My sister is unique-no one can compare with her because she is the most beautiful woman in the world. Look, she is like Sirius, marking the beginning of a good year. She radiates perfect light and healthy light. Her eyes are charming. Her lips are so sweet that she doesn't say a word. She has a long neck, milky breasts and pure lapis lazuli hair. Compared with her arms, gold is nothing, and her fingers are like lotus flowers. Her hips are full, but her waist is narrow. As for her thighs-they only add to her beauty (Lewis, 203).
Women and men in ancient Egypt enjoyed almost equal status, which is consistent with an old story, that is, after the dawn of creation when Osiris and Isis ruled the world, Isis made men and women equal in power. Nevertheless, men are still regarded as the dominant gender, and the literary works written by male scholars mainly affect people's views on women.
In the above paragraph, this woman is "milky white" (also translated as "milky white") not because she is white, but because her skin is whiter than those who work in the fields all day. Traditionally, women are responsible for housework, and upper-class women especially emphasize staying away from the sun, because dark skin represents lower-class farmers who work outdoors. These members of the lower class feel the same dedication and love as those with higher social status. Many ancient Egyptians experienced love, sex and marriage like modern people.
Love in ancient Egypt
The most famous Egyptian king in modern times is not famous for any of his achievements, but for the complete mausoleum he discovered in A.D. 1922. Although the Pharaoh Tutankhamun (BC 1336- 1327) is young, it is best to restore the stability and religious customs of Egypt after his father's rule (BC 1336). He did it in the company of his young wife and half-sister Ankerson Amon (BC 1350). The photo of them together is one of the most interesting descriptions of romantic love in ancient Egypt.
Ankhsenamun always takes photos with her husband, but this is not uncommon because such images are common. What makes these special people so interesting is how artists emphasize their loyalty to each other through their proximity, gestures and facial expressions. Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass pointed out:
Judging from the artistic images they depicted in the Jin tombs, it is true (they are in love). When we see the Queen standing in front of her husband, sending him flowers when he is hunting and accompanying him, we can feel the love between them (5 1).
Tutankhamun died at the age of 18, and Ankhsenamun disappeared from the historical records soon after. Although their descriptions are idealistic at first, because most Egyptian arts are like this, they still convey a deep-rooted dedication, which can be found in other paintings and inscriptions in Egyptian history to varying degrees. In the coffin inscription of the 2 1 dynasty, a husband said of his wife, "Oh, you were robbed by me. You have a beautiful face. There is no one like her. I didn't find anything wrong with you. " The husband in the inscription is signed "Your brother and partner". In many other similar inscriptions, men and women are regarded as equal partners and friends in the relationship. Although the man is the head of the family and should obey, the woman is respected as her husband's colleague, not subordinate to her husband. Egyptian archaeologist Erika Feucht wrote:
In the decoration of her husband's grave, the wife is portrayed as an equal person who participates in her husband's life in this life and the afterlife. Not only did she not hide her body at any time in Egyptian history, but its charm in people's hearts even strengthened the paintings and reliefs on the walls (quoted from Nado, 29).
In ancient Egypt, sex was regarded as another aspect of life on earth. In addition to infidelity and * * * of the lower classes, sex has no taboos and stigma in any way. In both cases, women's sense of shame is far more serious than men's, because blood is transmitted through women. Historian Jon e Lewis pointed out:
Although the ancient Egyptians were relaxed about sex between single adults (there was no special stigma for illegitimate children), when a woman got married, she should be loyal to her husband. So he can be sure that the children they combine-his heir and the heir to his property-are his. There is no official sanction against women who engage in extramarital affairs. Private punishments are divorce, beatings and sometimes even death (204).
Although this is true, records show that when the husband brought the case to the attention of the authorities, officials intervened in the case and ordered the execution of a woman for adultery. In one case, the woman was tied to a stake outside the house, and she was found guilty of blasphemy and burned to death.
Ancient Egyptians and Sex
Stories and warnings about unfaithful women often appear in ancient Egyptian literature. One of the most popular is The Story of Two Brothers (also known as The Fate of Cheating Wife), which tells the story of Ampu and Bata and Ampu's wife. My brother Anpu lives with his wife and brother Bata. One day, when Bata came back from the field to plant more seeds, his brother's wife tried to seduce him. Bata refused her, saying that she would not tell anyone what happened, and then returned to the field with her brother. Later, when Ampu came home, he found his wife "lying there as if she had been violently attacked by the wicked". She claimed that Bata tried to * * * her, which made Ampu oppose his brother. The story, about 1200 BC, may be the inspiration for Yue Se and Potiphar's wife in Genesis 39: 7.
The story of women's infidelity is so popular because infidelity may bring potential trouble. In the story of Ampu and Bata, their relationship was destroyed and their wife was killed, but before her death, she continued to bring problems to her brother's life and later the wider community. Egyptians' concern for social stability and harmony will make the audience particularly interested in this theme. One of the most popular stories about God is that Osiris and Isis and Osiris were murdered by his brother Seth. In the most widely circulated version of this story, Seth decides to murder Osiris (Seth's wife) after Nefertis and seduce Osiris disguised as Isis. Against the background of infidelity, the chaos after Osiris's murder will leave a deep impression on ancient audiences. Osiris is considered innocent in the story because he thinks he slept with his wife. Like other stories, the culprit is "another woman" or "strange woman", Nefertis.
Apart from these stories encouraging loyalty, there were not many articles about sex in ancient Egypt. There is little information about sexual posture and sexual behavior, and scholars usually interpret it as that Egyptians don't pay much attention to this topic. There is no ban on homosexuality at all. People think that Pepy II (2278-2 BC184 BC) who lived a long life was gay. Unmarried women are free to have sexual relations with anyone they choose, and Erbers medical papyrus written by C. BC 1542, contraceptives were provided. One of them wrote:
A prescription to prevent a woman from getting pregnant for one, two or three years. Grind a proper amount of acacia jujube with some honey. Wet the seed cotton with the mixture and insert *** (Lewis, 1 12).
Abortion is also possible, and there is nothing more shameful than premarital sex. In fact, there is no word "virgin" in ancient Egyptian; Suggesting a person's sexual experience-or lack of any sexual experience-is not considered as a consequence. Prostitution is also not considered a problem. As the Egyptian scientist Steven Snape pointed out, "There is almost no evidence of prostitution in ancient Egypt, especially before the late stage" (1 16). There are no brothels in Egypt, and there is no mention of prostitution in any written works or legal judgments. The famous papyrus Turin 5500 1 describes all kinds of erotic encounters, but it is not clear whether it describes the sexual relationship between * * * and customers or a farce. More serious than * * * or a woman with insufficient or superior sexual ability is a person who can lure a man away from his wife and family. The scribe Arnie's adviser warned:
Beware of strange women, she is a stranger in her town. Don't stare at her when she passes by and don't have sex with her. A woman who is far away from her husband is in deep trouble and her route is unknown (Lewis, 184).
Because Egyptians attach importance to social harmony, they will especially emphasize stories that encourage family harmony. Interestingly, there is no similar story that can be blamed on men. Even in the stories of the gods, monogamy is emphasized as a value. The male god usually has only one female wife or spouse, but the king is allowed to have as many wives as possible, just like any rich royal man, which probably affects people's views on male infidelity. Nevertheless, the ideal of ancient Egyptian relations is still a couple who are loyal to each other and have children.
Marriage in ancient Egypt
There were no weddings in ancient Egypt. A woman married a man as soon as she came in with the agreed goods. Marriage is usually arranged by parents, and the two sides agree on the bride price, and the groom's family gives gifts to the bride. Prenuptial agreements are very common, and any material property brought by the bride is up to her. The purpose of marriage is to have children, but both husband and wife should love and respect each other. Egyptian archaeologist Barbara Watson commented on this:
Marrying a wife seems to be synonymous with building a house. A man should love his wife, as St. Puta-Hotep's warning clearly points out: "Love your wife, feed her, dress her, make her happy ... but don't let her get her hands on it!" Another sage, Arnie, provided the secret of a happy life: "When you know that she is efficient, don't take care of her in your wife's own house. Don't keep saying to her,' Where is it? "Give it to me!" Especially when you know where it should be! " ( 15)。
The father of the bride and groom will draft a marriage agreement, sign it in front of the witness, and then the couple will be regarded as married. Children born in wedlock belong to the mother and follow her when divorced. Despite many warnings to unfaithful women, women have gained great freedom in marriage. Historian Donaldo wrote:
In most ancient societies, in the eyes of most men, women are just property, and the focus of these societies is almost always how women can or should make men happy. It is true that Egypt, like other ancient lands, is dominated by men, and in most cases, women should obey their husbands' orders. Nevertheless, many Egyptian couples seem to enjoy a positive and loving relationship (23).
Tomb paintings and other works of art and inscriptions show husbands and wives eating, dancing and working together. In the royal family, brothers can marry their sisters or half-sisters, but others don't encourage them to do so. For most people, marriage is arranged for the best interests of both parties. I hope that when they live together, if they haven't, they will gradually fall in love. Nadal wrote:
Even if he doesn't love his wife deeply, a man can find a certain degree of happiness as long as he knows that she is satisfied, is willing to keep a clean and orderly family, and teaches his children polite knowledge. He can also be proud of his hard work because he puts food on the table and gives them a place to live (23-24).
A stable nuclear family is considered as the foundation of a stable society. Although members of the royal family are free to choose who to marry (for example, Isis and Osiris or the sister-in-law of other gods such as Nat and Gaby), ordinary people are encouraged to marry people other than cousins. Girls get married at the age of 12 and boys get married at the age of 15, although the average age of girls seems to be 14 and that of boys is 18 or 20. By this time, the boy should have learned his father's craft and practiced it, while the girl, unless she is a member of the royal family, will be trained to manage the family and take care of the old, young and pets at home. Historian Charles Freeman pointed out that "the family is the living unit of Egyptian society. Murals and sculptures show contented couples embracing each other, which is an ancient ideal "(Nadal, 25). However, these marriages are not always successful, and in this case, divorce is allowed.
Egyptian divorce
The end of marriage is as simple as the beginning. One or both spouses request a divorce, divide the material property according to the prenuptial agreement, sign a new agreement, and the marriage ends. Margaret Benson, a historian, pointed out that "the dissolution of this kind of marriage needs to maintain a certain openness in the ex-wife's property rights and economic survival" (156). What she means is that even the property that the husband may think belongs to him should be divided with his wife according to the original agreement. Anything she enters into marriage can be taken away at the end of the marriage. Only fully proved accusations of infidelity deprive women of their right to divorce.
During the period and later period of the New Kingdom, these agreements became more complicated, because divorce procedures seemed to be more standardized and the central authorities were more involved in litigation. Bunsen pointed out, "Many documents in the later period seem to be real marriage contracts. In case of divorce, the dowry provided by the groom at the time of marriage will be returned to his wife for her support, or a sum of money will be paid to her "(156). Alimony is also an option. Even if there are no children, the husband can give his ex-wife pocket money every month until she remarries.
Eternal marriage
However, marriage lasts a lifetime, even in the afterlife. Most men can only live to be 30 years old, while women often die when they are only 16 years old, otherwise they will live longer than men. If you have a good relationship with your spouse, the hope of seeing them again will reduce the loss of death to some extent. Paintings and inscriptions in the tomb depict the couple enjoying each other's company among the reeds and doing what they are doing on earth. Egyptians' belief in eternity is an important foundation of marriage, because people strive to make their life on earth and the lives of others as pleasant as possible, so that people can enjoy it forever. For Egyptians, there is no otherworldly "paradise", but a direct continuation of people's lives. Benson wrote:
Eternity is endless, and no Egyptian will be afraid. Its ancient name is nuheh, but it is also called s henu, which means round, so it is eternal or endless and has become a form of royal decoration (86).
A man stands before Osiris for trial after his death, and if there is a reason, he will go to the reed field. People will find everything they left on earth there-their homes, their favorite trees, their favorite dogs or cats, and those who have passed away, including their spouses. However, if you don't treat your wife or husband well in your life, you may never meet like this. To make matters worse, you may feel inferior in this life and the next. There are many examples of inscriptions and spells to resist bad luck or situations, which are considered to be caused by the afterlife of spouses, either bothering a person or revenging each other through evil spirits.
Sometimes, people who are so tortured will contact a priest to plead for the dead and stop cursing. In this case, men or women will go to the priest, write a spell to explain their story and beg their spouse's soul to stop what they are doing. On the other hand, if this person does commit some crimes, they will have to admit it and make up for it in some way. The priest will prescribe any necessary atonement prescription, and once it is completed, the curse will be lifted. Broken pottery fragments in different ceremony places prove gratitude to God or goddess, because they pray or beg them to help cancel their spouses' vendetta in these matters.
Another way to solve this conflict is to erase all the memories of this person. This is achieved by destroying images owned by anyone. A famous example is the tomb of Mastaba of Kemanhe, an official of the Sixth Dynasty. All the evidence of his wife Tjeset was erased from the wall. A person's spirit will only exist when people on earth remember it. Great monuments, obelisks and temples, such as the Karnak Temple in Thebes, are trying to ensure that people can continue to remember it. Once a person loses his reputation and image, his soul is weakened, and he may not be able to continue in the reed field. They certainly won't cause any trouble on earth, because souls need to be able to see their own images or their names to come back.
It is hoped that these problems can be avoided by remembering eternal harmony and practicing kindness in daily life. Scholar James F. Romano wrote: "Egyptians love life and hope to continue its most enjoyable aspects in the afterlife" (Nardo, 20 years old). Some of the more pleasant aspects are love, sex and marriage. As long as people make full use of them on the earth, they can enjoy them forever.