Religious Beliefs
Stelae dedicated to the deceased relativesAs in other towns of the New Kingdom, median workers worshipped many gods and goddesses. The major god of this period was Amun-Re of Thebes, whose cult centre was the Temple of Karnak across the Nile on the eastern bank of Thebes. In addition to honouring the pharaoh Amenhotep I and his mother Ahmose-Nefertari, as founders of the village, the people of Deir el-Medina also worshipped many other deities. The most important were honoured in special festivals held during the year. Shrines and temples were built erected with stelae (slab of stone with an inscribed surface) and statues to honour them. According to John Romer’s ‘Ancient Lives,’ “each temple belonged to a god and had its own festival”. Indicated by archaeological evidence, villagers practiced ancestor worship in memory of the deceased relatives. Some of the many gods and goddesses the villagers worshipped are:
Ø Amun-Re- King of the gods
Ø Osiris- god of the underworld
Ø Isis- Queen of the gods
Ø Meretseger- Guardian of the Valley of the Kings
Ø Ptah- creator
Ø Hathor- goddess of love and fertility
Ø Min- god of fertility
Ø Khnum- god of rebirth, creation and the evening Sun
Ø Bes- protector of childbirth and demons
Ø Taweret- goddess of birth
Ø Shed- saviour of the New Kingdom
Ø Ra- sun god
Ø Qudshu- goddess of ecstasy and sexual pleasure
Ø Anat- Mother of gods
Astarte- warrior goddess of Canaan
Ø Amun-Re- King of the gods
Ø Osiris- god of the underworld
Ø Isis- Queen of the gods
Ø Meretseger- Guardian of the Valley of the Kings
Ø Ptah- creator
Ø Hathor- goddess of love and fertility
Ø Min- god of fertility
Ø Khnum- god of rebirth, creation and the evening Sun
Ø Bes- protector of childbirth and demons
Ø Taweret- goddess of birth
Ø Shed- saviour of the New Kingdom
Ø Ra- sun god
Ø Qudshu- goddess of ecstasy and sexual pleasure
Ø Anat- Mother of gods
Astarte- warrior goddess of Canaan
Personal Piety
Figure 10.1 A workman of Bai praying to his god ‘of many ears’.Religious belief and observance was very significant in the lives of New Kingdom Egyptians and Deir el-Medina people. They believed that the gods played an important role in human affairs and that they could have a personal relationship (personal piety) with their gods. For example, based on the ethical belief with Amun, if you “placed the god in your heart then he would become a personal god of your life” (J. Assmann, The Search for God in Ancient Egypt, Cornell University Press, 2001, p. 197).
Villagers of Deir el-Medina would approach the god with questions about possible outcomes of their plans or to resolve a dispute with another villager. These questions were usually spoken or in written form during festival days such as Opet or the Beautiful Festival of the Valley. The priest during the festival would tilt the statue of the god in a certain direction to indicate the god’s answer. This answer is called an oracle. Magical practices had an important religious dimension of the New Kingdom, as the villagers believed that spells, charms, amulets, prescriptions and rituals could be used to invoke the power of a god. Amun was well known as a god ‘who listened to prayers’. He was often portrayed on stelae as a pair of ears (see Figure 10.1).
Villagers of Deir el-Medina would approach the god with questions about possible outcomes of their plans or to resolve a dispute with another villager. These questions were usually spoken or in written form during festival days such as Opet or the Beautiful Festival of the Valley. The priest during the festival would tilt the statue of the god in a certain direction to indicate the god’s answer. This answer is called an oracle. Magical practices had an important religious dimension of the New Kingdom, as the villagers believed that spells, charms, amulets, prescriptions and rituals could be used to invoke the power of a god. Amun was well known as a god ‘who listened to prayers’. He was often portrayed on stelae as a pair of ears (see Figure 10.1).
Magic
The Deir el-Medinians believed that the gods often used magic. For example the goddess Isis was a great magician. She wanted the power that came from knowing the secret name of Ra, the sun god. Ra’s secret name was what gave him power. Isis made a snake that bit Ra on the ankle. Isis would not use her magic to heal him until Ra gave up his secret name, which in great agony whispered his secret name. The villagers also believed that the boat of Ra made a dangerous journey through the underworld, being attacked by demons. Most powerful magic was needed to overcome these dangers so that Ra would rise again into the heavens the next morning. Many gods including Heka, god of magic, always accompanied Ra.
Evidence suggests that all Medinians knew these stories. They believed their gods used magic power to deal with their enemies, overcome evil, heal the sick or just get what they wanted. As a result, the people had many spells, magic sayings that they could speak or write down and many magic actions they could perform.
Magic for healing
The spell ‘a true killer of the poison’ was used when a sick person had snakebite. When the victim licked the snakebite, the gods’ magical powers went into the body to fight the venom. To compete the spell, the sick person would swallow crushed herbs mixed with beer or wine.
Magic in the tomb
Every religious ceremony included magic spells and actions. In tomb chapels, the relatives of the deceased would offer food and drink to the dead person’s Ka (spirit that would live on in the tomb and had the same needs as the tomb owner had). They would also chant a spell, which kept the Ka well provided. Scenes on the walls, as shown in figure 10.2 shows the tomb owner surrounded by food and drink and servants bringing everything the Ka might need.
Magic against the dead
The villagers of Medina lived in a society where death was accustomed. The villagers were afraid of death because they thought the dead would destroy the fish in the sea, seeds in the soil and animals in the desert. To protect themselves they had spells that could be said to Osiris who was the lord of the underworld. Only he could stop the dead from harming the living. Although the dead in a way did help the living. Dead relatives known as ‘able spirit of Ra’ were shown on stelae and prayed to in the homes of the living (refer to figure 10.3).
Evidence suggests that all Medinians knew these stories. They believed their gods used magic power to deal with their enemies, overcome evil, heal the sick or just get what they wanted. As a result, the people had many spells, magic sayings that they could speak or write down and many magic actions they could perform.
Magic for healing
The spell ‘a true killer of the poison’ was used when a sick person had snakebite. When the victim licked the snakebite, the gods’ magical powers went into the body to fight the venom. To compete the spell, the sick person would swallow crushed herbs mixed with beer or wine.
Magic in the tomb
Every religious ceremony included magic spells and actions. In tomb chapels, the relatives of the deceased would offer food and drink to the dead person’s Ka (spirit that would live on in the tomb and had the same needs as the tomb owner had). They would also chant a spell, which kept the Ka well provided. Scenes on the walls, as shown in figure 10.2 shows the tomb owner surrounded by food and drink and servants bringing everything the Ka might need.
Magic against the dead
The villagers of Medina lived in a society where death was accustomed. The villagers were afraid of death because they thought the dead would destroy the fish in the sea, seeds in the soil and animals in the desert. To protect themselves they had spells that could be said to Osiris who was the lord of the underworld. Only he could stop the dead from harming the living. Although the dead in a way did help the living. Dead relatives known as ‘able spirit of Ra’ were shown on stelae and prayed to in the homes of the living (refer to figure 10.3).
Amulets
Amulets
All the Median villagers wore amulets, ornaments with special magical powers to protect the wearer. Three most popular ones were:
1. Ankh- symbol of life
2. Djed Pillar- symbol of the god Osiris
3. Wedjat- left eye of the falcon god Horus
Figure 10.4 The Final Judgment prescribed with the magic words: “O my heart do not betray me.”
All the Median villagers wore amulets, ornaments with special magical powers to protect the wearer. Three most popular ones were:
1. Ankh- symbol of life
2. Djed Pillar- symbol of the god Osiris
3. Wedjat- left eye of the falcon god Horus
Even the dead needed amulets. Every dead person would face a final judgment by the gods to see whether they could enter the afterlife. In this trial their heart was weighed against the Feather of Truth (Maat). A heart scarab amulet would be wrapped in the mummy’s bandages, shaped like a beetle. By having this villagers hoped that they would be pushed through their trial to a good life after death. The amulet had the magical power of lifting the heart to make it lighter on the judgment scales. (Refer to figure 10.4).