Through the Eras

FashionThis king wears a nemes kerchief with a uraeus snake over hisforehead. This style was restricted to kings and was popular fromearliest to latest times in Egyptian history. BROOKLYN MUSEUM OFART, 16.169, GIFT OF EVANGELINE WILBOUR BLASHFIELD, THEODORAWILBOUR, AND VICTOR WILBOUR HONORING THE WISHES OF THEIRMOTHER, CHARLOTTE BEEBE WILBOUR AS A MEMORIAL TO THEIR FA-THER, CHARLES EDWIN WILBOUR. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION.called the Red Crown the net—the Egyptian name of thegoddess Neith. The Red Crown identified the king as rulerof Lower (northern) Egypt. The White Crown takes itsname from the Egyptian hedjet (“white thing”). The WhiteCrown designated the king as ruler of Upper Egypt. Thesecrowns might have been made from leather or fabric. ThePyramid Texts include references to the Red Crown andWhite Crown where their colors associated them withplanets and stars. From the earliest periods until the reignof Thutmose IV (1400–1390 B.C.E.) the Red Crown andWhite Crown were worn alone or combined in the DoubleCrown. By Thutmose IV’s reign, the Red Crown orWhite Crown could be worn over a Nemes kerchief. Thistrend continued through the subsequent Ramesside Period(1292–1075 B.C.E.) when the Red Crown or WhiteCrown always was worn with additional elements.Ahmose, also known as Ruru. BROOKLYN MUSEUM OF ART,61.196, CHARLES EDWIN WILBOUR FUND. REPRODUCED BY PERMIS-SION.DOUBLE CROWNS. The name “Double Crown” isa modern construction. The Egyptians called the DoubleCrown pas sekhemty (“the two powerful ones”). Theking wore the Double Crown to symbolize his rule overboth Upper and Lower Egypt. Gods associated withkingship also wore the Double Crown. The god Horuswore it because each king was a living manifestationof this god. The god Atum wore the double crownto emphasize his cosmic rule. The goddess Mut worethe Double Crown over a vulture cap. Because Mutwas the divine mother and a consort of the chief godAmun, her headgear stressed her connection to theking. The Double Feather Crown, called shuty (“twofeathers”), was nearly always worn in combination with102 Arts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Egypt (2675 B.C.E.–332 B.C.E.)