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UCLA UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology Title Liquids in Temple Ritual Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7gh1n151 Journal UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology, 1(1) Author Poo, Mu-Chou Publication Date 2010-09-25 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California LIQUIDS IN TEMPLE RITUAL السوائل بطقوس المعابد Mu-chou Poo EDITORS WILLEKE WENDRICH Editor-in-Chief Area Editor Material Culture University of California, Los Angeles JACCO DIELEMAN Editor University of California, Los Angeles ELIZABETH FROOD Editor University of Oxford JOHN BAINES Senior Editorial Consultant University of Oxford Short Citation: Poo 2010, Liquids in Temple Ritual. UEE. Full Citation: Poo, Mu-chou, 2010, Liquids in Temple Ritual. In Willeke Wendrich (ed.), UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology, Los Angeles. http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz0025dxbr 1088 Version 1, September 2010 http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz0025dxbr LIQUIDS IN TEMPLE RITUAL السوائل بطقوس المعابد Mu-chou Poo Flüssigkeiten im Tempelritual Les liquides utilisés dans les rituels du temple In ancient Egypt the liquids most commonly used in temple rituals included wine, beer, milk, and water. The meaning of the ritual act was intimately related to the nature of the liquid employed, as well as to whatever religious and mythological associations the liquid was known to possess. With the exception of beer, all the ritual offerings of liquids were connected in some way with the idea of rejuvenation. كانت أكثر السوائل المستخدمة بالطقوس بالمعابد ھي النبيذ والجعة والحليب والماء، فكان مغزى الطقسه مرتبط بطبيعة السائل المستخدم وأيضاً متعلق باﻹرتباطات الدينية واﻷسطورية المعروفة عن ھذا السائل. لقد إرتبطت التقدمة الطقسية للسوائل، فيما عدا الجعة، بفكرة التجديد بطريقة أو بأخرى. he ritual offerings in Egyptian Of the numerous rituals recorded on temple temples and funerary settings walls, the offering of liquids occupied a rather T constitute an important part of large proportion. Here we discuss four kinds the outward expressions of Egyptian piety. In of liquids employed in temple rituals: wine, temple rituals in particular, according to the beer, milk, and water. The meaning of an images preserved on temple walls, we know individual ritual act was intimately related to that often, though not always, each ritual act the nature of the liquid employed, as well as was accompanied by a series of incantations to whatever religious and mythological (often inscribed on the wall beside the associations the liquid was known to have. images), including the title of the ritual, the Certain deities might have some particular ritual liturgy, and the reply of the deity who connections with a particular offering, as we was receiving the ritual performance or shall see below. Yet as far as we can tell, there offering. Although there is still some could be multiple recipients for the same kind uncertainty regarding whether the temple of offering, and a particular deity could reliefs represent actual ritual acts (Poo 2007), receive multiple offerings at different times. most scholars agree that the meaning of the rituals can be deciphered, at least partially, by Wine examining these texts. Although these ritual Wine was often an important item in funerary liturgies had a long-standing textual tradition and temple cults. From as early as the Old that can be traced as far back as the Pyramid Kingdom, wine was regularly mentioned in Texts, most of the best-preserved texts were offering lists as part of the funerary from the Ptolemaic and Roman temples. The establishment (Barta 1963). In temple rituals, present discussion, therefore, mostly utilizes wine was also often offered to various deities. texts from this period. In the pyramid temple of Fifth Dynasty king Liquids in Temple Ritual, Poo, UEE 2010 1 Sahura, for example, the king was shown (Hornung 1982). Although beer was featured offering wine to the goddess Sakhmet in the story, the effect of alcoholic drink in (Borchardt 1910: 126). Besides its general general was probably what made wine (and significance as an item that pleased the deities, beer) an important temple offering, the offering of wine took on certain specific particularly in connection with the honoring religious and mythological associations. of the goddess Hathor-Sakhmet. Already in the Pyramid Texts, Osiris was In another mythological story about Hathor- mentioned as the “Lord of Wine in the Wag Tefnut, or the Eye of Ra, the god Ra Festival” (PT Spell 442: §820a). The Wag commanded that his daughter, the lioness Festival was celebrated at the beginning of the Hathor-Tefnut, be brought back to Egypt inundation, on the 17th, 18th, or 19th of Thoth, from Nubia (Junker 1911: 7). Parallel to the the first month of inundation (Schott 1950: story of the Destruction of Mankind, Thoth 39ff.). The festival itself was a funerary feast and Shu were assigned the mission. After that was probably aimed at the celebration of Hathor was brought back to Egypt, her wild the resurrection of life that the inundation and bloodthirsty nature needed to be brought. Since Osiris epitomized resurrection, appeased with dance and music, and the there may be a certain connection between offering of wine (Daumas 1970). As Greek Osiris as the god of vegetation and and Roman authors noted, the Nile water rejuvenation and the symbolic coming to life turned red during the inundation, which of the grapevine. The fact that wine suggests the color of wine (Bonneau 1964: production depended upon the coming of the 65ff.). As Hathor’s return to Egypt (according inundation might therefore have fostered the to the mythological story) corresponded to meaning of wine as a symbol of life and the rise of the Nile waters—which not only rejuvenation. A text in the Ptolemaic temple resembled wine in color, but could in fact of Edfu contains the following sentence: “The bring a prosperous harvest of grapes and vineyard flourishes in Edfu, the inundation wine—it is fitting that she be referred to as rejoices at what is in it. It bears fruit with the Mistress of Drunkenness and identified more grapes than [the sand of] the riverbanks. with the inundation. They [the grapes] are made into wine for your storage . .” (Chassinat and Rochemonteix: On the other hand, when we examine the Edfou VII: 278). Thus the relationship numerous offering scenes on the temple walls, between the inundation and the production of it becomes clear that, as a common offering, wine is clearly stated. wine could be offered to many deities other than Hathor. The religious meaning of wine, On the day following the Wag Festival, moreover, was not limited to the allusions to there was, at least in the Ptolemaic and the mythological stories related to Hathor, or Roman Periods, a festival of “the to its intoxicating nature, important as it was Drunkenness of Hathor” celebrated at in many ancient cultures, but had wider Dendara. The calendar of festivals at Edfu significance. The color of wine, when it was alludes to the relationship between Hathor red, and even disregarding its association with and the inundation: “It is her [Hathor’s] the mythological story, already suggested an father, Ra, who created it for her when she association with blood and the life-giving came from Nubia, so that the inundation is force of nature. As this association was not given to Egypt” (Alliot 1949: 216; see also limited to ancient Egyptian culture, it is all the Derchain 1972: 21 - 23). more possible to believe that the symbolic In the Ptolemaic and Roman temples, association of wine and blood did exist in Hathor-Sakhmet was often referred to as Egypt. The winepress god, Shesmu, for “Lady of Drunkenness,” and this epithet was example, was referred to as bringing wine to often regarded as an allusion to the famous Osiris on the one hand—“Shesmu comes to story “The Destruction of Mankind” you [Osiris] bearing wine” (PT Spell 581: Liquids in Temple Ritual, Poo, UEE 2010 2 §1552a)—and on the other hand he was alluded to in the beer-offering liturgies. What shown pressing the blood of the enemies with were emphasized in the offering liturgies were the winepress (Poo 1995: 151 - 152; Schott concerns regarding the correctness and 1938). It is reasonable to suspect here an meticulousness with which the beer was allusion to the grape juice being pressed from brewed: the winepress. Take the sweet beer, the supply for your majesty, Moreover, offering liturgies testify that wine which is brewed correctly. How sweet is its taste, how was regarded metaphorically as the “Green sweet is its smell! (Chassinat and Daumas: Eye of Horus”—that is, the power of Dendara VII: 130). rejuvenation: “Take to yourself wine—the How beautiful are these beer jars, which are brewed Green Horus Eye. May your ka be filled with at the correct time, which fill your ka at the time of what is created for you...” (Chassinat and your wish. May your heart be joyful daily (Chassinat Rochemonteix: Edfou I: 258). And reference and Daumas: Dendara VI: 163: 9 - 11). to the contending of Horus and Seth can also be found in the liturgy of wine-offering: Take for yourself the wonderful beer, which the noble one has brewed with her hands, with the beautiful Take to yourself the wine that was produced in plant from Geb and myrrh from Nepy (Chassinat Kharga, O noble Falcon. Your wedjat-eye is sound and Rochemonteix: Edfou I: 367: 9 - 11). and supplied with provision; secure it for yourself from Seth. May you be powerful by means of it . may The deities’ emphasis on the proper brewing you be divine by means of it more than any god of beer is interesting, since the production of (Chassinat and Rochemonteix: Edfou V: 150).
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  • GREEK RELIGION Walter Burkert

    GREEK RELIGION Walter Burkert

    GREEK RELIGION Walter Burkert Translated by John Raffan r Harvard University Press Cambridge, Massachusetts THINGS’ ANIMAL SACRIFICE II t . I ‘WORKING SACRED 55 diverted activity for the apathy which remains transfixed in reality; it lays claim to the highest seriousness, to the absolute. II When considered from the point of view of the goal, ritual behaviour appears as magic. For a science of religion which regards only instrumental 4 since acts action as meaningful, magic must be seen as the origin of religion, Ritual and Sanctuary which seek to achieve a given goal in an unclear but direct way are magical. The goal then appears to be the attainment of all desirable boons and the elimination of possible impediments: there is rain magic, fertility magic, love magic, and destructive magic. The conception of ritual as a kind of language, however, leads beyond this constraining artifice; magic is present only insofar as ritual is consciously placed in the service of some end — which may then undoubtedly affect the form of the ritual. Religious ritual is given as a collective institution; the individual participates within the framework of social communication, with the strongest motivating force being the need not in the study of religion which came to be generally acknowledged to stand apart. Conscious magic is a matter for individuals, for the few, and An insight are more important and end of the last century is that rituals is developed accordingly into a highly complicated pseudo-science. In early towards the ancient religions than are instructive for the understanding of the Greece, where the cult belongs in the communal, public sphere, the more is no longer seen in myths.’ With this recognition, antiquity importance of magic is correspondingly minimal.