Egyptian and Greek Gods From the Past - Assignment Example

Egyptian and Greek Gods From the Past Assignment 1 4.2 Description of the typical structure of a royal tomb from the Valley of the Kings (based on the Theban Mapping Project) and how this differed from earlier tombs The Theban Mapping Project relies on two principal documents for detailing the typical structure of a royal tomb from the Valley of the Kings. One of these is a papyrus containing the plan of the tomb of Rameses IV. Key designations in the anatomy of this tomb are the following: The God’s Passage of the Empty/Open Path – an entryway as a ramp cut into the hillside The Passage of the Sun – The first corridor Second God’s Passage – The second corridor Two Doorkeepers’ Rooms – Rectangular recesses at the end of a third corridor The Hall of Hindering – Believed to be designed to hinder access The Chariot Hall – A pillared chamber with some connection to chariots Opening of Dragging – The start of a ramp running from the end of the third corridor House of Gold Wherein One Rests – The burial chamber Treasury – Chambers lying beyond the burial chamber, perhaps ‘store rooms’ These tombs differed from the earlier ones such as the (masonry) pyramids in some ways. For example, “In the earlier tombs the storerooms are inside the burial chamber; in the later tombs they are attached to the walls on the outside or very close to it” (Bard, p.124). The inner sanctuaries also differ in terms of size. Sources: Bard, Kathryn A. 1999. Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. Routldge, Taylor & Francis Group. 4.3 Radio Broadcast: The temple of Horus and its architecture Dear listeners, welcome to the show. Today, we are broadcasting live from one of the greatest and largest of temples in Egypt. We’re on the west bank of the Nile about 65 miles north of Aswan. That’s right, you guessed it, we are seated in the temple of great Horus in Edfu, son of Osiris, and we are going to describe its architecture for you. The orientation of this temple by the way is north-south. Those who haven’t yet visited this place or came but did not have the privilege of entering inside, we will make you feel as if you are right with us, right now. We’ll walk you through the entire temple. We will also be joined later by the priest who will do a special intercession to Horus on behalf of all you lucky listeners, so stay tuned. When you come here you are greeted by sculptors of our God at the entrance, and you will also see huge masts with banners in the deep grooves of grand pylons. They must be about 100 ft high. We’re actually inside in the first courtyard now, the Court of Offerings where people make offerings to Horus. On three sides we are surrounded by these tall columns. Let’s describe these columns for you. They are decorated with festival reliefs and I’d say +++. In fact, from the Pylon and all around the court along the bottom, these reliefs are displaying the festival of the Beautiful Meeting. There are more reliefs beneath the western colonnade, and on the northern wall. There’s one private priest’s room here near the entrance where I’m not allowed to go, and another on the opposite side which I’m told contains sacred texts. Round the back of the court here, I see a pair of statues of Horus in black. In one, the God is standing and in the other he is lying on the ground. In the Hypostyle Hall now. It’s a rectangular hall and looking up there at the ceiling it’s absolutely amazing. It’s full of astronomical paintings. The ceiling itself is held up by six pillars in two rows. Now, I’ve come over to the Festival Hall, and I can smell fresh herbs and flowers, it’s wonderful. From here to the sanctuary is the oldest part of the temple started by the great pharaoh Ptolemy III and completed by Ptolemy IV Philopator. Later the Hypostyle Hall was added, and then the perimeter wall and pylons by Ptolemy VII and Ptolemy IX respectively. As it is now, this temple has had its final touches by our present great pharaoh Ptolemy XII, may he live long. Over there, thirteen chapels are accessed by the passage that surrounds the sanctuary but they are all windowless, so it’s very dark in there. Another outer passage connects with the enclosing wall. The whole architecture of this place is amazing but also very traditional. After the break, we will go through this doorway that leads to the Hall of Offerings, and from there to the holy Sanctuary of Horus, and some of the other parts that remain, and of course we’re all waiting for that special moment with the priest too. We’ll be back in a bit, so don’t go away. Sources: History Link 101. 2007. Ancient Egyptian Temples. http://www.historylink101.net/egypt_1/religion_temples.htm. [7 July 2009]. Great Buildings. N.d. Temple of Horus. http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Temple_of_Horus.html [7 July 2009]. Sacred Destinations. Temple of Horus, Edfu. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/egypt/edfu.htm. [7 July 2009]. 5.1 A day in the life of an Egyptian priest This is my diary entry for one of the occasions when I had to fulfil the role of a priest. I usually work as a government official in the horology department, but often the great pharaoh calls upon me to fulfil the role of a priest due to my noble ancestry. I saw these occasions as great opportunities to have a more direct role in keeping our society in order, and preserve our great culture. It was a great social responsibility and the great pharaoh always paid me well too. But above all, it was a great honour to care for the needs of our gods; to be one of his precious servants. However, I also had to be more observant of what was and what was not allowed whilst being a priest. And, once again I had to shave my entire body for the role and abstain from my wife for a whole month. I took a bath early in the morning on the day, wore some fine linen clothing and white papyrus sandals, and set off for the temple. Then, as the senior priest, I broke the entrance seal to go inside, and we started with a hymn to awaken the god in peace followed by a short ritual prayer. Then I took another this time sacred purification bath at the stone pool, and rinsed my mouth thoroughly. Afterwards we lit a torch and incense, and went over to wash the holy statue in preparation for another day of reverence and worship. My assistants placed fine new clothing and jewels on it, applied some perfume, and we all placed offerings of food and drink before him so that he may be pleased. Then I took time to assign duties to my scribes and other assistants. There was so much to arrange as there was going to be a new moon festival too. During the day, hymn singers came to praise the god as well. When the day was over, I made sure as always to sweep away my footprints as I left the temple. Then I sealed it for the night. Sources: History Link 101. 2007. Priest in Ancient Egypt. http://www.historylink101.net/egypt_1/religion_role_of_priest.htm [7 July 2009]. MNSU. Priest Caste. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/religion/priest.html [7 July 2009]. Parsons, Marie. 2005. Priests in Ancient Egypt. Tour Egypt. http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/priests.htm [7 July 2009]. 6.1 Areas of human life of moral concern to the ancient Egyptians The ancient Egyptians tried to emulate the conditions that existed at the time of creation, and accepted the kingships as being divine. But to grasp a thorough understanding of morality in ancient Egypt, requires knowledge of ma’at. This involves concepts of balance, order and truth. Every Egyptian was obliged to uphold ma’at by being obedient to the pharaoh. Lichtheim and Ockinga have discussed moral values in ancient Egypt in depth. Lichtheim observes that the king never taught maat but that “the king and the gods desire that maat be done” (Lichtheim, 1997, p.11). Moral traits were therefore innate to individuals. However, maat being such a central concept to the ancient Egyptians, was developed through upbringing, so Lichteim seems to have lessened the importance of maat than it really was. Some ideas of what constitutes morals, and what was considered as ‘ideals’ are also written in the wisdom literature (Lichtheim, 1996). But these revolved around the “fine deeds of the writer, often in tombs, as judgement day approached” (Warren, 2003). Furthermore, some autobiographies also relate some ethical values of the ancient Egyptians. For example, from Nefer Seshem Re’s autobiography, we can ascertain the following as areas of life of moral concern: Satisfying the Lord; Helping the weak; Feeding the hungry; Burying the childless; Giving to the boatless; Respecting and pleasing both parents, and looking after siblings. However, chapter 125 of the Book of the Dead gives a clearer “understanding of what was and what was not acceptable behaviour” (Warren, 2003). The deceased was obliged to make two declarations of innocence. These contained some general statements e.g. “I have done no injustice to people”, as well as specific ones as the following: Religious crimes e.g. blasphemy, stealing from or defiling a sacred place Exploiting the weak e.g. causing them grief, pain or injury, depriving orphans of their property Economic crimes e.g. giving undue measure of goods, or less than the balance High level crimes e.g. theft, murder Other failings e.g. lying, adultery, slandering, aggressiveness, losing temper, speaking without thinking Thus we see that they covered a very wide range of areas of life, and moreover it had the benefit of the whole of Egypt at heart. Sources: Lichtheim, 1996. Quoted in Ockinga, Boyo. 2008. Ethics and Morality. In The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press. Lichtheim, Miriam. 1997. Moral Values in Ancient Egypt. (rbis biblicus et orientalis). Presses Universitaires Fribourg. Warren, John. 2003. The Ethics and Morality of the Ancient Egyptians. Tour Egypt. http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/ethics.htm [7 July 2009]. Assignment 2 7.1 The nature of Akhenaten and his religion Akhenaten made a serious attempt to establish a purer monotheistic form of the Egyptian religion, albeit constrained within the period of his rule. His rule thus stands out distinctly from the rest of ancient Egyptian history. Many priests were not receptive to his ideas as they were more comfortable with respecting the different characteristics of God. The seriousness of the attempt is known from his disbanding the priesthood in his fifth year of reign to make people worship none other than the one sun God Aten, and the change of capital from Thebes to Akhetaten, There were also other notable social and cultural changes as in art of the period. The nature of his religion is such that he was seen as a precursor to Christ (Homung, 2001, p.13-15). It is said that he found a direct path to God and rejected many myths and symbols. So his was a religion of progress but it is unfortunate that after his death there was a return to the old polytheistic ways. The people of Egypt at the time were unprepared for true monotheism. Sources: Homung, Erik and Lorton, David. 2001. Akhenaten and the religion of light. Cornell University Press. History Link 101. 2004. Cult of Aten. http://www.historylink101.net/egypt_1/religion_cult_aten.htm [7 July 2009]. 7.2 The religion of Akhenaten as illustrated by the Great Hymn Akhenaten’s religion is evident in the Great Hymn to Aten. For example, the cosmic nature is clear from expressions such as Light without darkness’ and ‘Unity without multiplicity’; Oneness from the words that only Aten is divine and “There is no God but Aten’, ‘Life-giving light is the only divine presence’, and “O sole god, like whom there is no other!’. In 47 and 73-74, Aten is praised, “O sole god without equal! You are alone, shining in your form of the living Aten. Risen, radiant, distant and near.” Sources: Brian. N.d. Akhenaten and the hymn to the Aten. Interfaith. http://www.comparative-religion.com/ancient/akhenaten.php [7 July 2009]. 8.3 Impact of the geography of Greece on Greek religion and how this differed from the geography of Egypt The geography of Greece comprises of a mainland (Peloponnesus Peninsula), much of it mountainous, and surrounded by sea with a multitude of islands. This made the Greeks a therefore a seafaring nation. The ancient Egyptians on the other hand saw their land as divided into two zones viz. black land and red land. Black land was on the banks of the Nile and was fertile. Red land consisted of the barren desert. The climate too was very different from Egypt. Greece had a Mediterranean climate whereas Egypt had a hot and dry climate. Like Egypt, Greece also had little unification of thought due to lack of interaction, and several competing city-states were thus formed. Also like the Egyptians, the Greeks worshipped many Gods and strived to please them, gave great importance to the afterlife and buried their dead with their belongings. However, unlike the ancient Egyptian religion, the Greeks had “no sacred texts or moral code that is backed by religious beliefs” (Paganism, Past & Present). Another important difference is that, “They believed that the soul was passed on to another body at the time of death” (ibid). As far as the impact of the geography of Greece on Greek religion is concerned, this is evident in Greek beliefs at the time. For example, the Poseidon cults were very strong, Poseidon being the god of the sea (and earthquakes). Thus, “The many temples to Poseidon found in the Aegean and Mediterranean seas were a kind of earthquake ‘insurance’" (Henry, 2007). In 470 BCE it is recorded that the Persian army was destroyed by a tidal wave when they tried to advance on Potidea after desecrating a temple of Poseidon. This was evidence of Poseidon’s wrath for the Greeks. The sea was therefore an important feature not only of the geography but also Greece’s mythology. To a lesser extent, winds and volcanoes also linked geography to religion. For example, Hephaestus controlled volcanoes, and the land of Greece was quite active in ancient times. Whilst volcanic eruptions caused immense destruction, it also made the soil very fertile. So the Greeks both feared and depended on many forces of nature, and this significance naturally found its expression in their religion. Sources: Henry, Laura Susan. 2007. Geography in Greek Myth: How the Mediterranean Environment Shaped Ancient Culture. Suite 101. http://greek-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/geography_in_greek_myth [7 July 2009]. Paganism, Past & Present. N.d. Ancient Greek Religion. http://library.thinkquest.org/28111/newpage2.htm [7 July 2009]. 9.1 The natures, epithets and activities of the most important Greek gods and goddesses and their representation of the sacred The most important Greek gods and goddesses were the following fourteen Olympians together with their area of rule: Aphrodite (love/beauty), Apollo (inspiration), Ares (war), Artemis (hunting), Athena (wisdom/arts), Demeter (harvest), Dionysus (wine), Hades (underworld), Hephaestus (metallurgy), Hera (family), Hermes (trade), Hestia (hearth), Poseidon (sea), Zeus (sky). In addition there were other gods and semi-gods besides. The main distinguishing characteristic of the gods from men was that they were immortal whereas men were mortals. Otherwise the gods and goddesses are very much portrayed in human terms although they had the ability to “change their appearance, size and attributes beyond the bounds of the human form” (Lion Handbook, 1993, p.94). Moreover, the gods had power over their own nature as well as the world of nature. And, they granted men free will; they did also exercise their capacity to manipulate human actions. All the gods and goddesses were sacred, and like the Egyptians, people strived to keep them pleased. The primary activities of the gods were related to the area(s) of their rule. For example, Hades, the god of the underworld was concerned with increasing the number of dead people. Hera, the jealous wife of Zeus, was often engaged in punishing others who got in the way of her relationship whether they were other goddesses or mortals. But Athena was involved even more with human affairs. She governed a number of areas of life, from battling to defend the state to developing skills for agriculture and handicrafts. She is credited with having “invented the bridle, which permitted man to tame horses, the trumpet, the flute, the pot, the rake, the plow, the yoke, the ship, and the chariot” (ancientgreece.com, 2008). Apollo and Aphrodite were also favourites with the mortals. Apollo dealt with medicine and healing and was also a gifted musician. He served many people at the Oracle at Delphi by divining their futures. And, Aphrodite was renowned for her beauty and adored by many. She was also deeply involved in the Trojan War. Sources: Ancientgreece.com, 2008. Ancient Greece – Mythology. http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/Mythology/ [7 July 2009]. Lion Handbook. 1993. The World’s Religions. Lion Publishing Plc. 10.1 The oracle consultation at Delphi A pressing family matter urged me to travel all the way to the Omphalos (centre of the world (Delphi)) to consult the Oracle. My wife had given birth to my first son, and we agreed it would be better to know a bit about his fate so we could prepare him better for life than leave him to fate unprepared. I saved two gold coins for my son’s sake. I was hoping I would be fortunate enough to meet Apollo himself but when I got to the slopes of Mount Parnassus after a long two days journey, my sight was met by the Pythias instead, just as well I thought. I quenched my thirst at the sacred spring upon arriving and waited my turn. I saw people coming and going, some worried, some confused, some were discussing what had been told to them, and some even arguing over the interpretation. There were also some other people around the place who were sitting in a circle discussing some matters. I think they were scholars. A few were not even Greeks, so they must have come from afar. When my turn came, I was praying to Apollo for a favourable reading in my heart. The priestess was seated on a tripod inhaling some gasses. I offered the gold, and put my question to her. She was muttering at first, and then I could barely make out her advising me to take the child over early for he is destined to count and engage himself in some mental pursuits. The priests clarified her message for me. I understood that my son must be educated early for he was destined to become a mathematician. 11.1 The visit to a Greek sanctuary Our mother had been ill for quite a while, and we had already sought help from many mortals in places nearby. So we decided it was appropriate to make a trip to Epidaurus; to the Sanctuary of Asklepios, son of Apollo. This was our last hope for our ailing mother. Accompanied by my brother, we set off with her on the long journey to Epidaurus. Upon arriving in the evening, we could already smell the fresh and healthy air emanating from the surrounding forest. There was not one temple and hospital but many of both, and a theatre was also being built. Our mother purified herself with the holy water, and we made sacrifices to Asklepios. We all then cleansed our bodies and minds to stay the night at the abaton. We were hoping a cure would be revealed in our dreams, to one of us at least. Asklepios revealed to me the very formula we had been seeking for so long but he also asked for more sacrifice to be made. We had these details clarified at the sanctuary in the morning and made more sacrifices to the gods so they may be pleased and the formula would work. All the way back home I kept thanking the gods in my heart. When we obtained the required herbs and applied the formula, my mother soon recovered. Sources: Dillon, Matthew. 1997. Pilgrims and pilgrimage in ancient Greece. Routledge. Pedley, John Giffiths. 2005. Sanctuaries and the sacred in the ancient Greek world. Cambridge University Press. (page 92) 12.1 My initiation opportunity My whole family was very devout but some practices of my father were always mysterious to me because I did not see them being practiced by many others and certainly not any of my friend’s households. Then when I became old enough in my father’s words, he called me over one day and gave me a few insights into his thoughts and practices. This continued for a few days, and I was fascinated by it all. He even took me to join him in one of their special gatherings in the Idaean cave on Crete on a few occasions to experience this way of life for myself. Then he asked if I would like to be initiated as well. I was fascinated by the idea but for some reason, I also pondered on whether or not I should take the opportunity to be initiated, and as I saw it become one of an elect few. What enticed me most was the prospect of being closer to the gods, to learn some truths from them, and even get to see them. After all, I was already acquainted with some of the things they did. For example, I knew the procedure of “purification and prostration with wrapped head, sojourn in the cave, and ultimately return to the world” (Ustinova, 2009). I actually liked the idea of spending a solitary period in darkness, as this was conducive to receiving inspiration and seeing visions, and hopefully the ultimate secrets and truths. Moreover, this place was sacred to Zeus. On the other hand, I also felt somewhat less though, that the initiation would make me depart from our traditional religion as practiced by the majority. These special practices were simply not part of the life of ordinary mortals. They were content with what little was already known, not desiring to meet the gods or developing their own spiritual potential but to just serve them in their temples before their statues and make offerings to them. Thus they were concerned only with remote outer experiences. In the end, I thought this is a very minimalist and empty way to live, so I decided to take advantage of the privilege and go ahead with the initiation, as I desired to have more than a mundane existence. Sources: Cosmopoulos, Michael B. 2003. Greek mysteries. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. Ustinove, Yulia. 2009. Caves and the Ancient Greek Mind. Oxford University Press. Pages 245-247. Read More