The Concept of Meat - Essay Example

Name: Tutor: Course: Date: To what Extent was the Concept of Ma’at of Essence to all Aspects of Life in Ancient Egypt? Ma’at was a concept in ancient Egypt that encompassed different aspects of harmony, truth and righteousness. Since its beginning during the times of the early kingdom when it was merged with the absolute duty of the king, to the first intermediate period when ma’at was equated with the need for personal virtue, social life in ancient Egypt has been centred on fulfilling the requirements of the concept of ma’at. This was indicated in The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant which offers a summary of the concept of ma’at in the social lives of individuals in the ancient Egyptian society. The writing, which summarises the practice of the right attitude that is compliant to the requirements of ma’at, provides a summary of the role played by ma’at in the society in ancient Egypt. It shows that the essence of the concept of ma’at in holding together the entire society overrode individual desires and formed the essence of life in the society. Because of its application in legal, religious and social aspects of the lives of individuals in the ancient Egyptian society, the concept of ma’at bore a great essence as a means of holding together the social fabric of the society in ancient Egypt. It can be seen that the concept of ma’at held a very important place in the lives of the ancient Egyptians. The importance of this concept permeated all aspects of the lives of all individuals in the society. Also, the importance of this concept was not confined to individuals belonging to one class of the society in its application. On the contrary, living a life that fulfilled the requirements of the concept of ma’at was an obligation on all people, kings and the gods (Van De Mieroop 45). By observing this principle in all aspects of their lives, the people of ancient Egypt not only confirmed their understanding of the concept but also showed their reverence for the gods. To begin with, the essence of the concept of ma’at lies in its close relationship with the laws of the natural order of things. Since it was regarded that ma’at was created by the creator god and placed in the universe for the sole purpose of bringing order in the universe, the people of ancient Egypt regarded the natural world as being characterised by disorder in its natural essence (Gadalla 44). Because of its importance, the concept was regarded as the most fundamental force of nature in the universe. It represented how things ought to be, thus embodying something that was fundamental or basic in the natural universe. Morgan observes that the ancient Egyptians perceived the universe as being made up of two competing forces: the truth and order represented by ma’at on one hand and the lack of order and harmony, on the other. By giving life to the concept of truth, it is regarded that the creator god differentiated the ideal from the prevailing chaos (13). According to Shaw, the concept of ma’at corresponds to that of natural law in the western world. Its essence in the natural order of things was to keep at bay all the force of evil in the universe (46). It is important to note that although ma’at is regarded as the opposite of what is evil and disorderly, the existence of ma’at does not necessarily mean the corresponding existence of evil and falsehoods. With the concept, the creator god established truth and order in the universe. It is the failure of the actions of humans that results into disorder, falsehoods and lack of equality in the affairs of human beings. This underscores the fact that ma’at was an essential quality of life which the ancient Egyptians experienced in their daily affairs. As such, it formed an important foundation for the legal system and regulated the course of individual actions. It was the practice of ma’at that established and maintained harmonious relationships between individuals in the society. Because of this, the concept of ma’at was regarded as the established order of things in nature. As individuals sought adhere to the principles of the concept, they were, by extension, seeking to establish a harmonious relationship with the universe. Although the concept of ma’at underscores the importance of stability, coherence and continuity in the natural order of things, it is important to note that the essence of the concept did not mean that the elements of order and harmony in the universe overrode those of disorder and chaos. Rather, the essence of the concept with regard to natural order meant that all things in the universe lived in harmony and balance with each other (Budge 29). By observing the law, humanity managed to reach equilibrium with the laws of nature in the universe. As such, the concept of ma’at was regarded as an important aspect of life that governed the functioning of the universe by ensuring that all the different elements of the world were kept in their proper places in the universe at all times. The second essence of the concept of ma’at in ancient Egypt was manifested in the relationship between the concept and the established laws. Ma’at was equated with the practice of good rule and effective public administration practices. This was reflected in several ways. For instance, judges and other practitioners of the law regarded the ma’at as an essential concept to their profession. This was depicted in the practice of all judges wearing a small figurine of the goddess as a symbol of the judicial office (Van De Mieroop 78). Also, since the concept represented overall balance and harmony in all aspects of life, its ethical, religious and moral significance meant that it formed an important foundation of the legal system in ancient Egypt (Gadalla 44). This means that obedience to the law was a reflection of observance of ma’at. In the same vein, disobedience to the demands of the concept of ma’at made it necessary for one to be punished by the provisions of the law. It is also observed that the relationship between ma’at and the law in ancient Egypt was reflected in the king, who was viewed as a symbol that unified the entire state. According to Morgan, the king in ancient Egypt could be seen in two different roles: that of the human leader and that of the divine leader who mediated between humanity and the gods (149). Since the king was entitled to fulfilling the roles of the sun god on earth and, in the process, eliminating all manner of inequality in the society, the king was an embodiment of the concept of ma’at. In fulfilling the roles of the gods on earth, the king was regarded as being led by the provisions of the concept of the ma’at, it can be seen that ma’at represented an ordered stability and continuity of the leadership of the king. This means that the king was not only required to see to it that he himself led a life that conformed to the provisions of the concept but also sought to ensure that all the subjects in the ancient state of Egypt lived in accordance with the provisions of ma’at (166). By passing decrees and other legislations, the king ensured that ma’at was central in the lives of all individuals in ancient Egypt. This was necessary not in only ensuring the stability of the state but also in ensuring the rule of law and order within the state. Apart from the king and the judges being guided by the provisions of the concept of ma’at, the common people of ancient Egypt were influenced by the concept of ma’at in the sense that the entire legal system of ancient Egypt was rooted in the principles of the concept itself. For instance, the legal system in ancient Egypt was based on the simple principle of right and wrong. This view was consistent with the requirements of the concept of ma’at. The essence of the code of law in ancient Egypt was that the law, apart from being human in terms of regulating all the aspects of human relations in the society, had a spiritual bearing that connected it to concept of ma’at. Another important essence of the concept of ma’at in ancient Egypt lies in its relationship with the concepts of order and righteousness. Ma’at was regarded as a means of protecting the rights of the weak in the society. As such, the word was used to encompass all the conceptions that represented equality within the whole society. For individuals, living in accordance with the provisions of ma’at meant that the individuals could attain justification in their lives. Also, the relationship between ma’at and justice for the state was reflected by the fact that the state derived all its authority and powers from the concept of ma’at (Junker 16). Since the concept prevented the oppression of weak individuals in the society by the strong and greedy ones, ma’at played a key role in liberating individuals who were oppressed in the society. Because of this, it can be said that the concept of ma’at determined how individuals behaved towards each other in all aspects of their lives. Apart from justice, the essence of ma’at was also reflected in its relationship with the belief system of the people of ancient Egypt. Since it represented the very values which people ought to attain in their lives, ma’at represented the structure of the religion of ancient Egypt (Erman 19). This was so because of the central role that the goddess ma’at played in the religion of the people, which was symbolizing the virtues of truth, justice, righteousness and equality. There is a close relationship between justice and righteousness. In general, the concept of ma’at can be translated to represent the following: truth, justice, order and righteousness. As such, the essence of the concept of ma’at did not lie in representing a moral or ethical idea in life but rather in the practice of observing the consequences of one’s action in life. Whereas conforming to the concept was regarded as a precursor to happiness and harmony, disregarding the principle of ma’at was seen as inevitably leading to the opposite state: disharmony and lack of order. The Tale of Eloquent Peasant presents nine supplications by a peasant who has been flown into the kingdom of ancient Egypt. In summary, the tale presents behaviour that is compliant to ma’at as follows: there is no yesterday for the person who is lazy; no friend for the lazy person and lastly, no day of festival for the person who is greedy (Parkinson 55). The first summary underscores the importance of action or activity in the daily lives of individuals within the society. Since the process of life depended much on the actions of individuals which produced a chain of reactions, laziness, or the absence of activity, threatened not only the very existence of individuals but also that of the entire society in general. As such, ma’at is seen as being essential for the process of social existence for both the individual and the entire society at large. It is regarded that a harmonious society is created by the state of interactions between different individuals in the society (Junker 21). By having healthy relationships between individuals, peace and harmony prevails in the entire society as a whole. The essence of harmonious relationships between individuals in the society is represented by the assertion about the absence of friendships in the life of a deaf person. Deafness here represents failure to build harmonious relationships through effective communication. By emphasising on the importance of effective communication in establishing harmony within a society, the concept of ma’at is seen as being central to building the social lives of individuals in ancient Egypt. The third ethical principle of ma’at that is represented in this text regards the role of selfishness and greed in destroying social relations. Ma’at advocates for selflessness and equity in the society. It is seen that the desire for material possessions violates the requirements of ma’at by destroying the natural order of things (Budge 77). By emphasising on the need for individuals to avoid greed and materialism while embracing selflessness, the concept of ma’at ensured equity and safeguarded the rights of individuals in the society who were regarded as weak. There was a close relationship between the requirements of the concept of ma’at and the beliefs surrounding death in ancient Egypt. The expectations of individuals in the ancient society were to be owners of tombs after their death (Parkinson 99). Because of the high social value attached to owning a tomb in death, there were stringent conditions which were to be satisfied in order for individuals to qualify for such an honour. Apart from having a royal authorisation and an expensive post-mortem cult, there was the need for individuals to have a good record in the society (Erman 33). Such conditions required that individuals lived in accordance with the requirements of the concept of ma’at during their life times. Because of the elaborate rituals and requirements associated with death and burial, it was necessary for individuals to ensure that their lives, as reflected in their biographies, satisfied the conditions of ma’at. Another way in which the essence of ma’at was reflected at death lies in the religious belief of the lives of the deceased being weighed against the provisions of ma’at. This means that the concept of ma’at was of essence in the lives of individuals in ancient Egypt not only in their lifetime but also after death. In conclusion, the concept of ma’at permeated all aspects of life in ancient Egypt. This was so in the lives of kings, the gods and common individuals and was witnessed during all the three kingdoms: the old kingdom, the middle one and the new kingdom. By being a concept that epitomised the divine order of things in the universe, the concept of ma’at was essential to all religious aspects of life in ancient Egypt. This importance was also represented by the creation of the goddess ma’at who was an embodiment of the entire concept and its implications in different aspects of life in ancient Egypt. Also, ma’at was of essence in the legal system in ancient Egypt. It has been seen that the king was a representation of will of the gods. Also, the king was tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that all individuals adhered to the requirements of ma’at. Since this was done through legislation, edicts and orders, it can be seen that the entire legal system was built upon the requirements of the concept of ma’at. Besides, all practitioners of the legal system in ancient Egypt regarded ma’at as the custodian of justice, equality and impartiality. Also, by seeking to maintain the natural order of things, ma’at was important in ensuring social harmony, peace and truthfulness. This means that the practical daily relationships between individuals were regulated by the requirements of ma’at. Works Cited Budge, Wallis. “Egyptian ideas of the future life” African Studies Journal. 25 October 2013. http://www.jpanafrican.com/ebooks/eBook%20Egyptian%20Ideas%20of%20the%20Future%20Life.pdf Erman, Adolf. “Life in ancient Egypt.” 25 October 2013. http://www.oup.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/170013/HUR_Ant.2_2e_Ch001.pdf Gadalla, Moustafa. Egyptian Cosmology: The Animated Universe. Sage Publications: London. Junker, Herman. “A study of the ba concept in ancient Egyptian texts” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology. 25 October 2013. http://oi.uchicago.edu/pdf/saoc34.pdf Van De Mieroop, Marc. A History of Ancient Europe, Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. Morgan, Lewis, Henry. ‘Ancient society or researches in the lines of human progress from savagery through barbarism to civilization’ 25 October 2013. http://mjn.host.cs.st.-andrews.ac.uk/egyptian/texts/corrpus/pdf/Peasant.pdf Parkinson, Richard. The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Read More