Isabel

=Egyptian Society during the Ramesside period, Dynasties XIX and XX =

- Syllabus Content -  Map - Pharaohs - Past Questions - Oral Presentations -

Oral Presentation by Isabel
4.1 gods, goddesses, cults and priesthoods: Amun, Re, Ptah, Osiris __Amun-Re__:

// Chapter 200

1 200th Chapter. Secret of manifestations and sparkling of shape. Marvellous God, rich in forms. All gods boast of Him, 5 to magnify **(1)** themselves in His beauty, to the extent of His Divinity. Re himself is united with His body. He is the great one in Heliopolis. He is called Tatenen. Amun, who comes out of the Nun, to guide the peoples **(2)**.

10 Another of His forms are the Eight, primeval one of the primeval ones, begetter of Re. He completed himself as Atum, being of one body with him. He is the Universal Lord, who initiated that which exists.

His Soul **(3)**, they say, is the one who is in the sky. 15 He is the one who is in the netherworld, foremost of the East. His Soul is in the sky, His body in the West. His statue is in southern Heliopolis, elevating His body **(4)**.

One is Amun, who keeps Himself concealed from them, who hides Himself from the gods, no one knowing His nature. 20 He is more remote than the sky, He is deeper than the netherworld.

None of the gods knows His true form. His image is not unfolded in the papyrus rolls. Nothing certain is testified about Him.

25 He is too secretive for His Majesty to be revealed, He is too great to be enquired after, too powerful to be known.

People immediately fall face to face into death when His Name is uttered knowingly or unknowingly. There is no god able to invoke Him by it. He is Soul-like, hidden of name, like His Secrecy. // __ Hymns to Amun __, Papyrus Leiden I 350, chapter 200, ca.1213 BCE (end of the reign of Ramesses II)


 * Leiden Hymns promote Amun-Re's divinity and portray him as the first and chief god of ancient Egyptian religion.
 * The Leiden Hymns were discovered in an unmarked tomb during the reign of Amenhotep III.
 * They were transcribed and edited by historian A.H. Gardiner and were presumably originally written by members of the Priesthood of Amun.
 * Evidence of his worship through length of the Hymns (reaching 300 chapters), evidence of his worship as the Sun God, "You circle the Earth in an instant" and as the 'first god', "All other gods came after".
 * Large statue (2.2m tall) made of dark diorite portraying the god Amun-Re protecting the Pharaoh.
 * Found in the Great Temple of Amun in Karnak in 1857, now in the Louvre.
 * Artist unknown.
 * Source shows how important Amun-Re was to the Egyptians as he is portrayed 3 times the size of the Pharaoh even whilst seated. Provides evidence for his worship. Is also evidence as it confirms the restoration of the worship of Amun-Re as chief god after pharaoh Akhenaten introduced the worship of Aten.


 * Round topped, limestone stele, 67cm tall. Depicts a character called Nakhy, adoring both the gods of the Afterlife, Osiris and Anubis. Most likely discussing his passage into the Afterlife, singing the gods praises and giving offerings (as can be seen on the table).
 * Found in the chapel of May in Deir el-Medina. Now in the Egyptian Museum in Turin.
 * Artist unknown.
 * Evidence that Osiris was worshipped as the dead king (depicted in death scenes and the wearing of the crown of Upper Egypt) and that people other than the pharaoh were associated with him in death and the afterlife.
 * Book of the Dead (Chapter CLVI) "The judgement of the dead in the presence of Osiris" or the 'Weighing of the Heart'. Osiris watches as Anubis leads the deceased into the judgement area and weighs his heart against the feather of Ma'at.
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Unknown where it was found. Now in the Luxor Museum.
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Artist unknown.
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Again evidence of Osiris being worshipped as the god of the afterlife (besides Anubis). Where he is positioned in the image is also shows the high regard in which he was held and his importance. Shows the connection between divinity and royalty as he wears the crown of Upper Egypt and carries the crook and flail.


 * Small statue of Isis nursing her son Horus.
 * Found in an unknown tomb, now in the Louvre.
 * Artist unknown
 * Source provides evidence for the worship and celebration of Isis as a maternal figure and protector.


 * Statue of Isis nursing Horus. She wears the fertility necklace and royal headdress and crown. Horus also wears the crown.
 * Found in an unknown tomb, now in the Louvre.
 * Artist unknown.
 * Evidence for worship of Isis as maternal figure, protector and goddess of fertility (fertility necklace). Wearing of royal headdress can also be considered proof of her importance in Egyptian society.

__Book of the Dead__: //Chapter CLVI// The words of the Chapter were: --
 * Copper alloy (bronze) statuette of Isis nursing Horus (27.4cm). Isis again wears the fertility necklace. Both Isis and Horus wear royal crowns/headdresses. Isis also wear the headdress (horned sun disc) of the goddess Hathor.
 * Found in unknown tomb in the 1800's. Sold to the Louvre in 1860.
 * Artist unknown.
 * Evidence for worship of Isis as maternal figure, protector and goddess of fertility (fertility necklace). Wearing of royal headdress can also be considered proof of her importance in Egyptian society. Headdress of goddess Hathor is also evidence of Isis being worshipped as a goddess of fertility and of being commonly associated with Hathor herself.

"Let the blood of Isis, and the magical powers (or spirits) of Isis, and the words of power of Isis, be mighty to protect and keep safely this great god (i.e., the deceased), and to guard him from him that would do unto him anything which he abominateth” <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">
 * This chapter of the Book of the Dead contains spells used to provide the dead with the protection and magical power of Isis.
 * Found in the Papyrus of Ani, it was purchased in 1888 by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge for the collection of the British Museum where it lives today.
 * Author unknown. Individual for each version.
 * Evidence of <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Isis worshipped as the protector and the patron of magic as she provides safe passage and security for the deceased.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">
 * A scene from the Book of the Dead. Also known as the 'Weighing of the Heart', reads from left to right. Anubis brings the dead man into the judgment area where his heart is weighed against the feather of Ma’at. Anubis then watches the heart as it weighed.
 * Found in a tomb in Thebes and is now in the British Museum.
 * Artist unknown.
 * This provides evidence for the widespread belief of Anubis as god of the dead and the afterlife, and highlights his importance in the travelling between realms.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">New Kingdom tomb-seal depicts Anubis sitting on top of nine bows. This symbolizes his domination over the foes of Egypt.
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Found on the floor of King Seti I's tomb. Current location unknown.
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Artist unknown.
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Evidence of his ability to ward off and control such malevolent forces and therefore the worship of Anubis as a sort of protector spirit, as well as god of the afterlife.

__Bibliography__:

Books:

<span style="font-size: 11pt; color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Baines, J., Hornung, E. 1996, //Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many//, Cornell University Press <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Pinch, G. 2004, //Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses and Traditions of Ancient Egypt//, Oxford University Press, USA Wilkinson, R.H. 2003, //<span style="font-size: 11pt; color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt //<span style="font-size: 11pt; color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">, Thames & Hudson Websites: Aït-Kaci, L., Letellier, B. (n.d), //The God Amun – Egyptian Antiquities//. Retrieved: March 2, 2009, from: [] Budge, E.A.W., Allen, Faulkner. (n.d), **// The Egyptian Book of the Dead //** **//-//** **// 1240 BC: //** **// The Papyrus of An //****// i //**. Retrieved: March 3, 2009, from: [] Dungen, v.d.W. 2002-2009, //ANCIENT EGYPT: Amun and The One, Great and Hidden//. Retrieved: March 2, 2009, from: [] Hill, J. (n.d), //Ancient Egyptian Gods: Anubis//. Retrieved: March 3, 2009, from: Ragazzoli, C. (n.d), //Statuette: Isis Nursing Horus – Egyptian Antiquities//. Retrieved: March 2, 2009, from: [] Spencer, A.J., Quirke, S. (n.d), //British Museum// //– Page from the Book of the Dead of Hunefer//. Retrieved: March 2, 2009, from: ** []  ** July 2008//, Deir-el Medina Stelae in the Egyptian Museum in Turin//. Retrieved: March 2, 2009, from: [] October, 2008, //Ancient Egyptian Deities//. Retrieved: March 5, 2009, from: [] 2008, //A Biography of the Egyptian Goddess Isis//. Retrieved: March 3, 2009, from: []
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