The inhabitants of Ancient Egypt believed that by worshiping various divine beings, they could receive patronage in business and good luck. God could symbolize success in war, a good harvest, happiness and other blessings. Maat is one of the most famous objects of worship. We will talk about this goddess today.
What did Maat represent?
The Goddess Maat, according to Egyptian mythology, personified harmony, truth and justice. After the end of the chaos on our planet, she began to organize order on it again. The goddess Maat was the daughter of the sun god, Ra. She first lived among ordinary mortals, but after a while she moved to heaven, because she could no longer withstand the sinful nature of the inhabitants of the Earth.
Goddess Form
Ancient artists captured her appearance. The goddess Maat in ancient Egypt is represented by a woman who sits on a sandy hill. An ostrich feather adorns her head. Sometimes the goddess Maat was also depicted with wings on her back. The photo below is one example.
In separatecases, it was not this goddess herself who was depicted, but her attributes - a sandy hill where she sat, or an ostrich feather. Maat, according to the mythology of the Egyptians, was the wife of the god of wisdom, Thoth.
How did the goddess Maat decide the fate of the deceased?
She actively participated in decisions about the fate of the dead. The ancient Egyptians believed that after death a person finds himself in the Kingdom of the Dead. This is where the Great Judgment takes place. The deceased appears before 42 gods. It is they who decide his fate.
First of all, the deceased needs to determine whether he was honest in life. His words were subject to verification in the following way: Maat placed an ostrich feather on one scale, and the gods placed the soul of the dead on the second. If it was easier, the deceased was given an eternal carefree life. But if the feather of Maat rose up, the soul was doomed to eternal torment. It was eaten by the lion Amt with the head of a crocodile. At the same time, Anubis held the scales. This god was depicted with the head of a jackal. And Thoth, the husband of Maat, passed judgment.
The very image of Maat was also often placed on the scales where the soul was weighed. The Hall of Two Truths (otherwise - Maati) was the name of the hall in which the number of human sins was determined.
How did Maat help the living?
This goddess helped not only those in the Kingdom of the Dead, but also the living. It was believed that Maat patronized fair and honest people. In order for a person to be protected from dishonor, she should have been asked about it. If the goddess Maat is convinced that thoughtsthe one who asks is pure, she will love him and will protect him throughout his life. If he turns out to be dishonest, she will lead this person along the path of correction. The patronage of Maat could be earned by performing all the rites and performing the necessary ceremonies in her honor. Besides, only good deeds were to be done.
Maat is a symbol of order
Maat, the ancient Egyptian goddess, is a symbol of order in the entire universe, which God bestowed during the creation of the world. According to this order, many important processes took place: the movement of heavenly bodies, the change of seasons, people were connected with various divine beings. All the laws of life of the ancient Egyptians were built on the principles of Maat.
The principles of this goddess were quite simple, but they ensured order on the planet, established by God, maintained friendly relations between the inhabitants of the Earth, taught responsibility for their actions. The ancients believed that the pharaoh is the representative of the gods on our planet. It was he who ensured order by introducing various rituals into the daily life of subjects. This contributed to the eradication of hostility and chaos. The pharaoh, as a sign that the instructions of the gods were being fulfilled, brought a figurine with the image of the goddess Maat to his face. This figurine for the ancient Egyptians was not just a fetish. It was she who in those days was a symbol of prosperity and the highest harmony. It was believed that as a sign of the establishment of order on earth, Maat rose to the other gods in heaven. There she proclaimed that the chaos that had reigned for a long time was defeated.
Appeal to Maat
It was believed that in the language of the one who pronounces the sacred texts, referring to Maat, the figure of this goddess should be inscribed. Thus, it has been shown that the desired order can be achieved by performing certain actions, and not just by saying words.
The ancients believed that the pharaoh creates the laws of life, which the inhabitants of the Earth had to adhere to. In addition, he, being a descendant of God, was the embodiment of his image on Earth. The ancient Egyptians called their ruler Netzher Nefer. It meant literally "the incarnation of Maat". By this they wanted to emphasize that the pharaoh is the one who personifies the divine powers.
Loss of authority of Maat and pharaohs
After the outbreak of unrest in Egypt, when many territories of this state were conquered by other countries, the patronage of the goddess Maat was no longer as popular as before. Gradually the pharaohs lost their authority. They could no longer establish laws aimed at maintaining order in the world of the living. Once again, chaos and evil reigned on the planet.
Vector of vertical solidarity was characteristic of the period of the Old Kingdom, when the authority of Maat was great. All the laws at the same time came from divine beings, gradually reaching the Earth. Their execution was carried out through the instructions of the pharaoh. However, the ruler in times of unrest could no longer ensure their implementation. The era of horizontal solidarity has begun. At this time, people began to appeal to their own minds, and not to the gods.
Truth and light
Two principles were laid at the basis of the whole life of the society of Ancient Egypt: truth and light. The god Shu controlled the light, and it was Maat, the goddess of truth, who maintained order and truth in the universe. The Egyptians believed that humans were created in the likeness of God. In order to get closer to it even more, it is necessary to go through the life path destined for everyone. The ancients believed that there was an afterlife. A person begins a journey in an extraterrestrial existence after he completes all the affairs in the earthly. It was believed that after these wanderings the souls come to the highest being.
Bees are the symbol of Maat
Bees were one of the symbols of Maat. At the end of the 20th century, a group of archaeologists from the Brooklyn Museum first examined the tomb of Ramesses XI, which is located in the Valley of the Kings. It was often used by hermit monks who lived here. During the study of the tomb, several vaults were discovered. In them were found objects intended for performing various rituals and ceremonies. Among other things, a sculpture was discovered, which represents Maat, the ancient Egyptian goddess, and Ramesses XI.
According to one legend, the god Ra shed a few tears during the creation of the world. After a while they became bees. Insects began to bring wax and honey as a gift to the Creator. It was wax that was used by the inhabitants of Ancient Egypt to create numerous figures of pharaohs and gods. It was believed that through the figurine made from it, it was possible to influence people and even divine beings. So I was convincedfor example, Apep, the main enemy of Ra.
Pharaoh's associates also used wax figurines. For example, wanting to destroy their spouse, the wives of Ramses III made figurines depicting the pharaoh. Thus they cast witchcraft.
Temples in honor of the goddess, ceremonies and rituals
In many ancient Egyptian temples there are drawings depicting the Egyptian goddess Maat. Nevertheless, there are almost no temples erected in her honor. One of these sanctuaries is located in Deir el-Medina, and the other is in Karnak. The last temple is part of the Montu complex.
The Egyptians held ceremonies and rituals as a sign of respect for Maat. Fragments of them were depicted on the walls of buildings. For example, one of them presented the victory of the pharaoh over the population of other countries and the establishment of order in the conquered territories. Another wall depicts a pharaoh hunting a marsh bird. He is surrounded by gods. It was believed that this bird symbolizes the enemy, so it should be killed as soon as possible. After that, harmony will be restored in the world.
Maat's name
The name Maat was often part of other Egyptian names. It was believed that it would protect its wearer from evil thoughts and unholy behavior. The influence of Maat also extended to the high priest of Egypt. He wore on his chest as a sign of worship in front of her a gold pendant, which depicted the Egyptian goddess Maat.
