In ancient Egypt, pharaohs ruled for several millennia. They were considered the embodiment of the supreme god on earth. The Egyptians were convinced that the pharaoh was born from a supreme deity, who was embodied in the ruling monarch and queen mother. The pharaoh regulated the life of Egyptian society and participated in religious rites. With his death, the whole way of life of society collapsed, the order and peace of citizens were violated, because without him there is no Egypt.
What kind of life did the pharaohs lead? What were the attributes of power? What did the double crown of the Egyptian pharaohs symbolize? The answers to these questions are contained in the article.
Two parts of Egypt
What did the double crown of the Egyptian pharaohs symbolize? Unity. The first dynasties of rulers date back to the era of the Early Kingdom. History tells that thisThe period is characterized by the dual unity of Egypt, which consisted of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms. This unity was fragile. When a new ruler ascended the throne, the lands of Egypt united, but such an association was of a violent nature. The struggle of the territorial units runs like a red thread through the entire period of history, but the king was the head of state. For centuries, dynasties succeeded each other, the state changed, but the power of the pharaoh remained inviolable.
Pharaoh is God
Pharaohs we call the rulers of ancient Egypt. The emergence of the word is associated with the era of the New Kingdom and did not serve as an official name. It was just that this word was shorter and made it possible to avoid mentioning the long royal name and all his titles. This term was borrowed by the Greeks from the Bible. Translating it from Egyptian, we get the "great house". Most likely, the name comes from the palace where the Egyptian king lived.
The inner circle of the pharaoh could not call the ruler by name. He was called "He", "Horus", "His Majesty", God". Often the ruler was called "both mistresses", because in his face the goddesses of both halves of the kingdom were united. The usual designation of the pharaoh, uniting both parts of Egypt, was the expression "belonging to Reed and Bee". The reed meant Upper Egypt, the bee - Lower.
All royal power was deified, there was a cult of the pharaoh. If he was considered the incarnation of God in the guise of a man, then, then,had a dual nature. The pharaoh was born as a result of the marriage of a god in the guise of a ruling pharaoh and the mother of a future ruler. Initially, Ra was considered the god-father, later - Amon-Ra. The pharaoh was the incarnation of the god Horus on earth during his lifetime, and after death - the incarnation of Osiris.
Double Crown
What is her story? What did the double crown of the Egyptian pharaohs symbolize? What did she look like?
One of the main attributes of power was a headdress called "pshent", which had the meaning of a crown. It consisted of two crowns, which were of different colors. The red one belonged to Lower Egypt, the white one to Upper Egypt. Their merger meant the acquisition of power over both lands. These crowns were worn together.
What else did the double crown of the Egyptian pharaohs symbolize? Who did it belong to?
Both parts of the Egyptian land had their patrons - goddesses. The Lower Egyptian goddess Wadjet was revered in the form of a cobra, the Upper Egyptian, Nekhbet, was depicted as a vulture. Their images were pinned to the front of the crown. Thus, the double crown of the Egyptian pharaohs symbolized power over the united lands of Egypt.
Handkerchief
The scarf was adapted for everyday wear. It was worn everywhere. At the pharaoh, it consisted of a large piece of striped fabric, a ribbon and a diadem with a snake. Such a scarf was called "klaft". How did he dress? It was superimposed on the forehead in a horizontal position, then a ribbon was tied, it was fixed on topdiadem. Behind the matter was collected and fixed with the ends of the tape. Sometimes a crown was worn on the claft.
Other attributes
The most ancient attribute of power is the staff, it was a memory of the times of cattle breeding, because then it played a significant role in people's lives. For several millennia, the staff remained among the symbols of the power of the pharaohs, but in the frescoes the pharaoh was often depicted without it.
Another symbol of power was the hake. It was a short rod, the upper end of which was rounded. This symbol was not individual; both gods and officials of the highest circle used such a rod. There was also another wand, only in the form of a long cane with a forked end at the bottom. From above it was decorated with the head of a jackal. These attributes were depicted with a whip. As an attribute of royal dignity, the kings wore a false beard made of gold.
Pharaoh activities
There were 30 ruling dynasties in Egypt. Despite their divine origin, the pharaohs led a difficult and even exhausting life. They took an active part in the life of the country. Not a single economic report could do without a thorough study, the pharaohs had to delve into all spheres of the life of the state and make decisions regarding war and peace.
Pharaoh for the Egyptians is the guarantor of stability, justice and order. Anyone could turn to the Lord for mercy. Therefore, his death was a tragedy, and his accession to the throne was a celebration.
