Through the Eras

ReligionDetail of papyrus of Book of the Dead of Hirweben showing a winged scarab being transported on a solar barque. From Thebes,21st Dynasty. THE ART ARCHIVE/EGYPTIAN MUSEUM OF CAIRO/DAGLI ORTI.manifestation removed. This involved confession, as onNeferabu’s stele, making offerings of incense, and perhapsdedicating a votive stele to the god recording praise to thegod and promising that the infraction will not occur again.There were occasions, however, when a person fell underthe manifestation of a god without knowing what the offensewas. In that case, the Egyptian could consult a “wisewoman” in his village. One New Kingdom ostracon (inscribedpotsherd) from Deir el-Medina records the visitof an unnamed individual to the wise woman who toldhim “the manifestation of Ptah is with you” because ofan oath sworn by his wife. How exactly a wise woman arrivedat her information is not recorded. Demotic textsfrom the Ptolemaic and Roman period record variousmethods of divination, but whether they were practicedas early as the New Kingdom is unknown.REWARDS AND PUNISHMENT. The ancient Egyptianshad several inducements to live a life in accordancewith maat. Those who attended school were taught thatthe path to success lay in keeping maat. The reward forliving a life according to the principles of maat was apleasant existence in the next life. Finally, those whochose to violate the norms of maat stood in danger ofincurring the wrath of an offended god, which could resultin blindness or any number of other misfortunes.SOURCESJoris F. Borghouts, “Divine Intervention in Ancient Egyptand its Manifestation (baw),” in Gleanings from Deir el-Medîna. Eds. R. J. Demarée and J. Janssen (Leiden,Netherlands: Nederlands Instituut voor het NabijeOosten, 1982): 1–70.MAGIC IN EGYPTIAN RELIGIONDEFINITIONS. The English word “magic” is the acceptedtranslation of the Egyptian word “heka.” The extentto which the two terms are synonymous, however,Arts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Egypt (2675 B.C.E.–332 B.C.E.) 237