N. Bondarenko, Master's Student
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/1728-2640.2022.154-155.1
THE RELIGIOUS ROLE OF THE EGYPTIAN QUEEN AS HIGH PRIESTESS. CULT OF HATHOR
In this article, the author analyzes the features of the service of Egyptian queens in the temples of Ancient Egypt. Religion in Ancient Egypt was a unique phenomenon that was significantly different from the modern understanding of the role of religion and the church in society. The temples served as a home for the god, where the king and the priesthood ensured the preservation of Maat on earth. The queens became the earthly embodiment of the goddess Mut. The degree of involvement in the process of serving the gods of the queens is also unique. In fact, the foundations of all the freedoms and rights of Egyptian women are laid in mythology, where Isis is perceived as equal to her husband Osiris. However, the fact that serving a certain religious cult was almost the only possibility to be realized in Egyptian society for women. In particular, one of the most influential is the cult of the goddess Hathor. This cult became a symbol and one of the canons of royal power. Hathor has the largest number of temples dedicated to any other goddess in Ancient Egypt. Unlike other cults, in the cult of Hathor the priesthood was usually represented by women. The main functions and responsibilities of the priestesses were to perform daily temple rituals for the deities, festivals and holidays, and to manage the property and resources of the temple. The queen was traditionally depicted larger, dressed in full royal regalia, holding symbols of power. It was a headdress with a uraeus or vulture, with its two wings hanging from both sides of the head. Later, in the New Kingdom, it was the high status of the queen in the religious sphere, which began to be especially actively combined with political life, that allowed women to gain truly unshakable positions in the management of the state. Therefore, after closer examination of all the above-mentioned aspects reveals that we can confirm the interdependence of political, religious and social status of queens. This statement is also reflected in the mythology and religion of Ancient Egypt. The occupation of queens in leading positions in the state distinguishes the Egyptian civilization from the entire history of the ancient world.
Keywords: Brazil, 1968 protests, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, students, military dictatorship, Artur da Costa e Silva.
Submitted: 23.12.2022
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