Animals in Ancient Egypt

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Animals in Ancient Egypt Animals were an important part of Egyptian culture and were present in all aspects of Egyptian life. Animals were mummified and some Gods were given animal shaped heads. Even the Egyptian writing system of hieroglyphics was largely centered on animals. Animals played a much more complex role in Egyptian society. While some animals were worshipped, were others were hunted, killed, or sacrificed. Some were thought to have divine connections, while others had evil associations that needed to be controlled. Many animals were domesticated and kept as household pets. Egyptians believed the gods were most likely to reveal themselves to humans through animal forms. Different animals were thought to have different connections with deities. The ibis and the baboon had connections to the god Thoth. Cats and lionesses were linked to many goddesses such as Sekhmet, Bastet, Mut, and Hathor. The falcon was affiliated with Horus. Animals were revered in Ancient Egypt, and killing an animal associated with a god was a serious offense, punishable by death. Animal associations were made for a number of reasons. For example, Mut and Sekhmet were both connected to positive and negative powers of the sun. They were represented by the cat and the lioness. Both were seen as gentle and raging aspects of the feline family. Similarly, the falcon, which flies above the earth, demonstrates the power and the concept of “aboveness” that the god Horus represents. Domesticated animals were often depicted in art with their owners. For instance, dogs were used for a variety of jobs: hunting, guarding, law enforcement, or as household pets. Cats were another animal with important symbolic significance. Domesticated cats were kept as pets and protectors against snakes and rodents. Sacred to the household goddess Bastet, cats and kittens were sacrificed to her, mummified, and sometimes placed in beautiful cat-shaped bronze coffins. Images of monkeys are also very common in Egyptian art. Monkeys were often shown as pets and sometimes even as assistants to the police. Page 1.

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Ancient Egyptian Religion I: General Concepts and the Heliopolitan Gods
Ancient Egyptian Religion I: General Concepts and the Heliopolitan Gods Shawn C. Knight Spring 2009 (This document last revised March 18, 2009) 1 The nature of Egyptian religion (intro) The Egyptian idea of \deity" is a diﬃcult one to pin down. The most frequently used word for deity, ' 4 ntr (or nTr), resembles the English word god in that it can be used as either a common noun, referring to one of numerous divine beings, or as a proper noun, referring to the Supreme Being. Much more problematic than the word used, however, are the details of what the gods do and even who they are. Gods become conﬂated with one another; most notably, there are (at least) two gods named Horus, designated \Elder" and \Younger", and they share a number of traits, often being confused (deliberately or mistakenly). The gods usurp one another's roles, or delegate their roles to others, with astounding frequency. It is Set's role to protect the sun god from the serpent of chaos|except when Horus has that function. The Supreme Being is Re-Atum, except when he is Amun-Re, except when he is simply Re or simply Atum or . Adding still further to the complication is the local character of Egyptian religion. Every nome had a patron god, and while some of the gods patronized more than one nome, there was plenty of variety. We have already considered this to some degree: we have noted Thebes, for example, as having Amun for a patron, and observed that the military rise of the Thebans in the Middle and New Kingdoms were responsible for the enrichment and empowerment of Amun's cult.
[Show full text]
Egyptian Religion a Handbook
A HANDBOOK OF EGYPTIAN RELIGION A HANDBOOK OF EGYPTIAN RELIGION BY ADOLF ERMAN WITH 130 ILLUSTRATIONS Published in tile original German edition as r handbook, by the Ge:r*rm/?'~?~~ltunf of the Berlin Imperial Morcums TRANSLATED BY A. S. GRIFFITH LONDON ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO. LTD. '907 Itic~mnoCLAY B 80~8,L~~II'ED BRIIO 6Tllll&I "ILL, E.C., AY" DUN,I*Y, RUFIOLP. ; ,, . ,ill . I., . 1 / / ., l I. - ' PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION THEvolume here translated appeared originally in 1904 as one of the excellent series of handbooks which, in addition to descriptive catalogues, are ~rovidedby the Berlin Museums for the guida,nce of visitors to their great collections. The haud- book of the Egyptian Religion seemed cspecially worthy of a wide circulation. It is a survey by the founder of the modern school of Egyptology in Germany, of perhaps tile most interest- ing of all the departments of this subject. The Egyptian religion appeals to some because of its endless variety of form, and the many phases of superstition and belief that it represents ; to others because of its early recognition of a high moral principle, its elaborate conceptions of a life aftcr death, and its connection with the development of Christianity; to others again no doubt because it explains pretty things dear to the collector of antiquities, and familiar objects in museums. Professor Erman is the first to present the Egyptian religion in historical perspective; and it is surely a merit in his worlc that out of his profound knowledge of the Egyptian texts, he permits them to tell their own tale almost in their own words, either by extracts or by summaries.
[Show full text]
Ancient Egyptian Dieties
Ancient Egyptian Dieties Amun: When Amun’s city, Thebes, rose to power in the New Kingdom (1539-1070 B.C.), Amun became known as the “King of the Gods.” He was worshipped as the high god throughout Egypt. Able to take many shapes, Amun was sometimes shown as a ram or goose, but was usually shown in human form. He is fundamentally a Creator God and his name, Amun, means “The Hidden One.” Amun-Re: Originating in the Middle Kingdom, (2055 - 1650 B.C.), Amun-Re is a fusion of the Gods Amun and Re. He combined the invisible power of creation and the power visible in heat and light. Anubis: Usually represented as a black jackal, or as a human with a canine head, Anubis was a guardian of mummies, tombs, and cemeteries, as well as an escort of the deceased to the afterlife. Atum: According to the most ancient Egyptian creation myths, Atum is the creator of the world. He also brought the first gods Shu (air), Tefnut (water), Geb (earth), and Nut (sky) to Egypt. He is also god of the setting sun. Atum was represented in many forms such as a human, a human with the head of a ram, and a combination of an eel and a cobra. Bastet: Originating as early as Dynasty II (2820-2670 B.C.), Bastet was represented as a cat or a woman with a lioness’s head. She eventually became Egypt’s most important “cat goddess.” If Bastet took the form of a cat she was considered content, but if Bastet was a lioness she was considered an angry goddess.
[Show full text]
LO to Be Able to Discuss the Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
L.O. to be able to discuss the Ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses NAME: Ra GOD OF: the sun Ra was the most important god to all the Egyptians. It was believed that he was swallowed by Nut the sky goddess every night and born again in the morning. The Egyptians also believed that Ra travelled through the underworld at night, where he appeared as a man with the head of a ram! NAME: Anubis GOD OF: the dead and the process of embalming It was thought that jackals watched over the dead as they were seen in cemeteries a lot. Anubis helped to embalm Osiris when he was killed by Seth. Egyptian priests would wear a mask of Anubis during mummification ceremonies. NAME: Osiris GOD OF: the dead and the underworld. Osiris was also a god of resurrection and fertility. The Egyptians believed that he gave them the gift of their most important crop, barley. Osiris was the husband of Isis and the father of Horus. NAME: Nut and Geb GOD/GODDESS OF: Nut – the sky, Geb – the earth Nut’s body is stretched across the sky and covered in stars. She and Geb are the parents of Isis and Osiris. Nut is the sister/wife of Geb and it is believed that Nut swallowed Ra, the sun god at the end of every day and gave birth to him again in the morning. It was believed that earthquakes are caused by Geb’s laughing. NAME: Sekhmet GODDESS OF: war Sekhmet means ‘the powerful one’! She is sometimes called the daughter of the sun god Ra.
[Show full text]
1:H 1 E-111D T$W “When a Man Smells of Myrrh, ! 11 H Z P 7] 1Mh ! ! Tb B + His Wife Is a Cat Before Him
M \ r -! 1:h 1 e-111D t$w “When a man smells of myrrh, ! 11 h z p 7] 1mh ! ! Tb b + his wife is a cat before him. M M -! 1:h 1Ed9 When a man is suffering, ! 11 h zp 7q 111] 1mh ! ! b + his wife is a lioness before him.” The Instructions of Ankhsheshonq (a priest of Re at Heliopolis), British Museum, P. 10508—a ‘Wisdom Text’ dated to the Ptolemaic Period, ca. 332–30 b.c. Hieroglyphic transcription from the original demotic text courtesy of Christian Casey. The dual nature of women: sexual playthings to be enjoyed, and cunning creatures of which to be wary. That’s the chauvinistic message from the above papyrus text, dated to the Ptolemaic Era (but perhaps composed a lot earlier). To make the point, the author references the two feline goddesses: Bastet and Sekhmet. The first line is charged with erotic imagery: sweet fragrances were connected with notions of rebirth and sensuality. Here, the author is suggesting that when a man was lathered in aromatic scents, his wife appeared, fertile and flushed with desire. These ideas found their expression in the cat goddess Bastet who was worshipped for her protective and nurturing instincts, as well as her capabiltiy for great proliferation. Conversely, if the husband displayed any weakness in his authority, then Sekhmet—the fiery lioness and manifesta- tion of the fury of Re—was ready to pounce and subdue him (and not in the fun way). The patriarchal message: you can’t trust women. Female divinities, however, were highly venerated, and the centuries surrounding the creation of the above papyrus text, and the statue at left, were the heydays of the great Temple of Bastet at Bubastis.
[Show full text]
Rituals Related to Animal Cults
UCLA UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology Title Rituals Related to Animal Cults Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6wk541n0 Journal UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology, 1(1) Author Dodson, Aidan Publication Date 2009-07-16 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California RITUALS RELATED TO ANIMAL CULTS الطقوس المتعلقة بطوائف الحيوانات Aidan Dodson EDITORS WILLEKE WENDRICH Editor-in-Chief University of California, Los Angeles JACCO DIELEMAN Editor Area Editor Religion University of California, Los Angeles ELIZABETH FROOD Editor University of Oxford JOHN BAINES Senior Editorial Consultant University of Oxford Short Citation: Dodson, 2009, Rituals Related to Animal Cults. UEE. Full Citation: Dodson, Aidan, 2009, Rituals Related to Animal Cults. In Jacco Dieleman, Willeke Wendrich (eds.), UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology, Los Angeles. ttp://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz001nf7d0 1027 Version 1, July 2009 http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz001nf7d0 RITUALS RELATED TO ANIMAL CULTS الطقوس المتعلقة بطوائف الحيوانات Aidan Dodson Tierkulte Cultes des animaux Two kinds of cult animal existed in ancient Egypt: specific faunal representatives of a given deity that lived in a temple and were ceremonially interred, and creatures killed and mummified to act as votive offerings. The former are attested from the earliest times, while the latter date from the Late Period and later. عرف نوعان من طوائف الحيوانات بمصر القديمة: فكانت تمثل الحيوانات اﻵلھة وتسكن بالمعبد وتدفن بشكل مراسمي. وعرف ھذا من أول العصور المصرية، والنوع الثاني ھو قتل الحيوانات وتحنيطھا لتكون قرابين نذرية وھي عادة ظھرت بالعصر المتأخر وما بعده. hile there continues to be debate which reflected the deities’ iconic over precise definitions (cf.
[Show full text]
The Story of Ra
The Story of Ra In the beginning, before there was any land of Egypt, all was darkness, and there was nothing but a great waste of water called Nun. The power of Nun was such that there arose out of the darkness a great shining egg, and this was a. Now Ra was all-powerful, and he could take many forms. His power and the secret of it lay in his hidden name; but if he spoke other names, that which he named came into being. "I am Khepera at the dawn, and Ra at noon, and Atum in the evening," he said. And the sun rose and passed across the sky and set for the first time. Then he named Shu, and the first winds blew; he named Tefnut the spitter, and the first rain fell. Next he named Geb, and the earth came into being; he named the goddess Nut, and she was the sky arched over the earth with her feet on one horizon and her hands on the other; he named Hapi, and the great River Nile flowed through Egypt and made it fruitful. After this Ra named all things that are upon the earth, and they grew. Last of all he named mankind, and there were men and women in the land of Egypt. Then Ra took on the shape of a man and became the first Pharaoh, ruling over the whole country for thousands and thousands of years, and giving such harvests that for ever afterwards the Egyptians spoke of the good things "which happened in the time of Ra".
[Show full text]
The Contribution of Egyptian Doctor Imhotep to Medicine ФГБОУ ВО Саратовский ГМУ Им
Бюллетень медицинских Интернет-конференций (ISSN 2224-6150) 2017. Том 7. № 6 983 ID: 2017-06-27-T-14557 Краткое сообщение Кантаева Х.Р., Бурлов А.И. The contribution of Egyptian doctor Imhotep to medicine ФГБОУ ВО Саратовский ГМУ им. В.И. Разумовского Минздрава России, кафедра иностранных языков Научный руководитель: Ахбулова А.Г. Keywords: medicine, doctor, development, Imhotep, Egypt Imhotep - an outstanding ancient Egyptian architect of the period of the Old Kingdom, the supreme dignitary (chati) of Djoser - the first pharaoh of the III dynasty (2630-2611 BC). High priest of Ra in Heliopolis. The builder of the pyramid of Djoser - the first of the Egyptian pyramids. Beginning with the First Transitional Period, he was also considered a poet and thinker. Later, he was deified and revered as a god of healing. Imhotep is considered the world's first known universal person, architect, engineer and scientist, and sometimes also the first doctor (although approximately the same time lived two other doctors, Merit-Ptah and Hesi-Ra). Biography Imhotep's high position at the court of the king is described on the basis of the statue of Joser, where after the titles of the pharaoh the titles of his first adviser are followed: "the keeper of the treasure of the king of Lower Egypt, the first after the king in Upper Egypt, the ruler of the grand palace, the chief priest of Heliopolis, Imhotep, builder, architect, Sculptor of stone vases. " Little is known about its origin, but judging by the epigraphic data of the architect Khnumibra from Wadi Hammamat (between 495 and 491 years BC), in which Imhotep was named the son of "Kanerefer, the chief of the Upper and Lower Egypt", he was a descendant From the priestly or bureaucratic clan.
[Show full text]
Imhotep-The-Vizier-And-Physici
IMHOTEP I. IMHOTEP AS A DEMIGOD IMHOTEP I The Vizier and Phvsician of KING ZOSER and afierwards THE EGYPTIAN GOD OF MEDICINE BY JAMIESON B. HURRY, M.A., M.D. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS HUMPHREY MILFORD IN HONOUR OF IMHOTEP ' The first Figure of a Physician to stand out dearly from the Mists of Antiquity.'-SIR W. OSLER. THE PROLOGUE HIS Monograph is consecrated to the T memory of a distinguished magician-physi- cian and sage who first appears on the stage of Egyptian history in the reign of King Zoser of the IIIrd Dynasty, and reappears at intervals on that stage during a period of over three thousand years. His record therefore extends over a large part of the history of ancient Egypt. We shall attempt to trace the fortunes of Imhotep both during the period of his human activity and also during the subsequent periods when he was looked upon first as a demigod and finally as one of the full deities of Egypt. We shall also seek to analyse the forces which resulted in such an exceptional occurrence as the deification of an ordinary mortal, i. e. of one who had never been a king. The subject is one which will interest various groups of readers. In the first place it will appeal to the lover of archaeology who is fascinated by the early story of our race and by every detail which throws light on its evolution. There is a glamour in the study of the earliest pages of X THE PROLOGUE liberal scale, so that the reader may be fur- nished with the authority on which statements are founded.
[Show full text]
The Social Status of Physicians in Ancient Egypt O.A
Istoriya meditsiny Istoriya meditsiny (History of Medicine) CONTENTS (History of Medicine) 2015. Vol. 2. № 1 2015. Vol. 2. № 1 GENERAL ASPECTS OF HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF MEDICINE Galen’s Logic: Aristotelian Heritage or Scientifi c Innovation? V.L. Vasyukov . .3 The evolution of Vesalius’s perspective on Galen’s anatomy D. Lanska . .13 Galen as Read and Perceived by Medieval Islamic Medicine H. Ebrahimnejad . 27 FROM THE HISTORY OF HEALTHCARE Formation of health insurance in Yaroslavl province E.M. Smirnova . 39 INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH The social status of physicians in Ancient Egypt O.A. Jarman, G.L. Mikirtichan . 48 From the Tokyo to Khabarovsk trials: the history of the preparation of the trial of Japanese war criminals and bacteriologist V.V. Romanova . 61 The Venetian editions of Galen of the second half of 16th century as a source of information on the history of medicine P.A. Shamin . 70 SPECIFIC QUESTIONS IN THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE Hippocrates, Celsus and Galen: Head Injury, the Brain, and the Bone J. Ganz . 78 SOURCE Natural philosophy and principles of general pathology in the Galen system (as exemplifi ed by the Ars Medica treatise). Part 1 D.A. Balalykin . 89 Returning the medical writings of surgeon and Bishop V.F. Voyno-Yasenetsky to scientifi c use M.N. Kozovenko . 113 On the ligation of vessels in spleen removal (Bishop Luke) . 116 The need to increase the extent of surgery for malignant tumors of the breast (Bishop Luke) . 118 Request for quotation: We ask readers of the English version of “Istoriya meditciny” (“History of Medicine”) journal to use for quotation the Russian issue details (journal title, volume, number, pages), listed at the end of the each article.
[Show full text]
Prayers of Renunciation EGYPTIAN GODS
Prayers of Renunciation: EGYPTIAN GODS Ephesians 6:10-12 “10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of GOD, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against lesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Amanda Buys’ Spiritual Covering This is a product of Kanaan Ministries, a non-profit ministry under the covering of: • Roly, Amanda’s husband for more than thirty-five years. • River of Life Family Church Pastor Edward Gibbens Vanderbijlpark South Africa Tel: +27 (0) 16 982 3022 Fax: +27 (0) 16 982 2566 Email: [email protected] There is no copyright on this material. However, no part may be reproduced and/or presented for personal gain. All rights to this material are reserved to further the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ ONLY. For further information or to place an order, please contact us at: P.O. Box 15253 27 John Vorster Avenue Panorama Plattekloof Ext. 1 7506 Panorama 7500 Cape Town Cape Town South Africa South Africa Tel: +27 (0) 21 930 7577 Fax: 086 681 9458 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.kanaanministries.org Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 3 PM Kanaan International Website Website: www.eu.kanaanministries.org 2 contents Preface ... 5 Declaration of conﬁdence in GOD’s Protection ... 8 Sealing-off prayer before deliverance ... 9 1) Egyptian deities ..
[Show full text]
A Lioness at Peace: Two Aspects of the Goddess Bastet
A LIONESS AT PEACE: TWO ASPECTS OF THE GODDESS BASTET DR. JAROMIR MALEK Griffith Institute, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford RESUMEN: La inscripción en una pequeña estatua en bronce del Museo Ashmolean de Oxford, identifi- ca una diosa con cabeza de leona con Bastet. La datación de estatuillas de bronce resulta todavía vaga, situándose simplemente en época tardía o ptolemaica. El estudio de las pocas piezas inscri- tas permite mejorar esta situación tratando de establecer relaciones con otros monumentos fe- chados con mayor precisión. El texto inciso es, «Que Bastet de vida a Paiuenhor, hijo Pashenbastet, nacido de Tahetro». Estos nombres son característicos de los periodos tardíos y ptolemaico sin mas pistas sobre fe- chas o procedencia. La paleografía de la inscripción apunta mas hacia época tardía. The inscription on the front of the small bronze (or, more accurately, copper alloy) group1 in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, No. 1971.1004, identifies the standing lioness-headed2 goddess, accompanied by a pair of felines seated in front ———— 1 Listed in PM viii as 802-120-710, but without an indication of its present location. Before its acquisi- tion by the Ashmolean, the statuette was in the H. J. P. Bomford collection, MOOREY, P. R. S. and CA- TLING, H. W. (eds.): Exhibition of Ancient Persian Bronzes Presented to the Department of Antiquities by James Bom- ford, Esquire, and Other Selected Items of Ancient Art from the Collection of Mrs. Brenda Bomford. Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, Department of Antiquities, Oct. 10-30, 1966, No. 192 pl. xii, and then in London at Spink & Son Ltd. A photograph of it was reproduced by Ph.
[Show full text]