WHO IS MA'AT?
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Ma'at by SleinadFlar from SleinadFlar on deviantART |
Ma'at or Mayet, is the Egyptian Goddess who regulates all things, bringing order to the universe. She embodies truth, balance, order, and justice. She directs the stars and the actions of the Gods. She informs humanity of the right way of being. She weighs the souls of the dead to see if they have lived lives of rightness. The earliest written records of Ma'at date from the 3rd millenia BCE and describe Her as settings the norms for both nature and social structure. She had many different titles, which reflect the esteem in which She was held and Her importance to all Egyptian society. Some of these titles include :
Ma'at the Beautiful
Directress of the Underworld
Tracer of the Course of the Sun
Lady of the Hall of Judgment
Sustainer of the Sun
Lady of the Heavens Queen of Earth
The Measure of the Heart
Ma'at in Social Order
Ma'at was the center of Egyptian social structure in so many ways. Their culture emphasized the order and harmony of the universe and the thread than ran through their philosophy was one of an intrinsic link between the rightness of people's actions and the balance of life and nature. Pharaohs from the earliest periods often named themselves "Lord of Ma'at" or "Beloved of Ma'at" to show the people that Ma'at was in their heart and their words were of Ma'at. For it was known that an impious king, one who manifested Isfet: chaos, lies, and violence, could cause disasters to strike his people. The correct public and religious life that was part of the unity of things was essential in all aspects of behavior - for both monarch and the everyday person.
Little is known of Egyptian laws, but one thing that is quite telling is that from the 5th dynasty onward the Vizier, who was responsible for the administering of justice and overseeing of the law, was High Priest of Ma'at. In later times, it has been recorded that judges wore masks in the likeness of Ma'at when acting in their official capacity. It is also interesting to note that during the time when Egyptians ran their own kingdom, women had much greater rights and could act with much more autonomy than they could under both later Greek and Roman rule.
Judgement of the Dead
One of Ma'at's best known roles is as Judge of the Dead. In Duat, the Egyptian underworld, the dead would come to have their souls weighed against the Feather of Ma'at. Those that lived lives of goodness and right action were allowed to continue on to Aaru, The Field of Reeds, where Osiris would welcome them into blissful eternity. Those who did not measure up had their hearts devoured by the goddess Ammit, who was shown in the semblance of a lioness in Egyptian tomb art depicting this scene, thereby suffering a second, permanent death. One of the things most commonly found in Egyptian tombs of any period and of any station of person are the Forty-Two Declarations of Purity, which were the statements said by the deceased before their heart was weighed under the supervision of Anubis. These statements summed up the ideals of a life of Ma'at and are part of Book of Coming Forth by Day, also known as The Egyptian Book of the Dead.
The Declaration of Innocence and the Forty-Two Declarations of Purity from the Papyrus of Ani (trans. Allen and Faulkner)(19th Dynasty, circa 1240 BCE)
Hail Far-strider who came forth from Heliopolis, I have done no falsehood.
Hail Fire-embracer who came forth from Kheraha, I have not robbed.
Hail Nosey who came forth from Hermopolis, I have not been rapacious.
Hail Swallower of shades who came forth from the cavern, I have not stolen.
Hail Dangerous One who came forth from Rosetjau, I have not killed men.
Hail Double Lion who came forth from the sky, I have not destroyed food-supplies.
Hail Fiery Eyes who came forth from Letopolis, I have done no crookedness.
Hail Flame which came forth backwards, I have not stolen the godšs offerings.
Hail Bone-breaker who came forth from Heracleopolis, I have not told lies.
Hail Green of Flame who came forth from Memphis, I have no taken food.
Hail You of the cavern who came forth from the West, I have not been sullen.
Hail White of teeth who came forth from the Faiyum, I have not transgressed.
Hail Blood-eater who came forth from the shambles, I have not killed a sacred bull.
Hail Eater of entrails who came forth from the House of Thirty, I have not committed perjury.
Hail Lord of Truth who came forth from Maaty, I have not stolen bread.
Hail Wanderer who came forth from Bubastis, I have not eavesdropped.
Hail Pale One who came forth from Heliopolis, I have not babbled.
Hail Doubly evil who came forth from Andjet, I have not disputed except concerning my own property.
Hail Wememty-snake who came forth from the place of execution, I have not fornicated with a child.
Hail You who see whom you bring who came forth from the House of Min, I have not misbehaved.
Hail You who are over the Old One who came forth from Imau, I have not made terror.
Hail Demolisher who came forth from Xois, I have not transgressed.
Hail Disturber who came forth from Weryt, I have not been hot-tempered.
Hail Youth who came forth from the Heliopolitan nome, I have not been deaf to words of truth.
Hail Foreteller who came forth from Wenes, I have not made disturbance.
Hail You of the altar who came forth from the secret place, I have not hoodwinked.
Hail You whose face is behind him who came forth from the Cavern of Wrong, I have neither misconducted myself nor copulated with a boy.
Hail Hot-foot who came forth from the dusk, I have not been neglectful.
Hail You of the darkness who came forth from the darkness, I have not been quarrelsome.
Hail Bringer of your offering who came forth from Sais, I have not been unduly active.
Hail Owner of faces who came forth from Nedjefet, I have not been impatient.
Hail Accuser who came forth from Wetjenet, I have not transgressed my nature, I have not washed out the picture of a god.
Hail Owner of horns who came forth from Asyut, I have not been voluble in speech.
Hail Nefertum who came forth from Memphis, I have done no wrong, I have seen no evil.
Hail Tempsep who came forth from Busiris, I have not made conjuration against the king.
Hail You who acted according to your will, who came forth from Tjebu, I have not waded in water.
Hail Water-smiter who came forth from the Abyss, I have not been loud-voiced.
Hail Prosperer of the common folk who came forth from your house, I have not reviled mankind.
Hail Bestower of good who came forth from the Harpoon nome, I have not been puffed up.
Hail Bestower of powers who came forth from the City, I have not made distinctions for myself.
Hail Serpent with raised head, who came forth from the cavern, I am not wealthy except with my own property.
Hail Carrier-off of His Portion who came forth from the Silent Land, I have not blasphemed God in my city.