Authority of ancient Egypt through symbols
In ancient Egypt, the supreme authority was the pharaoh. The pharaoh was believed to be the direct descendant of God. This supremacy & authority of monarch system was definitely symbolized by different types of crowns.
Although, there were other symbols rather than crowns which indicated the supreme authority in ancient Egypt. Some important symbols which fall under this category going to be discussed briefly below:
The Symbol of ‘Uraeus’
The symbol of ‘uraeus’ actually symbolizes the cobra goddess Wadjet who was believed to be the patron goddess of Lower Egypt. She was believed to be the protector of the pharaoh. Uraeus is displayed on their clothing. It also symbolizes sovereignty & royalty.
The Symbol of ‘Ritual Beard’
Egyptians pharaohs are always shown with a false beard. It is known as the ‘Ritual Beard’. It was not that in ancient Egypt, all the men had to maintain a beard. Thus, false beards have other reason to be shown with pharaohs.
Ritual beard; the name suggests that this false beard was used by pharaohs only at the time of rituals, not every time. It was believed that this ‘holy’ beard liked pharaoh to Osiris Who was known to be the god of underworld & afterlife.
The Symbol of ‘Sejem Sceptre’
A sceptre refers to a staff bearing the symbolic representation of royalty. authority & sovereignty. It is generally held in the hand by the ruling monarch. In ancient Egypt, ‘sejem scepter’ symbolized the nobility, force & the magical energy of the Pharaoh & his family.
The Symbol of ‘Nemes’
‘Nemes’ refers to a fabric headdress. It was used to replace the crown while pharaoh was engaged in his/her daily activities. It was locked to the pharaoh’s head using a diadem.
It covers the whole crown, the nap & sometimes is extended to the back. Nemes can be dated back to the period of the 3rd dynasty during the reign of the pharaoh Djoser.
The Symbol of ‘Diadems’
the ‘Diadems’ symbolises royal dignity & ultimate power. It was placed on head with/ without the nemes. It was generally used the children of pharaoh in ancient Egypt.
The Symbol of ‘Ostentatious’
The meaning of ‘Ostentatious’ is an attempt to impress others. It refers to the luxurious lifestyle also. Below is the photo of the golden sandals of the pharaoh Tutankhamun. This can indicate his rich, fancy & grand lifestyle. Ostentatious was a very common feature of the royal wardrobe.
The Symbol of ‘Staff & Whip’
In ancient Egypt, the royal ‘stuff’ & ‘whip’ were known as ‘heka’ & ‘nejej’ respectively. These symbols highlighted the royalty. The crook or heka is shown in the shape of a shepherd’s crook while the nejej or whip consists of a short handle with three flyers attached to it.
Source: Ancient Egypt, Parragon Publishing, 2014.
