Nine bows

Last updated
The Bronze Sphinx of Thutmose III, showing Pharaoh reclining on the Nine Bows. The front of the statuette uses the lapwing Rekhyt bird to say: "all the people give praise", using the hieroglyphs, nb, for all, the lapwing, for the people, and the star, for praising; (this is a rebus). Djed pillars of "Dominion" are on the side. Thutmose III sphinx E10897 mp3h8800-gradient.jpg
The Bronze Sphinx of Thutmose III, showing Pharaoh reclining on the Nine Bows. The front of the statuette uses the lapwing Rekhyt bird to say: "all the people give praise", using the hieroglyphs, nb, for all, the lapwing, for the people, and the star, for praising; (this is a rebus). Djed pillars of "Dominion" are on the side.
Nine bows in hieroglyphs
Nine bows
Nine bowsNine bows
Nine bowsNine bows

psḏt pḏt pesedjet pedjet [1]

The Nine Bows is a visual representation in Ancient Egyptian art of foreigners or others. [2] [3] Besides the nine bows, there were no other generic representations of foreigners. [3] Due to its ability to stand in for any nine enemies to Ancient Egypt, the peoples covered by this term changed over time as enemies changed, and there is no true list of the nine bows. [3]

Contents

Alternatively, the nine bows may have had a separate or complementary meaning. [3] In Egyptian hieroglyphs, the word 'Nine Bows' is spelled out as a bow and three sets of three vertical lines. The bow, holding the phonic value "pḏ," means "stretch, (be) wide," and the three sets of lines makes the word plural. [3] [4] The number nine was used metaphorically to express totality. [2] Using this more literal translation of the hieroglyphs, the nine bows could also refer to endless, innumerable foreign lands or the totality of foreign lands. [2] [3] Ieroglif T10+Z2ss.jpg

It is important to note that Ancient Egyptians believed in dualism or that two cosmic forces, order and chaos, governed the universe.  While the nine bows stood in for Ancient Egypt's enemies, it is also possible that they stood in for disorder as well. [5]

Symbolism in Art

Instances of the nine bows appeared as early as the late predynastic period (3200-3000 BCE).  Discovered in Hierakonpolis or Nekhen, here the nine bows were carved on the head of a scepter. [5] As time progressed, the use of the nine bows expanded to other mediums of art.

When in statuette and statue form, it is typical for the nine bows to be displayed underneath feet. [6]   The iconography is similar to a biblical text such as Psalm 110:1 “… until I make your enemies your footstool,” meaning the nine bows placement underneath the feet of Pharaohs and other powerful figures, such as a sphinx, were meant to symbolize the enemy being trampled or entirely under control. [6] One such example of the footstool comes from the tomb of Pharaoh-King Tutankhamun.  Each time that King Tut stepped on the footstool, he would symbolically be trampling his enemies. [6]   Another example, can be seen on the insoles of Pharaoh's sandals. [6] On the sandals, each shoe has eight bows laying horizontally in a vertical line with one another.  Four of the bows are at the top of the sandal near the toe, while four are at the heel.  Where the arch of the foot would be, there are two foreigners of Ancient Egypt depicted facing outward on each shoe. As with the footstool, whenever the sandals were worn, it would have been as if the enemies of Ancient Egypt were trampled. [6]

Pharaoh Djoser

One of the oldest representations of the nine bows, and the first representation of the nine bows fully developed, is on the seated statue of Pharaoh Djoser. His feet rest upon part of the nine bows, which may have referred to Nubians during his reign because of their use of bows and arrows. [2] [7]

Pedestal of Ramses II

Alabaster pedestal of Ramses II found in Antinoopolis. Ramses II's feet can be seen on top on the nine bows. Pedestal de una estatua de Ramses II (British Museum).jpg
Alabaster pedestal of Ramses II found in Antinoopolis. Ramses II's feet can be seen on top on the nine bows.

The pedestal of Ramses II was found in Antinoopolis, El-Minya, Egypt.  It is rectangular in shape and made of Egyptian alabaster.  [5] The engravings found on three sides are carved using Bas-relief, which is indicative of the New Kingdom and Ramses II's reign. [5]   Along with the nine bows depicted on top of the pedestal underneath Ramses II's feet, the pedestal also includes engravings of Ramses II's cartouche along with his Horus name and legends of Ramses II's rule. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hapi (Nile god)</span> Ancient Egyptian god of the annual flooding of the Nile

Hapi was the god of the annual flooding of the Nile in ancient Egyptian religion. The flood deposited rich silt on the river's banks, allowing the Egyptians to grow crops. Hapi was greatly celebrated among the Egyptians. Some of the titles of Hapi were "Lord of the Fish and Birds of the Marshes" and "Lord of the River Bringing Vegetation". Hapi is typically depicted as an androgynous figure with a prominent belly and large drooping breasts, wearing a loincloth and ceremonial false beard, depicted in hieroglyphics as an intersex person.

Montu was a falcon-god of war in ancient Egyptian religion, an embodiment of the conquering vitality of the pharaoh. He was particularly worshipped in Upper Egypt and in the district of Thebes.

[Ramesses II] whom victory was foretold as he came from the womb,
Whom valor was given while in the egg,
Bull firm of heart as he treads the arena,
Godly king going forth like Montu on victory day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amenhotep III</span> Ninth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt

Amenhotep III, also known as Amenhotep the Magnificent or Amenhotep the Great, was the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. According to different authors, he ruled Egypt from June 1386 to 1349 BC, or from June 1388 BC to December 1351 BC/1350 BC, after his father Thutmose IV died. Amenhotep was Thutmose's son by a minor wife, Mutemwiya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thutmose IV</span> Egyptian Pharaoh

Thutmose IV was the 8th Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt, who ruled in approximately the 14th century BC. His prenomen or royal name, Menkheperure, means "Established in forms is Re." He was the son of Amenhotep II and Tiaa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Kingdom of Egypt</span> Period in ancient Egyptian history (c. 1550 BCE–1077 BCE)

The New Kingdom, also referred to as the Egyptian Empire, is the period in ancient Egyptian history between the sixteenth century BC and the eleventh century BC, covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth dynasties of Egypt. Radiocarbon dating places the beginning of the New Kingdom between 1570 BC and 1544 BC. The New Kingdom followed the Second Intermediate Period and was succeeded by the Third Intermediate Period. It was Egypt's most prosperous time and marked the peak of its power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deir el-Bahari</span> Part of the Theban Necropolis in Luxor, Egypt

Deir el-Bahari or Dayr al-Bahri is a complex of mortuary temples and tombs located on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the city of Luxor, Egypt. This is a part of the Theban Necropolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uraeus</span> Ancient Egyptian upright cobra motif signifying authority and divinity

The Uraeus, or Ouraeus, (plural: Uraei) is the stylized, upright form of an Egyptian cobra, used as a symbol of sovereignty, royalty, deity and divine authority in ancient Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art of ancient Egypt</span> Art produced by the Ancient Egyptian civilization

Ancient Egyptian art refers to art produced in ancient Egypt between the 6th millennium BC and the 4th century AD, spanning from Prehistoric Egypt until the Christianization of Roman Egypt. It includes paintings, sculptures, drawings on papyrus, faience, jewelry, ivories, architecture, and other art media. It is also very conservative: the art style changed very little over time. Much of the surviving art comes from tombs and monuments, giving more insight into the ancient Egyptian afterlife beliefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ancient Egyptian architecture</span> Aspect of architecture

Spanning over three thousand years, ancient Egypt was not one stable civilization but in constant change and upheaval, commonly split into periods by historians. Likewise, ancient Egyptian architecture is not one style, but a set of styles differing over time but with some commonalities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khepresh</span>

The khepresh (ḫprš) was an ancient Egyptian royal headdress. It is also known as the blue crown or war crown. New Kingdom pharaohs are often depicted wearing it in battle, but it was also frequently worn in ceremonies. While it was once called the war crown by many, modern historians refrain from characterizing it thusly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staatliche Sammlung für Ägyptische Kunst</span> Archaeological Museum in Munich

The Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst is an archaeological museum in Munich. It contains the Bavarian state collection of ancient Egyptian art and displays exhibits from both the predynastic and dynastic periods. The associated small Middle East section displays objects from the areas of Assyrian and Babylonian culture. For decades, the Egyptian museum was located in the Munich Residenz, but it was moved to the Kunstareal in June 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Man-prisoner (hieroglyph)</span> Egyptian hieroglyph

The ancient Egyptian Man-prisoner is one of the oldest hieroglyphs from Ancient Egypt. An iconographic portrayal from predynastic Egypt eventually led to its incorporation into the writing system of the Egyptian language. Not only rebels from towns or districts, but foreigners from battle were being portrayed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramesses II</span> Third Egyptian pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty (1303–1213 BC)

Ramesses II, commonly known as Ramesses the Great, was an Egyptian pharaoh. He was the third ruler of the Nineteenth Dynasty. Along with Thutmose III of the Eighteenth Dynasty, he is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the New Kingdom, which itself was the most powerful period of ancient Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dream Stele</span> Ancient Egyptian stele

The Dream Stele, also called the Sphinx Stele, is an epigraphic stele erected between the front paws of the Great Sphinx of Giza by the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose IV in the first year of the king's reign, 1401 BC, during the 18th Dynasty. As was common with other New Kingdom rulers, the epigraph makes claim to a divine legitimisation of kingship.

The ancient Egyptian Branch hieroglyph, also called a Stick, is a member of the trees and plants hieroglyphs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt</span> Dynasty of Egypt from c. 1550 to 1292 BCE

The Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt is classified as the first dynasty of the New Kingdom of Egypt, the era in which ancient Egypt achieved the peak of its power. The Eighteenth Dynasty spanned the period from 1550/1549 to 1292 BC. This dynasty is also known as the Thutmosid Dynasty for the four pharaohs named Thutmose.

<i>Khafre Enthroned</i> Funerary statue

Khafre Enthroned is a funerary statue of the Pharaoh Khafre, who reigned during the Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt. It is now located in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The construction is made of anorthosite gneiss, a valuable, extremely hard, and dark stone brought 400 miles down the Nile River from royal quarries. This highlights Khafre's importance and power as a ruler. The statue was carved for the Pharaoh's valley temple near the Great Sphinx, a part of the necropolis used in funeral rituals. This Old Kingdom statue has an important function in Egyptian tombs as substitute abodes for the Pharaoh's ka—the life force that accompanied a person with a kind of other self. After death, the ka leaves the body into the afterlife, but still needs a place to rest: the statue.

This page list topics related to ancient Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Department of Egyptian Antiquities of the Louvre</span>

The Department of Egyptian Antiquities of the Louvre is a department of the Louvre that is responsible for artifacts from the Nile civilizations which date from 4,000 BC to the 4th century. The collection, comprising over 50,000 pieces, is among the world's largest, overviews Egyptian life spanning Ancient Egypt, the Middle Kingdom, the New Kingdom, Coptic art, and the Roman, Ptolemaic, and Byzantine periods.

<i>Bronze Sphinx of Thutmose III</i>

The Bronze Sphinx of Thutmose III is a statuette of a sphinx made during the 18th Dynasty of Egypt under the reign of Thutmose III, who ruled from c. 1479 to 1425 BCE. Adorned with multiple symbols of royal power, it might have been an element or a lock. It was purchased by the Louvre in 1826, and is part of the permanent collections in the display case 4 in Room 637, Sully Wing, first floor.

References

  1. Middle Egyptian Grammar: The Poetical Stela of Thutmose III: Part I , Dr. Gabor Toth, Rutgers University.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Enemies of Civilization: Attitudes toward Foreigners in Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China", Mu-chou Poo. SUNY Press, Feb 1, 2012. p. 43. Retrieved 7 jan 2017
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tait, John (2003). 'Never Had the Like Occurred': Egypt's view of its past. Great Britain: UCL Press. pp. 155–185. ISBN   9781315423470.
  4. Griffith, F. Ll.; Gardiner, Alan H. (November 1927). "Egyptian Grammar, Being an Introduction to the Study of Hieroglyphs". The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology. 13 (3/4): 279. doi:10.2307/3853984. ISSN   0307-5133. JSTOR   3853984.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Waziry, Ayman (2019). "An Unpublished Pedestal of Ramses II from Antinoopolis with Reference to the Nine Bows". Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology. 6: 14–29. doi: 10.14795/j.v6i1.365 .
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Cornelius, Sakkie. "Ancient Egypt and the Other". Scriptura: 322–340.
  7. Bestock, Laurel (2017). Violence and power in ancient Egypt : Image and Ideology Before the New Kingdom. Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge. p. 149. ISBN   9780367878542.

Sources