How many mysteries the ancient Egyptian civilization keeps, which left a huge legacy and had a strong influence on world culture, no one knows. From the school curriculum, everyone probably remembers the main statement that all power in ancient Egypt belonged exclusively to male pharaohs. But relatively recently, this postulate was recognized as erroneous, and the rulers of a developed ancient state were talked about as a well-known fact.
God on earth and after death
It should be noted that all the pharaohs were considered the deputies of God, they were even credited with magical properties. A special attitude towards death left its mark on the reign of the main rulers of the country: the place that would take them forever was taken care of in advance. Burial pyramids were built, later they were abandoned and huge halls began to be carved into the rocks, containing not only sarcophagi, but also utensils, jewelry, becauseit was believed that the pharaoh continued to lead a habitual way of life even after his death.
Tombs are no place for mourning
The well-known Luxor burial of Ta-Set-Neferov was located not far from the tombs of the rulers of Egypt. Its name was translated as "valley of beauty", which is very unusual for a cemetery where the wives of the pharaohs were buried. The Egyptians treated the sacred place without sadness and sorrow, because it was believed that the dead had passed into a bright and beautiful world.
Women's status
Rulers sometimes married their sisters or daughters, because women were forbidden to marry other than kings, but he althy offspring were born from harem concubines. The supreme rulers were called gods during their lifetime, and the wives of the pharaohs did not always acquire such a status.
Egyptologists, who studied the problem for a long time, found that only special priestesses from the royal family were in a special position. No one dared to discuss their actions, and orders were carried out implicitly. Women who embodied the god on earth performed special secret rituals in the sanctuary of the Egyptian god Amun, rubbing incense on a golden statue and dancing in front of it.
Meaning of Egyptian Growth
Nefertari, the name of the wife of Pharaoh Ramses II, was depicted on all bas-reliefs of the same height not only with her husband, but also with the goddess Hathor, who handed her the symbol of the afterlife. These murals, which did not lose the brightness of colors, were kept by her luxurious tomb, located in the famous Valley of the Queens.
It was the height of the depicted person that the Egyptians attached great importance to. The real wives of the pharaohs, who did not become the embodiment of God, were always drawn much smaller than their husbands. But Nefertari was never the ruler of Egypt, as, for example, Cleopatra or Hatshepsut. I would like to talk about the latter separately.
Hatshepsut: history of reign
The wives of the pharaohs of Egypt and their mothers are known, who did not receive the official status of rulers, but were on the throne until the Hellenistic period. Among these seven legendary rulers was Hatshepsut, who lost her wife Thutmose II and gave birth to a daughter, not an heir. She becomes a stepmother and aunt for the son of a concubine, declaring herself a regent and conducting all public affairs on behalf of the boy, but after 6 years she begins to claim power, declaring her royal origin. The title of the wife of Amun and the respect of the whole country for a strong-willed woman help her freely ascend the throne.
Hatshepsut ruled the country for a long 20 years, during which time she competently suppressed the unrest in Nubia, which earned her special respect. Having become a very significant figure in the state, she moves the capital to Thebes (Luxor) and during her lifetime is engaged in the construction of her afterlife sanctuary. The luxurious tomb housed huge stone statues of Hatshepsut in the guise of the death god Osiris: the pharaoh's wife was depicted with a crown on her head and a false male beard, whose sculptural portrait nevertheless showed pretty features.
Revenge of Thutmose III
After her death, the sonconcubine Thutmose III, who remained the sole ruler, begins to systematically destroy all objects of worship associated with the former keeper of the throne, who never tried to overthrow him.
200 statues depicting Hatshepsut and sphinxes were destroyed and buried near the impressive temple. Modern archaeological expeditions that have found the remains of unique compositions have restored pictures of the grandeur of the sacred place.
Black Rulers
When the power of Egypt was shaken, it was conquered by its own colonies - Nubia and Libya. The temples include black pharaohs who needed a special status. In order to be on the throne by inheritance, and not after seizing power, they marry Egyptian aristocrats, declaring them and themselves divine incarnations.
Facts are known when the wives of the pharaohs dedicated their daughters to the wife of Amon, because such a high title gave great power. Many black rulers, reviving the glory of Thebes, did not require a man, and they passed on the status of the goddess to their adopted daughters. Unfortunately, the legendary city was sacked by the Assyrians, and no one remembered the power of the pharaoh goddesses.
Archaeological expeditions working in Egypt have revealed hitherto unknown facts to the whole world. Each new discovery of such burials becomes a discussed event in the scientific world.
