As the divine measurer and scribe, Seshat was believed to appear to assist the pharaoh in both of these practises. Seshat assisted the pharaoh in the "stretching the cord" ritual. This ritual is related to laying out the foundations of temples and other important structures in order to determine and assure the sacred alignments and the precision of the dimensions. She was also the "mistress of builders", and laid the plans for the construction and expansion of sacred sites such as temples. Her skills were necessary for surveying the land, to re-establish boundary-lines after the annual floods. The priestess who officiated at these functions in her name also oversaw the staff of others who performed similar duties and were trained in mathematics and the related store of knowledge.
She also was responsible for recording the speeches the pharaoh made during the crowning-ceremony and approving the inventory of foreign captives and goods gained in military campaigns. During the New Kingdom, she was involved in the Sed festival held by the pharaohs, who could celebrate thirty years of reign, recording the regnal years of the king and his jubilees on leaves of the ished or persea tree.[1] It was she whom recorded, by notching her palm, the time allotted to the pharaoh for his stay on earth.
"Mistress of the House of Books" is another title for Seshat, being the deity whose priests oversaw the library in which scrolls of the most important knowledge were assembled and spells were preserved. One prince of the Fourth Dynasty, Wep-em-nefret, is noted as the Overseer of the Royal Scribes, Priest of Seshat on a slab stela. Heliopolis was the location of her principal sanctuary.
Seshat also appeared in funerary contexts, where, along with Nephthys, she restores the limbs of the deceased.[1]
Seshat was closely associated with Thoth (Djehuty in ancient Egyptian), the reckoner of time and god of writing who was also venerated as a god of wisdom, with whom he shared some overlapping functions. She was variously considered to be the sister, wife, or daughter of Thoth.[1] Seshat is the inventor of writing and Thoth taught writing to man.[citation needed]
IconographyEdit
In ancient Egyptian art, she was depicted as a woman with a seven-pointed emblem above her head. It is unclear what this emblem represents.[1] This emblem is the origin of an alternate name for Seshat, Sefkhet-Abwy, which means "seven-horned".[3] Usually, she is shown holding a palm stem, bearing notches to denote the recording of the passage of time, especially for keeping track of the allotment of time for the life of the pharaoh. She was also depicted holding other tools and, often, holding the knotted cords that were stretched to survey land and structures. She is frequently shown dressed in a cheetah- or leopard-hide, a symbol of funerary priests. If not shown with the hide over a dress, the pattern of the dress is that of the spotted feline. The pattern on the natural hide was thought to represent the stars, being a symbol of eternity, and to be associated with the night sky.
The Seshat emblem is a hieroglyph representing the goddess Seshat in ancient Egypt. As the emblem symbolizes this deity, it sits atop her head. The emblem was a long stem with a seven-petal flower on top and surmounted by a pair of horns; the archaic form had seven petals (the vertical shaft as 8), (as a vertical, with two crossed lines-(4), as a 'star', and one horizontal, giving 7+ the 1-vertical shaft), and surmounted by two enclosing sickle-shaped signs, two falcon-feathers on top.
Alan Gardiner identified the emblem as a "conventionalized flower (?) surmounted by horns."[4] Alternatively, the symbol may represent a device similar to a groma.[5]
The famous 24th century BC Palermo Stone has multiple uses of Seshat's emblem. It occurs on the obverse of the Palermo Piece (at Palermo Museum), 1 of the 2 large pieces of the 7—piece Palermo Stone. It is used on the obverse, Row III (of VI rows), and is used twice in King Year Record 34, and 40 of King Den. It is also used elsewhere on the stone for God Seshu,[6] the male counterpart of Seshat (Seshait or Sesha-t).[7]
The reading is approximately: "YEAR: To create (a) Statue for Seshait, Statue for Mafdet." (The King Year 34 register has the clearer of the two styles of Seshat Emblem, with larger spacing between the two vertical feathers. Note: the Gardiner font reads left-to-right; the Palermo Stone is written opposite: right-to-left. A large renpet (hieroglyph) for YEAR, precedes the register (forms its starting border).)
WorshipEdit
Seshat barely appears outside of her official role as the recorder of construction and written projects and did not have a temple or cult dedicated to her.[1]
^ abcdefghWilkinson, Richard H. (2003). The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. London: Thames & Hudson. pp. 166–167. ISBN0-500-05120-8. Retrieved 8 July 2022..
^Including Safkhet, Sesat, Seshet, Sesheta, and Seshata.
^Hart, George (2005). The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. New York: Routledge. p. 141. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
^Gardiner, Alan (1927). Egyptian Grammar: Being An Introduction to the Study of Hieroglyphs (Third ed.). Oxford: Griffith Institute. p. 503. ISBN978-0900416354. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^Belmonte, Juan Antonio; Miguel Angel, Molinero Polo; Miranda, Noemi (2009). "Unveiling Seshat: New Insights Into The Stretching Of The Cord Ceremony" (PDF). In Belmonte, Juan Antonio; Shaltout, Mosalam (eds.). In Search of Cosmic Order: Selected Essays on Egyptian Archaeoastronomy. Cairo: Supreme Council of Antiquities Press. pp. 197–212. Bibcode:2009iscc.book.....B. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^*Budge, 1920, (1978). An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary, p. 698a.
Budge, 1920, (1978). An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary,E.A.Wallace Budge, (Dover Publications), c 1978, (c 1920), Dover edition, 1978. (In two volumes, 1314 pp. and cliv-(154) pp.) (softcover, ISBN0-486-23615-3)
October 25, 2023
seshat, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citatio. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Seshat news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations January 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message For Seshat Digital History Databank see Seshat project Seshat Ancient Egyptian ss3t under various spellings 2 was the ancient Egyptian goddess of writing wisdom and knowledge She was seen as a scribe and record keeper her name means female scribe 1 She is credited with inventing writing She also became identified as the goddess of sciences accounting architecture astronomy astrology building mathematics and surveying SeshatSeshat depicted in a leopard skin inscribing the years of reign for the king on the palm leaf rib hieroglyph for year 1 Name in hieroglyphsSymbolleopard skin tablet star stylusParentsThoth and Ma at Contents 1 Origins 2 Roles 3 Iconography 3 1 Emblem 4 Worship 5 Gallery 6 See also 7 References 8 Further readingOrigins EditSeshat is attested from the Second Dynasty where she assists King Khasekhemwy with the stretching the cord ritual 1 Roles EditAs the divine measurer and scribe Seshat was believed to appear to assist the pharaoh in both of these practises Seshat assisted the pharaoh in the stretching the cord ritual This ritual is related to laying out the foundations of temples and other important structures in order to determine and assure the sacred alignments and the precision of the dimensions She was also the mistress of builders and laid the plans for the construction and expansion of sacred sites such as temples Her skills were necessary for surveying the land to re establish boundary lines after the annual floods The priestess who officiated at these functions in her name also oversaw the staff of others who performed similar duties and were trained in mathematics and the related store of knowledge She also was responsible for recording the speeches the pharaoh made during the crowning ceremony and approving the inventory of foreign captives and goods gained in military campaigns During the New Kingdom she was involved in the Sed festival held by the pharaohs who could celebrate thirty years of reign recording the regnal years of the king and his jubilees on leaves of the ished or persea tree 1 It was she whom recorded by notching her palm the time allotted to the pharaoh for his stay on earth Mistress of the House of Books is another title for Seshat being the deity whose priests oversaw the library in which scrolls of the most important knowledge were assembled and spells were preserved One prince of the Fourth Dynasty Wep em nefret is noted as the Overseer of the Royal Scribes Priest of Seshat on a slab stela Heliopolis was the location of her principal sanctuary Seshat also appeared in funerary contexts where along with Nephthys she restores the limbs of the deceased 1 Seshat was closely associated with Thoth Djehuty in ancient Egyptian the reckoner of time and god of writing who was also venerated as a god of wisdom with whom he shared some overlapping functions She was variously considered to be the sister wife or daughter of Thoth 1 Seshat is the inventor of writing and Thoth taught writing to man citation needed Iconography EditIn ancient Egyptian art she was depicted as a woman with a seven pointed emblem above her head It is unclear what this emblem represents 1 This emblem is the origin of an alternate name for Seshat Sefkhet Abwy which means seven horned 3 Usually she is shown holding a palm stem bearing notches to denote the recording of the passage of time especially for keeping track of the allotment of time for the life of the pharaoh She was also depicted holding other tools and often holding the knotted cords that were stretched to survey land and structures She is frequently shown dressed in a cheetah or leopard hide a symbol of funerary priests If not shown with the hide over a dress the pattern of the dress is that of the spotted feline The pattern on the natural hide was thought to represent the stars being a symbol of eternity and to be associated with the night sky Emblem Edit Two variations of Seshat s emblemin hieroglyphsThe Seshat emblem is a hieroglyph representing the goddess Seshat in ancient Egypt As the emblem symbolizes this deity it sits atop her head The emblem was a long stem with a seven petal flower on top and surmounted by a pair of horns the archaic form had seven petals the vertical shaft as 8 as a vertical with two crossed lines 4 as a star and one horizontal giving 7 the 1 vertical shaft and surmounted by two enclosing sickle shaped signs two falcon feathers on top Alan Gardiner identified the emblem as a conventionalized flower surmounted by horns 4 Alternatively the symbol may represent a device similar to a groma 5 The famous 24th century BC Palermo Stone has multiple uses of Seshat s emblem It occurs on the obverse of the Palermo Piece at Palermo Museum 1 of the 2 large pieces of the 7 piece Palermo Stone It is used on the obverse Row III of VI rows and is used twice in King Year Record 34 and 40 of King Den It is also used elsewhere on the stone for God Seshu 6 the male counterpart of Seshat Seshait or Sesha t 7 The reading is approximately YEAR To create a Statue for Seshait Statue for Mafdet The King Year 34 register has the clearer of the two styles of Seshat Emblem with larger spacing between the two vertical feathers Note the Gardiner font reads left to right the Palermo Stone is written opposite right to left A large renpet hieroglyph for YEAR precedes the register forms its starting border Worship EditSeshat barely appears outside of her official role as the recorder of construction and written projects and did not have a temple or cult dedicated to her 1 Gallery Edit nbsp Hatshepsut and Seshat from the Red Chapel nbsp Goddess Seshat ca 1919 1875 B C E 52 129 Brooklyn Museum nbsp Seshat carved on the back of the throne of the seated statue of Rameses II in the Amun temple at Luxor It dates from around 1250 BCE nbsp Seshat Same carving full length nbsp Seshat at the Karnak Temple ComplexSee also EditGardiner s Sign List R Temple Furniture and Sacred EmblemsReferences Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Seshat a b c d e f g h Wilkinson Richard H 2003 The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt London Thames amp Hudson pp 166 167 ISBN 0 500 05120 8 Retrieved 8 July 2022 Including Safkhet Sesat Seshet Sesheta and Seshata Hart George 2005 The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses New York Routledge p 141 Retrieved 8 July 2022 Gardiner Alan 1927 Egyptian Grammar Being An Introduction to the Study of Hieroglyphs Third ed Oxford Griffith Institute p 503 ISBN 978 0900416354 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Belmonte Juan Antonio Miguel Angel Molinero Polo Miranda Noemi 2009 Unveiling Seshat New Insights Into The Stretching Of The Cord Ceremony PDF In Belmonte Juan Antonio Shaltout Mosalam eds In Search of Cosmic Order Selected Essays on Egyptian Archaeoastronomy Cairo Supreme Council of Antiquities Press pp 197 212 Bibcode 2009iscc book B Retrieved 3 July 2022 Budge 1920 1978 An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary p 698a Budge 1920 1978 pp 697b 698a Further reading EditBudge 1920 1978 An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary E A Wallace Budge Dover Publications c 1978 c 1920 Dover edition 1978 In two volumes 1314 pp and cliv 154 pp softcover ISBN 0 486 23615 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Seshat amp oldid 1181781373, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
