New Egypt, 4, The Kingdom :: The Kingdom
- Object description
The Egyptian king was the link between the worlds of the people and of the gods. He was the falcon god Horus and his office was divine. The ideology of kingship, - the notion of the king’s role - was fundamental to how the Egyptians perceived their world and society. This gave the Egyptian state legitimacy and stability.
It was the responsibility of the king to maintain Maat,the divine order and balance. This, he did by driving out the enemy. On a more symbolic level they were represented by the neighbouring people, who the king was often illustrated as bunching together and slaying. Tales of victories and great deeds maintained the image of the king as the defender of creation.
The temple cult was also the responsibility of the king. Only he was allowed to meet the gods face to face. The king is often seen kneeling before the god, handing over a small image of the goddess Maat.
Leave a comment
Here you can leave a comment. You have to supply an e-mail, an alias and you have to accept the agreements.