Maat (deity)
Maat is an ancient Egyptian goddess symbolizing cosmic harmony, truth, and justice. Revered since the Old Kingdom (2686–2181 BCE), she represented the principles that governed the universe, ensuring the balance against chaos, known as isfet. Maat's ideals were integral to the legitimacy of pharaohs, as their rule was justified only if they adhered to her doctrines of order and morality. During the eighteenth dynasty, Maat became closely associated with the sun god Ra, earning the title "daughter of Ra," while also connecting to Osiris, the god of the underworld, highlighting her role in life, death, and the afterlife.
In Egyptian mythology, Maat emerged from chaos alongside Ra and was essential for the passage to the afterlife, where the hearts of the deceased were weighed against her ostrich feather. These beliefs emphasized the necessity of living a just and moral life to achieve harmony in both this world and the next. Maat's influence extended into the social fabric of ancient Egypt, as her teachings promoted unity and cooperation among individuals, especially crucial during the annual flooding of the Nile. The prominence of Maat surged during the Ramesside period, reflecting a societal need for stability amid economic turmoil and conflict, reinforcing her status as a guiding force for personal and communal integrity within ancient Egyptian culture.
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Maat (deity)
Symbols: Single Ostrich plume; staff
Culture: Ancient Egypt
Father: Ra
The goddess Maat was worshipped in ancient Egypt as the embodiment of cosmic harmony. The Egyptians equated her with ideals related to kingship, such as truth and justice. Maat also signified a set of cosmic rules which were believed to have been established at the very inception of the universe itself. A pharaoh’s rule could only be legitimized if he was seen to be upholding the model of governance that was in accordance with the ideals of Maat. The earliest instance of the worship of this deity can be traced back to the Old Kingdom of Egypt (2686–2181 BCE). This period signified Maat to be the counterforce of chaos and the champion of order and rule of law. Maat as a goddess and as an ideal was frequently used by the ruling class and officials associated with authority with very few instances of normal citizens worshipping the deity.
It was during the reign of the eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (1550–1069 BCE) that Maat began to be linked to the sun god Ra and gained the epithet "daughter of Ra" as part of her representations in Egyptian culture. Maat was also closely associated with Osiris, who was worshipped by the Egyptians as the god of the underworld. These links to gods who represented life as well as death symbolized Maat as an eternal source of morality that the ruling class had to conform to in order for their authority to be deemed divine and true.
In Mythology
In certain mythicized accounts Maat was believed to have emerged from a primordial ocean of chaos with the sun god Ra. The significance Maat held in sustaining order had heavy influence in Egyptian religion. Maat was often portrayed as the ultimate reason for all life as she was believed to be the one who had charted the course of the sun across the sky. Other important references to this goddess in Egyptian mythology can be found in connection with the god Osiris, who was thought of as the judge of the dead. The Egyptians believed that while travelling through the underworld, the hearts of the dead will be weighed on a scale against a single ostrich feather that represented Maat and all the ideals the goddess stood for. Passage to the afterlife would only be possible if the heart was deemed to have upheld justice, truth and morality while alive.
The cosmological awareness of the ancient Egyptians can also be equated to the worship of Maat. The adaptation of universal balance through the acceptance of principles embodied by Maat were constructed in the belief that humanity can only become one with the universe by living reasonable and cooperative lives. The main enemy to this universal balance that Maat tried to sustain was chaos, or isfet. The mythological account of the god Seth ruling Egypt after betraying and murdering his brother Osiris is an interesting example of a rule of law that lacked the principles of Maat and brought about isfet to the Egyptian nation. Later, when Osiris’s son Horus defeated and killed Seth, cosmic balance, or Maat, was restored across Egypt. Hence, mythological accounts portray Seth as the quantification of chaos that opposes the cosmic balance that Maat strives to uphold.
Origin and Cults
The Egyptians believed true prosperity can only be achieved if a society manages to mirror the cosmological order the sky, the earth, and the celestial bodies follow into their daily lives as individuals. The true origin of Maat was from this single philosophy of universal order that quickly developed into concepts complementary of collective moral conviction and models of human behavior that eventually accumulated under the single umbrella of Maat. The cultural and social significance of this goddess was tremendous as Maat was suggestive of idealized behavior for the common public that was static and unchanging. A practical reason for the emphasis on human qualities such as unity under the guidelines of Maat was that the annual flooding of the Nile River often made it impossible for the Egyptians to survive without mutual cooperation and reliance upon each other.
Similar to the sun god Ra, Maat was also an essential part of legitimizing a pharaoh’s rule. Ascension to the throne was only deemed complete when the pharaoh proclaimed that his authority would conform to Maat and strive to bring social justice and harmony to the society. Different examples exist of pharaohs being called the beloved of Maat according to the degrees to which their reign complimented the guidelines set by the goddess.
The religious doctrine that Maat was the opposing force of chaos was also used by pharaohs during times of war. The goddess was extensively depicted in illustrations of enemies being dominated to signify the eradication of chaos and restoration of peace. There are multiple depictions of Syrians, Nubians, and Levantines being speared in the presence of Maat during the military campaigns of Thutmose III (1479–1425 BCE) and Amenhotep II (1427–1401 BCE). Victory in these wars was believed to bring back Maat, or order, to the Egyptian nation from the perceived chaos the foreign people represented.
A relevant time period in Egyptian history that is significant to Maat as a deity was the reign of the Ramesside kings (1186–1069 BCE). This historical time period saw a formidable rise in the importance given to Maat by these rulers and is marked by the addition of multiple rituals related to the goddess that were unprecedented and absent during the reigns of earlier rulers. The reason for this rise in prominence of Maat is widely attributed to the economic turmoil Egypt as a nation was facing at the time due to constant war.
Egyptians believed in a divine plan for all creation and expected to be part of the wider cosmos beyond the Earth after death. The acceptance of Maat provided Egyptians with a set of physical laws that could potentially ensure a secure transition into the afterlife. Maat, as a goddess and as an ideal signified ancient Egyptians expressing uniformity with the wider universe that was divinely dictated.
Bibliography
Bunson, R. Margeret. Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt. Rev. ed. New York: Facts On File, 2002. Print.
Hart, George. The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 2005. Print.
"Maat." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2015. Web. 26 Nov. 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/topic/Maat-Egyptian-goddess>.
Schroeder, Tali M. "Ma’at as a Theme in Ancient Egyptian Tomb Art." Oglethorpe Journal of Undergraduate Research 5.1.(2015). Article 1. Web. 4 Dec. 2015. <http://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1049&context=ojur>.
Teeter, Emily. Presentation of Maat Ritual and Legitimacy in Ancient Egypt. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1997. Print.