Righteousness, Harmony, And Order In Ancient Egyptian Art

861 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Ancient egypt social system essays

The ancient Egyptian concept of Ma’at includes aspects and ideas of ‘righteousness’, ‘harmony’, and ‘order’. In Egyptian culture, Ma’at is used in a variety of ways. As a deity, Ma’at is the goddess of truth and universal order in the world. In the grand scheme of things, Ma’at was also seen as the eternal struggle between the forces of harmony and balance with chaos and disorder. On a social scale, Ma’at represented a harmonious cooperation between people.
Ma’at as a recurring theme in Egyptian art
“Egyptian art comes almost exclusively from tombs and temples. Such art was not intended as decoration; rather, it was created to replicate the living world, to benefit or honor the dead. Perhaps for that reason, the Egyptians found a unique …show more content…

The books were laid with the mummified bodies and depicted a ‘last judgment’.
“A painted papyrus scroll from the Book of the Dead brings to life the last judgment itself: the enthroned Osiris, god of the underworld (far right) and his wife Isis (far left) oversee the ceremony in which the heart of the deceased Princess Entiu-ny is weighed against the figure of Truth (Figure 2.14). Having made her testimony, the princess watches as the jackal-headed god of death, Anubis, prepares her heart for the ordeal.” (Fiero 61).
This ‘last judgment’ shows the heart of one of the deceased being weighed against an ostrich feather, which was the physical depiction of Ma’at. Balancing one’s heart with the Ostrich feather was the representation of the morality and justice of the deceased, and if they passed the last judgment they would be allowed into the afterlife.
Conclusion
The presence of Ma’at was paramount to the Egyptian people in all parts of their lives. As an idea and a concept, Ma’at was the standard by which the Egyptians lived and conducted themselves. As a goddess, it was how the Egyptians viewed the world, in a state of order versus chaos. In art, as artistic pieces had a canon to adhere to. To conclude, Ancient Egypt, and our understanding of it would be very different if it were not for

Show More
Related

  • Tomb Of Pairy Analysis

    691 Words  | 2 Pages

    Egyptian culture didn’t truly begin until the third dynasty, which is grouped into a period called the Old Kingdom. Since then, it developed into a thriving culture that changed little, even with new leaders. This conveys a sense of order and cohesion that flows throughout the time of the Egyptians. I was fascinated by the continuity. Unlike the artists of today, Egyptian artists did not rebel against the conventions of their day. If the surviving art is any indication, they were content to follow the artistic practices of their time. During the New Kingdom, a painting called "Funeral Procession, Tomb of Pairy" was created. It is a depiction of a portion of the process of laying Pairy to rest. Harold Hays wrote an article called “Funerary

    Read More

  • Early Egyptian Religious Beliefs and Akhenaten?s Reforms

    2786 Words  | 6 Pages

    During the New Kingdom of Egypt (from 1552 through 1069 B.C.), there came a sweeping change in the religious structure of the ancient Egyptian civilization. "The Hymn to the Aten" was created by Amenhotep IV, who ruled from 1369 to 1353 B.C., and began a move toward a monotheist culture instead of the polytheist religion which Egypt had experienced for the many hundreds of years prior to the introduction of this new idea. There was much that was different from the old views in "The Hymn to the Aten", and it offered a new outlook on the Egyptian ways of life by providing a complete break with the traditions which Egypt held to with great respect. Yet at the same time, there were many commonalties between these new ideas and the old views of the Egyptian world. Although through the duration of his reign, Amenhotep IV introduced a great many changes to the Egyptian religion along with "The Hymn", none of these reforms outlived their creator, mostly due to the massive forces placed on his successor, Tutankhamen, to renounce these new reforms. However, the significance of Amenhotep IV, or Akhenaten as he later changed his name to, is found in "The Hymn". "The Hymn" itself can be looked at as a contradiction of ideas; it must be looked at in relation to both the Old Kingdom's belief of steadfast and static values, as well as in regards to the changes of the Middle Kingdom, which saw unprecedented expansionistic and individualistic oriented reforms. In this paper I plan to discuss the evolvement of Egyptian Religious Beliefs throughout the Old,

    Read More

  • Roman Sarcophagi: Evolving Mythological Depictions and Cultural Expressions

    1375 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cumont argued for a complex allegorical symbolism concerning the fate of the soul after death. On the other hand, Nock stressed the importance of linking the myth to other areas of Roman art and their association with classicism and education. More generally, the use of myth on Roman sarcophagi as either allegory or decoration is part of a larger argument of whether it represents hopes and beliefs about life after death and assimilating the deceased with the myth or asserting messages about the life of the deceased before their death. Most recently Paul Zanker and Bjorn Ewald have widened the debate to suggest that myths can be read as consolations to the person who lost their loved one. This paper will be placed within the above debate by analyzing the sarcophagi of C. Junius Euhodus and his wife Metilia Acte, which depicts the Alcestis myth. I will be focusing on how the sarcophagi emphasizes the couples victory over death; how the patron who commissioned the sarcophagi influenced what was depicted, and the everyday themes that relate to Roman customs such as

    Read More

  • Punishment In Ancient Egypt, Edo Japan And Stuart England

    856 Words  | 2 Pages

    Following the concept of Ma’at, the law was based on a common view of right and wrong. Ma’at was a goddess that represented truth, order and balance in the universe. They also served the pharaoh, who was at the very top of the social hierarchy, a god, obtaining absolute political power. When ancient Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire, decades passed and it officially became a Christian nation. With more and more people embracing Christianity, the government modified the punishments to be less severe.

    Read More

  • Egyptian View of the Afterlife

    1690 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is clear that tombs and burial rituals were a key element in the Egyptian society and their way of life as it ties into almost all things they did on a daily basis. Whatever a person’s status was when they were alive followed them into the afterlife. Food and luxury goods were buried with a person so that they could have it in the afterlife. The tombs became a person’s new house after they died. Therefore, making it as nice as possible was really important. Art work and clay models were added to a person’s tomb as material goods needed for the afterlife. They were also seen as decorations that kept the tombs looking nice. Throughout the years, Egyptian artworks on the inner parts of the tombs and on the coffins show a development in the Egyptian customs. Each new development was created to better preserve the bodies and comfort of the dead.

    Read More

  • Burial Practices of Ancient Egypt

    1333 Words  | 3 Pages

    The funerary rituals introduced by the Egyptians were the most intricate, spiritual rites in their times and, perhaps, even to this day. Their elaborate customs, tombs, and gifts to the dead were representative of their pious, devoted nature. Albeit not all were as imposing as the oldest and still remaining Seven Wonder of the World, the Pyramids of Giza, all were meaningful and sacred. The Egyptians, highly reverent of their dead, adopted ornate, religious burial practices to fit to every member of their society.

    Read More

  • What is the Importance of Animals and Symbolism in Ancient Egyptian Art?

    2927 Words  | 6 Pages

    Something I noticed after viewing several pieces of ancient Egyptian art is that a great deal of it is religious. It only takes a basic knowledge and understanding of the ancient Egyptians’ religion to know that they have numerous gods and goddesses. They are not exclusive in this way, as there are many other cultures and faiths which have multiple deities. However, the manner in which they portray their many gods through their art is very distinguishable and well-known. This could also be because of the style they use. The use of animals is one of the features that make a...

    Read More

  • EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY

    2116 Words  | 5 Pages

    Thesis statement: In this research, I will investigate the basic concepts of the Egyptian mythology and its gods.

    Read More

  • Similarities between Greek and Egyptian Mythologies

    1857 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...by Osiris, who weighed the souls against the Feather of Truth. (Footnote pg 127-134 The Literature and Mythology of Ancient Egypt) The concept of an afterlife is common in both Greek and Egyptian tales.

    Read More

  • Ancient Egypt's Religion and Its Affects on Civilization

    1373 Words  | 3 Pages

    Egypt’s culture was one of the most diverse and religious cultures of its time. Much of early Egyptian culture was based around the flooding of the Nile and the nutrients it brought for them to farm. The river was their oasis in the middle of one of the harshest environments. It was this that helped them to become a very hardened and capable society that could withstand the tests of time. Their religion also reflected their hard steadfastness since it was of their own creation. Other than a few of the well known gods of creation each village and town in Egypt had a different set of gods. With each place having the freedom to do what they wanted with the religion they could “personalize” it to suit their individual needs. Egyptian people realized that they were not perfect, this fact is clearly represented in their religion and mythology. It was also seen in their religious art, such as on the walls of pyramids, that they believed that the deceased would be judged in the afterlife for what they did. This judgment would dictate wether or not they wo...

    Read More

  • Essay On Egyptian Burial Practices

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ancient Egyptian burial rituals and customs have evolved over time as source C depicts. Source C is relief illustrating the evol...

    Read More

  • How Did Ancient Egypt Influence Western Culture

    968 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although there are few religions that still consider the ways of the ancient Egyptian culture important, they are still out there. They are influenced every day by the history, which permeates their rituals, scriptures, and more. Furthermore, Egypt’s political influence may be outdated and not the clearest system, but it led the way for further development and refinement for future use. Without the influence of Egypt, we would not be the civilization that we are

    Read More

  • Egyptian Art Essay

    2976 Words  | 6 Pages

    Seemingly static in appearance, to the untrained eye, Egyptian Art is somewhat formal and blocky, with very little to no naturalism; in opposition to ancient western art such as Greek and Roman artistic traditions. (Neer, 2012) However, Egyptian Art serves a purpose that celebrates the afterlife as well as appreciating life. Egyptian visual imagery expressed animals not in the typically assumed static and rigid form, but in naturalistic dynamism that is largely ignored in general Egyptian Art scholarship. Ancient Egyptian art endures a steady artistic tradition and despite various changes and modification in style occurred during the 3,000 years pharaohs ruled; they are recognizably Egyptian in origin. What was wholly unique was the artistic

    Read More

  • Ancient Egypt Essay

    1833 Words  | 4 Pages

    The ancient Egyptians were people of many firsts. They were the first people of ancient times to believe in life after death. They were the first to build in stone and to fashion the arch in stone and brick. Even before the unification of the Two Lands, the Egyptians had developed a plow and a system of writing. They were accomplished sailors and shipbuilders. They learned to chart the cosmos in order to predict the Nile flood. Their physicians prescribed healing remedies and performed surgical operations. They sculpted in stone and decorated the walls of their tombs with naturalistic murals in vibrant colors. The legacy of ancient Egypt is written in stone across the face of the country from the pyramids of Upper Egypt to the rock tombs in the Valley of the Kings to the Old Kingdom temples of Luxor and Karnak to the Ptolemaic temples of Edfu and Dendera and to the Roma...

    Read More

  • Ancient Egyptian Religious Architecture

    1288 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thus, the art and architecture of Ancient Egypt stemmed directly from their religion. Egyptian theology, with its deified pharaohs and strange animal-headed gods, was complicated, but the most important belief was that survival after death depended upon the preservation of the body. This belief would influence the architectural design of the tomb, where the corpse was ultimately sealed (Silverman:142, 1997). Immortality was only for privileged royal and priestly beings (Stierlin:54, 1983).This implies that their tombs would be somewhat prestigious and not just and ordinary burial site. At the day of resurrection the Ka or soul would re-enter the dead body; this meant that it must be there, intact, ready for that moment. It followed logically, that 'once the corpse was embalmed or mummified, it must be preserved in an impregnable tomb.

    Read More

More about Righteousness, Harmony, And Order In Ancient Egyptian Art

Open Document