordial mound & increasing mystery

Egyptian Temples:

Landing “quay”

-Most important entry:

(T-shaped; large ships).

- Placement of cult statues

to greet & observe other

deities traversing Nile.

- Quays accommodated

low-high floods (4 m)

- Visit/return of cult images

- Public area (e.g., oracles)

Egyptian Temples:

Enclosure walls.

a. separate divine from non-divine

b. protection from civil war/invasion

-Mud brick walls, beams, matting.

-Early NK word sebty for walls

around towns and temples.

-Temple walls up to 10 m wide

-Often crenellated battlements &

stone gateways.

-Sometimes bastions/towers.

-Brick courses in concave &

convex sections a wave-like

pattern (primordial waters of

chaos mound of life).

-During high floods, the temple

re-enacted creation myth with

temple rising from waters of chaos.

Egyptian Temples:

Obelisks.

- Solar cult symbol

(benben stone)

- Sometimes singly along

temple axis

- Often in pairs flanking

pylon entryways

- Gifts to gods

commemorating:

a. royal festivals

b. military victories

c. other major events

- Pyramidion gilded to

catch the sun's rays

at dawn and sunset.

- Middle Kingdom+

examples are known

Egyptian

Temples

Pylon entry.

East – West axis

Sun appears

between pylon

“horizon” symbol

Entry pylon symbolism in decoration. • king smites foes victory of Maat (order) over chaos

Temple entry guarded from evil by the king.

Egyptian Temples: The Cosmic Role of the king.• Themes: King maintaining Maat - Smiting enemies (chaos)

- Hunting hippopotamus (chaos)

- King & gods netting wild birds (chaos)

White Crown

(Upper Egypt)

Red Crown

(Lower Egypt)

“South”

Emblematic plant of UE“North”

Emblematic plant of LE

WEST

EAST

AXIS

Nekhbet

(Desert vulture)

Wadjet

(Delta cobra)

SOUTH SIDE NORTH SIDE

Egyptian Temples:

Outer Courts.

• Interface between outer

public area and inner

sacred chambers.

• Public access to outer

courtyard only on various

occasions & festivals.

• Egyptian glyph rekhyt

designating public area

(Ptolemaic: “court of the

multitudes”)

• Special areas for public

worship & communication

with deities.

Egyptian Temples: The Outer Courts / Forecourt (“Court of the People”).

Private KA spirit-statues:

• memorial for deceased

• Allows deceased to participate

in rituals (LINKS TO BEYOND)

• Texts request people to say

the deceased’s name and

recite offering formula on

his/her behalf.

• Received magical reversion

of offerings.

• NK+ statues of men (< women)

• Made to be unobtrusive and

humble.

• Traces of piety? (touching)

Sacred & secular space

Egyptian Temples: Doorways/Barriers.

• Protect inner sacred areas: signage restricting entry

• Symbolic thresholds in progression of rituals.

• Some metals doors; other wooden doors

• Names: “The doorway Menkheperre, Amun-great-of

-strength, whom-the-people-praise”

ARCHITECTURE: Symbolism in temple interior.

Hypostyle columned hall

• Symbolizing marsh and plants

• Column capitals = aquatic plants

Column bases = base of plants.

• Architraves & ceiling portray stars

• Lowest register (dado) portrays aquatic

plants around room.

• Wall scenes: -king making offerings

to deities/deity

-King participating in

various rituals.

-King’s offering bearers

bringing produce

• Raised floor level = mound of creation

• Nile flood waters entered halls,

recreating creation myth each year.

Clerestory lighting

• Flowering higher columns light

• Closed budded columns lower down

Egyptian Temples: Stairs.

• In pylons and within temples.

• E.g., Dendera Temple: for the New

Year festival the image of Hathor

is taken to the roof top to await

the first sunrise “uniting with the

sun”

• Scenes of processions leading up

the stairs.

• Priestly star watch in night hours.

Egyptian Temples:

Barque chapel.

• Room near sanctuary

• Sanctuary with shrine

for the barque.

• Depictions of sun-god

traversing sky in boat

“Primordial

mound”

Egyptian Temples:

Sanctuary and shrine.

• At the back of the main axis

• Shrine (naos) built of hard stone with

bronze or gold plated doors

• Each shrine bore its own name

e.g., “favourite of the god”

• Sanctuary restricted to king and

the highest ranking priests.

• Strict purification rituals required

before entering temple (“heaven

on earth”)

• Cult images of different materials,

sizes and forms.

Egyptian Temples: Architectural

microcosm of the universe/cosmos.

mound

of creation

(& re-birth)i.e., guaranteeing continuity of universe

Egyptian Temples:

Barque chapels and

barque processions.

• Public festivals, etc.,

in which barque = carried

on shoulders of priests

• Public oracles to receive

judgements of deities

*”yes” and “no” answers)

• Barque moves / nods to

indicate response.

• Usually no appeal once

verdict is given, but a

second opinion can be

obtained from another

deity.

SACRED SECULAR SPACE

Egyptian Temples: Sacred lakes.• Found in most temples: rectangular, stone-lined with stairway access.

• Water filled via local water table (varies throughout the year)

• Provided with names

• Function: water supply for rituals & offerings; bathing place for priests at dawn

• Symbolism: birth place of sun-god who arose from primordial waters

Karnak Temple, geese (manifestation of Amun) swim in Lake.

Egyptian Temples: Nilometers.

• Built to measure annual Nile flood

levels and predict crop yields.

• E.g., Elephantine.

• Note: many wells are mislabelled

“Nilometers”

Daily ritual repulsing Apophis

(= chaos) in Karnak temple:

• 310 BC text written in language

resembling Old Kingdom:

Title:

“The beginning of the Book of

overthrowing Apophis,

the enemy of Re and the enemy

of King Wen-nofer (Osiris),

l.p.h., the justified,

performed in the course of every day

in the Temple of Amon-Re,

Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands,

presiding over Karnak.”

NB: Patron-kings & temple ensuring the

daily triumph of “order” over “chaos”

and continuation of the universe ...

Dyn.18: Amenhotep II’s tomb

D.18: T.III tomb

Bastet

SAFE-GUARDING

THE COSMOS

IN DEATH:The continuing role

of the king in death:

i.e., guardian of Egypt

Amenhotep II: Amduat: Hour-2 fleet fields

Hour

1:

ROYAL NK Book of Amduat:

• Sun-god’s journey through

12 hours of night sunsetrise

Death UnderworldRebirth

• King accompanies sun-god

• Osiris = passive role

• King’s corpse united with Ba

(“soul”) of sun-god in hour-6/7

HOUR-1:

• Sun-god (Ram-headed Ba

soul) enters Underworld, hr.1

• Solar baboons & goddesses

welcome solar bark

• This stage initiates an ordering

& revealing of the unknown

HOUR-2:

• Start of actual Underworld

• Land of plenty & watery realm

(Wernes)

Thutmose III: Amduat: Hour-5 cave of Sokar

Amduat: Hour-6: King = resurrected! midnight = danger point (Apophis!!!)

ROYAL NK Book of Amduat:

HOUR-5:

• The registers intersect

• This embodies “The West”

• It has all the main elements

of the land of the dead

(including primeval water).

• Grave of Osiris; Cave of

Sokar; Lake of punishment.

HOUR-6: (important)

• Depth of Netherworld (Nun)

• Re & Osiris unite as Ba &

corpse at climax of journey

• Kings of UE-LE & resurrection

Thutmose III: Amduat: Hour-11 (punishment)

Thutmose III: Amduat: Hour-12 (rebirthdawn

ROYAL NK Book of Amduat:

HOUR-11:

• Preparations for sunrise

• Snake “World-encircler” near

the bark’s prow.

• Enemies being burnt in upper

register, removing any evil

that might prevent rebirth.

HOUR-12:

• Rebirth of sun in 12th hour

• Repetition of the original

creation = primeval deities are

present.

• Large number of figures

emphasize the event’s gravity.

• Backward direction symbolizes

reversal of time

• Old/frail entering snake’s tail

emerge as newborn babes

• Shu waiting to lift sun sky

• Osiris & dead stay behind

• Apophis = repelled 1 last time

OTHER EXPRESSIONS

OF THE COSMOS

IN DEATH:The role of private tombs

(“House of eternity”) in

Egypt’s sacred landscape

“Cosmos” of

the governor

Khnumhotep

Replicated on

his tomb

walls at

Beni Hasan

FIP – MK+ religion:

Three concepts of eternity:

1. Kings (royalty):

• Later building pyramids again

in Dynasties 12-17

• Return to concept of joining

deities in the heavens.

2. Middle-Upper classes:

• Adopting Old Kingdom royal

funerary beliefs heavens!

• Building better tombs and

furnishings

3. Poorer classes:

• Aspired simply to cultivate land

plots in the Field of Reeds for

eternity (= base expectation).

Democratization of religion:

ALL can be resurrected & join Osiris

FIP – MK religion:

• Democratization of religion and

funerary beliefs and practices.

• New focus on the Osiris cult

• Now aimed at individuals attaining

an afterlife independent from king.

(i.e., elite, middle class, & poor).

• People no longer relied on the king’s

beneficences for the afterlife

(i.e., the tomb & its furnishings)

• Everyone could now have an afterlife

OSIRIS:

• Originally a vegetation deity

• Linked with annual cycle of planting

(insemination), growth (gestation),

harvest dry season (birth death)

• Associated with fertility & giving life

• Became deceased king of Underworld

(“Field of Reeds”)

FIP – MK religion:

OSIRIS (continued):

• Usually depicted as a bandaged

mummiform figure with royal

insignia: crook, flail, divine beard

• Becomes a divine judge

• Symbol of victory of good over

evil.

• He had emerged reborn successfully

after death belief that he therefore

help others be reborn successfully.

• Osiris became accessible to everyone

after the Old Kingdom collapsed.

• Only real requirement to enter the

Field of Reeds = moral fitness.

i.e., Judgement Hall concept emerges

in FIP (post Old Kingdom)

FIP – MK religion:

OSIRIS (continued):

• Usually depicted as a bandaged

mummiform figure with royal

insignia: crook, flail, divine beard

• Becomes a divine judge

• Symbol of victory of good over

evil.

• He had emerged reborn successfully

after death belief that he therefore

help others be reborn successfully.

• Osiris became accessible to everyone

after the Old Kingdom collapsed.

• Only real requirement to enter the

Field of Reeds = moral fitness.

i.e., Judgement Hall concept emerges

in FIP (post Old Kingdom)Concept of judgement hall emerges

i.e., live righteously to enter afterlife

FIP – MK+ religion:

Field of Reeds (Underworld):

• Below the Western Horizon,

on a cluster of islands.

• Resembled Egypt in life, but

lacked any hostile elements

(disease; inimical beings)

• Fertile land

• Warm climate

• Dead received plots to cultivate

• Middle to Upper Classes aimed

for a better style of living, like

in their lifetimes:

i.e., furnishing tombs with items

desired for afterlife

• BUT, still needed to house and to

provision the ka-spirit in the tomb.

• Funerary equipment for both the

tomb & afterlife.

New Kingdom

example

MK: Beni Hasan rock-cut tombs

Middle Kingdom: Pilgrimage to Abydos in the afterlife.

• Many of the builders of chapels at Abydos, actually resided, died, and were buried

elsewhere in Egypt.

• Cenotaph shrines of diverse social strata allowed deceased to partake in Osiris cult

festivities for perpetuity.

Rise of the cult of Osiris (at Abydos)

Sacred pilgrimage to Abydos (in life / afterlife)

“Democratization” of religion

(i.e., royal Pyramid Texts private coffins)

Dyn.11 Tomb of Meketre (Thebes)

Back to

the Ancient

Egyptian Cosmos:

Perceptions regarding

their immediate

surroundings.

Horus

Living King

Deceased King

Osiris

EAST

Re-birth

WEST

Death

Solar day

Solar night

Heavens: Re.

Underworld: Osiris.